David Richard Gallery is pleased to present Rising Tides and Fragile Hope by Monroe Hodder, her second solo presentation with the gallery. The presentation will showcase a new book of paintings on paper comprised of 8 oil paintings over watercolor on rag paper, each measuring 11 x 12 inches and all bound together in a handmade book with a front and back hard cover for presentation and leafing through.

Hodder loves the power of words and the concept of a book. However, she believes in the power of art even more. Rather than use a book as a medium to reproduce and disseminate her artworks, she decided to create a book of original oil paintings and let them speak for themselves. The non-objective abstract imagery is powerful on its own with gestural strokes and bold colors, each conveying a unique temperament and viewing experience. Thus, written descriptions are not required and the viewer’s interpretation is the best description possible. In the artist’s words, “I feel convinced by the power of art to reach us directly, viscerally, and spiritually with its force of form and color and space.”

The presentation also includes two larger paintings that measure 60 x 60 and 64 x 56 inches along with a selection of nine square paintings each 30 x 30 inches. Also included in the presentation are 4 additional paintings on paper that were not included in the bound book, each is framed in a contemporary, white-washed wood frame.