Art is all about perspective. Who’s doing the looking and who’s looking back, and then how those points of view ricochet off each other and create new conversations. For Aneka Ingold, this comes into play when it comes to women painting women.
“The theme of…women’s perspectives in art, is very important because artwork by female artists has been marginalized for far too long,” Ingold says. “The art world needs to acknowledge the insight that women have on their experience of the world around them in order for them to have a voice in society. I believe that figurative realism is an especially powerful vehicle for women to communicate with because it addresses the issue of the male gaze versus the female gaze. When women paint women, it is an exploration into self and identity and autonomy. It is the woman not just being seen but looking back.”
Lesley Thiel, Harmony, oil on aluminum panel, 31½ x 28"
It is that “looking back” element that will connect with collectors when RJD Gallery presents Three Voices: Women’s Perspectives in Art, a new show opening July 1 that features a trio of painters: Ingold, Daniela Werneck and Lesley Thiel. All three of the artists paint in a unique style: Ingold’s paintings are highly stylized with bright colors and abstracted forms around her figures. Werneck paints more realistic, with her subjects posed in indoor locations with brilliant light falling around them. Thiel uses surrealist elements in her paintings that show strong links to nature and wildlife. The three voices together create an unparalleled harmony that rings out with a powerful clarity. None of the artists have shown together previously.
Aneka Ingold, Composure, mixed media on DiBond, 12 x 12"
“I’m looking forward to showing with Lesley Thiel and Daniela Werneck at RJD Gallery this summer since I have not had the privilege of showing with them before. I admire the work of these women artists and believe our work is very compatible,” Ingold says. “The work in this exhibition shares uniquely female perspectives on the female experience and it becomes a portrayal of women’s agency. I believe Lesley, Daniela and I explore similar themes in our presentation of the female figure. There is a seductive quality in the characters created that lure in the viewer with beauty and perhaps innocence at first look, but there is also a playful confrontation that occurs when gazing into the eyes of these women that I think is dynamic and thought provoking. I really enjoy the allegorical qualities and play with perception in these paintings of women. They are alluring and inspire curiosity.”
Aneka Ingold, Clarity, mixed media on panel, 12 x 12"
For Werneck, who calls out the unequal representation of women artists in permanent museum collections, the RJD show is a vital way to show audiences and art collectors how important fresh perspectives are. “Although changes are occurring gradually, there is still more to be done. Art is a powerful way of presenting women’s points of view on their socio-political status, describing their lives and personal experiences,” she says. “Exhibitions showcasing art from a female viewpoint play a vital role in gender equality; building collections that amplify women’s voices, regardless of period or style, fostering inclusivity, and allowing the public to engage with a different, and maybe more sensitive, point of view.”
Werneck will be showing her delicate watercolor works that are full of light and life, and painted with exquisite detail. Two of the works are Serene Sense, showing a young girl laying a knit floral blanket, and John’s Letters,with a figure in a chair next to a pile of paper correspondence. “My art is all about what’s inside me. My creative process is an expression of my inner world and emotions. For me, my artwork serves as a reflection of myself in different life situations, that’s why I predominantly use female models, as they represent my own experiences and emotions. Additionally, you’ll often find tiles adorning the backgrounds of my paintings, symbolizing my cultural roots and heritage,” she says. “I often work with young women, as they represent my past and the future of the world at the same time. I am captivated by the purity and innocence they still carry from childhood and the enthusiastic power they believe they have over the future.
Daniela Werneck, Serene Sense, watercolor on Aquabord, 8 x 16"
This interplay between innocence and maturity enriches my creative process and allows me to capture an essence of beauty, love, compassion, peace, and hope. I truly believe the world needs more love and understanding. Life is tough as it is. Art doesn’t need to be aggressive to be seen or have a voice, my art is always romantic and delicate, regardless of the complexity of the theme.”
Lesley Thiel, Faith, oil on aluminum panel, 24 x 24"
Thiel’s work, which has an astounding level of detail, is rooted in Mother Earth and the idea of woman as lifegivers. “I’ve been painting on the subject of our connections to the earth, and females as environmental leaders, since 2017. Two years ago, after moving to Ireland, I began to create works that integrate the amazing and ancient landscapes of this country into surrealist landscapes that express how we grow out of our environment and remain tethered to it, despite our modern lifestyles,” she says. “Faith describes how we carry our spiritual home within us, and that we must have faith in our capacity to treat ourselves, and life on earth, with kindness. The heather in [model] Ayda’s halo is symbolic of protection, and robins symbolize rebirth, while bindweed flowers mean purity and spirituality. In Harmony I refer to our need to live in balance with nature. The body of Ayda is constructed from the leaves and branches of ivy, which Celts believed brought healing, protection, and cooperation. The three kingfishers are symbolic of balance and harmony with nature, since they live in three spaces: air, land, and water. Water is the miracle that allows life on this planet, and so Ayda’s halo is water with fallen leaves, and there is water depicted on the surface of the painting.”
Daniela Werneck, John’s Letters, watercolor on Aquabord, 8 x 16"
Thiel adds: “I think women do bring a different perspective to art, just as they do to life. They tend to choose different subject matter than men, and have a different approach in their work. Since women are still underrepresented in galleries and museums, the continuing focus of RJD, on highlighting the female perspective, has been hugely important. They have been a singular voice in promoting the work of amazing female artists, from the outset.”
The RJD show will continue through August 5 in Romeo, Michigan. —
RJD Gallery 227 North Main Street • Romeo, MI 48065 • (586) 281-3613 • www.rjdgallery.com
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