Opening Reception: Saturday, December 3, 4:00 - 7:00 pm

Meet the Artist: Sunday, January 8, 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Abstract with Stripes, acrylic with collage on canvas, 36” x 48” $1500

Linda Bankerd’s Nothing Is Real is entirely abstract; a group of paintings that do not relate to reality in any way. She has utilized shape, color, form, line, and gestural marks to produce works that exist in and by themselves.

“Abstraction was not easily achieved. I’ve never striven for or succumbed to realism. Figures, landscapes, still lives, and interiors were evident in my past work, more often than not,” Bankerd says. “In this exhibition, I’ve finally been able to leave the “real” or some iteration of it. Nothing real needed or wanted.”

Bankerd has been making art for many years. Initially, she worked in silkscreen, producing multi-colored transparent abstract artworks. It proved to be an interesting change from making multiples—all exactly the same—to placing the paper under the prepared screen differently for each pass; therefore coming up with unexpected and innovative results. This experimentation in  printmaking led her to try painting. 

Expression through paint and brush proved to be much more direct for Bankerd than making screens and passing paper through them. She also found acrylic paint a forgiving medium, as it can be transparent or thick, shiny or dull; plus one can easily add other elements such as collage, pastel, crayon, ink, charcoal etc..

Note: Touchstone Gallery will be closed December 23-January 4.