ABSTRACT CONTOURS

Perry Lawson Fine Art is pleased to present Abstract Contours, a three-person exhibition of abstract paintings by Paula Cahill, Jill Levine, and Holly McWhorter. All three artists draw inspiration from personal experiences, historical art traditions, and cultural influences, which they skillfully infuse into their paintings, resulting in distinctive imagery that explores the interplay of line, color, and form.

Paula Cahill’s paintings feature a continuous line that meanders, changes color, and seamlessly reconnects. Her process involves mixing up to100 gradients of color, drawing inspiration from memories of scuba diving amidst tropical fish in coral reefs worldwide. Cahill layers the color onto her canvas, creating radiant lines of ever-changing hues, reminiscent of the bioluminescence found in marine life. By bridging the historical lineage of line in art, design, and science, Cahill strives to push the historical conversation with line into the contemporary and elevate the integral role it has played in art, design, and the sciences since its early appearance in rock and cave drawings. Cahill holds an MFA from the Philadelphia Academy of the Fine Arts. She lives and works in Philadelphia.

Jill Levine explores the intersection of painting and sculpture in her work, resulting in distinctive wall-hangings constructed from pre-cut Styrofoam shapes that are glued together, covered with rigid wrap, then modeling compound and painted in oil paint. Drawing inspiration from Mexican codices, ceramics, and Pre-Columbian art, her sculptures have evolved into totemic forms that evoke the vibrant hues of serapes, showcasing layered drawings over thick bands of paint. These motifs are echoed in her rectangular tablets, more intimate in scale to suggest books that can be held in the hand. These sculptures retain their individuality while existing as a cohesive group. Levine holds an MFA from the Yale University School of Art and currently lives and works in New York City.

Holly McWhorter's abstract paintings explore the interplay of color and form to evoke mood. Drawing from her background as an interior architect, she uses perspective studies to create a sense of three-dimensional space that amplifies the emotional impact. Her larger paintings reflect a meditative process, emphasizing intentional simplicity and patience. This resonates with her Quaker upbringing, highlighting the significance of observing meaningful aspects of life. Ultimately, her work reflects on color, composition, patience, simplicity, and committing to process for desired results. Her studies include interior architecture, design and architecture theory at Parson School of Design, and painting at the Art Students' League in New York. Originally based in Brooklyn, McWhorter currently lives and works in Copenhagen.