Walking into a gallery to see a new exhibition can feel uncertain.
How long should you spend?
What if you don’t “get” it?
The truth is, you don’t need to know anything to begin.
You just need a little time.
Over the past few exhibitions at the Bernice Kish Gallery, many visitors have shared something similar. In shows like The Portrait’s Ability to Reveal and Beyond the Boundaries, they found that when they slowed down, there was much more to see.
With Anne Calamuci’s photographs, the first impression is quiet. Women, often artists themselves, seated among their work.
At first, the photographs may appear similar. Each one a portrait of a woman artist within her own space.
But if you pause, the image starts to open up.
In one image, an artist sits calmly between her paintings, hands resting in her lap, a soft smile. Behind her, her work rises, larger and more expressive. At first, you notice the person. Then, slowly, the relationship comes into focus. Who she is, what she has made, and how the two exist together.
Gallery visitors had similar responses to Ronni Jolles’ work, though it is very different from Anne’s.
But as you step closer, the experience changes. The surface is no longer flat. Forms lift away from the background. Edges cast small shadows.
What first appeared as a painted image reveals itself as something built. Layered. Physical.
Then, stepping back again, it comes together as a whole, now carrying everything you noticed up close.
In the current exhibition, Garden of Reclaimed Things, Beth Higgins explores organic forms in a very different way. Her work may feel bright and botanical at first glance, with flowers, leaves, and branching forms that seem familiar.
But look a little longer.
A stem has the weight and curve of metal. Petals feel more structured than expected. A branch ends in something that does not quite belong in nature. Slowly, you begin to recognize it. These forms are built from materials that once had a different purpose.
For those who are curious to look more closely, her upcoming gallery talk offers a chance to hear more about how these pieces come together.
That moment, when recognition sets in, changes the piece.
It is no longer just about flowers. It is about transformation.
This simple act, pause, step closer, step back, is often enough.
You do not need to understand everything. You do not need the right words.
Start with simple observation. What stands out first?
Stay with it. What reveals itself after a minute?
In a world where most images are seen quickly and on screens, slowing down can feel unfamiliar. But it is one of the easiest ways to begin connecting with art.
The next time you visit the gallery, try it with just one piece. Stay a little longer than you usually would. Let yourself notice.
That is where it starts.