Reverse Archeology

Excavate. Investigate. Re-create.

This show celebrates the archeologist in all of us – the child seeking treasure, the adult mining memories, artifacts that define us and the threads that connect a family. We look at the past – what was – in order to project what will be.

Reverse Archeology deals with the concept of discovery. This may mean finding something of value just beneath our feet, or something hidden within layers of memory. The process may be physical or the search may be internal and reflective. Or it may exist in the realm of imagination.

The popularity of genetic testing reflects the desire to uncover our roots. Personal archeology can draw a dotted line exploring family traits like the origin of the family nose or story that’s been passed down — all fodder for a time capsule for future generations.

In this show, we challenged ourselves to explore the layers of time and memory … and we encourage the viewer to do the same.

After years as an advertising copywriter, Shannon Casey now tells her stories in oil and pastel. She went to Kent State University for Journalism and Studio Art and see-sawed between the two before studying portrait painting with Joseph Cintron at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Now she works primarily in oil to create figurative paintings that tell a story. Her work has been included in many local exhibitions and juried shows like Hudson’s Art on the Green, the Cleveland Botanical Garden and displayed at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport.

Creating work for “Reverse Archeology” has been an opportunity to embrace the idea of archeology and local history — following the thread of a story to see where it lands. Paintings feature layers or strata to represent the passage of time and are enhanced with collage, found objects and metal leaf. Specially created painting “toppers” are then used to complete the stories.

Shannon and her husband Jeff live in Hudson with their dog, Art. She counts herself very thankful for the opportunity to create and paint for the keeper of the stars.

Karen Koch relies on her love of nature and memories of days gone by for inspiration for her art. Believing that being grounded in our past helps us grow toward our future, her recent work explores the universal questions of where have we been and where are we going.

She majored in Studio Art and English Literature at Denison University. After graduating, she worked at art galleries and continued painting for several years. When she took a job in another field, she stopped painting for more than a decade.

When she began painting again, she began with abstract acrylics then added bits of collage. Her favorite materials – paper, books, maps, paint – appear in almost every artwork. Maps are wonderful reminders of childhood road trips and the promise of grand adventures. Thread, buttons, and stitching are a nod to childhood evenings spent embroidering with her mother and days as a seamstress in college. The result are colorful artworks rich in texture and personal associations.

Today, Karen is a full-time artist with a studio in Hudson, Ohio. As part of her mission to foster art in the community, she teaches art classes, is active in local arts organizations, and is a board member of a Hudson business group.