Join us for the exhibition opening reception on Thursday, May 6, 2027 from 6–8 pm.
Melinda Rosenberg’s aesthetic sensibility celebrates nature while acknowledging artifice. Her work is contemplative and quiet, yet playful, and deeply sensitive to touch. She remains attentive to how a piece meets the wall, how elements of wood join together, and to the sensual qualities inherent in the material itself. The bend of a branch is taken seriously; it may determine the shape of a shield. Her approach keeps her listening to, observing, and appreciating nature.
The form of each piece is often generated and dictated by the stick itself. She selects sticks for their organic interest and their reference to nature. The shield shape functions as a female metaphor, through which she explores themes of aging (old and new wood), artifice (the act of painting on wood as a kind of makeup for wood), and aesthetics (quiet beauty, natural beauty, and the act of touching).
The old wood she uses comes from Ohio barns, old furniture, and discarded materials. The new wood is often purchased for its grain, figure, and ability to hold light. She is particularly drawn to ribbed pine fencing sold in box stores; the ribs can be spray-painted in different colors on either side, creating a shift in appearance as the viewer moves around the sculpture. Subtle, unexpected changes such as these give her work a sense of transformation over time. She values this effect and seeks ways to reward sustained looking.
Before beginning a series, she paints several boards with multiple layers of color. Her process involves painting, sanding, staining, and repainting until the wood grain achieves the desired visual interest. This intuitive approach is guided by a sensitivity to the grain and the energy required. Once a surface is resolved, she pairs it with other boards and a stick. Multiple works are often in progress simultaneously, with parts freely exchanged among them. By remaining open to what is happening—being present—while also attending to the mechanics of woodworking—being rational—she creates work that blends these complementary modes of thinking.
Denotes MAC-Presented Program