November 20, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seattle Artist Sydney M. Pertl to Show Acclaimed Artwork in Salt Lake City
Miri Gallery Hosts Opening for Downtown Artwalk / Pertl to Draw Live 15 Minute Portraits of Attendees at Closing Event

12/02/2016 - 12/07/2015
Miri Gallery / 3605 S. West Temple, Ste C, Salt Lake City, UT 84115

By invitation of the Miri Gallery, artist Sydney M. Pertl will display her striking series of work entitled The Sentry: Truths Told in Fairy Tale of Memories of a Life Before and After the Flood. The opening will be held at the Miri Gallery from 6pm - 9pm in conjunction with Downtown Artwalk. An additional event will be held on December 7th from 6pm - 9pm. This second occasion marks the 3 year anniversary of the devastating flood which spawned the artworks of the The Sentry. In celebration of all the wonderful people she has met because of these drawings since their inception, Sydney M. Pertl will be drawing portraits of guests of this event on a first come, first serve basis. Watch the artist work, tour the show before it closes, and return with your very own original piece of Pertl's artwork. Both events are free and open to the public, although donations are welcome and gratefully accepted; all proceeds will fund the continuation of the series being shown.


Sydney M. Pertl. After the Flood. 58 x 60. 2014.

After The Flood, the first finished work in The Sentry, was begun a mere two weeks after the loss of her home and the destruction of all of her posessions. It marks a drastic departure from the entirety of the previous decade of Pertl's professional work. Dark, expressive, and unerased linework comprise the enormous figure, drawn on the kraft paper and packing tape meant to box up the soggy ruins of the she had lost. However, according to Pertl, the absolute most important quality of these ongoing works was the shift in both intent and purpose; instead of art created to be seen and shown, as an object unto itself, these drawings were instead a means to achieve something far more difficult: the ability to focus on that which was most painful, understand it fully, and let it go - each piece was considered finished only when this was finally achieved, regardless of its completion on the page.

In fact, these works were never meant to be seen at all! It was only when her new apartment building, a live/work artist loft, held an open house that Pertl decided to open her doors in an attempt to meet her new neighbors. The response took her completely by surprise; one person started crying, another offered to buy a piece incrementally from each minimum wage paycheck, arguments and debates about meaning were held between strangers, and she was offered a show. And then another. And another. Since then, her work has been shown in whole or in part in multiple locations, including two solo gallery shows, in a news special, and, most recently, to the president at the Washington State Convention Center. The Miri marks her third solo show with this work, and she is incredibly excited to be sharing it with the Salt Lake City community.

This work, created from a desperate lonliness in personal tragedy, has become a platform for dialogue l, with strangers finding meaning in each other's lives. Those interested in attending are highly encouraged to bring friends and family, brief acquaintances and fellow art lovers. Instead of a quiet and sedate gallery stroll admiring works from a distance, you are invited to become part of this work, to discover which work will draw you in. How might these drawings speak to you, or speak through you? Viewers are encouraged to share memories, feelings, and ideas, to feel without reserve, and be open to the thoughts and feelings of others around them. As the artist said upon showing this work publicly for the first time, "the most important lesson was yet to be learned; it was only when I showed my lonliness that I found I was not alone."

There will be an additional event held on December 7, the third anniversary of the date of the flood which spawned these works from 6pm - 9pm. Sydney M. Pertl will be drawing live, free portraits of guests on a first come, first serve basis in order to celebrate the many incredible things that have been gained through the past three years, including all the wonderful people she has met along the way! Come watch the artist at work, sit for your own fifteen minute portrait drawing, and bring back your very own piece of Sydney M. Pertl's artwork. Sittings will be done on a first come, first serve basis, so be sure to arrive early. Drawings are free, although donations are highly encouraged as all proceeds from this event will directly fund the art supplies used to continue this important series of works.

Sydney M. Pertl is a 29 year old full time artist, with a B.A. in Fine Arts from Lawrence University in Wisconsin. She also graduated from the Expressive Atelier at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, WA, where she trained intensively for three years as a classical realist figure artist. She has also studied under Robert Liberace, Dan Thompson, and Steven Assael. Sydney Pertl is especially excited about her opening at the Miri Gallery as her grandparents, her 94 year old Oma, and much of her extended family currently live in Salt Lake City and will be seeing her work in a professional setting for the very first time. All works on display are for sale, proceeds to fund the artist's future artistic endeavors. The artist's extended portfolio of works can be seen online at www.SydneyMPertl.com.

To view select works of the collection shown at the Miri Gallery, please visit www.SydneyMPertl.com/theSentry 
For additional information, questions, or to schedule a pre-viewing, please contact Sydney M. Pertl (425) 350-6002 with text or call - or via email at SydneyMPertl@gmail.com

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