Naomi Hudson-Knapp: You Are Here

About

This series of works by artist Naomi Hudson-Knapp was conceived 10 years ago, when she relocated from New York City to Los Angeles. Overwhelmed by the size and strangeness of her new surroundings, Hudson-Knapp sought to re-orient herself by painting intimate, luminous orbs on paper using mica powder and handmade inks sourced from local plants. With their dappled lunar surfaces and enigmatic presence, the works are reminiscent of celestial bodies, infused with an irresistible gravitational pull that belies their delicate appearance.

The visual impressions and physical fabric of Los Angeles are incorporated into the paintings, using inks derived from local avocado pits, eucalyptus leaves, and black walnuts. With the subtle pigments offered by these natural sources, Hudson-Knapp celebrates the light, colors, and textures of the LA area: a riot of yellow poppies bursting into bloom on a hillside, the dazzling constellations studding the night sky in Joshua Tree, the soft continents of furry mold decorating a fallen navel orange. The artist’s addition of iridescent mica watercolors mirrors the bright and shiny features of Los Angeles – both natural and manufactured. Like the dot on a map marking “you are here,” these paintings ground the artist in time and place, offering themselves as heavenly guides to finding her bearings and navigating a new home.

Born and raised in rural Vermont, Naomi Hudson-Knapp studied Art and Design Education at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and has been based in Los Angeles since 2013. She has been teaching for over 20 years and consulting with Reggio-inspired, independent and public school organizations for more than 10 years in New York City, China, and Los Angeles. Her work is held in private collections in NY and LA and her work has been included in numerous group exhibitions on both coasts.