All the Extraneous Delights. © Angela West and courtesy of Jackson Fine Art

Whimsically beautiful, Angela West’s new exhibition, Persephone, at Jackson Fine Art is comprised of mixed media works, wisps of paint layered over photographs of nature, canary yellows and cherry reds complementing spring flowers and forests. The title references Persephone, the Greek goddess of spring and queen of the underworld, the contrast between cheerful colors and moody shadows in West’s exhibition reflecting the division between the goddess’ dominions.

These Are Wild Thoughts, 2020. © Angela West and courtesy of Jackson Fine Art

A pandemic project, Persephone incorporates photographs from West’s My 33rd Spring series, originally displayed in 2003 during her first solo show. Returning to the images now, West paints over them, further developing their beauty while adding an abstract twist. Shades of paint are either delicate, inviting hues or dark, moody shades, invoking spring growth and dark thunderstorms respectively, imbuing the theme of nature, both wistfully romantic and broodingly melancholy, throughout the works.

She Went, Ever Singing, 2021. © Angela West and courtesy of Jackson Fine Art

Throughout Persephone, the arrival of spring remains a central concern. In “She Went, Ever Singing,” West layers blues, yellows, and greens over a photo of a forest, a flowering pink tree in the middle of the photograph. Viewing the image feels like walking through nature in early spring, the warmer floral colors reflecting the anticipation of new growth while the cooler tones mimic that final nip in the air. Similarly, in “These Are Wild Thoughts,” pink and yellow flowers are painted over near-barren trees, the final image resembling cherry blossoms, a symbol of spring’s arrival.

In many of her works, West adds minimal paint, allowing the beauty of the original images to shine through. Although “Beneath the Narrow Shade” imagines a mystical pond hidden away in a forest, the trees from the original photograph are barely covered, allowing their tall, majestic glory to shine through. Similarly, in “My Tears Fall First,” light strokes of yellow gently mask sections of trees, a field of red flowers from the original photograph still visible. Hints of yellow on the flowers’ stems bridge paint and photograph. The flowers invoke the myth of Persephone who, distracted by a flower bed, strays from her mother and is abducted by Hades to be made queen of the underworld – the bright colors in the image evoke Persephone’s innocence, while the darker shades around the edges of the work are reminiscent of her impending fate.

Go Not, Dear Mother, 2020. © Angela West and courtesy of Jackson Fine Art

Yet not all of the works in Persephone clearly reveal the photos underneath. “Go Not, Dear Mother” is covered in painted greenery and wisps of color, making it difficult to tell the origin of smaller sections such as the yellow leaves or blue grid, though the abstract blending of photo and paint produces some of the series’ most stunning results. Similarly, though the original subject matter is all but incomprehensible, “Sweet Summer Visitor!” is hypnotizing—blues, purples, reds, and hints of white have been picked out of the original photograph and layered on top of the image, the colors blurring together as if they were ripples in the barely-visible pond. The resulting image invokes the feeling of a spring night, just before a thunderstorm—cool colors engulf the image and complement the warmth, their beauty unmistakable yet fleeting, leaving only sublime awe.

Beneath the Narrow Shade, 2020. © Angela West and courtesy of Jackson Fine Art

Despite containing relatively few works, Persephone is deeply alluring, each image hypnotizingly powerful. Though the images of the natural world in the photographs are partially obstructed, West’s expert usage of paint creates works that truly reflect the delicate beauty of nature.

Persephone is available at Jackson Fine Art, in person and virtually, through May 15.