In one painting, a triangle of blue-green water is created by the bow of a boat, a dock railing and a knotted rope. In another, warm squares of bright sunlight are cast on an empty hallway floor. The arc of a concrete bridge is set against rushing river water, glowing with early evening light. For Roach, these paintings illustrate the quiet contemplation found in the smaller, less noticeable spaces in the landscape. Their uniquely situated forms, caught between flat planes of rich color, hover in a delicate balance between reality and abstraction. About her current paintings, the artist writes:

“Much of the work for this show has an element of quiet, whether that comes in the form of empty interiors or people-less landscapes. Even the figures that are included seem to be in their own worlds. The ferry passenger in Looking vs. Seeing is absorbed by getting a good photo of the surrounding harbor. The painting, however, implores the viewer to notice the interesting scene right there, to observe the observer. Colors compete with one another for attention. Surfaces shift from textured to hard, and the water becomes simplified to color and pattern in a flattened space. I found the immediate surroundings far more visually interesting than the view beyond.”

Roach has been represented by Groveland Gallery since 1984, and this exhibition marks her thirteenth solo show. Roach began her early career as a member of WARM Gallery between 1983 and 1988, and she has exhibited regionally at ARC Gallery in Chicago, the Benedicta Arts Center in St. Joseph, Minnesota and the University of Minnesota at Morris. Roach has been the recipient of artist’s residency fellowships at the Millay Colony for the Arts in Austerlitz, New York and Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forest, Illinois. Additionally, she was a 2000 recipient of a Jerome Foundation Travel and Study Grant.

The artist will be present at the opening reception on Saturday, March 12, 2-5 p.m. This show runs concurrently with New Artists, New Views, an exhibition of new paintings by Richard Abraham, Dan Mason and Tiit Raid. These exhibitions continue through April 23, 2016.