Artist: Jeff Bulman

Artist Statement: 

I have always marveled at the beauty found in nature. While I strive to reflect it in my jewelry, nature’s perfection is impossible to replicate.  

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Photography allows me to capture those fleeting moments when the light is just right, and the colors reveal themselves exactly as I see them.

Artist: Jack Burbridge

Title: Triumph of Death

Artist Statement: 

This copy of Triumph of Death by Peter Breughel the Elder was inspired by my love for this painter and the US DHS recruitment campaign from last summer, which was about protecting the homeland . The president was dissonantly talking about a new Golden Age while ICE agents were going into cities and taking people, then came the wars. Breughel's take on all of this goes much further than any topical situation. He zooms out. He's telling a massive story set in this apocalyptic world in which all manner of death is taking place, yet the color is beautiful and I can feel his compassion and mordant humor in each detail. One thing that surprised me in the process of painting it was that the skeletons, the agents of death, also became human. I do copies from paintings I love from time to time, not just to understand something about the painting but to deepen my awe of the painter's vision and in this case, I guess you could say, execution.

 

The illustration concept for Prince Ivan, the Gray Wolf, and the Firebird, came out of the symmetry of the fairy tale story in which Prince Ivan must go through three kingdoms and then return back though them. Exchanges happen along the way and he finds friendship and love, and then betrayal, and then restoration. This continuous image, set over time, begins and ends in the kingdom of Prince Ivan's father with the princess's palace at the center. I developed the painting from a pencil drawing and am grateful to my sister Carolyn for getting it into book form.

Artist: Rachel Carren

Title: Seasons

Artist Statement: 

Seasons is an expansion of my interest in textiles.

Hand colored paper woven into a sheet was polymerized and then over printed to create a series of four unique but related panels. 

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Like an ombre blend, color advances from one panel to the next.  The different printed patterns reference seasonal characteristics.  

The cycle of transition from one season to the next echoes the continuous thread of change.

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Artist: Jack Hornady 

Title: "Light, Color, & Form"

Artist Statement:

What captivates me most is the interaction of light with shape and form. A landscape is more than a record of a place; it is an arrangement of values, colors, and relationships. By pulling shapes apart and rebuilding them through paint, I seek to create depth, atmosphere, and a sense of structure that is felt as much as it is seen.​

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These landscapes and still lifes are an extension of that lifelong exploration, inviting viewers to slow down, look closely, and experience the subtle beauty that emerges through light, color, and form.

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Additional work can be viewed at www.jackhornady.com.  ​I happily accept commissions. Contact me for details.

Artist: Wanjin Kim

Title: Beyond (my) Boundaries 

Artist Statement: 

“Beyond your boundaries” means going beyond the limits, rules, or expectations you have set for yourself — either physically, emotionally, or in terms of behavior.

In short: “Beyond your boundaries” can describe both a physical crossing of limits and a metaphorical push past personal or societal constraints, often with the potential for growth, but also with the risk of discomfort or conflict if not managed well.

 

I grew up in a large family, surrounded by my grandmother, parents, and older sisters, each of whom possessed unique talents. Watching them, learning from them, and experiencing their different abilities became the foundation of who I am today.

 

Although I majored in metal arts, I have come to realize that creating art is the culmination of everything that has shaped my life. Every experience, memory, and influence naturally finds its way into my work.

 

With a deep love for our planet, I have explored recycling and upcycling by transforming discarded fabrics into practical clothing and bags-giving new life to materials that might otherwise have been thrown away.

 

Through this exhibition, I hope every artist will step beyond the boundaries of their primary discipline, break free from preconceived notions, and embrace an unlimited creative space where they can express their true artistic identity without limitation.

