Abstract Landscapes Prominent in Solomon’s Work

What looks like slabs of paint to some is poetic and beautiful for others. Not everyone understands or cares to see the complexity of abstract paintings, and Maxine Solomon dares viewers to explore their own realities in her exhibit at the Triton Museum of Art, “From Void to a Dream.”

“[Solomon] is based out of San Francisco and does abstract landscaping,” says Carmen Pascual, visitor service associate for the Triton. “It’s quite lovely, especially in this soft light. She painted with a lot of emotion. There’s a lot of feeling – a lot of layers.”

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“An image forms in my mind and the seed of a painting is sown,” reads Solomon’s artist statement. “As the image takes shape on the canvas it also takes control of the process and the outcome. The painter Richard Diebenkorn summed it up well – ‘I can never accomplish what I want – only what I would have wanted had I thought of it beforehand.’

“The combination of quiet glazes with active brushstrokes helps to capture a moment in time, leaving the viewer to wonder if the image is merely an abstract painting or a colorful landscape. Delve deeper within these layers to see an intricate and textured surface. As I work, each painting speaks to me not only about the beauty of our world, but also of its diversity and ecological endangerment.”

It may take multiple viewings to “get” Solomon’s aesthetic. She paints with multiple layers and heavy brushstrokes that contribute to the meaning behind her paintings. On first glance, a viewer might simply see splashes of color arranged in various ways on the canvas. On second glance, another layer is seen. Looking deeper into the paintings, on a third or fourth viewing, even more becomes revealed.

“Her work is pure visual poetry and, as such, makes the viewing experience a true reward,” reads a statement from the Triton’s Chief Curator Preston Metcalf.

“[Solomon’s paintings are] a strong, consistent body of work that digs deep beneath the surface and touches levels of thought many do not achieve,” reads a statement from the Triton’s Executive Director George Rivera. “Her work celebrates the depths beneath and beyond the surface.”

Maxine Solomon’s “From Void to a Dream” is on display at the Triton Museum of Art until November 18. The Triton is at 1505 Warburton Ave. in Santa Clara and is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 4 p.m. The museum is open until 8 p.m. the third Thursday of each month. Admission is free. For additional information visit www.tritonmuseum.org.