McKay pours acrylic paints onto canvases in order to establish the grounds for his neo-abstract-expressionist paintings; on top he affixes strips of tape and shapes, such as circles. McKay was trained as a psychologist with a specialty in interpreting Rorschach ink-blot tests. “Using this body of knowledge,” he explains, “I made color choices and form-placement decisions that attempt to pull the viewer toward thinking about interpersonal themes.”
Olson is showing paintings and three-dimensional work in a variety of mediums, all of which have figurative elements. Especially interesting are a pair of stoneware bas-reliefs in which disconnected body parts are organized within soft grids. “I was exhausted with focus, focus, focus, so I decided to focus on variety,” Olson says, explaining his interest in experimentation.
A reception for the McKay and Olson shows will run from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight at SYNC, 878 Santa Fe Drive, Suite 1; both will be on display through April 9. For more information, go to http://syncgallery.org.
March 18-April 9, 2011
