Echoes of Now / Surroundings: Lynne McDaniel & Emily Wallerstein | Closing Reception April 27th With Artist Walk Through at 4pm

LAUNCH Gallery is proud to present two new landscape painting exhibitions. Echoes of Now features new mono-chromatic and color oil paintings on paper and canvas by mid-career, Los Angeles artist Lynne McDaniel. This series documents her recent ‘artist in residence’ experiences in Vashon Island, WA, New Berlin, NY and Lake Forest, IL. This is Lynne’s second exhibition at LAUNCH Gallery.  Secondly, we are proud to introduce Los Angeles based landscape oil painter Emily Wallerstein and her recent collection of local Los Angeles landmarks and neighborhood haunts titled Surroundings.

Lynne McDaniel

I have been interested for a long time in the complicated relationship between humans and their environment. I use geography, the features of the landscape, as the context to explore changes created by current events, human intervention, and the passage of time.

Some pieces record my observations of a scene at a particular moment; others seek to track the progress of my movement through the landscape at different points in time.  The works express the distinction between memory and experience, as some are made from direct observation on site, and some are produced back in the studio, when the experience becomes just a memory.  I am seeking to express not merely the reality of the landscape I see, but the emotional connection to the space in my imagination. 

The focus of this exhibition is the time I spent at three different artist residencies I attended over the course of last year. The experience gave me the opportunity to see things in a completely different way, and expanded my practice in sometimes unexpected directions.  As my work is very much about a sense of place, being in unfamiliar surroundings challenged my usual ways of thinking and provided me with new ways to consider the conflict between nature and culture.

Emily Wallerstein

The landscapes that envelop our daily lives metamorphose into memories, etching themselves into the fabric of our hearts and minds as a fleeting tapestry of time and space. Often, we navigate our routines in a state of subconscious oblivion, overlooking the significance of our surroundings. Yet, these seemingly mundane backdrops embed themselves in our psyche, becoming memories of places, feelings, and moments—a map work of our lives.

These views and landmarks, whether vivid or hazy like a dream, encapsulate the essence of our experiences. Each moment, however fleeting, leaves behind an indelible energy, lingering in our consciousness. It is only when our surroundings undergo change or disappearance that we are struck by the pangs of nostalgia, realizing their true significance.

Whether it's the familiar street corner we pass daily or the breathtaking vista a traveler encounters halfway across the world, each locale holds within it the essence of a cherished moment—a snapshot frozen in time. Through "Surroundings," I invite viewers to rediscover the beauty and significance of their own everyday landscapes, transcending physical boundaries to evoke shared emotions and memories.

About the Artists

Lynne McDaniel is a Los Angeles based artist whose work uses elements of the landscape to explore current events and examine the relationship between humans and their environment. She earned a BFA at UC Irvine before moving to England to pursue a degree in music from Trinity College of Music in London. She has exhibited extensively and her work is in numerous corporate and private collections in the US and Europe. McDaniel has been awarded the Dohrn Zachai Fellowship, a Hemera Foundation Fellowship, a Vermont Studio Center fellowship, the Jane Friend Award and was a finalist for the Williams Prize in drawing. Recent residencies have supported her professional practice at Vashon Artist Residency, WA, the Golden Foundation, NY, and the Ragdale Foundation, IL.

Emily Wallerstein, an alumna of the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Science in Design, is a practicing artist based in Los Angeles, CA, specializing in capturing moments in time by painting landscapes inspired by her life experiences. Her artistic journey began as a quest for creativity and expression alongside a successful career in fashion design, spanning 15 years across New York, Ohio, and California. In 2019, Wallerstein debuted "The Factory Series," a collection characterized by its messy, layered approach. Over 10 years, she painted with raw emotion, prioritizing texture over perfection and embracing imperfections as part of the artistic process.

LAUNCH LA believes exposure to the arts enhances quality of life and strengthens community for all through the shared appreciation of creative expression in all its forms and hybrids. LAUNCH LA is passionate about providing all artists regardless of race, color, creed or sexual orientation with quality opportunities to present themselves and their creations that reflect our times to a curious and enthusiastic audience at important happenings throughout Los Angeles.