May 14, 2013 — The New Bedford Whaling Museum will feature Arctic-insprired paintings from artists Zaria Forman and Lisa Lebofsky's 'Chasing the Light' series until May 22.
In August 2012, Zaria Forman led Chasing the Light, an arctic art expedition up the North West Coast of Greenland. NBWM curator, Michael Lapides and artist, Lisa Lebofsky participated in the journey. It was the second expedition to this area whose mission was to create art inspired by the dramatic geography. The first was in 1869 aboard the Panther, led by the American painter William Bradford (the subject of the current NBWM exhibition Arctic Visions). Zaria's mother, Rena Bass Forman, had conceived the idea for the voyage, but sadly did not live to see it through. During the months of her illness her dedication to the expedition never wavered and Zaria made a promise to carry out her mother’s final journey to honor her.
Following a section of the Panther route, Chasing the Light found several locations photographed by John Dunmore and George Critcherson, the photographers hired by Bradford to help him document the voyage. As Bradford did in the nineteenth century, Zaria Forman and Lisa Lebofsky refer to photographs they captured in Greenland, their artwork produced en route, and most importantly their memories of the experience to create artwork at the museum.
Zaria Forman Bio
Zaria's enthusiasm for drawing began early in her childhood, when she and her family traveled to some of the world's most remote landscapes, the subject of her Mother's fine art photography. A Cum laude graduate in Studio Arts from Skidmore College, Zaria has exhibited extensively at galleries and venues throughout the united states and overseas. She created a series of drawings that served as the set design for the classic ballet "Giselle", which premiered in October, 2012 at the Grand Theatre of Geneva, Switzerland. A number of her drawings were used in the set design for "House of Cards", a Netflix TV series directed by David Fincher and starring Kevin Spacey.
www.zariaforman.com
Current exhibit at Dedee Shattuck, Westport, MA: http://dedeeshattuckgallery.com
Lisa Lebofsky Bio
Lisa's paintings on aluminum explore the limitless capacity of the mind when it engages with nature. She holds a BFA in metals from SUNY New Paltz, and an MFA in painting from the New York Academy of Art . Her work is in private collections, and has been exhibited in solo and group shows both nationally and internationally. She is the recipient of several awards and residencies including the Prince of Wales travel grant to the Château de Balleroy, France (2005) and the Terra Nova National Park Artist in Residence (2010). Ms. Lebofsky finds inspiration and collects source material by traveling extensively to immerse herself in different natural environments. Recent travels include Tuscany, Newfoundland, and Antarctica.
http://www.lisalebofsky.com
Both artists are from New York City.