We hope you can join us this Friday, April 6th from 6-9pm for the opening reception for the newest artwork of Julianna Swaney of Portland, OR. This show features her original pencil and watercolor pieces centered around themes of guides, guardians and caretakers. All artwork is available for purchase both in our shop and our online website. The show runs through May 31st.
Julianna Swaney was born in Michigan and grew up playing outside in the woods with her dogs and cats, going on family vacations to historical sites and bird watching, and visiting antique stores, all of which continue to be an influence on her work. Because books were always very important in her house, she developed an early fondness for fairytales and magic that could be found in the real world via nature and history. Motivated to create, Swaney received her BFA from Maine College of Art in 2005, and since then has shown her work in galleries around the country. Her illustrations appear in several magazines, including Martha Stewart Weddings, Uppercase, and Tin House, as well as in a recent book. This inspired Portland, Oregon transplant continues to make a living from her artwork.
Fairytales and folktales let people like Swaney understand a universe that could be confusing and frightening, but is also beautiful and mysterious. As a child, she believed that everything—animals, trees, rocks—had a voice, and that if we just listen closely, these beings can serve as sage guides. Swaney lets us access her guides through her artwork, connecting us to a human element that is essential to our understanding of the non-human world. In her paintings, facts intermingle with traces of lingering echoes of childhood memories, of folklore, and of fairy tales.
Tilde • 7919 SE 13th Ave • Portland, OR 97202
T: 503.234.9600 E: info@tildeshop.com
