Judith Panson :: Places Revisited
Review by Ingrid Lincoln
Wayne Arthur Gallery November 2- November 27 2013
In this exhibition, Judith Panson shows her versatility in two media: paint and fibre. Ms. Panson was trained in traditional art media in Britain and was an art teacher. She found quilting as an outlet for her creative abilities later in life. Like Faith Ringgold, an American painter who has received much acclaim for her quilted works. Panson marries her painter’s sensibilities to her quilted works.
Ms Panson takes her inspiration from many sources but she is most successful when she interprets scenes close to her experience either from her British heritage, or especially for Manitoba viewers, the landscapes and cityscapes of her Manitoba home.
The quilted work Hunting for Manitoba Mushrooms shows Panson at her best as she works toward realism but captures the mood by moving towards abstraction. Her painting Evening at Oak Hammock Marsh also captures the look and feel of the marsh through shape and light. These works take us beyond the real to the essence of the experience.
This exhibition has much to commend it to various audiences. One can enjoy the interpretation of Oriental Poppies,the painted scenes of landscape and cityscape, and the historical influences. It is to Ms. Panson’s credit that she carried out all of these themes in not only paint but also fabric. Kudos to her and to Wayne Arthur Gallery for bringing the work to us.
