Curious Figure
SPRING 2025
Letter
from the
Curator
Figurative art has long served as a lens through which we examine the human experience, capturing not just form but identity, emotion, and the narratives that define us. The Curious Figure is an exploration of this timeless tradition, showcasing a collection of artists—both emerging and established—who bring fresh perspectives to the figurative genre.
As a figurative painter and muralist, I’ve always been drawn to the ways in which the human form communicates beyond words. Whether through a subtle shift in posture, a bold expression, or the interplay of light and texture, the figure has the power to tell deeply personal and universally resonant stories. This exhibition is an invitation to pause and observe, to engage with the figures before you and the narratives they embody.
New Bedford has long been a home to artists who push creative boundaries, and The Curious Figure celebrates this spirit of innovation. Each artist in this exhibit contributes a unique voice to the evolving conversation around figurative work— whether through classical techniques, experimental approaches, or modern reinterpretations of the human form. By bringing together a range of styles and perspectives, this show highlights the depth and diversity of figurative art in our community.
I am deeply grateful to the Co+Creative Center for providing a home for The Curious Figure for a second year. Their dedication to fostering artistic expression and community engagement makes exhibitions like this possible, offering artists and audiences a space to connect, reflect, and celebrate the power of figurative art.
I invite you to step into these stories, to see the figures not just as representations but as reflections—of movement, of history, of identity, and of curiosity itself.
Welcome to The Curious Figure.
Sincerely,
Kat Knutsen
Curious Figure
Spring 2025 Artist Cohort
Xavian Chhem ..................................
Kellen Riell .........................................
Kat Knutsen ......................................
Deborah Beth Macy ......................
John Jameson ...................................
Nicole Winning ................................
Nelson Marlowe ..............................
Seth McBride ....................................
Judith Klein ........................................
Herby E. Thompson III .................
Rochelle St. Martin Pettenati ....
Elyse Laurelle ...................................
Eric Isaacsen ......................................
Blazianondablock
IG: blazianondablock_ TikTok: @blazianondablock
“Greetings, my real name is Xavian Chhem but my nickname/artist name is Blazianondablock, and I’m from Fall River Massachusetts. Most of my work of art is drawn on mediums of traditional art which is hand drawn sketches with copic marker, ink, and pencil material. I also recently gotten into digital art and working on digital animation for my upcoming web series that’s been in the making for several years called “The Lazy Animation Show” which was once stop motion whiteboard animation from 2016 to 2022 then transitioning into digital animation. I have also done murals and Paint boxes for summer youth programs in Fall River whereas the program is named YEAH! corps. Variety of my artwork consists of figurative, characteristic themes and dynamic postures. It conveys the intensity, figurative, expression, character, style, aesthetic, and choreography the drawing depicts. As I articulate the general themes into majority of my drawings, I also explore my main general art styles, which is typically semi realism, realism, and non realism. Sometimes I use all styles together to interpret the versatility on how those styles can portray those themes, and how it creates an impactful difference and similarities. One of the things that inspire me to draw most of my art in a certain form of style is anime, different mangakas (manga artists), cinematic scenes, elements from real life, and the overall aesthetics from the inspiration” - X. Chhem
The Thousand Year Legend Sketch/Graphite Pencil 9 x 12 in
As I draw the majority of my figurative artwork, I would typically draw and sketch out whatever pose/posture that fits best for the certain theme and aesthetic of the characters or characteristics. I feel like whenever I would give some devious or even intense vibe where some of the characters depicted in the setting of the drawings, would sometimes give off either a sentimental and mystique feel to the characters point of view and overall how their stereotypically portrayed. Even though, it would give a mystique and an intense feel, sometimes I would illustrate the choreography, motive, motivation, emotional impact, and humor to feed off more the sentimental vibe. Most of the sentimental drawings are usually drawn in a more semi realistic style and realism to articulate an even stronger connection to the characteristics in my figurative art. In simpler terms, captivate more drastic aesthetics.
Kellen Riell
www.facebook.com/Kellen.Riell
Kellen Riell began training as an artist at the end of his undergraduate years in college. He has a degree in journalism and has worked since 2009 as a designer and illustrator for news organizations in Pittsburgh, New York state and Massachusetts. He is self-taught in oil, acrylic and digital painting. In addition to painting, he also writes and illustrates comics. He lives in New Bedford.
I aim to set dreamlike and nightmarish visions in traditionally painted landscape settings. This intersection of the ghastly and the mundane, if successful, might evoke a reaction in the viewer similar the terror we sometimes feel upon waking and confronting our everyday reality.
