Reviews
January/February 2015
Mary Theresa Dietz at
Contreras Gallery, Tucson
January/February 2015
Mary Theresa Dietz at
Contreras Gallery, Tucson
However viewers should consider additional attributes of Dietz’s works when viewing this exhibit. One is her sense of humor. One cannot help but smile when seeing a work such as Bird Dogs on the Beach or Cat Fish. Imagery and title are plays on words and ideas we have about the natural world. In reality nature is far less solidified than we like to think and these images remind us of its fluidity.
From a process point of view, one of the appeals of Dietz’s work is her careful attention to her backgrounds. Casual viewers of art may not initially consider how the background of a work contributes to its overall wholeness and to enhancing the central image. There are several works in this exhibit that show masterful creation of textured, multi-layered backgrounds that work to create a complete image. An example of this is Summer Pasture. There’s so much to see in this painting beyond and in addition to the bovine creature placidly staring back at us. |

Dog Squad is another painting that shows both the nature of the dogs, and also displays great attention to detail in every aspect of the painting. Anyone who has ever had a dog knows that a walk for a human is actually a hunt for a dog, and that dogs are pack animals who love most of all to go hunting with their alpha human and fellow pack mates. This dog pack moves with intention through a beautiful landscape in which tree forms are like beacons lighting the way as the dogs explore their world.

One of the few paintings with a human in it is The Dream. The cat, the bird, the moon, and the tree are key elements as this human sleeps his way through life. It does not escape notice that human bed sits atop a truncated tree which says a lot about the current human relationship to the natural world, and to trees in particular.
Mary Theresa Dietz will be showing at Contreras Gallery through January 31. See more of Dietz’s work at http://mtdietz.webs.com/ .
Watch for Contreras Gallery’s upcoming exhibitions at http://www.contrerashousefineart.com/Upcoming%20Exhibit.html
Mary Theresa Dietz will be showing at Contreras Gallery through January 31. See more of Dietz’s work at http://mtdietz.webs.com/ .
Watch for Contreras Gallery’s upcoming exhibitions at http://www.contrerashousefineart.com/Upcoming%20Exhibit.html