"Liminal Spaces: New Paintings by Rebecca Crowell" is on view from September 3rd to September 27th, 2026, at Fringe Gallery in Telluride. This new body of work explores the "in-between," or the areas where one state gives way to another. Rebecca Crowell, a pioneer of using cold wax medium, will be in the gallery for the opening on Thursday, September 3rd, from 5 - 7pm. Refreshments will be served.
"At first, the ideas behind the work in this show were simple--to explore shapes and edges that would be at times strong and clear and other times blurred and indistinct. For most of the past year, this intention has lured me forward, pushing my understanding of how to manipulate edges and create atmospheric surfaces through multiple layers of color and texture. But as the work evolved, I sensed deeper personal meaning.
For many years I;ve spent time on the west coast of Ireland as an artist in residence, and I realized that the atmosphere there has been quietly exerting an influence on my work that goes beyond the purely visual. The way the moist air softens edges, blurs the line between sea and sky, and--when mist descends—causes shapes to emerge and disappear intrigue me on an inner level.
The surroundings of my home in Northern New Mexico engage me in a similar way. Although the arid, clear air strongly illuminates the landscape, there is also a constant shift in perception. The light is constantly changing, illuminating and bringing different places into focus. In New Mexico’s enormous vistas, shapes of the landforms overlap and become gradually cooler and hazier in the distance.
In both places, these shifting atmospheric effects carry personal resonance. They represent uncertainty, change, and transformation. Uncovering personal meaning in the act of painting is itself an exploration of unknowing and discovery as I consciously loosen my grip on certainty about what lies ahead." – Rebecca Crowell