Forced labor camp oil on canvas
20 x 20 in
Forced labor camp (detail) oil on canvas
20 x 20 in
IG:
Kat Knutsen
Kat Knutsen is a multidisciplinary social artist, muralist, curator, and adjunct professor based in New Bedford, MA. With an MFA in painting and a background in figurative art, her work explores storytelling, identity, and community through both traditional and digital mediums. She is the founder of The Siren, an online arts and music publication, and curator of The Curious Figure, an exhibition celebrating figurative art. Her paintings often reinterpret masculinity and mythology through a contemporary lens, often influenced by the music scene and visual storytelling. Kat’s work has been internationally exhibited in galleries and public spaces, with murals and installations that foster creative dialogue. Whether painting, organizing, or teaching, she is dedicated to using art as a means of connection and cultural impact.
24 x 46 inches
This painting reimagines the biblical story of Adam and Eve through a contemporary lens, exploring themes of curiosity, manipulation, resilience, and the structures that shape our world. The Tree of Life stands as a symbol of democracy— its branches adorned with the flags of democratic nations, reinforcing the idea that progress and enlightenment flourish in environments of freedom and collective voice, rather than authoritarian rule. Atop the tree, God, depicted as a Black man, calls out to Adam through a CB radio, urging him to embrace curiosity and consume as much knowledge as he can. Eve, rejecting her traditional role as the deceived, forcefully shoves an apple down the snake’s throat—a defiant act against manipulation. Below them, Adam carries a basket of apples, embodying the resilience of men who bear the weight of ridicule yet remain steadfast. Lying lifeless at the base of the tree, a crimson-robed figure represents the forces of evil and corruption that linger in the world today. Its presence contrasts with the life and movement above, serving as a stark reminder that knowledge, curiosity, and democracy are necessary forces in combating oppression. This piece challenges the narratives of submission and control that have historically shaped our understanding of good and evil. Instead, it invites viewers to reconsider the power of questioning, learning, and reshaping the world around us.
DEBORAH BETH MACY
www.DeborahMacy.com
“I credit my years of study of sculpture at RISD from the live model as inspiration. My admiration of artist Nelson Shanks’ work led me to Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia for a workshop with Jeff Hein, Ricky Mujica, and Natalie Italiano. I am a NRASCNY MEMBER of the SALMAGUNDI CLUB, NY, an ELECTED MEMBER of AAPL, NY, an ELECTED MEMBER of CLWAC, NY, and a member of North River Arts Society, and have won awards from CCAC, CCCC, NRAS, ALLIED ARTISTS of AMERICA.” - D. Macy
My paintings portray a feminine perspective of moving from reflective innocence, towards a seductive path of experience. I depict the female figure in costume, often vintage/ multicultural, with a particular love for the kimono. I hint at what is to come, moving from darkness into light.
Porcelain oil and gold leaf on canvas
28 x 22 inches
Porcelain (detail) oil and gold leaf on canvas
28 x 22 inches
John Jameson
John Jameson is a contemporary artist working in New Bedford, Massachusetts who focuses on seascapes and portraiture. His paintings are characterized by their strong emphasis on color, boldly organized compositions, and textured brushwork. His current body of work spans a wide array of emotions inviting viewers to rekindle a connection with the sublime spectacle of nature, witness to the passing of time, and find beauty despite encroaching anxieties of contemporary life. Jameson received his Bachelor’s of Fine Art from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and his Master’s of Fine Art from the New York Academy of Art. He has taught painting extensively at various institutions around Massachusetts. He currently teaches foundations drawing at North Shore Community College and landscape painting and color theory for artists, as well as figure drawing from sculptures, at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. His paintings have been exhibited in Japan and at museums and fine art galleries across the United States.
The landscapes in my work are narrative recollections of the sensory feelings nature provides. Damp seaweed embedded in the sand, brittle lichen living on a stone or tree, vivid blue-green sky dissolving into the distant land in the humidity and atmosphere –the paintings depict details in tactile specificity, giving particular understanding to the space the viewer is entering. Most of the compositions begin as stable, even calm images within a contemplative space but are then infused with additional – even contradictory – emotions such as the excitement and passion one feels when viewing a sun setting on a red sky, versus the anxiety one could feel watching a crimson sky fade to gray in the cold of winter. Though the individual compositions in my work are about the particular feelings nature bestows on us, when viewed as a whole, the deeper meaning of this body of work becomes clearer. In bearing witness to, and being mindful of, the changing of the seasons – seeing Winter trade its gray for its first greens, squinting at summer’s sunsets, watching a dark Autumn rain approach over the sea – we come to a greater understanding of the passage of time and our own mortality. The acknowledgment that the changes we face are subject to the passage of time, and how we must carry the joys from kinder seasons into the ones we have to simply endure. When we recall in a visceral way the experience of how the human body feels in nature, in all of its delights or turbulence, we have a chance to achieve a greater sense of place and – if it is shared – empathy. The paintings invite viewers to remember specific moments in their own lives when they felt connected to the natural world, and their existence in it. This connection is regrettably forgotten by many amidst the tumult and unrest of contemporary life.
