Adaptability. From the plasticity of an organism, to neuroplasticity of the human brain, to simply adapting to life, this quality engulfs us all.
Nava Lundy is no stranger to it. She has been painting all her life, and professionally since 1998. Lundy has transitioned from drawing from live models, and traveling with a sketchbook in her hands, to domestically taking memories from old photographs. While life changes, so do her strategies to make her art adapt. It is a mastery that has drawn her works of gold. Quite literally, actually.
Lundy’s canvas always begins already full. Her textured backgrounds build upon one another to create her “set.” Gold shines through her muses to highlight their beauty. It accents as a complementary emphasis in her compositions.
Lundy holds a certification in painting from the first art academy in America and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Pennsylvania. She was taught in oils, but when she got pregnant with twins, her choice of medium changed to acrylics. “It was too dangerous,” she explained.
Either way, omnifying her art remains the offset to her strategies, and those who prefer oils may be fooled, if not take a double-take, when viewing her work.
This month we adapt to the summer with some of her refreshing themes.
Hats. The Studio E Gallery in Palm Beach Gardens seems to be selling several of Lundy’s hats this time of year. Why wouldn’t they? There is always a seeming mystery left to the viewer that entices wonder and imagination as to the subject. Who is behind the hat? Is that you?
There is an elegance and sophistication present in these themes that is suggested in her characters. “Escape” (2021), a 36-by-36 acrylic on canvas (sold), is one of them. It warms you up and cools you down at the same time. Who wouldn’t want to dip their feet in the water and sip on some pina coladas in the hot summer months ahead? Let’s hope to do so!
Her lively art demonstrates concepts with which the viewer can connect. It is something to appreciate. When asked what motivates her, the answer was quite a simple one:
Mood. It is a natural contributor to Lundy’s work. “Watermelon Sugar,” a 36-by-72 acrylic on canvas, is a lovely example of mood (title picture), especially this time of year.
Before 2021, Lundy may not have chosen to work with water’s ripples and reflections. She referred to it on social media as something that once was “daunting.”
However, it seems the mood got contagious, according to Lundy, as attempting the complexity of water compositions has brought joy to do them, and cooling off can be quite the observer’s delight!
For beach lovers, “Come Sit Beside Me” (2024), acrylic and mixed media on canvas (sold), brings a calming elation. Here distinctively are the vibrant accents of gold. The composition brings together the stubborn strokes of dissonance into a graceful escape.
Lundy’s work has been used in several set designs in films, is part of the permanent digital collection at the University of South Florida in partnership with the Florida Holocaust Museum, and is in the permanent collections of private collectors, universities, and museums around the world, including Australia, Canada, and Israel. More locally, Lundy has exhibited at the Fort Lauderdale airport. She is an internationally recognized artist right here in the local community.
To view some of Nava Lundy’s muses, her online gallery is at navagallery.com.