REVIEW: Rachel Wiley-Janota’s artwork resonates with native Galvestonians
As I walked into the René Wiley Art Gallery in Galveston, Texas, with my fresh latte from the neighboring MOD Coffeehouse, I found many of the same scenes I had passed on my way through the island town: roadside scenes of Harborside Drive, the waves of the Gulf and the bits of industry mixed in with the peaceful beach scenery all across the island.
UHCL art student Rachel Wiley-Janota’s latest exhibition “New Landscapes” is on display through Nov. 24 at the Rene Wiley Gallery in historic downtown Galveston at 2128 Post Office St.
Wiley-Janota combines the use of graphite, watercolor, acrylics, ink and oil to create scenes that intrigued her from both her life in Galveston and her experiences in Georgetown, Texas.
“I tend to always be drawn to where the natural landscape meets manmade infrastructure,” Wiley-Janota said. “There I see a balancing of our world’s forces, a point of both division and connectivity.”
The layering of the many different mediums adds depth and life to her paintings.
“Most people are surprised to find out how many mediums I combine, but I want to always approach my work in a playful and experimental way,” Wiley-Janota said. “I believe it keeps the work feeling fresh.”
The pieces in this collection are both realistic and abstract, combining real-life structures on the island with abstract shapes, lines and colors that create a feeling of familiarity for native Galvestonians and those who have spent their summers on the island.
An example of these merging environments is found in “Harborside Night Lights.” The painting depicts one of the many factories that line Harborside Drive, but has abstract qualities as well that tell the story even further: the darkening sky, the reflective ground beneath the industrial structure and the dripping of the strokes overlap between industry and nature.
Wiley-Janota’s work seems to tell the story of how natural beauty and industrial construction come together to make the scenes that make Galveston the tourist attraction that it is.
Her exhibition has been highly successful in the Galveston area, already having sold many paintings from this collection since its opening Oct. 11. Although the paintings have brought nostalgic and familiar feelings for Galvestonians, Wiley-Janota hopes that her paintings are universally inspiring.
“There are often numerous stories within my works, some constructed by the viewer and some by the artist,” Wiley-Janota said. “I’ve learned how well stories tend to stick with us and how they can influence the way we see the world. So I’ve intended for my works to be both intimate and universal in this way. Most of the images I make tend to embody a private view of an object or place but are made with the intention to be familiar and to be shared.”
The René Wiley Gallery is a family-owned gallery, owned by Wiley-Janota’s mother, also an artist, and father. The gallery features local artists throughout the year and Wiley-Janota’s mother, René Wiley, on a full-time basis.
“We are of course very happy to be able to showcase Rachel’s work,” Wiley said. “As an artist, I am very aware of the long hours of studio work it takes to present a body of paintings. Her last show was a terrific success, selling every piece. She now has her own group of collectors and new interest has grown from this show. Her sincere love for the atmosphere and landscape keeps her painting.”
Although art-lovers might be tempted to dismiss this exhibition because of Wiley-Janota’s relation to the gallery owner, that would be a mistake. Her body of work could very successfully be showcased at galleries across the art world because of the way they draw upon people’s memories. For me, they remind of all the times I’ve taken the late-night drive down Harborside Drive on my way home from a trip across the ferry, the odd mixture of beach smells along with the diesel from the cruise ships and construction vehicles.
Wiley-Janota’s paintings from this exhibition have sold for amounts well into the thousands of dollars and have been very well met by Galveston collectors.
Wiley-Janota anticipates receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts from UHCL in May 2015, and although she didn’t grow up in Galveston, many of her childhood summers and winters were spent soaking up the island sun. In addition to her current exhibition, Wiley-Janota has been showcased as part of a two-artist exhibition at the Georgetown Art Center in Georgetown, Texas. She and her husband now live on Galveston Island with their two dogs.
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