Simple Gifts

Rachel Burgess

Susan Eley Fine Art is pleased to present Simple Gifts, a series of new monotypes by Rachel Burgess, on view from July 5th through August 18th. There will be an opening reception with the artist present on Saturday, July 13th from 4-6PM. Simple Gifts is also featured in Upstate Art Weekend, a local event and curated tour highlighting the region's premier galleries and artists from July 18th-21st.

The pieces in Simple Gifts are inspired by the local deli flowers gifted to Burgess by her husband, an NYPD detective. Other meaningful gifts from family and friends appear in the monotypes as well: a bud vase given as a wedding present, a trivet brought back from Rwanda and a dresser and mirror from beloved grandparents. The title "Simple Gifts" refers to a traditional Shaker hymn, reflecting the way in which Burgess' work sanctifies the secular day-to-day.  Burgess begins each piece by making a sketch from life. Then, in a print studio, she makes monotypes based on her drawings. Monotype is a form of printmaking that yields a single, irreproducible image.  The fact that Burgess' subjects are simultaneously quotidian and beloved makes them a perfect metaphor for both for the unassuming beauty of works on paper, and for the humble joy of everyday life.