Dec 01, 2020 - Mar 18, 2021
Like many in the early days of the pandemic, our exhibiting artist, Lois Cremmins, sought solace in the Arnold Arboretum. Fortified by experiences of what she describes as “transcendent beauty here,” she created a series of works in direct response to COVID-19.
Resilience is defined as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” Looking at Cremmins’ art—vivid combinations of paint and collage on paper—one senses an uplifting of her spirit. While exploring rich and attentive observations to detail, she chooses an overall application of colors, forms, and textures that bring a resounding cacophony of life to the surface. It is life in the Arboretum, vibrant and enduring, where Cremmins found her expressive vision of resilience and hope mirrored in the strength and grandeur of trees.
“As spring unfolded into summer, I could sense that the plants and animals, sun and sky, were carrying on in spite of the pandemic. And I wanted to make artworks that are as triumphant and defiant in the face of COVID-19 as I felt the entire Arboretum was being.”
Lois Cremmins
Wishing to share her belief that art can offer optimism and comfort, Cremmins posted her images on Instagram. The full series of works can be viewed on her website.
Lois Cremmins has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in the U.S. and Japan including Atlantic Gallery, Eyebuzz Gallery, Chashama, and Creative Space Hyashi. She is a grant recipient from the National Endowment for the Arts, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and the Barbara Deming Fund. She holds degrees in both Visual Art and Landscape Design and Maintenance.
All of Lois Cremmins’ artworks are paint and collage on paper.