Artist: Bobbi Kittner

Artist Statement: 

The work I’m showing in the Beyond Your Boundaries exhibit was an experimentation in limitations and reuse for me. When creating my rock altars, I use collage, charcoal, watercolor, gouache, colored pencils, oil pastels, relief paint and paint markers besides acrylic on wood panels. I also use a variety of tools. To create “Sunroom Plants” and “Swoops” I limited myself to just paint but wanted to purposely recreate a collaged look. I also repainted over older paintings on canvas. In my work, I love to create what I call “color texture,” which is basically building multiple layers of color on top of one another in a way so that each layer is just hinted at. I tend to do this quickly on paper using a gel plate and depend on the hard surface of wood to create resistance when pouncing, scraping etc. However, because I was limiting myself to paint, creating my “color texture” became a challenge. I had to use transparent paints and brushes in ways which were new to my practice. I discovered that scissor-cut craft foam created better plates on these canvases than linoleum. I really enjoyed the process and hope to continue exploring this new way of working although I do want to go back to using wood panels as the base.​​

Artist: Mark Kramer

Artist Statement: 

I wanted to use this opportunity to express, with painting, my understanding and appreciation of the architecture of the environment in a French city. My approach is to accent and EXAGGERATE the lines of the buildings and roofs to create an unusual landscape of a city. My background as an Architect helps me to understand the meaning of the street scape. 

Artist: Janet Long

Artist Statement: 

I am a silversmith by profession but my earliest passion was ceramics. This interest is represented through an unexpected medium: gourds grown by my husband from authentic North American Acoma Pueblo seeds. 

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For many years I have been drawn to the artistry of Acoma Pueblo pottery, renowned for its elegant forms, refined craftsmanship, and distinctive painted designs. The work of Acoma Indian potters reflects centuries of cultural tradition and a profound relationship between artist, community, and landscape.

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Rather than attempting to reproduce these historic works, I have approached them as a source of inspiration. The gourds provided a naturally formed canvas upon which I adapted and reinterpreted selected motifs, allowing traditional design elements to interact with the organic contours of the vessels. In this way, each piece occupies a space between nature and craft, tradition and personal expression.

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What captivates me most about these designs is their spirit. To my eye, they possess a lighthearted vitality—a quality that makes them appear almost celebratory. Through these vessels, I hope to honor the beauty that inspired them while sharing that sense of delight with others.

Artist: Kanika Sircar

Title: Night Sky Collage Series

Artist Statement: 

When I was a child we’d go out at night to look at the sky, the moon and Venus filtered through trees. I was taken to planetariums, shown Galileo’s drawings of the moon’s surface, and read about Copernicus and Galileo, the invention of the telescope, and the battle to establish the scientific reality of the heliocentric universe.

 

Mars became a focus. 19th century drawing of Mars’ surface by Kasimir Graf and Giovanni Schiaparelli included canals and were the start of a discussion on the possibility of life on Mars, should the canals contain water--culminating in the Carl Sagan, Ray Bradbury and Arthur C. Clarke debate at Caltech on that topic (https:www.themarginalian.org/2012/08/20/mars-and-the-mind-of-man-sagan-bradbury-clarke-caltech-1971).

 

In 2007, NASA launched a competition for children all over the world to write haikus that would be sent to Mars in the Maven Rover, further jolting my imagination. Here are three of the haikus:

 

“Thirty-six million miles of whispering welcome. Mars, you called us home.” --Vanna Bonta, U.S. 

“Stars in the blue sky cheerfully observe the Earth while we long for them.” --Luisa Santoro, Italy

“Amidst sand and stars We scan a lifeless planet To escape its fate” – Anonymous

 

The Rover missions and my interest in all things Mars led to series of ceramic vessels, “MapQuest,” and to drawings, prints, paintings and the “Night Sky” collages, where I juxtapose my thoughts and memories of the immensity of the sky with pictorial abstractions of Mary Oliver’s poetic phrase, “nothing between me and the white fire of the stars but my thoughts. . .”

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Artist: Pat Silbert

Title: 

Artist Statement: 

The 4 paintings I have in this show are 2 oil paintings and 2 oil pastels. 

I learned to paint with oil, was using it for many years and loved it. 

