April 16th - June 16th, 2010

This spring Cross Mackenzie Gallery is pleased to present the large-scale paintings of California artist, Andrea Luria.  Widely shown on the west coast, this will be Luria’s first show in the DC area and a special opportunity for Washingtonians to view her work.

Andrea Luria loves portraits, and this passion is the inspiration for her bold, full-length bird paintings.  Similar in scale and ambition to the standing full figure portraits of classical portrait painters, these canvases portray wading birds in all their finery and surprising personality. Unlike her human subjects, Luria’s water birds don’t talk back or complain over an unflattering brush stroke or critical observation - the artist now prefers them as subjects.  It is not a limitation in terms of expressing human emotion, the birds exude an array of attitudes from their facial expressions, raised eyebrows and cocked heads.  Luria paints cranky pelicans, shy storks, and self-satisfied, preening spoonbills - all the while with an Audubon-like accuracy of natural observation.  These beautiful six-foot canvases with their striking colors against dark backgrounds are dynamic and graphic in their contrasts.  Their unexpected emotional power imbues them with a palpable but understated sense of humor. Those who share Luria’s feelings for our American waterfowl will appreciate these masterful works.  Perhaps this artist’s big birds represent another voice in the chain of dependents on clean water.

Luria will also exhibit a collection of her miniature chicken head close-ups that she paints on small wood panels.  Growing out of her Madonna series of portraits, the variety of feathers and chicken faces reveal Luria’s interest in the endless variations of nature’s creatures and she celebrates their individuality in these portraits.  Andrea Luria’s affection for her subject is clearly represented here and her birds are more than larger than life.