When Penny picked me up to go to Linda Bigness’ art reception, I thought we were going to Oswego, New York.  But it turns out that SUNY Oswego has a campus annex here in Syracuse, New York at 2 Clinton Square.

It’s called the Tyler Art Gallery at the SUNY Oswego Metro Center and it is there that Linda Bigness’ paintings grace the walls.  They were installed on August 26, 2016 and will be on display until October 22, 2016.  Tonight was the art reception and artist talk.

These are new works painted in her studio at the Delavan Center, some painted during that heat wave last month when the temperature climbed to one hundred four degrees Farenheit inside the building.  She persevered by maintaining a vision of beauty.

Beauty in the sadness of a man searching for the last drag of a discarded cigarette butt, beauty in the darkness of the homeless organizing what little they have in a series of compartments under a bridge.  Beauty in the urban landscape she sees out her window or photographs on walking excursions in and around the city of Syracuse.

Linda gave a talk answering questions posed by Professor and fellow artist Amy Bartell.  She is influenced by Kandinsky, Klee and Warhol.  The abstractions are landscape-based – you can piece together a narrative of rooftops, windows and stairs in some, bicycle tires and roads leading to a colorful path in others.

She works in encaustics and oils.  My favorite piece in the show is the dyptich utilizing both media.  I would love to see more of this type of experimentation in her future artwork and I am sure I will.

She said she is more about having an art life and not a career, per se.  That she hasn’t yet peaked as an artist and the best is yet to come.  In the true spirit of an artist, she makes art because something inside her moves her to do it.  It is a journey of self-discovery and joy on blessed borrowed time, having fought a battle with cancer back in 1998.

Her talk was definitely inspirational, and the food wasn’t bad either.

This was probably the best food spread I have ever seen at an art show – sushi!!!!!!! Delish.  Loved it!  Love you, Linda!!! <3