WSG Gallery is pleased to present

Nora Venturelli

Terrain

Terrain ~ charcoal and pastel on paper - 22x40

Artist Statement:

“I identify myself with the Michigan landscape, it grounds me...it has become my terrain.”

I moved to Michigan 25 years ago. Before then, I never anticipated I

would be so compelled to draw and paint the landscape. My attention

had always been immersed solely in figurative work. However, after my

second long winter here, I was anxious to be outdoors and, of course, I

brought my paints with me. I have not stopped painting the landscape

since! Although I continue to draw and paint the figure, I am an active

Plein Air painter from Spring to Fall.

I find an extraordinary, therapeutic tranquility while painting outdoors, and

a spontaneity that does not happen in the studio. The rush of the breeze,

the heat of the sun, the sounds of the fields. It all adds freshness and

vivacity to my work. I am usually drawn to long vistas and wide-open

spaces. I’m attracted to subtle changes in color and textures, the

overlapping and layering of planes. My goal is to capture the visual rhythm

of the landscape around me.“

— Nora Venturelli, 2023

Afternoon at the Pond - Oil on Canvas - 10x20