Solo Exhibition: Stay A While
Carmen McNall
Dates: September 21 - October 26, 2024
Reception: September 21 | 6-9 PM
Glass Rice is proud to present Stay A While, Carmen McNall’s third solo exhibition with the gallery. In this body of work, McNall reflects on feelings of tenderness and nurture, thoughts brought to the forefront since becoming a mother. Known for her unmistakable style, she expands her practice with a new level of carving intricacy paired with a broader sense of womanhood through her hybrid style of painting and carving.
In this exhibition, McNall invites her audience to the table in a celebration of life - welcoming the viewer to sit in an intimate space of tender energy. In the past, the female figures in her pieces were more often than not depicted in positions of repose, however, her transition to motherhood has catalyzed a newfound sense of vitality in both herself and her work. The figures in Stay A While usher viewers into their realm of nurture and comfort in which they become the caretaker and host.
Symbols of old world fruits such as pomegranates and figs, herbs, and flowers such as tulips woven into the patterns of the women’s garments and presented on tablescapes signify a bounty of offerings to the viewer, as well as representations of wisdom, renewal, sensuality, and grace. Archways and doorways act as portals that lead viewers into peaceful realms in which the omnipresent force is one that is generous and warm, yet fiercely protective of its serenity.
Despite the tranquility present throughout her work, the female figures in this body of work exude strength, divine feminine energy, and wisdom. Each container, fruit, and flower echo back to this notion that women too are ancient vessels and holders of truth. Stay A While honors the cycle of life and generational knowledge in a paradise guided by McNall.
Carmen McNall
Dates: September 21 - October 26, 2024
Reception: September 21 | 6-9 PM
Glass Rice is proud to present Stay A While, Carmen McNall’s third solo exhibition with the gallery. In this body of work, McNall reflects on feelings of tenderness and nurture, thoughts brought to the forefront since becoming a mother. Known for her unmistakable style, she expands her practice with a new level of carving intricacy paired with a broader sense of womanhood through her hybrid style of painting and carving.
In this exhibition, McNall invites her audience to the table in a celebration of life - welcoming the viewer to sit in an intimate space of tender energy. In the past, the female figures in her pieces were more often than not depicted in positions of repose, however, her transition to motherhood has catalyzed a newfound sense of vitality in both herself and her work. The figures in Stay A While usher viewers into their realm of nurture and comfort in which they become the caretaker and host.
Symbols of old world fruits such as pomegranates and figs, herbs, and flowers such as tulips woven into the patterns of the women’s garments and presented on tablescapes signify a bounty of offerings to the viewer, as well as representations of wisdom, renewal, sensuality, and grace. Archways and doorways act as portals that lead viewers into peaceful realms in which the omnipresent force is one that is generous and warm, yet fiercely protective of its serenity.
Despite the tranquility present throughout her work, the female figures in this body of work exude strength, divine feminine energy, and wisdom. Each container, fruit, and flower echo back to this notion that women too are ancient vessels and holders of truth. Stay A While honors the cycle of life and generational knowledge in a paradise guided by McNall.