Artists: Janet Rickus - Patricia Traub

Gallery Henoch presents 2 Women, a two-person exhibition featuring still life painter Janet Rickus and animal artist Patricia Traub.

The Dutch masters often depicted scenes meticulously appropriated from ordinary 17th century households. Typically these paintings featured highly realistic portrayals of animals as part of the spread. Dutch artists like Snijders combined their skills in still life and animal art, paving the way for classical painting. Evolving from this tradition, both Janet Rickus and Patricia Traub have reinterpreted genres that have historically been dominated by men by speaking with a contemporary voice.

Janet Rickus draws the viewer’s attention with still lifes that position vibrant arrangements of vessels and produce against muted gray backgrounds. Colors and shapes interact seamlessly, emerging as a harmonious whole. The carefully considered arrangements suggest complex intellectual dialogues concerning form, color and perspective, yet each object also stands alone, inviting the viewer to consider it both individually and within the larger composition.

Patricia Traub carefully observes mammals and birds, positioning them against a black background when she paints them. Studying and sketching animals from direct observation, Traub is a unique combination of artist, conservationist, and wildlife advocate. Her passions have facilitated her international travels to Borneo, Egypt, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Norway, South Africa, and Tanzania, all in service to gaining direct contact with her subjects. As viewers we are struck by Traub’s commitment to animals, as reflected in her meticulous and loving attention to details such as tufts of fur, grasping talons, and glistening eyes.

Both artists come together in this exhibition to showcase their unique approach to their craft.