The deeply personal work of Bay Area artist Ingrid V. Wells is on display this summer in the lobby of the Firehouse Arts Center in downtown Pleasanton.
"Emotional Support Paintings", which opened earlier this week and runs through Sept. 2, represents a "heartwarming and poignant collection" of six large-scale works and several smaller pieces by the artist known for "using playful subject matter to address difficult topics", according to Firehouse Arts officials.
"Rendering the characteristic features of enlarged objects, bright pigments and a touch of surrealism, Wells redefines the meaning of pop art in her own unique and jubilant way," Firehouse reps said. "Visually welcoming the viewer into her universe of brightly colored confetti, stars and flowers, Wells seeks to offer encouragement through titles such as 'For Your Darkest Days' and 'You're Here and I'm Here and That's Worth Celebrating'."
In her artist's statement about the solo exhibition, Wells said the works completed via oil on linen and based on tiny confetti cast via enlarged scale aim to act as "a visual respite from engaging with unforeseen difficult circumstances".
"It is a fierce rebellion, I consider it pretty punk rock, to stay in your joy when blanketed in depressing circumstances," Wells wrote. "In this body of work, I am responding to my personal puzzles — grief, living with my neurodiversity, the loss of women's rights and my recent recovery from cancer — with the aim of inspiring you to greet your challenges with curiosity and resilience."
See "Emotional Support Paintings" in the Firehouse lobby at 4444 Railroad Ave. Learn more at firehousearts.org.
