The collection of paintings is accompanied by a catalog with an essay by Paul Liberatore available through the gallery website. The gallery is open from 11 to 6, Tuesday through Saturday and for Artwalk in San Rafael on the second Friday of each month till 8pm.
Kay Bradner has a reverence for detail. Working in oil on aluminum, she records faithfully what she sees but is able to incorporate abstract elements that punctuate and heighten the experience. Her skills as a painter and printmaker are considerable, but that and her commitment to fidelity are not enough to explain the particular quality of her work. She has the still life’s painter’s eye for detail and precision. She aims at capturing not just the thing, but the character and essence of the thing. Her subjects, however, are not things that stay still. Her figures are walking or playing on a beach. Her boats and rowers are moving through water. Her water is being acted upon by every change of light and wind imaginable. She works in series, allowing her to perfect her abilities to capture what she perceives. Included in that capture, however, are her feelings for the subject matter. Her observations are keen, but they are also tender.
