Nell Warren's exhibition "Storied" at PDX Contemporary art is a refreshing example of a contemporary twist on the tradition of landscape painting. Warren's work, with it's highly calligraphic, tiny brushstrokes combined with large fields of color, borders on abstraction. Her use of muted colors and flat rigid surface, had a calming effect on me, they reminded me somewhat of the quiet, meditative paintings of Agnes Martin.

The flat surface, which looks like it might be covered with a layer of plaster, gives the paintings an old world fresco look. The tiny brushstrokes had me thinking about Indian miniatures. In reading her bio on the PDX Contemporary art website, I discovered she is heavily influenced by Chinese and Japanese art and is especially interested in Tibetan Tanka paintings.

One thing I loved very much about Warren's paintings was how the sides of her canvases are less than pristine. They are full of test marks and in give the viewer some insight into the development of the pieces. Even in her test marks, Warren seems orderly. Though the pieces are full of expressive line work, they have an essence of control about them, like ordered chaos. The intricate, almost graphic linework gives her paintings a sense of narrative, though there is no clear narative in the paintings. The paintings feel to me like vivid conversations between artist and landscape. Warren also seems to be in conversation with east and west, old and new.

Nell Warren's exhibition "Storied" will be on view at
PDX Contemporary Art
Tuesday - Saturday
11 am - 6 pm
925 NW Flanders
Portland, Oregon 97209
September 1, 2009 - September 26, 2009
Visit the PDX Contemporary Art website for more details.