Article by Jen Payne

(Photos by Zimmerman Fine Art Studio)

On the cusp of Valentine’s Day, New Haven's Kehler Liddell Gallery will present COUPLES, featuring the evocative work of artist Kathleen Zimmerman. Her drawings, prints and sculpture will be on display from Thursday, January 14 through Sunday, February 14, with an Opening Reception on Sunday, January 24, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Casey McDougal, (SAG-AFTRA), an award-winning actor, will perform a devised work inspired by Zimmerman’s exhibition.

In all of her work, Zimmerman’s love affair with form is evident. Her special way of seeing the underlying abstract shapes of her subject matter inspired one of her professors to remark, "you draw like a sculptor." She earned artistic merit scholarships and academic grants from the University of Hartford Art School in West Hartford, Connecticut, where she received a BFA concentrating in sculpture and printmaking. Zimmerman’s work has been exhibited in solo and group shows around the country and is part of both public and private collections. Most notably, her life-sized sculpture, Melody, is part of the renowned Benson Sculpture Garden in Loveland, Colorado. When asked about her work she said,  “My art communicates day-to-day life as well as more profound ideas surrounding relationships, stages of life and culture. I use symbolism & surrealism, which creates a mythical quality adding layers of meaning.”

Kehler Liddell Gallery is located at 873 Whalley Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut. Gallery hours are Thursday through Friday from 11:00am - 4:00pm: Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am - 4:00pm. It is free and open to the public. For more information, visit our website, www.kehlerliddellgallery.com, or call 203.389.9555.

As you explore this unique show, you’ll find that Zimmerman often relies on pairs in her work.  Sometimes as separate but related images as in WoMan Series, or mirrored images as in BlockHead Series or two main subjects in one work as in Lovers Series or two different interpretations of the same image in her EastWest Series.  She has even married both two-dimensional and three-dimensional in works such as in CosmicCow Series or BearHug Series.

COUPLES runs concurrent with NEW YEAR/NEW WORK, which compliments and works with Kathleen's solo show, featuring 20 of Kehler Liddell Gallery’s other member artists in a full range of media, from painting, printmaking and works on paper, to photography and sculpture.

Founded in 2003, Kehler Liddell Gallery has grown to represent some of Connecticut's highest achieving mid-career and emerging artists in a full range of media, from painting, printmaking, works on paper, photography and sculpture. The Gallery is dedicated to representing critical perspectives that challenge and illuminate our culture and enrich our aesthetic experience, and is committed to establishing New Haven as an important center of arts and culture. Its programs have included collaborative group shows, projects with musicians, theatre troupes, filmmakers, authors, actors, dancers, creative entrepreneurs, and events like the Westville ArtWalk.

Note: Kathleen's exhibition Couples runs from January 14th through February 14th, 2016. Kehler Liddell Gallery is located at 873 Whalley Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut.