As It Was Before

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Gallery Hijinks presents “As It Was Before” an exhibition of new works by Martin Machado and Todd Freeman with installations by Aleksandra Zee. This January we bring together three individuals who use nature and science to reinterpret memories, fables and story telling. Paintings of an Alaskan salmon fishing season, print making of bizarre specimens in old scientific novels and three dimensional nestlike sculptures creatures an environment of organic complexity and imagination. Please join us for the opening reception on November 20th, 2010 from 6-10pm.

Martin Machado’s approach to painting is one that’s focused on time, history, and transformation. In this current series of work, Machado focuses on imagery reflecting the recent Alaskan commercial salmon fishing season. Encompassing oil, acrylic, and watercolors, he documents his life at sea on found materials from places like abandoned canneries or foreign sea ports. The imagery painted on these found materials are inspired from Machado's local community of fishermen and the surrounding land and seascape.

Todd Freeman’s etchings and drawings are rooted in the language of old taxonomy prints. His graphite drawings on antique book pages depict bizarre scenes of rare specimens from old science books, while his hand colored etchings reveal imagined environments in which these creatures might have existed. Clean floating presentations of strange and obscure organisms invite the viewer to examine detailed stories that time may have lost or dismissed.

Aleksandra Zee’s installation presents a space that distorts natural objects by breaking them down and reconstructing from scratch. The process of creating this distortion comes from gathering, weaving, covering and rebuilding these natural objects into new representations of their former beings. The materials used in this reconstruction range from roots and branches to book pages and fabric. Choosing to work with a mixture of objects both found in nature and man-made, her process of gathering and weaving forces uncommon elements to work together as one.

“As It Was Before” will be on view January 8th, 2011 through January 30th, 2011 and is open to the public.

Showing Through: January 8th - January 31st 2011

Gallery Hijinks is proud to present “As It Was Before” an exhibition of new works by Martin Machado and Todd Freeman with installations by Aleksandra Zee. This January we bring together three individuals who use nature and science to reinterpret memories, fables and story telling. Paintings of an Alaskan salmon fishing season, print making of bizarre specimens in old scientific novels and three dimensional nestlike sculptures creatures an environment of organic complexity and imagination. Please join us for the opening reception on January 8th, 2011 from 6-10pm.

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Shows Images:

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Aleksandra Zee
What Happens When They Meet? Installation
found and handmade objects

Aleksandra Zee
Nest 1
scrap lumber & screws

Aleksandra Zee
Nest 2
newspaper, feathers & found twigs

Aleksandra Zee
Nest 4
found twigs, small branches & vintage book pages

Aleksandra Zee
Nest 5
found twigs, fabric, small branches & vintage book pages

Martin Machado
Canned Salmon Painting
oil, acrylic & watercolor on found material
62" x 22"

Martin Machado
Canned Salmon Painting: Nakeen
oil, acrylic & watercolor on found material
62" x 22"

Martin Machado
Salmon Tenders
oil on fiberglass cloth with epoxy over panel
63" x 36"

Martin Machado
Drifters
oil on fiberglass cloth with epoxy over panel
36" x 19"

Martin Machado
Commercial Salmon Fishing - Naknek/ Kvichak - Alaska 1
eight photograph set
36" x 13"

Martin Machado
Commercial Salmon Fishing - Naknek/ Kvichak - Alaska 2
eight photograph set
36" x 13"

Martin Machado
Dawn
two photograph set
36" x 13"

Martin Machado
Dusk
two photograph set
36" x 13"

Martin Machado
Stinkerhead
gouache on paper
21" x 21"

Martin Machado
Bag O' Bones
gouache on paper
21" x 21"

Martin Machado
Smokey Joe
gouache on paper
21" x 21"

Martin Machado
Floater
gouache on paper
21" x 21"

Martin Machado
Ghostfish
gouache on paper
21" x 21"

Todd Freeman
The Owlmen of Mawnan
hand painted etching on paper
12" x 16"

Todd Freeman
Island Forming
hand painted etching on paper
16" x 12"

Todd Freeman
The Inside of the Earth
hand painted etching on paper
16" x 20"

Todd Freeman
The Cadejos
hand painted etching on paper
11" x 14"

Todd Freeman
The Wood Maladies
hand painted etching on paper
11" x 14"

Todd Freeman
The Evil Animals
hand painted etching on paper
9" x 12"

Todd Freeman
The Mineral Kingdom
hand painted etching on paper
16" x 20"

Todd Freeman
Torch Lake
hand painted etching on paper
16" x 12"

Todd Freeman
The Flatwoods Entity
hand painted etching on paper
11" x 14"

Todd Freeman
The Articulating Masses
hand painted etching on paper
11" x 14"

Todd Freeman
The Lights of Sherman Ranch
hand painted etching on paper
9" x 12"

Todd Freeman
The Witch Jars
hand painted etching on paper
9" x 12"

Todd Freeman
Goshawk Trap
graphite, pen & red carbon transfer on book page
10" x 13"

Todd Freeman
The Bowels
graphite, pen & red carbon transfer on book pager
8" x 10"

Todd Freeman
Kings
pen & red carbon traspher on book page
8" x 10"

Todd Freeman
Omingmak
graphite & colored pencil on book page
8" x 10"

Todd Freeman
Gatherer
graphite & watercolor on book page
11" x 14"

Todd Freeman
Wapiti
graphite on book page
11" x 14"

Todd Freeman
Boar Mane
graphite on book page
14" x 11"

Todd Freeman
Ley Lines
graphite on book page
8" x 10"