Desert Luck

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 structured forms, creating a tension between containment and release. Her expressive gestures and careful color choices reflect a balance between healing and chaos, with each stroke embodying the interplay of freedom and restraint. The result is a body of work that feels both rooted and fluid, grounded in the theme of home while simultaneously open to the possibilities of growth and change.