Rachel Siporin's character study of swimmers at Bowery Gallery

The Bowery Gallery in Chelsea is currently presenting a collection of paintings and a couple of etchings by Rachel Siporin for the show Bathers. About her latest body of work, Siporin says "Initially, I have no relationship to the people portrayed, but as I draw, paint, and build the intaglio prints, a deep connection develops as they become characters in the play." The paintings are inspired by the many visitors who navigate the waters of the Roaring Brook at the Cotton Hollow Nature Preserve in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Siporin beautifully illustrates the landscape of the visitor attraction with its large rocks, tree branches, and dark-colored water.
The ripples in the water are depicted by brushstrokes varying in length and width in different shades of blue, green, and some orange to depict the light reflecting off the water. Several uses of red, orange, and yellow in works such as Blue Leash, Mother and Daughter, and Between Trees which also portray individuals walking their small dog around the woods, taking a break from being in the water. Some subjects appear particularly energetic as portrayed in works such as Lift Off,and Splash while others enjoy the water in a playful but calmer matter such as in Mermaid, Sculling, or Heads Up. There are also works that evoke similarities to Cezanne's famous series of the same subject. For instance, Quartet similar to Cezanne's The Bather with the exception of three other women in the foreground and background. The piece depicts a gentleman standing in the bushes taking in the environment around him. Other works similar to Cezanne's series include Siporin's drawings and prints What the Light Was Like, and Midsummer Night's Dream both of which feature several subjects gathered together in a group much like Cezanne's Large Bathers and Seven Bathers At the Bowery Gallery, 547 W. 27th St., Suite 508, through Sept. 27. Gallery hours: Tue.-Sat.: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. IMAGES: Mermaids (2024), What the Light Was Like (2025).

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