Involution Brochure

IS PLEASED TO PRESENT...

PAINTINGS BY DANA ROES AND POETRY BY BRANDI GEORGE

Involution

UNTITLED 2022 80”X 108” CHARCOAL, AND PAINT ON CANVAS

BIG ARTS DUNHAM FAMILY GALLERY OCTOBER 27 – DECEMBER 10, 2023 OPENING RECEPTION: OCTOBER 27, 5-7PM ARTIST’S LECTURE AND POETRY READING: 6PM

About the Exhibit

Involution is the process of enfolding, inwardness, curving, ingrowth, or entangling. It is the state of being involved or complicated. Dana Roes’ paintings and Brandi George’s poetry explore the art of involution in this collaborative exhibit.

Inspired by evolution, extinction, and South Florida waters, forests, and skies, this collection of art and poetry reveals the many beginnings before the one we know, the hieroglyphics of stone, secrets in fire, and the transformational power of loss.

About the Artists

DANA ROES received her MFA in Painting from the University of Pennsylvania and has received several notable awards including a Fulbright Fellowship and a Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture Residency. Her work has been included in numerous exhibitions throughout the States as well as in Sweden, Australia, and China, and she has been featured in solo exhibitions at the Gallery Listamistodim in Iceland, the Fay Gold Gallery in Atlanta, the Larry Siroli Gallery in Chelsea and the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery in Fort Myers.

BRANDI GEORGE grew up in Ovid, Michigan, spending much of her time drifting through farms, meadows, marshes, and forests. This has given her an intense relationship with wilderness areas and an interest in ecopoetics and nature writing. Her work celebrates these spaces, while also carving out a new religion, a spirituality that is rooted in creativity itself. She is the author of three books: Gog (Black Lawrence Press, 2015), Faun (Plays Inverse, 2019), and most recently, The Nameless (Kernpunkt Press, 2023). She teaches writing at Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers.

Dana Roes Artwork

UNTITLED #6 72”X 72” CHARCOAL, AND PAINT ON CANVAS

FT# 3 85”85 OIL ON CANVAS

FT# 6 120X 85” CHARCOAL, AND PAINT ON CANVAS

DANA ROES - ww

For further information, contact BIG ARTS Gallery Director

UNTITLED #1 72”X 72” CHARCOAL, AND PAINT ON CANVAS

UNTITLED #8 2022-23 85”X100” CHARCOAL, OIL PAINT ON CANVAS

ww.danaroes.com

Wilson McCray, 239.270.2772, or inquire at the front desk.

Brandi George Poetry String by string

To be as dense as granite and covered in snow below the fire-blood blood-fire the living’s cries like violins horsehair of death symphony of breath & eternity There is something heavy When the wind stops the stone of the body waits for life the cockroach prays above the door the eyelid of a whale closes where the boldest fish are skeletal & phosphorescent darkness nibbles at our toes

The darkness knows The delicate shins of an aquilops tiny dinosaur chest brushed open the darkness knows a young mother’s mahogany hair curling into dust the darkness knows rose hips pollen-drenched bees blanketed by orange magnolia leaves the darkness knows blue feathers with golden tips eggs cracked into syllables the darkness knows clouds inside a lung a rift in the fabric soot from a flame the darkness knows every breath every touch since the beginning Dragonfly things Twist into a passionflower delicious

not malicious

the red wind blows voluptuously

through the orchard

BRANDI GEORGE - www.brandigeorgepoetry.com

Great communities create great organizations – not the other way around.

In 1979,BIG ARTS was created, by and for the community, and owes its rich history to a small band of dedicated artists who drew inspiration from each other and from the breathtaking island beauty that infused their work with grace and authenticity. They set out to create a special gathering place where artistic and educational experiences were accessible to all. Today that vision is alive and well. With the help of our loyal donors and supporters, BIG ARTS will carry that vision forward – providing joy, inspiration and a sense of community for generations to come.

Vision

To create great arts, entertainment and learning experiences that always inspire, enrich and delight.

Mission

Provide an array of quality entertainment, arts and education programs that enrich and nurture the lives of Sanibel and Captiva residents and visitors through: • professionally led arts and enrichment classes and workshops for students of all ages • stimulating and informative lectures and group discussions with renowned national thought leaders and educators • dynamic visual and performing arts presentations of the highest caliber.

TICKETS:

In Person: 900 Dunlop Road I Sanibel, Florida 33957 I 239.395.0900 Online: BIGARTS.org BIG ARTS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

All donations are tax deductible.

See website for ticket purchase policy.

Create a lasting legacy at BIG ARTS by considering a gift in your estate planning. Gifts can be made in many forms. For information on how to support BIG ARTS and all its programs, call (239) 395-0900.