Wellard: Artist gives work an architectural spin

The artist Cheryl Goldsleger has a gift among historically focused artists and those displaying a particular, dimensional architectural spin in their work.

She brings to her work ever changing philosophies about location and space.

An exhibit of Goldsleger’s work is currently in place at Judith Costello’s jcostello gallery in the Red Fish building on Archer Road. It opens Monday and runs through May 1.

The exhibit, which reflects three primary focuses, will stop you in your tracks as you take in large scale paintings from her National Academy of Sciences Project, made up of maps with graphite, mixed media on Dura-Lar and work in encaustic.

There are eye-grabbing opportunities in all directions. Take your time. Get close-up, close. Take in the incredible detail in Riser, Azimuth, Academy, and Axis. The suggestion of one straight line, one triangle, one curvilinear line all seem to coalesce in absolutely the right place and in the right space. All are 62 x 70 inches created in mixed media on linen.

There is a dynamic electronic installation portraying the dimensional model Goldsleger created for the critically acclaimed NSA project, originally created in polymer resin. She says, in an artist statement, the introduction of technology and dimensional opportunities have impacted her work in a most satisfying way.

Eye catching for other reasons are the pieces from a series she created in graphite, mixed media on Dura-Lar, and in a variety of sizes from 28 x 35.5 inches down to 20 x 20. Their earliest beginnings were a single shot maps created from above, looking down on landmasses from World War I. The pieces are purposely titled with two names: Navigation ... International; Readjustment ... Recognizable; Removable ... Barriers; Secure ... Autonomous; Acid Test ... Good Will, among them. The titles are from each of Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” outline for peace that led to the final resolution of that war. The series was completed in 2015.

Goldsleger, currently the Eminent Morris Scholar in Art at Augusta University in Augusta Ga., lives in Athens, Ga., and works in her spacious studio there. She is widely recognized through the country and internationally for her powerful work in architectural focuses, including labyrinths and mazes - Terminal A at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is one of Goldsleger’s labyrinth creations.

Goldsleger said she thinks architecture is the perfect medium for establishing a continuing dialogue between generations.

Always the artist, sketcher, painter, she is now re-approaching painting with a particularly contemporary spin.

“I’ve known Cheryl for a number of years, and have followed her career before and through the NAS Project particularly,” said Judy Costello. “In fact we staged an exhibit of some of her work in 2011. She is astonishing. Do you know that her work is in the permanent collection of MoMA in New York City?”

Goldsleger’s earliest studies began at the Philadelphia College of Art, where she received an B.F.A. in 1973. She attended the Tyler School Art, Temple University, and went on to complete the M.F.A. at Washington University in 1975 in St. Louis.

Goldsleger is putting on the final touches on an upcoming solo exhibition at the Sandler Hudson Gallery in Atlanta. She is looking forward to upcoming exhibits at the C. Grimaldis Gallery in Baltimore.

This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 5:40 PM with the headline "Wellard: Artist gives work an architectural spin."