Nicole Winning
IG: @nicolewinningart www.MettaRising.com
“I am an artist and art teacher living and working in New Bedford, Massachusetts. I have a studio at Hatch Street Studios where I work on my paintings. My interests both as an artist and a teacher center around sustainable practices and enlivening passion daily in my work and supporting my students to discover these elements in their work.” - N. Winning
My oil paintings are an exploration of my self and the world around me through a lens of interconnection and harmony between the two. I use the Mishe technique and oils as a means of exploring layers in my work. Painting for me is a quiet meditative practice and from this place I resource the ideas in my work. My world view is that we are made of the same pure consciousness that exists in every being, but expresses itself differently based on levels of awakening and experience of being in a human body. By being quiet and sourcing from my own transcendent consciousness I feel I am bringing forth into the world a more expanded view of what it means to be alive. From this place I desire to translate it into a visual expression in my paintings. My intentions with my work is to offer a visual landscape that awakens the viewer to their own internal experiences with these landscapes and offers hope within our individual and collective consciousness.
The Awakening oil on canvas 16 x 20 in
The Awakening (detail) oil on canvas 16 x 20 in
Nelson Marlowe
“I hold the Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Swain School of Design. At the University of Pennsylvania, I was a recipient of the Kohn Pedersen Fox Invitational Exhibition Award; an award bestowed upon graduate students who possess outstanding artistic talent and whose work displays the highest caliber of professionalism to exhibit at The Gallery at Kohn Pedersen Fox in New York City. At Swain School of Design, I was the recipient of the Senior Painting Award; an award bestowed upon the top graduating senior painting major. My paintings have been included in exhibitions in New York City, Los Angeles, and other metropolitan regions throughout the United States. I have taught all levels of undergraduate drawing, painting, 2-D and 3-D design, and art history at colleges in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I have taught drawing in the Continuing Education and Pre-College Programs at Rhode Island School of Design, and have been a visiting lecturer Bridgewater State University, a visiting artist at the University of Pennsylvania, and a visiting critic at Lehigh University.” - N. Marlowe
Idée Fixe
Mixed media on paper
24 x 18 inches
My drawing and painting process is based upon a condensation of fleeting sensations recorded into a permanent image. The human figure and figural elements are accompanied by an idiosyncratic scrawling of handwritten text applied to the pictorial surface in an unconventional order. Random arrangements of words, phrases, and sentences serve as utterances, private musings, and diaristic notations, which at times are nonsensical. The use of unusual syntax allows for the expression of the text to expand beyond the limited field of formal sentence structure in favor of the semiological function of the text as it interacts with representational images of the figure. This rendering of the language as nonsensical is a way to push the limits of two dimensionality. Irregular intervals between the written words where the pictorial surface is visible can appear as figural elements extending off of the page. Interaction of positive/negative space put the figure and ground in motion, creating an inward and outward movement of what is perceived as foreground and background; therefore, generating meaning through displacement, transposing motifs, objects, and ideas from one context to another. Using the human figure and the immediacy of written text to represent ideas, feelings, and even specific personalities to convey deeper meanings highlights the connection between emblems and expressive ideas revealed through their presence in the composition, suggesting a blending of representation and narrative structure.
Seth McBride
IG: @sethmcbreeze www.SethMcBride.com
“Seth McBride is a self-taught oil painter out of New Bedford, MA, known for his evocative depictions of everyday life. Drawing inspiration from mundane, often overlooked moments, his work captures the beauty in simplicity. Through his masterful use of oil paints, McBride brings depth and emotion to ordinary figures and scenes, inviting viewers to find significance in the commonplace. His art reflects a deep appreciation for the quiet rhythms of daily life, rendered with a keen eye for detail and atmosphere.” - S. McBride
As an oil painter, my goal is to capture the beauty and significance in the everyday moments that often go unnoticed. Through my work, I seek to elevate mundane scenes and ordinary figures, transforming them into something unique and beautiful. By focusing on the simplicity of daily life, I aim to evoke a sense of connection and appreciation for the world around us. My process is driven by a desire to find depth in the familiar, using oil paints to bring out the subtle emotions and stories embedded in the most unassuming moments.
