“Vacation Days Requested,” a Watercolor and Colored Pencil on Linen is Part of the Current Exhibit at DUNES Art Gallery, on Munjoy Hill.

“Offering by Greyson”, is an Acrylic, Watercolor and Charcoal on unprinted Linen on Exhibit at DUNES throgh November 30, 2022.

The paintings of Jamie Chen, a Brooklyn, New York based artist, are the solo exhibit at the DUNES Art Gallery, 251 Congress Street on Munjoy Hill.  The exhibit, “Lettuce Makes You Tired,”  opened late last month and runs through November 30, 2022.

On display in this exhibit is the tension for an emerging artist who must support herself and her art work with a full-time job.  She must keep up appearances or demonstrate that she is definitely getting ahead.  She must maintain good physical health through exercise and possess material things – like a late model car –  all of which has left this Chinese American artist with little time to pursue her career.  Chen attended Bard College as evidence of her dedication to painting.

This blogger has heard similar frustration from women artists who have been stay at home moms to raise children.  But, the less those children become dependent on mom as they mature, the more free time mom has to devote to her artistic mission.  A much sought after place to be for many women artists.

“With little time to paint, I had to become more practical in how paint was applied and decisions were made, breaking down steps and layers in advance and knowing what was achievable in a 2 hour window,” said Chen in a press release issued by DUNES owner and photographer Boru O’Brien-O’Connell.  He attended Bard College as well and that is where they met.  A native Mainer, Boru lived in Brooklyn for fifteen years, thus developing relationships with some of the artists who exhibit in his new gallery on Munjoy Hill. DUNES opened on Friday, May 13, 2022 in the space formerly occupied by a yoga studio. The Chen exhibit is his third in this space since the May opening.

This is a subject that many artists can relate to.

Admission to DUNES is free.  It is open by appointment or from noon to 6:00 pm Thursday – Sunday.

For more background information on DUNES, please visit post herein dated April 17, 2022.