hand establishes a smothering sense of atmosphere. Simultaneously (and contradictorily) the painting radiates a quality of illumination. This is most obvious in the reddish orange form to the right but each section finds its own sense of light. All of this conspires to create a mysterious sense of space in the piece.  Finally, a couple of intersecting thin lines, one horizontal the other vertical, are casually dropped in.  Their presence is a subtle commentary on the lines established by the vertical divisions and is just enough to upset the dominance of the latter. Is this painting pretty? Yes. Is there more than just beauty to this show? Hell yes.

Andrea Belag, Detour, 2007, oil on canvas, 38 x 30 in

While much of this work partakes of the same elements that Shadow of Doubt engages in, other paintings take off in very different directions, at least with regard to 

Andrea Belag, Slightly Scarlet, 2007, oil on canvas, 75 x 50 in

composition.  Detour is a good example of this.  There is something haunting about this painting considering the dark heavy colors on either side of the central form.  The latter, in part, suggests an overhead view of a lonely staircase. Indeed the subject matter for this entire body of work is imbued with heavy emotional overtones as matched against the beauty of color and light.  All of this is captured in compositions that are often starkly reductive. In the end the artist is able to garner an amazing amount of content from so few elements.  Never an easy thing to pull off, Belag does so consistently in a way that preserves an honest sense of style while also allowing her to widely challenge that same sense of style.