Fire Morning Slope

In an evolution from the strictly abstract forms of her previous works, Marleigh Culver’s new paintings take on a fluid, expressionist aesthetic, capturing her current state of exploration and openness through the use of water as both symbol and tool. Her organically inspired forms engage in a dialogue between color fields and gesture, with broad, bold strokes that evoke the movement and flow of water, contrasted against controlled, defined spaces. Culver’s experiences in the Arizonian desert have deepened her appreciation for how life adapts and thrives in extreme environments. By observing the survival strategies of the peach-faced lovebird and the resilient cacti, she infuses her work with a newfound sense of vitality and endurance. The use of color becomes a language of emotional and physical survival, with vibrant hues reflecting both the beauty and harshness of nature. Painted amidst desert hills and under the warm sun, Culver's works integrate the rhythms of water with structure