At the end of 2021, I received an invitation from a curator at The Art Spirit Gallery @theartspiritcda in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She was planning a regional group art exhibition inspired by the book Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel. I love the book and am greatly inspired by Joan Mitchell, Lee Krasner, and Helen Frankenthaler, so it was easy to say yes. The paintings that I included in the show are not in the style of abstract expressionism. However, they are tied to these abstract expressionist painters that I love. Each of the six paintings is inspired by the land and the feelings I experience in nature, similar to Joan Mitchell’s inspiration for her work. I created There Are No Edges by destroying earlier work and using collage elements in the final piece. Lee Krasner did this with some of her paintings. Large swaths of color are common in Helen Frankenthaler’s art. A Quiet Morning and Experience Nature are small paintings, but the color field influence is apparent. The stories and creative process of these artists and seeing their work in person make up a big part of my internal reference library. Abstract Expressionism is on view at The Art Spirit Gallery in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho from April 1st through April 30th. #melaniebiehle #abstractart #abstractartist #artspiritgallery #theartspiritgallery #womenartists #womeninthearts #womeninbusiness #womensupportingwomen #artgalleries #pacificnorthwestartist #gallery #pnwartist #artgallery #artexhibition #artgalleries #idaho #coeurdalene #abstractexpressionism #ninthstreetwomen #9thstreetwomen #leekrasner #helenfrankenthaler #joanmitchell #galleries #artistinspiration #womeninspiringwomen #marygabriel #artbook #artbooks #womanartist (at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqbOYjLO1q9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=