Carlee WrightCatch a solo show of recent work by local abstract painter Seth Allen at Salem on the Edge through January 30.
He’s commanded a presence on the stage, behind the pen and now, on canvas.
The co-founder of The Verona Studio, a local black box theater, Seth Allen has been involved with the arts community for many years but connected more seriously with visual arts over the past three years. And with less opportunity for acting and directing at the moment, he is painting more than ever, he said.
His most recent collection is “Statera,” which is Latin for balance.
“These paintings were the result of a very purposeful transition for me. They happened in a time of cultural and national transition,” Seth said. “Naturally, there is chaos. I think we are all trying to find balance in chaos. These paintings are my chaos and my calm.”
Previously, Seth was heavily focused on composition and simplicity with color palette — communicating more with less, trying to trust himself and let go.
“There was a definite transition in some of the artwork I was doing before: from representational to a much more abstract style. I wanted to explore the abstract feelings I had for the world and our community,” he said. “There were (and are) such strong transitions happening: pandemic, politics, fires, demonstrations, etc — and I wanted to let myself try and understand the tone of the time with a visual representation. I’m sure some part of me wanted to try and find balance — but the more I tried, the less I found. These are intensely un-balanced and abstract times.”
View Seth’s art at Salem on the Edge, 156 Liberty St. NE. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Call 503-884-0635 or visit https://salemontheedge.com.
Find his work online at www.instagram.com/billypilgrim77/ and www.sethallen.org/paint.
The Instigator
