Skip to profile content
Discovery
Log In

Collections

Perspectives, 2017

32 Artworks

View
My focus has been on the cosmos not only because the imagery is new, stunning, or an enjoyable challenge but because of the reflections it evokes. For this series, I used images from the Hubble telescope; the more I see and study, the more in awe I am of the vastness and mystery of the Universe. It is difficult to grasp all that is out there, especially when there is so much strife amongst ourselves on this tiny rock. I know everyone sees the world through a different lens, but aren’t we all really the same?

Playing in the Light, 2020

20 Artworks

View
This grouping of my personal artwork contains pieces from 2003 to 2019. The larger pieces, particularly the paintings on canvas, were created in Springfield. The works on a paper were completed in my studio in New Jersey. As eclectic as the subject matter may seem, there remains a consistency in the color harmonies and intimacy in execution as I get lost in the musculature of the animals and the illusions of space on a two dimensional surface. The unicorns and bulls have been coming out of me over the last year or so, and to me they are relevant to the contemporary conversations happening on social media and in the mainstream; I’m not trying to make commentary art—more like documentary art that reflects the lighter side of society.

Preview Party, Southern Hills, 2025

14 Artworks

View
Where art meets it's match in architecture.

Primal Fusion, 2012

13 Artworks

View
My work reveals a passionate exploration of primitive cultures and the interpretive documentation of my artistic journey. Organic forms, colors, and textures define my style and ground my expression. This body of work is called Primal Fusion. It portrays and ancient art form presented in a modern medium; pigment and carving translated in glass powder and frit. The element of fire intrigues and seduces me throughout this exploration in fused glass.

Prints by Becca Mercer

29 Artworks

View
All prints below are available at Obelisk Home. 
If you need a specific or custom size to fit your space, please reach out directly by emailing sam@obeliskhome.com

Prints by Jane Troup

6 Artworks

View
All prints below are available at Obelisk Home. 
If you need a specific or custom size to fit your space, please reach out directly by emailing sam@obeliskhome.com

Prints by Lil Olive

70 Artworks

View
All prints below are available at Obelisk Home. 
If you need a specific or custom size to fit your space, please reach out directly by emailing sam@obeliskhome.com

Quickening, 2023

27 Artworks

View
This show is about the relationship between mother and daughter, the language they share and the ways they speak to their experience through large scale abstract painting. Much like the relationship between mother and daughter, the creative process does not stem from calculations or formulas but by reaching instinctive levels of reaction and response. Informed by their close bond, the painters’ works record a dialog between the two—taking cues from one another, exploring and negotiating their personal journeys. Both artists draw from organic and figurative forms. Donohue’s work includes figures and loosely interpreted coastal and cityscapes, along with classical, harmonic abstract expressionism. Lewis-Smith, whose abstract expressionist perspective both predates and colors her experience of motherhood, ventures here into more movement-oriented themes, like her momentum series and windows and doors. Although creating is not always magical, there is a point of quickening in the process that gives life to a piece. Being sensitive to these moments is magical. This magic is exemplified in the relationship between mother and daughter as they nurture and encourage their distinct journeys, separately and together.

Reflections and Other Water Offerings, 2017

19 Artworks

View
Nothing influences me more than the beauty and mystery of the natural world. I am fortunate to live in the country, surrounded by a spring fed lake and two ponds. These waters have abundantly provided me with inspiration both visually and metaphorically. The ever-changing reflection of the sky, an ephemeral slant of light, an unexpected color, the movements and ripples from the wind. What is on the surface, and just like our subconscious, what lies underneath? I am also drawn to the disorientation of the landscape as it is mirrored in the water, like an entrance to a dreamy parallel world. This body of work is an homage to the sublime. The awe and wonderment of that moment in nature that provides a peaceful and sacramental calm. That moment when we feel included in that wonderment. If I could evoke even just a spark of that in my paintings, it would bring me great joy.

Resonate, 2023-2024

24 Artworks

View
"My goal with each piece I create is that it resonates with the individual and fosters a dialogue. The Resonate Series, all created in 2024, showcases my work with vibrant abstract forms and dynamic colors, creating a compelling tapestry of visual excitement. Resonate suggests that even when faced with uncertainty, there is potential for growth and renewal. This duality enriches the narrative, inviting audiences to reflect on their own experiences with change and courage." - Bret Neathery

Return to Happiness, 2021

19 Artworks

View
Over the past year or so, my creativity has been put to the test. After dealing with a large amount of adversarial energy, my focus recently has been on happiness; I wanted to paint happiness. To do this, I needed to unplug and plug myself back into life. A restarting if you will. So, I have redirected my thoughts to “connectivity” in personifying these paintings. I’ve intended to create what I refer to as community. Lines may vary, widths may vary, but together they create a harmonious unity. And this I where I have found happiness.

