“Women Making Marks”

Melanie Goldner, Maura Matthews & Molly Graver

Exhibit from April 3 to May 3

Artist Reception - Thursday April 4 from 6 PM to 8 PM

With artistic backgrounds and the world around us for a muse, we are connected by names that start with “M”, Motherhood, Springfield Township and a love for “Making Marks”.

Mark making describes the different lines, dots, marks, patterns, and textures we create in an artwork. It can be loose and gestural or controlled and neat. It can apply to any material used on any surface: paint on canvas, ink or pencil on paper, a scratched mark on plaster, a digital paint tool on a screen, a tattooed mark on skin…even a sound can be a form of mark making. Artists use gesture to express their feeling and emotions in response to something seen or something felt – or gestural qualities can be used to create a purely abstract composition.

For those seeking a more intimate experience, private tours are offered upon request. Feel free to reach out to the artist directly to arrange a personalized journey through the exhibition.

For purchases, reach out to the artist directly. 25% of all sales will be dedicated to supporting Whitemarsh Learning Center, ensuring the continuation of their invaluable community programming.

Artists' Statement Though our painting styles are different, our intentions are rooted in the same appreciation for the act of creating things. From washes of watercolor on wooden panels to asemic writing on vintage paper and patches of oil paint on canvas, we love the energy, movement and process of making art. In talking about our processes, we all make the same sweeping motion with our arms, as if conducting a symphony of color. The notes of our marks stem from years of art appreciation and making.

Melanie Goldner

Sustained by the natural world around her, Melanie Goldner of Lafayette Hill has had a lifelong love affair with art. She grew up outside of Philadelphia and was inspired by artists in her family, such as her mother, sister, grandmother, as well as by works shown at the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. These inspirations guided her experiments over the years with pottery, painting, drawing, and sculpture. Melanie shares her joy and solace in making works of art from nature's energy and spirit. Her abstract watercolor paintings are made with Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors and birch wood panels. She also does paintings in high flow acrylic paints, which encourage long, fluid strokes of expression to create vibrational art. She offers viewers a moment of grace and ease as they view the paintings illustrating Mother Nature’s expressions. 

Maura Matthews

Maura has been painting since high school, when she first learned about color, composition and contrast from her teacher Walt Bartman. She says, "for me paintings are like puzzles to be solved and those three components keep me plugging away!"  She sells original and commissioned oil paintings, exhibits her work at local businesses and leads painting classes for children and adults. You can find her painting and teaching at the Pigs Alley Gallery, named for the street in Fairmount where she once lived.

Molly Graver

Molly is a mixed media collage artist. She uses a lot of asemic writing in her work inspired by her 20 years in Graphic Design. She enjoys pairing vivid colors with black and neutrals for a vibrant effect.