“Greece Abstracted” features Betsy Anderson’s latest series of landscape paintings inspired by the color, light, and architecture found in the Greek landscape. Struck by the stark contrast between the crisp white buildings and deep blue sky and water on the island of Santorini, and the colorful flowers in Mykonos, Anderson focused on creating a body of work that would evoke the feeling of this bold, iconic landscape.

Anderson’s works are marked by strong composition and vibrant color. “My goal is for the viewer to see and feel what I felt when I was there.” Her smart choice of color and confident lines and shapes achieve this goal. The horizon line is often Anderson’s focus – how it can be reinterpreted and reinvented. Using thin washes of oil, Anderson is able to slowly build the color and texture to achieve the desired saturation. She uses oil pastel to punctuate and add detail to the edges of shapes.

Anderson has been a resident artist in the Torpedo Factory Art Center for 29 years. Her work is represented in private and corporate collections throughout the United States and abroad. Anderson has been a member of The Art League for 39 years, and is currently serving as Board President. She is a former Commissioner of the Alexandria Commission for the Arts. Anderson majored in Fine Arts at Sophie Newcomb College, Tulane University and holds a BFA from Wright State University.

In The Art League Gallery:
“Greece Abstracted,” July 9 – August 3, 2009

The Art League Gallery (located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center)
105 North Union Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-683-1780, www.theartleague.org

Gallery Hours:
Daily, 10am – 6pm, Sunday, 12noon – 6pm
Open Thursday evenings until 9pm.
Exhibitions and events are free and open to the public.