Surface: A National Juried Exhibition Highlighting the Use of Textures & Patterns in Artwork

Surface is an exhibition of artworks that highlights the use of textures and patterns in artworks from across the country. We want our patrons to be able to “feel” the textures in the work, and to get lost in all the patterns!

The call reached 39 states. 218 artists submitted for a total of 781 submissions. d’Art’s Gallery Manager, and the juror selected 64 pieces from 60 artists from 23 states (9 Virginians)!

This is a juried exhibition, and was co-curated by gallery manager Amanda Bradley, and exhibition juror and artist, Jorge A. Saenz. http://www.texturalabstracts.com

Jorge is doing an artist talk on June 11th, 2 - 3pm. Check out the event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1046058319369810

Jorge Saenz is a Nicaraguan-American artist based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Growing up just a few blocks from Haight-Ashbury in 1960s San Francisco, Saenz was exposed to countless pockets of art and culture, falling in love with painting early on in his childhood. After studying architecture and fine art, Saenz spent a considerable amount of time working in the field of visual merchandising. He now commits to his artwork full-time, enhancing and refining his unique methodology.

Relying on his architectural background and ever evolving concept of color fields, Saenz has hand-carved his own niche in the abstract realm, drawing inspiration from prolific artists like De Kooning, Rothko and Frankenthaler. A close glance at his work reveals multiple layers of shapes, patterns, and color fluctuation, often completed with translucent drips and asemic writing. Commonly inspired by social causes, Saenz’s unapologetic usage of various mediums and contrasting color temperatures hint at his romantic approach to abstract art.

Over the years, Saenz’s work has been featured in local exhibitions at the Virginia Beach Art Center’s Brock Gallery, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Charles H. Taylor Visual Arts Center, Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, and MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art), all located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He has earned accolades such as Best in Show for “Red,” “Small Works,” “Purple Haze,” and “Abstractly Speaking,” as well as various Most Creative awards at Brock Gallery in Virginia Beach. In 2021, Saenz’s work was featured in the 440 Gallery’s WHOLENESS: 17th Annual Small Works Show in Brooklyn, New York, as well as various national exhibitions at Norfolk, Virginia’s d’Art Center, including “Tribute,” “Portrayed,” and “Dynamic.”

Saenz is currently an associate artist at both the Virginia Beach Art Center and the d’Art Center in Norfolk. His work is sought after by various collectors internationally.