Spirit of Episode 76: Pam Glick

Did you know that there is a Niagara Falls Live Cam? During the darker hours, there's logically not a whole lot to see: you can just hear the audio- that static hum of the Fall's forceful rush, plummet, and continuous never-ending splash. The sensuality of it is quite appealing: the wetness and rainbows and dewy spray . . . and that surge one feels when elevated way, way up and peering down as water crashes into water. Considering all of this, it's no wonder that it has become an inspirational destination (and even a honeymoon hotspot) for so many people.

The Falls represents just one of the themes for Pam Glick's paintings, and it seems to be a metaphor for what her art has come to mean. There is something so grand, so confident, so meditative and transformative about her pieces. This weekend, I spent time toggling back and forth between moving images of the Falls at various angles and her mesmerizing mark making- the layers of lines rushing one way and then another. The culmination of scale, rhythmic use of mediums (she uses a variety from oil paint, enamel, graphite, acrylic, and spray paint) . . . this alternating care, control and looseness of her strokes are all so organically and beautifully synthesized that I can feel and sense the movement and overall aura projected by the muse that moved her.

Her contemplative rhythm carries over into other paintings and other abstracted subject matter. For example, in her typographical works, we see the ebb and flow, the varying weight and size of the line generating the characters. Organically entrancing the viewers, the pulsing repetition of the words transports her audience into the meditative state of the meaning of what the phrase might suggest. Her zip paintings give us a sense of an improvisational tempo and organization, yet a reference point that adds depth and dimension.

For a glimpse of the interview with Pam, you can check it out here.