Jeanne neal: third hand
October 21 - November 25, 2023
Press Release
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Ro2 Art is proud to present THIRD HAND, an exhibition of new work by Dallas-based artist Jeanne Neal. The exhibition will open October 21 and remain on view through November 25, 2023, at Ro2 Art located at 2606 Bataan St., Dallas, TX, with an opening reception to be held October 21 from 7-10pm.
“Everyone who creates anything knows, there is a moment when a third hand is doing it.” Philip Guston In THIRD HAND, Jeanne Neal uses intuitive mark-making to conjure abstractions that are both allusive and elusive. She creates dense, non-objective paintings through an instinctive, subtractive process. Paint is applied, scraped, layered, reworked. The process accumulates and forms emerge, suggestive of objects, landscapes, and architectures. Neal’s paintings resist easy categorization. They are figurative and abstract, organic and technological. In this suite of new works, the scale of the paintings has increased and the colors have become more varied, all while maintaining the density and energy of her earlier works. Intensely saturated magentas, yellows, and greens are deftly juxtaposed and layered, while some works have a stark chiaroscuro of black and white. Throughout the experimental, ambitious, and expansive work of THIRD HAND, Neal engages with abstraction as a way to depict moments beyond verbal understanding, when quiet moments unfurl to create intuitive rhythms. |
artist Statement
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This exhibition is a collection of paintings created over the last two years. The works materialized on each surface without pre-planning—the wooden cradled panels, brushes and tools interacting in the moment to produce a range of forms, textures and energy.
While creating one of the works in this collection, a literal image of a hand appeared on the surface unplanned, reminding me of Philip Guston's quote that I had read long ago. I experienced his concept of the "third hand" first hand—as part of the flow state of creating the work itself. A flow state is defined as “being totally absorbed, focused, and involved in whatever activity one is engaged in, and enjoying the experience at the same time.” As the paintings continued to develop, I found myself in this receptive state more and more, welcoming the possibility of interacting with forces beyond my understanding. Hence, the name of the show, THIRD HAND. For this body of work, my color palette ranged from very bright magentas, blues, yellows and pinks to neutrals and blacks. This represents a significant shift from my last show in which I used a similar painting process but the colors were stark and dominantly black. In conclusion, this collection celebrates a creative process that prioritizes connection with something beyond human understanding, readily accessible when the mind is quieted and focused, allowing the rhythm to move through. |
About the Artist
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Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, I attended Texas Christian University, receiving a B.A. in Art History in 1974. I have been creating works of art and studying with Bonny Leibowitz for the past several years. I have also enjoyed and learned much from classes and consultations with Michael O’Keefe, and, more recently, working with Michael David.
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