Isabelle Abbot: Convergence

In her new paintings, Abbot explores those places where differing topographies come together: where mountains meet piedmont and cultivated land disappears into the wilderness. Per Abbot, “The tension these convergences create intrigues me both visually and emotionally. They reveal the shape of the land, they open our awareness of where we fall in our environment. Capturing where one space shifts into another highlights the truths of both.” Her representations of the convergent space where physical changes take place also serve as meditations on the transformations occurring within the interior landscape of the psyche.

Like Paul Cézanne and Joan Mitchell, who sought to convey the essence of their own natural habitats through the visual distillation of elements in the physical world, Abbot’s poetic landscapes are inspired by the beauty of central Virginia. Through direct observation of her environment, the paring down of extraneous detail, and subsequent reconstruction on canvas of what is essential about a locale, Abbot invites viewers to reflect on their own sense of place and the land that defines, nourishes and heals us.

The beauty in Abbot’s work also reminds us that the earth is our greatest gift and protecting it is our greatest responsibility. Abbot and LYDM will be donating 5% of the proceeds from this exhibition to The Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL), a bipartisan organization combating climate change that is near to the artist’s heart. CCL promotes policy that puts a price on carbon to help systemically limit emissions and promote the development of green energy alternatives.

Abbot received her BA in Studio Art with distinction from the University of Virginia in 2005 and her MFA in Painting from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro in 2011. In 2011, she returned to Virginia to teach as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Virginia through 2013 and  has been a visiting lecturer at Bridgewater College. Abbot has received prestigious residencies in the US and internationally, including a residency with the Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork, Ireland. Her work can be found in important public and private collections throughout the US.