The five unseen elements…
Earth, wind, fire and water are the essential physical elements, and exist seen or unseen in every landscape. Quintessence, the fifth element, we cannot see, but it gives the four physical elements their meaning. It is called by many names: spirit, akasha, the void. In this body of work I am exploring the presence of all five elements.
I continue to have the companionship of great artists with me in my studio: musicians, poets, writers and painters. While I paint I am listening to music, referring to books of poetry and looking up song lyrics. Each painting is driven by a visual idea from the landscape, formal experimentation with color, texture and material, and inspiration from a particular line from a poem or a lyric. Look to the titles for clues. For me all three elements of idea, formal consideration and inspiration must be present for the work to come together. Rothko said there is no such thing as a good painting about nothing.
Pamela Gibson is an abstract landscape painter living and working in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She holds a BFA from Oregon College of Art and Craft in Portland, Oregon. After weaving for many years, she transitioned to encaustic painting 8 years ago, finding the medium more conducive to interpreting the land around her. Her textile sensibility continues to find its way into her work as a painter.