The earth as seen from above—in aerial or elevated vantage points—shows the vastness of its beauty in both nature and man-made terrains. Often the two intersect or meet, providing a glimpse that is frequently overlooked at eye-level. In the new exhibition From Above at Principle Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia, artists Jill Basham and Kim VanDerHoek will explore these viewpoints through their individual yet complementary visions.
Kim VanDerHoek, Where All the Veils Fall, oil, 40 x 30"
Around 2012 Basham painted her first aerial work—an imagined view of a beach from above that was inspired by flying in airplanes and looking at the landscapes below. The painting was well received and even became one of her prints, but it wasn’t until 2018 that she returned to the perspective. VanDerHoek has also been inspired by the views from planes, having done her first work from a photo she took out the window down on Washington, D.C. “I painted this aerial perspective in a demo years ago, and Jill was there,” says VanDerHoek. The two went to drop works off at Principle Gallery for another show they were in together and seeing them hanging side by side gave them the idea for a two-artist exhibition.
Jill Basham, The Windy City, oil on canvas, 30 x 24"
Basham’s style is a more organic one than VanDerHoek’s, where she lets the painting dictate much of the process, allowing for an atmospheric and serene quality to the paintings. “I tend to take memories of places I’ve been and then paint them from memory, sort of creating my own world so to speak,” Basham explains.
In the show will be Basham’s 48-by-60-inch painting Social Distance, a vast landscape, and the cityscape The Windy City. That piece, and other cityscape art in the show, differs from her usual process to one that relies on photographs, such as the view of Chicago she took while visiting her daughter.
VanDerHoek started her series for the show with the painting Tying the Knot and developed from there. She also paints both cityscapes and landscapes, such as Where All the Veils Fall, a large work that is from even above the clouds and looking down at the patchwork land, and City of Bridges, which shows the waterways, bridges and rooftops from above. 
Kim VanDerHoek, City of Bridges, oil, 24 x 24"
A common thread through the majority of her works is her color palette, which is done in a method true to her more modern style. “I’ve been experimenting with using my own color choices for the paintings,” she says, adding, “I pick the palette and then paint the painting, regardless of what the reference looks like in terms of color.”
Along with their larger works, Basham and VanDerHoek will each exhibit 10 paintings measuring 10 by 10 inches and there will be one large collaborative painting that melds their styles together. The painting, depicting Washington, D.C., is set to be unveiled during an opening reception on September 18 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The show will remain on view through October 12. —
Principle Gallery
208 King Street • Alexandria, VA 22314 •
(703) 739-9326 • www.principlegallery.com
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