A New Pop Up Gallery Pays Tribute to the Hudson

Online, September 14, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Elisa Contemporary Art presents a new pop-up gallery and public art exhibit, Hudson River Landscapes, at Sotheby's International Realty (Riverdale, NY). The exhibit will run through January 4th, 2012.

Sotheby's International Realty is located at 3732 Riverdale Avenue, Riverdale NY. Viewing daily from 10am - 5pm.

The exhibit is an homage to the majestic and historic river. Full of raw emotion, pure energy and mysterious beauty. It features the abstract and expressionistic landscapes of three female artists - two from New York State artists, renowned Mount Kisco artist Elaine Galen and, Syracuse native, Sharon Gordon. Our third artist, Marie Danielle Leblanc, adds her richly colored perspective from across the border in Canada.

We explore a range of mediums and artist styles which capture the Hudson River. From the bold pen and ink drawings by Elaine Galen to her signature landscapes which are perfectly abstract and wildly expressionistic. To the mysterious and moody oil paintings of Sharon Gordon and the poetic, saturated, yet vibrant scenes from Marie Danielle Leblanc.

We will be hosting a special event on Wednesday, September 21st from 7-9pm featuring an Artists Talk by Elaine Galen followed by a Hudson Valley Wine Tasting presented by Skyview Wine & Spirits.

About our artists:

Elaine Galen
Internationally-recognized as a painter, sculptor, and educator, Elaine Galen has created an intimate dialogue with nature, using the painting process to explore its mystical, surreal and the spiritual aspects. Though her early work began in the style of Abstract Expressionism, she quickly developed her own distinctive style and evocative visual language.

Elaine's landscapes are both perfectly abstract and wildly expressionistic. Her landscapes capture the emotional intensity and ever-changing moods of nature where light and color are in constant transition. Paint in her hands is fluid and swift, streaks of brilliant color alternating with open passages. Her paintings pay homage to the mystical canyons of the American Southwest and ancient deserts and sacred lands of Israel and Jordan and the historic Hudson River and surrounding areas..

Elaine's artwork has been exhibited in major museums throughout the world including the Whitney Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Israel Museum, and is part of many corporate and private collections. Her work has been acclaimed by art critics and curators as "hauntingly beautiful" and "powerful" ..."bordering on the visionary and surreal" and a "mystical realization of place".

Elaine lives in Mt. Kisco, New York with her husband, the noted abstract painter and printmaker, Ed Colker.

Sharon Gordon
In Sharon Gordon's landscapes, you can feel her deep connection and passion for the ever-changing nature of large bodies of water, and the mystery and promise of the horizon. The view imposes a presence, a meter, balancing human scale and condition as a piece of a larger perspective.

According to Sharon, "My current work is intended to capture and transport the viewer into a segment of a larger landscape that may be seemingly ambiguous, yet familiar. The paintings provide an opportunity to wander through passages exploring one's whereabouts, recalling moments of time and space that may have been visited before."

Sharon's paintings balance delicately on the fine line between abstraction and representation. What is a threatening sky to one viewer becomes a turbulent sea to another; what strikes one as serene instills anxiety in another. Sharon's landscapes are infused with an emotional power and sense of harmonious tension that is uniquely her own vision.

Sharon has been featured in gallery exhibits throughout the US since 1998 including participation in the Everson Museum of Art Biennial in Syracuse.

Marie Danielle Leblanc
Canadian artist, Marie Danielle Leblanc, was born in Trois-Rivières (Quebec) and has lived and worked in Montreal (Quebec) since 1990. Her paintings transform landscapes into poetic worlds. Her deeply saturated palettes bring new life to the sea, land and sky. And she transports her viewers to timeless and imaginary landscapes.

During her travels, she likes to write down her thoughts, make a note of the weather or the name of a place, take pictures and collect images. Leblanc's travel diary is an ideal instrument for her. Whether she is driving on the highway or in the open country, walking on never-ending beaches or rocks stroked by the sea, it is through her travels that the artist captures landscapes that stretch into the vista.

She has participated in twenty solo exhibitions, and more than fifty group exhibitions. Her work has also been shown throughout Canada and in Paris, Sydney, Mexico and Tokyo. She is currently preparing for an upcoming Fall solo exhibit in the South of France.

* What: Hudson River Landscapes, a pop-up gallery of Elisa Contemporary Art at Sotheby's International Realty
* When: September 7th 2011 - January 4th, 2012

*Special Events:
Artist talk with Elaine Galen and Hudson Valley Wine Tasting presented by Skyview Wines & Liquor - September 21st from 7:00-9:00 pm at Sotheby's International Realty, Lower Level

* Where: Sotheby's International Realty, 3732 Riverdale Avenue, Lower Level, Riverdale NY 10463.
* Hours : Daily from 10 am - 5pm

For a guided tour, contact Lisa Cooper, owner, Elisa Contemporary Art, 212.729.4974 or [email protected]

About Elisa Contemporary Art
Elisa Contemporary Art represents a portfolio of both emerging and established contemporary artists, many of whom have work in the permanent collections of major museums and corporations.

Founded in 2007 by Lisa Cooper, Elisa Contemporary Art is dedicated to promoting the appreciation and collection of art as a way to enrich and heal our lives, our communities, and the world. The Riverdale gallery opened in September 2008. Elisa Contemporary Art has participated in high end art fairs in New York, Miami and the Hamptons, and curated five public art exhibits in Manhattan.

A portion of every sale is donated to philanthropic organizations that help children and families within underserved communities heal and grow through their experience with art. Free Arts NYC, Arts to Grow and Creative Arts Workshops for Kids are supported.

For more information, visit the website at www.ElisaContemporaryArt.com or contact: [email protected] or 212.729.4974.

The Riverdale Gallery is located at 5622 Mosholu Avenue, Riverdale NY 10471.