Revival, 2025-2026

25 Artworks

View

Rockets by Chico

44 Artworks

View

Roots, 2014

13 Artworks

View
My passion for painting is rooted in color. In each of these works, color is being analyzed. Studied. Creating a madness within. I am interested in color in regards to light; how certain colors can be placed next to each other to create an illusion of illumination. I am interested in how lines of color can create form and mix optically. How colors can create composition and the effect of refracted light and reflective color. These works embody what I love about painting.

Rosie Winstead, 2024

29 Artworks

View

Scapes and Escapes, 2024

17 Artworks

View

Scenes from my Life, 2019

16 Artworks

View
Growing up I always went for the woods. There is something about being away from the city and cars that helps quiet my mind and allows me to delve deeply into my inner world. Painting has been the means by which I reveal how I think and understand life. My style has naturally developed over a lifetime. I paint familiar landscapes but the work is not so much a representation of Nature as an illustration for the story I tell. I look to Nature for truth. As an artist I strive to create a thought-provoking physical object that records the musings of my individual mind. So, I set the scene, design the set, add the characters and call, “action”. You might think of the painting as a visual poem or a page from a story. The mystery always remains.

Second Look, 2019

20 Artworks

View
Painting is a push and pull of visual weight that seems to give the painting a life without exact representation. It starts with color, and moves with a mark or gesture to begin the story. Painting has always been the language I find closest to my own internal dialogue. Most of my paintings are about relationships or rhythms. I like the open space where the viewer can add their interpretation to the landscape or setting. I do not begin to have the answers. I am seeking to give the viewer a choice, to put their story into the picture. The abstractions are again a push and pull of the gesture. How does one color play off its compliment? The exhibition is a balance of abstracts with elements of figures. The series is composed of mostly large canvases with smaller more moderately priced work.

Seeking the Narrative, 2025

20 Artworks

View
Opening Reception: September 5th, 2026 | 6-10pm
Showing: September 5th - September 27th 

The works in this collection are intentionally left untitled, inviting the viewer to engage without the influence of a fixed narrative. This approach allows for a more personal and unrestricted interpretation, encouraging a unique connection to each piece. 

As Picasso once suggested, titling a work can impose explanation, whereas leaving it untitled lets the artwork speak for itself. My hope is that each viewer finds their own emotional or intellectual resonance—guided not by labels, but by their own experience of the art. 

Artist Statement 
My work is a dialogue between the seen and unseen—deeply inspired by both the natural world and my internal landscape. 

  
Process 
I begin each painting without a specific outcome or predetermined idea. As the work evolves, so does its narrative and individuality. In the early stages, I rotate, tilt, and approach the canvas from multiple angles, allowing color and gestural lines to flow freely—an interplay between control and chance. 

I then build the surface through layers, each one informing the next. This intuitive process often involves scraping away paint to reveal colors and textures beneath, creating a rich visual history within the work. It's a journey of experimentation with materials, where refinement and discovery guide the painting toward completion. 

I love how unexpected elements emerge through the use of paint, brushes, cloth, and a variety of tools—developing a complex surface that invites prolonged observation. 

 
Inspiration 
Visual art has always been my passion. Growing up in New York afforded me the opportunity to encounter masterworks firsthand from an early age. Visiting some of the world’s greatest museums and galleries over the years has been both inspiring and foundational in shaping my understanding of what makes art resonate. 

I am particularly influenced by expressionist artists such as Paul Klee, Willem de Kooning, and Helen Frankenthaler. Their bold brushwork, fluid use of color, and open-ended approach to subject matter have deeply impacted my creative path. 

Sightlines, 2024

22 Artworks

View
The 2nd Annual MSU Graduate Student exhibition Sightlines brings together the diverse voices of thirteen graduate students who navigate the intersection of context, perception, and reinterpretation. The title suggests both a literal and metaphorical perspective, inviting viewers to trace the distinct paths each artist has followed in their exploration of complex themes. By presenting individual approaches within a shared space, Sightlines reflects how each artist’s practice shifts, responds to, and redefines the boundaries of their medium and subject matter. The art in Sightlines spans a variety of disciplines, unified by a common thread of contextual inquiry. Each work reframes ideas of memory, place, and identity, challenging traditional narratives and reshaping our understanding of familiar landscapes and cultural markers. Through experimentation and a dynamic blend of materials, these artists expose new perspectives on topics ranging from personal histories to environmental change. Sightlines captures the transformative journey of these artists as they move from students to emerging practitioners. The exhibition invites the audience to consider their own lines of sight—how we see, interpret, and ultimately understand the world around us.