“The Wedge Between Us,” featuring paintings by two regional artists, open Sept. 29-Oct. 22

ASHLAND, Ohio – The Coburn Gallery at Ashland University will host a two-person exhibition, “The Wedge Between Us,” from Sept. 29-Oct. 22. “The Wedge Between Us” features paintings by Emily Bartolone and Sarah Esposito. The opening reception, which is free and open to the public, takes place on Thursday, Sept. 29, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Bartolone, a contemporary painter from Canton, Ohio, celebrates the playful and human qualities of painting through her use of amorphous shapes animated within the picture plane. Her art is grounded in shape and color, yet informed by ideas of the mundane, the awkward and the jovial that surround everyday life, according to her website.

Bartolone’s work stems from her infatuation with the formal elements of painting. She pairs down simple shapes in an effort to explore color theory while simultaneously creating tension and humor through color, edges and texture. In utilizing color theory to create color relationships that result in sensory optical experiences upon viewing, she can trick the viewer into seeing colors as other than themselves, adding a layer of humor to the production of the works.

Bartolone holds a bachelor’s in fine arts degree from the University of Dayton as well as a master’s in fine arts from Kent State University. She is the curator of the Malone Art Gallery at Malone University, and her work has been seen in such publications as Art Hole and Okay Cool magazines. Her art has been featured at a number of exhibitions throughout the country, including Project Gallery V in New York City, the Oceanside Museum of Art in San Diego, the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center and the St. Louis Artists’ Guild among others.

Esposito’s work involves a series of processes through mixed media to deconstruct landscape into abstract elements. Her paintings feature relationships between color, shape and surface, abstracting the contrast of harmony and tension in landscape. They call upon her experience of being in an outdoor space, looking, journaling and gathering information from different vantage points. She translates her image gathering into collaged paintings that create framing devices for fleeting moments in landscape.

Esposito earned a bachelor’s degree from Fairmont State University and a master’s in fine arts from Kent State University.

The Coburn Gallery is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and noon-4 p.m. weekends. Gallery admission is free and open to the public. For more information about the exhibition, reception or upcoming activities, call 419-289-5652 or find the gallery on Facebook.

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.