Allison Sommers, Jeremy Hush and Susannah Kelly share an interest in creating poetic imagery out of macabre subject matter. The three artists are presenting new bodies of work for their collaborative show, “Irresistible Atrophies,” opening at Portland’s Antler Gallery on October 30.
Hush’s mixed-media paintings are rife with folkloric themes. Obscure objects and sage animals are presented in ways that allude to pagan rituals. His use of muted earth tones complements Sommers’s largely monochromatic, deep red color palette. Sommers artist creates depictions of unraveling, decomposing flesh, rendering biomorphic, otherworldly bodies that seem humanoid rather than human. Kelly’s somber, graphite portraits delve into despair. Her characters are often pictured with props symbolic of their emotional turbulence.
“Irresistible Atrophy” will be on view at Antler Gallery October 30 through November 25.
Jeremy Hush:
Allison Sommers:
Susannah Kelly:
Studying mythology allows one to examine how the values of contemporary culture are transmitted through history. Tying a thread between past and present, Portland's 
Philadelphia based artist 
As the name might suggest, Portland's Antler Gallery showcases many artists whose work deals with the natural world. Their appreciation of animal-inspired art precipitated the annual exhibition, "Brink," which is now in its third year. Opening on January 29, the group show features artists such as Chie Yoshii, Jon MacNair, Caitlin McCormack, Brin Levinson, Kevin Earl Taylor, and Antler owners Susannah Kelly and Neil Perry, among others. Part of the show's proceeds will benefit the Audubon Society of Portland, which does work to protect the region's birds and their habitats.