Souvenir Painting

Neicy Frey (b.1972) is a self-taught artist who has been painting since 2001, and a full-time studio artist in Spokane Washington, USA. "I was impressed with a myriad of visual influences from my childhood in South India and Malaysia, and I am often drawing from a reservoir of vibrant colors and traditional decorative motifs from Indian, Malay and Chinese cultures. When I was younger, I expressed this in my work in more literal ways with my color palette and subject matter. As I get older and the memories become more distant, the influences have grown more abstract. Being raised cross-culturally fostered an ability to zoom out to the dreamy place of the observer, developing skills of holding a narrative and sense of self in the midst of extremely unrelated environments. I would say the greater influence in my work now is that dreamy space outside of time and environments. It’s the place of being an outsider, but also feeling at home in the whole world." Frey's work displays a sophisticated use of color and engaging composition, each painting holding layers of subtle texture and a vast color palette. At first glance, Frey’s large-scale abstract and botanical paintings come across as simple and bold; but upon looking closer, the viewer finds designs holding depth, dimension and complexity. Frey's process of building up numerous fine layers of oil paint, with small brushstrokes on the canvas, gives her paintings a luscious, velvety texture. Slight color from the underlying layers is sometimes revealed at the surface to lend interest and character. Frey's paintings have been featured in solo and group exhibitions around the Pacific Northwest USA, and are held in private collections worldwide.