After suffering a particularly bleak winter in the Rogue Valley, it’s no wonder people are ready to embrace the brightness and colors of Spring. Art & Soul Gallery’s newest exhibit featuring Alx Fox’s acrylic paintings is dubbing her latest installment “A Celebration of Color.”

“After a long wet winter in the Rogue Valley, new pieces came about this spring in a bold way,” says Fox. She’s been involved in Art & Soul Gallery for five years now, this being the third time her work will be featured there.

Getting into art through black and white and cibachrome photography at Barat College in Illinois, Fox’s style has evolved and moved toward an abstract style overflowing with expressions and vibrancies of color and shapes. “In the 80s I was fascinated with pastels and entered shows at the Kauai Museum,” she says. “Unable to achieve the bold colors and textures I needed for self-expression and experimentation, I settled on using oil and acrylic mediums.”

She describes her abstract style beginning with a lot of “trial and error and countless workshops. Nothing replaces creating art works in the learning process. Reading and studying only go so far. Time in the studio is what makes results for me. I also learn from my own students and the workshops I give.”

Her piece “Sunrise Through Mist” uses subtle tones found in overcast skies, as well as great contrasting colors such as red and electric blue to provide excitement to the canvas. “Celebration” is like a literal celebration of colors, with deep reds, bright yellows, greyish green, and a darker grey to add depth.

“The sheer joy of experimentation and working on large canvases allows for creating unique results. Blending different media and being fearless with color is stimulating,” she adds. “There is never a dull moment with abstracts.”

Fox was featured in the First Friday Art Walk June 2, and can be viewed at Art & Soul Gallery in Ashland.

“A Celebration of Color”

10 am – 6 pm, Tuesday through Saturday

10 am – 4pm, Sunday

Art & Soul Gallery, 247 East Main, Ashland