Facing Joy exhibit features abstract portraits

Kalispell artist Laura Joy Baldwin returns to Phillips Gallery with her new exhibit, Facing Joy.  

The exhibit opens March 2 with an artist reception scheduled for March 7. 

Baldwin developed her signature abstract portraits while living in Hawaii and through the mentorship of artist Becky Luth. She was influenced by the modernist style, which departed from traditional art and favored abstraction, her latest work evoking the art of Max Jones or Pablo Picasso. 

“Each painting in this exhibit has a different meaning and inspiration behind it. This body of work represents different aspects of my life and the people and experiences that have shaped me as an artist,” Baldwin said in a press release. “All relatable to the human experience, the universal reality of highs and lows and the resilience in all of us, rising above life’s challenges and the trials that threaten to hold us down. Some of these pieces are inspired from the wonder as a child, when everything is new — remembering what that looks and feels like.” 

Baldwin was born in the San Francisco Bay area, where her interest in art emerged at a young age, prompting her mom to enroll her in art classes. She acknowledges the significance of her childhood in fostering her artistic expression.  

She continued her art studies throughout high school and college. Numerous art museums in her vicinity served as a constant source of inspiration. Zhu Jinshi’s work, characterized by near-sculptural layers of oil paint, was particularly influential, as was his distinctive application of paint and vibrant color palette. Additionally, the works of Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh have been a source of inspiration for her.  

The Facing Joy exhibit opens on March 2. A Meet the Artist reception will be on March 7 from 5-7 p.m. with an artist talk at 5:30 p.m. This exhibit closes on March 12 at Phillips Gallery located in the Kalispell Center Mall.