'Flux' at the ARC Gallery, Sept. 16-Oct. 28

Opening: Friday, Sept. 16, 5:30-7 p.m.

Flux, an art installation by Celia Carl Anderson, Kenai Peninsula College's Art Department chairman, will be in the ARC Gallery at the Consortium Library Sept. 16 through Oct. 28.

In the artist's own words,

There are times when an artist sees something that so completely expresses what they feel about a subject that they are moved to record the moment. Such was the case when I saw my mother quietly sitting in a sliver of diminishing light. These instances of fortuitous clarity when subjects are 'seen' in their entirety are rare; much more often these moments of understanding are felt.

The unstoppable fluidity of passing time and change expressed in that view of my mother sparked my interest in examining the same process within my greater family. It was everywhere apparent. Capturing these stages of transition was important to me if for no other reason than to validate and find a way of dealing with them. While I understand John F. Kennedy's assertion that "Change is the law of life," I find that today change seems to happen at record speed. Whether the forward motion is environmental, societal or familial, I long to slow it down, lessen the impact or ease the pain--I'd like some semblance of control over the process. The act of painting these familial transitions allowed me to hold onto them, gave me a sense of stasis, and in some cases, a respite from the inevitable movement.

This collection of canvases represents a kind of "family portrait" and is intensely personal. It occurs to me however, that any of them could number amongst portraits of most peoples' family members today, caught in a state of flux.

Visit the ARC Gallery website for more information.