The Valley is pleased to present Realms, a solo exhibition of new works by Zoë Stiler. 

Stiler is a visual storyteller, weaving together memories, myths, and dreams to merge her inner world with the fabric of our reality. She develops non-linear narratives across multiple artworks by revisiting characters and places, building worlds that feel at once familiar and enigmatic. Stiler’s paintings and works on paper are layered, foliated, and spectral, both compositionally rich and dense with material application.

From her home and studio on the high desert mesa near Taos, Zoë works with handmade willow charcoal, acrylic and oil paint, pencil, ink, wax crayon, enamel spray paint, and anything else on hand. Her paintings and drawings are repeatedly worked into, the surfaces built up with depth and texture resulting from many layers of conceptual revisions and material experiments. Influenced by the elements, light, and movement of the landscape she lives in concert with, she also creates kinetic and illuminated sculptural works that incorporate sewing, weaving, botanical pressing, and micaceous clay building.

Many of the works in Realms tell tales of protectors - both human and animal, mothers and spirit guides. Their figures emerge as guardians and witnesses from tangled forests, tumultuous seas, rainclouds, reflections, and the safety of home. These protectors are symbols of care, accompanying us whether we recognize their presence or not.