Lush Layers Exhibition Featuring Paintings by Jess Quinn

Lanesboro Arts presents Lush Layers, an exhibition of paintings by Decorah-based artist Jess Quinn. The exhibition runs from August 8th to October 18th. The Lanesboro Arts Exhibition Gallery is open from 10am-5pm: August: Wednesday - Monday September and October: Thursday - Monday Always free to the public. Lush Layers explores the richness and depth found within botanical forms, where petals fold, overlap, and build into something both soft and structured. Working at a more intimate scale, these paintings invite a closer viewing experience, drawing attention to the subtle shifts in color, edge, and movement within each bloom. Each piece is developed through multiple layers of oil paint, allowing color to deepen and forms to emerge gradually over time. This layered process mirrors the natural structure of the flowers themselves, where one petal rests against another, creating a sense of fullness, complexity, and quiet movement. Set against darker grounds, the color becomes more luminous, heightening contrast and bringing forward the intricate details within each form. The paintings hold a balance between control and looseness, where edges soften, transitions blend, and the surface continues to evolve as layers are added. Lush Layers reflects both what is seen and how it is made, the physical layering of paint alongside the natural layering within the subject. Through this connection, the work invites viewers to slow down, look more closely, and experience the depth held within something familiar. This exhibition is made possible by the Commonweal Theater and the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.