New "Planet" paintings by Laine Bachman will be on display among new paintings of hybrid creatures with collaged beads and sequins. Bachman explores different worlds and environments, pushing the bounds of our imagination.

The exhibition will open on April 5, 2025 with an artist reception from 5-8pm. 

Laine Bachman's Artist Statement:

"There’s no denying that I’m a naturalist at heart. I have always gravitated towards learning and observing as much as I can about different aspects of nature, from the smallest organisms to the largest trees. I relish in the details of plant and animal life; going to lengths studying their structures and functions in order to recreate them on canvas.  I’ll do sketches and take photos, keep books and field guides close and collect specimens from my own backyard to incorporate into my work. That part of me often says to stick to science/realism and illustrate what’s really there. To some degree that’s true; I do feel knowing how to draw from life gives me a platform from which I can jump. However, as an artist, I pull back the curtain to reveal a more ethereal and surreal world. I can contemplate the numinous beauty of nature by including a bit of mysticism and magic, and allude to a deeper meaning behind things in the natural world.

Botanical wonders and fantastic creatures reside and flourish within the lands I create. Many of the flora and fauna I include are imaginary; mingling with subjects I take from the nature and the world around me. They are familiar and yet they might exist in the ether of an undiscovered realm. I find a large amount of inspiration from fairytales, myths and folklore. I think back to stories from my childhood or times when herbalism and alchemy were part of the belief system and omens signified a message from the divine. On some degree I include these points of view in my work because the juxtaposition of reality and fantasy can convey a sense of wonder. I set up a sort of dialog between what’s real and make-believe and it offers a host of archetypes that people can recognize and relate to on their own personal level. 

The paintings in the planet series are my latest endeavor. They are filled with varieties of plants and animals that play a complex and intricate role on each planet. I see them as distant worlds, moons, or even jewels that contain a key to unlocking an understanding of the cosmos. In the same way a nebula is the birthplace of a new star or could be the remnants of stars long gone; the backgrounds represent something primordial from which these planets were born. Some harken back to early forms of life and others are dedicated to a particular genome or species that remains present today. Each painting reflects our presence in the universe and reaffirms that there are many mysterious and remarkable things to discover. Creating these planets has been a journey to capture the beauty of nature and elevate small moments that may otherwise go unseen. As they reside in the mire of a newly formed galaxy, they are truly a celebration of our world and life that may exist elsewhere and beyond."