Nellie King Solomon Artweek May Issue: Previews: May 1, 2002 Nellie King Solomon’s large scale ink-on-Mylar washes continue a process that the artist has been working on for some time. Working flat on top of spongy surfaces, ink is allowed to flow, puddle and pool, as the idea of some what losing control over the medium is played out on the slick surfaces. Solomon is motivated by the desire to "charge empty space" and to "generate feelings which transcend the everyday." This, along with an interest in the visceral and the magical qualities of materials, motivates the artist to continue explorations which are physically engaging and "fun." Several new pieces exemplify the artist’s current direction. Is, with a palette of reds and blacks, Smokey Whahdnt Bright, consisting of black and grays, and Air, primarily blues and grays, all rely on the layering and transparency of multiple washes. Pools of color appear to float, contract and expand across the surfaces, as the idea of fluidity and constant change become the content of the work. The blending and bleeding and rolling of colors feels like a visual metaphor for the origins of life at the cellular level, as if one were watching through an enormous microscope the magnified, pulsating, never-ending process of birth, death and regeneration. –Debra Koppman