Collection: Fire Within: Becca DeMeyer and Rachel Larson Long Exhibition

Fire Within: Becca DeMeyer and Rachel Larson Long

Kirks’ Grocery is proud to present this exhibition of recent work by Becca DeMeyer and Rachel Larson Long. Fire Within depicts flame, fire, and light as perceived by our eyes and as that spark that burns within.  

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Rachel Larson Long's work is from her Campfire series.  Artist statement below.

I’ve been intrigued for many years by the apparent and imagined interactions of earth, air, water, and fire.  Patterns formed by these forces tell stories of the persistent power of nature, and of time’s passing.  By combining this natural imagery in a way that suggests graceful or explosive movement, I hope to suggest action, energy, and emotion.  In this series of paintings I continue to explore the idea of “flow”, using natural elements.  

The unifying element here is fire, which can be seen as symbolic in a number of ways.

“Campfires”, for me,  conjure nostalgic memories of pleasant times in the great outdoors, all seasons…friends or family gathered closely around, perhaps celebrating an adventure.

Darker connotations are called up, as well, as fire has been a threat to the natural world as well as the man-made world, and we are concerned about the too-frequent forest fires caused by a warming planet. Fire can be a terrible force of destruction. In the painting, “Betrayal”, the image of a woman who may be literally “on fire”, metaphorically addresses the plight of women who have been denied the rights to their self-determination.

Fire can be an agent of change.  The firebird in mythology changes into a majestic phoenix and rises from the ashes. The forest gradually renews itself after a devastating event.

Loss and sorrow give way to new, changed forms of life.  

I hope that viewers will find these themes relevant to the changing times we are going through.  My “campfires” have helped me express and resolve some of the turbulent emotions which are common to many of us these days.  I hope that the warmth and drama of Fire speaks to you as well.

Rachel Larson Long