Haven Gallery in Northport, NY is hosting Sunder & Swell, a solo exhibition of new original works by Seattle based artist Syd Bee. Sunder & Swell is Bee’s first solo show with the gallery and will include eight paintings and five drawings illustrating the artist’s signature style. Sunder & Swell is characterized by Bee’s quintessential saccharine palette predominantly comprised of pinks, purples and mints intermingled with feelings of solitude, anxiety, dread and uncertainty.

“I dream in warm, bright colors, which is where much of the imagery used is first uncovered. Although there is tenderness to be found within these vignettes, it is often bittersweet. I am drawn to (and embrace) things that are darker and somber, but I find freedom and excitement in marrying those moments with a vibrant palette. ”

These dense emotions are enforced through her acumen with color and composition; the weight of her palette plays a dominate force mirroring the heaviness associated with these darker sentiments as portrayed through her moody narratives and evocative portraits. Traditional elements of portraiture and backgrounds intermingle with dynamic angles, contemporary fashions and surreal landscapes contributing to heightened senses of emotion.

“My new body of work for Sunder & Swell is a direct attempt at capturing and making sense of the turmoil of feelings. As part of an ongoing exploration, these new images act as metaphors which address recurrent feelings of loneliness, isolation, and mortal anxiety.”

Bee’s artwork derives inspiration from a number of sources such as her own dreams, art history, comics, fairy tales and psychology. Each painting transports the viewer to a private place of familiarity and intimacy; these mysterious and secluded worlds are exclusive to each and every one of us yet au courant with humanity as the emotions present are ubiquitously understood and experienced.