Cool Guy in a Tall Hat oil on canvas
24 x 30 in
Judith Klein
www.JudithKleinArtGallery.com
“My professional career began in Israel where I attended an art high school in Tel Aviv and later graduated from Art Teachers College. I also attended the advanced program at the Avne Institute of Fine Arts in Tel Aviv. For the following years I taught Fine Art at Israeli Public Schools and began to exhibit my personal artwork at a leading Tel Aviv Art Gallery. Later I moved to Milan, Italy where I continued my art education and career at the Brera Academy (Academia Brera de Belle Arte). I continue to offer art instruction and accept commissions. My prints and paintings have been widely exhibited throughout Southeastern New England as well as abroad. For the past 13 years I have operated The Judith Klein Art Gallery in historic New Bedford, Ma. I am grateful for the experience and opportunity to have curated dozens of themed art exhibits which supported local and regional artists.” - J. Klein
Figures in Red and Black Monoprint
30 x 22 inches
It is not my task to reproduce appearances, for that is the photographic plate. I want to reach the heart. Art does not reproduce the visible, it renders the visible.” Paul Klee Klee’s statement beautifully expresses the way I feel about my art. In my wood cuts, linocuts, monoprints, I transfer my sketches from nature to the printed art form and paintings. Based on abstract but recognizable renderings of what I see I rely heavily on the power of color to express the mood and meaning of the finished piece. Perhaps this is why art critiques have categorized my work as “figurative abstract expressionist.” The printing medium is itself very important to me. The texture of wood or the fine more lyrical lines of linoleum cuts are central to each work. These are given life by strong, basic colors I always attribute to my years living in Israel. Many of my themes of sun, moon, sky, and ocean are reflective of my personal connection to nature. The female form represents life as we live it and feel it. The forms are eternal and the colors immediate.
Herby E. Thompson III
IG: @Thompsonherby FB: Herby E Thompson
“Masters of fine Art Cranbrook ...Swain School undergrad...” - H. Thompson
Creating old masters style drawings in 2025...
Mindfulness graphite 6 x 9 in
Rochelle St. Martin Pettenati
email: jpettenat@aol.com
“I started creating at 3 and haven’t stopped exploring media, techniques and subject matter and don’t plan on quitting anytime soon! Inspired by my first mentor at Bishop Stang High School, Sister Gertrude Gaudette, I obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 1985. I spent some time teaching art to adults and doing freelance work, then decided to study at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth, earning a Master’s of Art Education with a concentration in painting in 2000, I also earned a CAGS in Fine Arts Leadership at Fitchburg University in 2010 . I was privileged to teach visual art to thousands of students in and around Fall River over my 20+, and continue teaching art in the 21st Century afterschool program twice a week. I have exhibited throughout the Southcoast and spend time creating in my Westport, MA studio.” - R. Pettenati
Woman
Mixed Media
8 x 10 inches
Woman (detail)
Mixed Media
8 x 10 inches
Art is the language we can all speak and understand, it is what connects us to each other as well as to past and future generations. Art is powerful, healing and omnipresent. It surrounds us, envelopes us and feeds our souls.
Elyse Laurelle
IG: @elyselaurelleartworks www.ArtworksElyseLaurelle.com
Elyse is a professional artist and educator who works out of the CoCreative Center in downtown New Bedford. She lives in Mattapoisett with her son. She is also the program director for ArtStart at the Marion Art Center.
Experimenting with color, light, and form within the context of mental and physical spaces, my paintings play with unexpected juxtapositions between lightness and darkness as well as seek to express emotional complexity. Drawing from places and people I observe, my dreams, and my own emotions, my work is a source of reflection for both the curious viewer and myself.
I am particularly drawn to creating portraits that can explore both discomfort and transformation. The act of painting then becomes intrinsically linked to my own liberation and renewal. I hope my work can inspire a sense of renewal and hope in others. Samson
Arches watercolor/ink/acrylic 12 x 9 inches
Eric Isaacsen
IG: @ eric_isaacsen
Based in Taunton MA with a degree in Art from Massasoit CC, Eric Isaacsen is a multi-disiplined multimedia artist with a focus on figurative work, character and creature design and plein-air landscape. Eric has displayed his work in various galleries, establishments and events in and around Boston’s South Shore and South Coast area. With an online presence he has sold work to buyers and collectors around the world.
Self Portrait
Mixed Media
19 x 15 inches
Inspired by the belief that oftentimes life’s most beautiful moments are also the most fleeting. In my work I strive to instill these moments.
The Curious Figure experience was brought to you by:
Kat Knutsen Studios LLC
Co+Creative Center
The Siren
