VIRTUAL EXHIBITION
Edwina Brennan: Artist Retrospective &
Legacy Exhibition
This virtual exhibition is a companion to Edwina Brennan Remembered: Paintings - Works on Paper
presented at the Patricia M Nugent Gallery at Rosemont College in 2021.
Edwina Brennan, Legacy Exhibition Installation Image, 2021, Courtesy of Amie Potsic
“First, I make a mark...”
Edwina Brennan was an accomplished and talented artist with deep roots in the Philadelphia region’s artistic and educational community. She was an exhibiting artist for decades, building on her artistic training at Rosemont College and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. She was an active member of the vibrant artist-collectives in Philadelphia and maintained a committed studio practice.
Her work is an exploration of color and mark-making in an abstract language all her own. Ms. Brennan’s work is singular in voice while paying homage to abstract expressionist painters including Joan Mitchell and Cy Twombly. Prolific and energetic, Brennan’s work is a testament to the gestural nature of drawing and her own dynamic sense of color and harmony.
EDWINA BRENNAN: ARTIST RETROSPECTIVE
& LEGACY EXHIBITION
Edwina Brennan, Sheer Energy, Oil on mylar, 24” x 30”, Image courtesy of the artist
Edwina Brennan, Untitled, Oil on mylar, 24” x 30”, Image courtesy of the artist
Edwina Brennan, Sunrise, Oil on mylar, 30” x 24”, Image courtesy of the artist
Edwina Brennan, Foghorn, Oil on mylar, 24” x 30”, Image courtesy of the artist
Edwina Brennan, Dream Thing Blue, Oil on mylar, 24” x 30”, Image courtesy of the artist
Edwina Brennan, Untitled, Oil on mylar, 24” x 30”, Image courtesy of the artist
Edwina Brennan, Cape May, Oil on mylar, 30” x 40”, Image courtesy of the artist
EXHIBITION CATALOG
Created by Amie Potsic Art Advisory for Edwina Brennan’s
Artist Retrospective & Legacy Exhibition at Rosemont College
Statement
“Just a mark. I start with just a mark – simple, straightforward. But then, there is another mark, then another, a splotch of color, some scraping. The tools are uncomplicated, but as in any interaction, it is in the relationship of these marks, of the color, or lack of color, of the positioning of the marks to each other and to the edges – this is where the intricacy begins.The works that I create are “drawings” – but they are not sketches, nor are they renderings of objects or experiences. The drawing itself is the experience. Each drawing is comprised of a variety of materials and of many methods of mark-making: from scraping to fine line to strokes and splotches of color. Although the artwork is relatively large scale, some of the drawings are quite subtle and minimal, while others are more bold and expansive. (This is due to the responsive quality in the making of these drawings). It is an intuitive process in which each scrape, mark, and stroke relates to the next scrape, mark, and stroke within the borders of the paper.
Just as in the back and forth process of good conversation, the artwork unfolds to become sometimes a boisterous cacophony, at other times an intimate heart-to-heart, and still others a repartee. Also, as in a conversation, there is the courage of introduction, the first stroke and the discovery of the response. Inclusion of the new input can change the direction of the encounter, but unity is maintained by remaining mindful of the context – whether it is the border of the paper which are lines themselves, or the jots and swirls from the interior.
I invite the viewer to share in the conversation looking at and responding to each mark and layer of markings as they move over the page.”
- Edwina Brennan
Biography
Edwina Brennan (1931-2020) was an accomplished artist living and working in the Philadelphia area. She received a BFA at Rosemont College and a Certificate in Painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. She exhibited with Sande Webster Gallery and was very active in the community of artist collectives in Philadelphia. While a member of Zone One, Muse Gallery, and 3rd Street Gallery, she mounted numerous solo exhibitions in Philadelphia. Her work has been awarded in exhibitions presented by The Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Ursinus College, and The Delaware Contemporary. Brennan’s artwork is in numerous permanent collections including the Berman Museum at Ursinus College, The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, and Rosemont College.