KALEIDOSCOPE,
by Sandrine Colson
and Kristen Freitas

October 6 – 26, 2024
Opening Reception: Sunday, October 6, 3-5 pm
Third Thursday Reception and artists’ talks:
Thursday, October 17, 6-9 pm

For its October exhibition, Atlantic Works Gallery (AWG) is inviting the public to KALEIDOSCOPE, an exhibition of artwork by AWG artists Sandrine Colson and Kristen Freitas. This exhibit addresses the two artists’ interpretation of what kaleidoscopes mean to them.

The exhibition will open at the East Boston gallery on Sunday, October 6, 2024, with an opening reception at the gallery on the same day from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. There will be a Third Thursday reception with artists’ talks on October 17, 2024, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The show will close on Saturday, October 26, 2024.

The word “kaleidoscope” can be broken down into its ancient Greek roots (kalos), “beautiful, beauty”, (eidos), “that which is seen: form, shape” and (skopeō), “to look to, to examine.” Taken together, the word means “observation of beautiful forms.”

For the exhibition, Colson, who works abstractly using bold marks and intricate shapes, often referencing natural forms and sees herself as a storyteller, will be exhibiting an assortment of 2D and 3D work including sculptures using fabric, metal, and paper, acrylic pouring paintings, collages, a wire crochet mandala, and digital art. Her work is filled with paint swirls, playful paper cut-outs, acrylic pouring and three-dimensional objects, resulting in richly textured canvases with intricate layers and meanings. She has been exhibiting in galleries and museums in New England, New York and other US regions as well as Mexico, Montreal in Canada, Barcelona in Spain, and Paris, France.

“I am the most inspired by the change aspect of kaleidoscope in terms of shapes and colors but also how kaleidoscopes can symbolize ever-changing endless possibilities, and the human experience,” said Colson.

Exploration of mediums and experiments with art process has made Kristen Freitas the multi-disciplinary artist she is today.  Her artwork is always colorful and meaningful. Ever the innovative artist inspired by her life experiences, she says she never stops investigating new processes and techniques. For this exhibit, Freitas is focused on ways to utilize unused spaces within the gallery setting to create a more profound experience, and for this exhibition she will be exhibiting wall and floor sculptures, paintings and colored lighting.