Remembered – Imagined: New paintings by Natalie Friedman
October 18th – November 30th

The Compound Gallery is thrilled to present a new solo show by artist Natalie Friedman, “Remembered – Imagined.”This painting exhibition runs from October 18 – November 30 and includes an opening on Saturday, October 18 from 6-9 p.m. The reception will include drinks, treats, engaging conversation, and new works by Friedman who strives to “understand, explore, and celebrate the ordinary spaces that are the settings for our daily lives and journeys.” Depicting spaces that are often overlooked (corners, doorways, shelves, empty hallways, even bathrooms). Friedman’s art showcases places that are both familiar and surprisingly new. Her acrylic paintings intertwine elements of space, light, shape, and color, to illuminate the beauty within life’s small, often unnoticed moments. Guided by memory and impression, these works are abstract reflections that reach beyond representation to incorporate the imagined. Beginning with the simplest of mediums, leftover paint water, which is dripped onto the canvas to create a unique underpainting, Friedman’s art illuminates the magnificence within life’s small, often unnoticed moments.

Through my art, I strive to understand, explore, and celebrate the ordinary spaces that are the settings for our daily lives and journeys. My paintings are an invitation to remember not just one moment, but a collection of memories, of many moments bound together in a single piece. Painting, for me, has the special quality of being able to reach beyond representation and incorporate the imagined. It is a medium through which I can endeavor to capture the essence of my subjects.

My pieces often encompass overlooked corners, doorways, shelves, empty hallways, even bathrooms – spaces commonly dismissed as insignificant. These transitional areas embody the paradox of being both familiar and surprisingly new. By intertwining elements of space, light, shape, and color, I aim to evoke a dual sense of familiarity and wonder – remembered and imagined – illuminating the beauty within life’s small, often unnoticed moments.

My creative process brings these tableaus to life through the application of acrylic on canvas or paper. I photograph places that resonate with me, using these images as starting points. Each painting begins with the simplest of mediums, leftover paint water, which I drip onto the canvas to create a unique underpainting. As I build in layers, I stop relying on the source image and allow memory and impression to guide the process. The final pieces are not literal representations of specific spaces, but rather abstract reflections that convey a sense of place, capturing emotions and experiences the way only painting can.

In this chaotic era, where distressing news and turmoil can overshadow everyday life, these gentle reminders of beauty serve as an essential refuge. They offer solace and a chance to recharge our emotional and psychological batteries, fortifying us to face the challenges ahead with renewed strength and resilience.

Exhibition Dates: Oct 18-Nov 30
Location: The Compound Gallery, 1339 61st st. Emeryville, CA 94608
Gallery Hours: Thursday-Sunday 12-6pm