Celebration of contours

“Urban Form” (mixed media), by James C. Varnum, in his show “Contours of Change,’’ at Galatea Fine Art, Boston, March 4-27.

Galatea quotes him:

"In this exhibit … the pieces show my interpretation of changes in weather patterns and effects of climate disasters in our environments. I am influenced by the smoke maps of the world’s wildfires and by contemporary Australian Indigenous Art.

“These pieces are on cradled Claybord panels in mixed media. I create textures in acrylic molding paste, apply color and marks, then pour liquid acrylic over the work. When dry I apply more markings until the work is completed.

“I have always focused on the contours created by textures in my paintings, but these works are a change for me, from working on flat papers to creating on low-relief surfaces."

‘Find a route’

“Dust to Dust” (alcohol Inks and Ink on Yupo) by James C. Varnum, in his show “Worlds Apart,’’ at at Galatea Fine Art, Boston, in December.

He writes:

"Come explore ‘Worlds Apart,’’ where there are relationships and connections among and within the paintings. Explore the terrain created by the textures and mark making. The lines on the painted work emphasize a topography that I’ve imposed. These patterns, symbols and maps will be discovered as you embark on a journey into the paintings. Stay awhile. Travel around. Flow through. Find a route that takes you where you want to go."

See:

galateafineart.com

Mr. Varnum grew up in southern New Hampshire and his gallery is in Arlington, Mass.

Getting at the sense of doom

“Gates of Hell’’ ( mixed media diptych), by James C. Varnum, of Newton, Mass., in the show “Subtle Recognition: Mirrors of Contemplation,’’ at Galatea Fine Art, Boston, though Oct. 31.

He tells the gallery:

“These two paintings represent my feelings toward the outside world during the pandemic. While Parallel was completed earlier, it reflects the duality of opinions about the severity of COVID 19 and attitudes toward public health and community. ‘Gates of Hell ‘was completed in March. It is bleak and expresses my sense of doom felt during some periods this spring. I experimented with materials, tools and palette to keep some sanity."

See:

galateafineart.com