The idea of the sublime in art has occupied aestheticians since the time of Plato. It refers to a sensation more intense than joy and more complicated than the response to beauty. It is a feeling of euphoria, a state of being in which we feel the vastness of our temporal reality. According to many eastern philosophies and religious traditions, “bliss”, also called Nirvana, is the peak of existence.

In “Bliss”, the Diane Farris Gallery is pleased to present artworks that we feel strive to capture and instill a sense of the sublime in viewers. The drawings and paintings in this exhibit transcend the visual and even the emotional arena by focusing on something beyond earthly realms. Featuring luminous skies, gentle figures, radiant florals or delicate still lifes, the images capture nuances of light, movement and reality that are fleeting yet profoundly arresting.

Artists include: Wesley Anderson, David Burns, Judith Currelly, Angela Grossmann, Sam Lam, Attila Richard Lukacs and Justin Ogilvie.