This month, the city of Durango, Colorado, will host its annual Spring Gallery Walk, and Sorrel Sky Gallery will feature Elsa Sroka and Bryce Pettit in a two-person show titled Anticipation. Both Colorado artists, painter Sroka and sculptor Pettit, will showcase works that have inspired a feeling of anticipation and excitement in them.
Elsa Sroka, Daydreamers, oil on panel, 34 x 33”
Born and raised in an artistic family in Denver, Sroka has always had a deep appreciation for art and design. “Every single day, I can’t help but notice art in so many forms,” she says. “Color, atmosphere, expression of animals and humans, interior design, the color of the sky, light, and on and on. I am, for good or bad, influenced heavily by all these things.”
Sroka is mostly a self-taught artist and had a long career as a hairstylist before she started painting in 2010. “My inspiration for my art in general comes from feelings,” she says, and her paintings have a sense of narrative that is left open for interpretation by viewers.
Elsa Sroka, Seafarer, oil on panel, 35 x 35”
Cows are one of her favorite subjects, and in her painting Seafarer, the animal sits snugly in a rowboat, adrift in the middle of the sea. “I hope to stop the viewer for a moment and tap into their imagination, maybe as they would have as a child,” she says. “I have very fond memories of the picture books I read as a child, and somewhere in my subconscious, I believe that plays into my art.”
Bryce Pettit, Oakley, bronze, 43 x 55 x 10”
An outdoorsman at heart, Pettit’s sculptures are frequently inspired by wildlife. In a bronze titled Oakley, a wolf strikes a majestic pose. The piece was created after a visit to the Wolfwood Refuge in Ignacio, Colorado. “Oakley was a beautiful wolf that lived there and sort of became their ‘cover model’ because of his personality and striking appearance,” he says. “I named my sculpture Oakley in honor of him. My hope is that I was able to capture a bit of his intensity and majesty.” For several years, Pettit volunteered at a raptor rescue and rehabilitation facility in Arizona, directly interacting with burrowing owls. He was struck by how expressive the creatures were, and his sculpture The Odd Couple features two burrowing owls, one boldly facing forward and the other more timid. “Owls are so relatable for humans because of their forward-facing eyes. We can often see ourselves in their faces,” he says. Pettit expects that viewers of the piece will find themselves relating to one owl or the other.
Bryce Pettit, The Odd Couple, bronze, 9 x 9”
“It’s always special when we feature a Colorado artist at our Durango location. This show features two Colorado artists, making it twice as special,” says Shanan Campbell, owner of Sorrel Sky Gallery. “Listening to Elsa and Bryce talk about discovery, how they individually explore their art and how anticipation within their creative process influences them…it all translates into an exciting energy for the show.”
Anticipation opens with an artist reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 12 and runs through the end of the month. —
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