Angie Crabtree’s pop up solo show on Melrose in West Hollywood is delightful. A California native, Crabtree paints glossy large scale gem stones with smooth gradients and great detail. The paintings have custom canvases to fit the form of the stones giving them a great presence. The shop is in a great location for the style near Beverly Hills for glitz, glam and gems. You can imagine the pieces looking great in a variety of spaces from home to history museum.
It’s nice to see something so small, such as a gemstone, enlarged to the human scale. Each work is a portrait of a specific gem, faithfully following the form of the crystal. As formal pieces the straight forward geometric abstractions contend with Mondrian’s or Frank Stella’s. Geologists, metaphysical crystal collectors, and art enthusiasts alike will enjoy this show. The perfectly geometric paintings are as fun to gaze upon as the gems that inspired them.
From Klimt’s gold encrusted and jeweled patterned canvasses and outfits to Warhol’s paintings made of actual diamond dust, gemstones have captured the interest of artists for centuries. Freud’s decadent portrait of the crown, Tekashi 6ix9ine’s existence, Damien Hirst’s diamond skull: Gems are more popular than ever and the market reflects that bling is in.
The show is open through July so make sure to stop by. Check out Angie Crabtree’s website and Instagram, and collect her work. As always look to Sharks Eat Meat daily for all your art and culture news.
https://angiecrabtree.com/
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