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At some point in time I came to realize that the possible ecological harm from the turpentine was too much and I searched for another medium. I discovered oil pastel, loved it and used it for years. Then, The weight of my oil pastels on paper, with frames and glass was getting too heavy for me to haul around town. I was showing at galleries on 7th st, NW and the parking issues and getting my work placed around had to stop.

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So it took me some time to discover how to use acrylics. At first I didn't like them at all, the colors were not as rich as oil, and the paint just stood up and beaded on the canvas. So not good. 

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I experimented with various hand-made papers, and different grounds for canvas, and I traveled a lot. To mainly Ladakh, India, to the Mugao caves in China and to Florence. I was absorbed in the ancient Buddhist art of Ladakh and China, and I was in love with Fra Angelico and Giotto in Florence... not to forget Piero Dela Francesca. I guess its not a surprise to see that am still influenced by these artists... 

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So that's not the inner struggles that I have to show now, but this is a bit of history of having to change mediums.

Artist: Jasmin Smith

Title: Tiger Tail Totems

Artist Statement: 

This new series represents a significant departure from my earlier work. Unlike my previous art totems, these pieces were created without a predetermined plan. I embraced a process of intuition, experimentation, and discovery, allowing each work to evolve naturally as it was being made. Free from expectations and inhibitions, the forms became increasingly bold, playful, and whimsical.

Constructed from recycled and repurposed materials found at home—including mesh fruit and vegetable bags, silk flowers and leaves, paper, and acrylic paint—these multimedia art poles transform everyday discarded objects into imaginative sculptural forms. Through layering, assembling, and responding to the materials as they revealed their possibilities, I found myself in an ongoing conversation with the work.

During this process, a series of unexpected forms began to emerge. I came to call them “Tiger Tails”—spirited, energetic shapes that seemed to take on lives of their own. What began as simple experimentation evolved into a collection of vibrant characters and gestures that bring movement, humor, and personality to each piece.

This series celebrates transformation, spontaneity, and the creative potential hidden within ordinary materials. It invites viewers to look beyond the familiar and discover beauty, wonder, and surprise in what might otherwise be overlooked or discarded.

Artist: Eric Westbrook

Title: Portraits

Artist Statement: 

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I’m currently working on a series of portraits that are concerned with the time-honored task of capturing the likeness of a particular, living person. They are fully rooted in the Western tradition and indulge my love of rich color, sensuous line, and natural forms. The work taps the stylistic vocabulary of Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood painters such as Rossetti and Millais, as well as Alma-Tadema and Waterhouse.

 

Additional work can be viewed at www.ericwestbrook.com.  

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I happily accept portrait commissions. Contact me for details.

Artist: Andy Wohl

Title: Red Expansion Chamber

Artist Statement: 

The annual Maryland International Motorcycle Show, held at the Fairgrounds in Timonium, attracts hundreds of vintage motorcycles of all types and brands, some still in business, others long shuttered.  The rows and rows of gleaming machines, restored to factory perfection, gleam in the sun, many with 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and Best in Show ribbons.​

 

Along the perimeter of the main event are dozens of vendors selling hard to get original equipment for the models on display.  One vendor caught my artist’s eye.  Laid out on large black tarps in the grass were dozens of shapely, black motorcycle exhausts known as Expansion Chambers, used exclusively on now outlawed, two-cycle high performance engines. 

 

The sculptural beauty, the result of phenomenal hand-made fabrication skills, was evident despite the dirt and grime coating the metal.perused the collection and purchased the most shapely and attractive one. When asked what model motorcycle I was buying if for, the vendor, in disbelief, laughed when I told him my goal was to create a sculpture with it.  The only choice, what color to paint it.  

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My first sculpture was painted a high gloss white which showed off the voluptuous shape of the exhaust pipe.  But the piece on display at the Waverly Street Gallery is painted a fire alarm red to add shock value and generate an emotional response.  

Next year I will have to revisit the event to show the vendor my artwork. He will probably laugh again in disbelief.  

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