Light, Form, and Color – New Paintings by Claudia Rilling

Reception with the Artist:
* Saturday, May 22, 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Exhibition Dates:
* May 4 – June 12

[Pictured: “View From Pacific” 2021, Oil on panel, 30 x 30 inches]

Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery is pleased to announce our first in-person solo exhibition since the pandemic shut down featuring new work by Philadelphia artist, Claudia Rilling.

Artist statement:

This series of paintings demonstrates my exploration of geometry and shape relationships, color and tone. My interest in these elements of painting began while studying ancient systems of composition and has remained influenced by painters who implement strong geometric scaffolding such as Piero Della Francesca and Edgar Degas. My influences also include painters such as Giorgio Morandi, Fairfield Porter, and Euan Uglow.  

My interest in the formal and pictorial aspects of painting are in addition to my interest in the sensuality of the oil medium, nuanced edges, and subtleties of light. Each painting is carefully considered and composed, some taking months to produce. The resulting surface reveals a visual history of changes made over time.   

I am exploring three main motifs: the landscape, cityscape, and floral compositions. By working within these different subjects I can move between paintings with similar pictorial ideas with the same perceptual focus regardless of subject. A pivotal moment for me, while learning about the great Austrian artists; was a quote by Egon Schiele that stated “Art cannot be modern, art is primordially eternal.”

Claudia Rilling, April, 2021