The Eisemann Center, Richardson, Texas

Not quite Abstract Expressionism and not quite Impressionism, Weeda Hamdan’s work combines the best of both styles into a breathtaking exploration of the unnoticed and underappreciated. A lover of nature, light, and (of course) art, her work features elements of the natural waterscape, expressed through unique vantage points in order to fully celebrate their unusual qualities. A stand of trees is seen not by looking up at them, but rather by looking down to their reflection in a body of water. As our eyes move across the canvas, we’re drawn in by the wonderfully tactile surface—light and shadow become characters in a timeless drama, highlighted with exuberant hues of azure and violet, mingled with rose, lush green, and a vibrant canary yellow. Her technique of using short, wide brushstrokes allows shapes and colors to undulate and flow across the canvas in generous cascades. Hamdan’s work encourages us to appreciate these places of peaceful solitude with new eyes and a free spirit.