Artists Darla Graff Thompson, left, and Trish Foschi at the opening of their show, Beneath and Beyond the Night Sky, Feb. 28 at the Step Up Gallery. Courtesy photo

Artist Darla Graff Thompson speaks with exhibit participant Michael Andryc. Courtesy photo

STEP UP GALLERY News:

At the opening reception for Beneath and Beyond the Night Sky Jan. 28, artists Darla Graff Thompson and Trish Foschi greeted more than 100 visitors. The show is the first of the 2023 season at Step Up Gallery in Mesa Public Library. It runs through Feb. 22.

Los Alamos resident and ceramic sculptor, Thompson reconnected with many friends and co-workers from her scientific career at LANL; she is now retired. More than 60 of Thompson’s expressive, colorful and whimsical ceramic heads are on display in this exhibit. Most are hand-built, brightly colored with low-fire glazes, often using multiple glaze applications and kiln firings.

Santa Fe artist Foschi’s 32 pieces of two-dimensional art compliments. Foschi’s three-dimensional sculptures in such a way to elevate both media. Her paintings in this exhibit are done mostly in encaustic, but some are in acrylic and oil as well. Many of the encaustic works are from a series of landscapes crowned with astral images or sun symbols. Both artists’ works are displayed in the gallery in groupings of complimentary colors and subjects.

The artwork in Beneath and Beyond the Night Sky: The Work of Darla Graff Thompson and Trish Foschi will be available for purchase during the show’s run online at https://stepupgallerymarket.artspan.com.

Step Up Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. Step Up Gallery is lon the upper level of Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Ave.

Visit Step Up Gallery’s website at www.stepupgallery.org for additional information.

A scene from the opening reception of Beneath and Beyond the Night Sky. Courtesy photo