A Festival of the Goddess

Heat of a Desert Wind, by Dara Friel, Oil on canvas, 44" x 60"

Dara Friel's solo gallery show opening this past Saturday night was very well attended and a big success. It was nice to see the familar faces of Anne, Larry, Vivki, Boun and Amir, and to meet many of Dara's other friends and supporters. I am very glad that I was able to attend my friend's special evening. It was great to see her creations in person. From the small to the large, they are a thousand times more impressive and beautiful than an Internet page could ever hope to convey. I personally find her paintings both complex and simple at the same time, and they invite the viewer to enjoy them in either fashion. The complexity comes from the many levels on which her creations operate and can be viewed at, such as the physical, emotional, thematic, conscious and subconscious. These levels are in turn directly affected by the choice of colors, subject, composition and theme. I find it easy to let my eye and mind wander freely within her paintings and to get lost in their beauty. My eyes move along the swirling lines from shape to shape seeking out patterns, textures, details, and meaning. The shapes and images although abstract and full of depth do not alienate the viewer. They are somehow familiar, inviting and comforting. They gently pull you in. On the other side, which is complimentary and not in opposition, I find her creations have a nice simplicity to them because of the same choices in color, subject and composition. The colors are bright, vibrant and eye catching. They reach out taking your attention. The composition of each leads the viewer around and through the paintings like a walk with a friend down a new and exciting path. Dara allows the viewer to enjoy the paintings for their simplicity of color and shape and she make no demands on the viewer to go farther unless they want to. However the invitation for deeper exploration into the imagery and underlying themes is clearly there. Her paintings are sensitive and alluring and they invite closeness. This gives Dara's art a feeling of warmth and friendliness. They are a joy to look at and to contemplate. I find a lot of Dara reflected in her paintings and through them she is sharing much of herself. I really enjoy her paintings, her creative energy, and her passion for her art. I find it refreshing, invigorating and inspiring. If you are in the DC and Northern Virginia area I recommend that you stop by Gallery West at 205 South Union Street in Old Town Alexandria, VA between now and July 24th, 2003. Go and experience her art for yourself. You will be glad you did.