Frozen in Time, 2020-2023: Art by Marlène L'Abbé

On Exhibit on the Circulation Area Wall from June 5th through June 29th.

Meet the Artist Event: June 13th at 6:00pm

"Who are we? What is it that frames our essence as human beings? When I look at a person deep in the eye for a prolonged period of time, I experience an emotional connection that I begin to question through my art. The pandemic caused me to shift from what I see in my imagination to what I see in another person, which may end up being how I see myself... Even virtual people were becoming more important to me during the last few years. Through portraiture, it's as if I'm living through what it is the person is living through. There's a recognition of sorts that gets locked in place, frozen in time. These paintings are mostly based on online art models, a profession continually growing... In this case, artists and models were in quarantine." --Marlène L'Abbé

BIOGRAPHY

"I grew up in the '50s and '60s in Montreal, where I followed in my artistic father's footsteps. With an associate's degree in applied arts, I freelanced for printers, publications, and design houses. I met my then-husband through a study group in Boston, and we moved to Vermont in 1989, and later to Ohio in 1995. At that time I taught French and kindergarten in the school system, but my life journey steered me back to the arts and into a cooperative gallery in Marietta, Ohio. I created pottery and tile there while enjoying the camaraderie of fellow artists. I also continued teaching through the Art in The Schools Program offered through Artsbridge in Parkersburg, WV.

"The death of my father in 2004 was a pivotal time in my life, and when I returned home after caring for him and my mom in Canada for some of that year, two things happened: My marriage fell apart, and I accepted a position as an art therapist in a nursing home. It was both a painful and magical time for me, one not easily forgotten. I then met a wonderful man and remarried, settling in Athens in 2009. Currently, I love to garden, and my art studio is situated amongst the flowers where I continue to blossom and spread my wings." --Marlène L'Abbé