Artist Ananda Kesler’s first solo exhibit “Longing for Another Realm” debuted at the Art Center of Burlington on July 2nd. Ananda is from both Haifa, Israel and Fairfield, Iowa, having lived in the former until her family moved when she was twelve. Her Artist Reception occurred this past Friday, the 6th in the afternoon where friends, family, and community art-lovers gathered to appreciate the art surrounding them in the art center’s gallery.
Ananda Kesler pictured next to her piece “Longing for Another Realm”
Art Center Director Tammy McCoy took the reins over four years ago, but Artist Receptions were around long before her time. She said it helps the center in “welcoming new exhibits.” As well as Tammy, Lois and Jerry Rigdon helped to welcome Ananda and her paintings. The couple were volunteer hosts for the event. Lois reminisced about the art center’s former location, but thinks their current locale has “more of a community presence” since its move downtown around ten years ago.
Art Center patrons admiring Ananda Kesler’s “Shibui”
Ananda’s exhibit features pieces done over the last ten years of her life, the newest piece being one entitled “Shibui”. Other works entitled “Commotion” and “Lost Worlds, Forgotten Words” are among her canvas paintings displayed in Burlington’s art center’s ground-floor gallery. The painting sharing the exhibit’s title reflects what Ananda views as “a utopian realm; A happy place to be.”
Most of Ananda’s pieces are done in acrylics with some older paintings being done in oils. Both older and newer paintings feature charcoal and ink use. Ananda connects deeply to music and says that it is one of her inspirations. Other big inspirations, she says, are “feelings that are hard to describe with words.” So, instead of stumbling over jumbled thoughts, Ananda Kesler expresses those feelings through her paintings in the hopes that others can see their own difficult-to-express feelings.
Ananda Kesler’s exhibit will be in The Art Center of Burlington’s main gallery until the 30th of July. For more of Ananda’s paintings and her collection of photographs, visit her website at anandakesler.com.
