At first glance you might assume Sanna Rahola works in pastel or paint—a testament to the detail and movement she is able to evoke with layers of fibrous texture in merino, silk, linen and hemp. Her new work in hand-dyed and felted wool images is preoccupied with water scenes—like a close up of river rocks in "Exposed II" (pictured) and the cut of a river in "Spring Thaw" that is accented by light stitching, its banks bulging subtly toward the viewer as though, like the scene it depicts, the work can't be contained by its walnut frame (handmade by Rahola's husband Douglas Drdul, BTW). But, the crowning achievement of this collection is a rug that recalls the bottom of a rocky river or pond with felted stones breaking through the surface and the surrounding water almost lapping against them. An awe-inspiring piece that due to sheer difficulty, gallery owner Arline Vincent warns, may be the last of its kind.
Sanna Rahola: New Work
Maples Gallery, 1475 Lower Water Street, Bishop's Landing
To Jan 31
