Although we celebrate his birthday in April, March always reminds me of Shakespeare — something about the melodramatic in-betweenness of this time of year. And thinking of Shakespeare brings me into his theatrical mindset, where notions of madness and absurdity are measures of human reality. But the flippant gaiety also intrinsic to theater can assist in easing the prevailing sense of deterioration that dominates the airwaves. Indeed, March, with its many moods, is also a month of great promise as frosty winter gives way to a cheery primavera. Come hither to the expanses of Upstate New York to encounter fun-loving pre-spring shows that sing to the soul!
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Gracelee Lawrence and Ruby Palmer: giving me life
Turley Gallery, 609 Warren Street, Floor 2, Hudson, New York
Through March 23
The two-person exhibition giving me life at Turley Gallery in Hudson is an enchanting prelude to the approach of the goddess of spring. Gracelee Lawrence’s digitally fabricated 3D sculptures and Ruby Palmer’s gracefully chunky paintings and works on paper engage in a lively and colorful back-and-forth dance. Lawrence’s rainbow-laden creations, such as “from the lobe of the lung” (2024) and “a growing collection of desire and insight” (2024) are blobby in their curvy organic beauty, whereas “Compel Across Space Like a Wish” (2025) is an oversized human ear with little plastic beetles crawling within its folds. Palmer pulls us deep into the magical tendencies of Mother Nature with her brilliantly orchestrated floral blow-outs done in flashe, acrylic, and acrylagouche, including “New World” (2025), a symphony of purple and blue hues laced with black, and “Water Garden” (2025), an exquisite white composition that is pierced by cobalt blue flowers that appear to hum in celestial accord.
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View the full press feature at hyperallergic.com.
