The Artists
Darby Guerechit
Abstract landscape acrylics
My work is a collection of abstracted landscapes of the Pacific Northwest–some imagined terrain while others are specific and meaningful places, from Rosario Beach at Deception Pass, to the wilds of the North Cascades I explore feeling through color, and in this way my paintings reference the vivid sensations of some of my best childhood memories – running through the forest under dappled light, marveling at the smooth grooves of a riverbed or reveling in the silence of a fresh blanket of snow. Like memory, my landscapes embody a certain distortion. They are simultaneously familiar and dreamlike as I seek to revisit that childhood experience of finding unending wonder and possibility in nature.
My art practice is heavily focused on process and exploration. I continuously examine the relationship between color, saturation, shape, texture, and line to create a balanced yet surprising painting that draws the viewer in and reveals unexpected details and depth I work with acrylic and gouache paints, with occasional incorporation of alcohol inks, pastels, and oil sticks. I use a lot of tape to mask out sections for the creation of my crisp lines. I love to create interesting effects through experimentation with objects, such as wire, cardboard, or a mascara brush. It’s the lack of control that these implements afford me that I love. They ensure that every mark is a surprise, and that is what keeps me coming back to create again and again.



