In Fernandez’s inaugural exhibition at PRG, he explores the poignant beauty found in open, abandoned spaces and the timeless allure of iconic design. The artist’s work searches for the essence of places that have been left behind or forgotten, where silence speaks volumes and echoes of the past linger in the air. Fernandez invites the viewer to reflect on the stories these spaces once held. There is beauty in the overlooked, and discovery resonates within these interstitial moments—the pauses between what was and what might be. In a world that often rushes forward, Fernandez’s work offers an opportunity for pensive introspection, to linger, to reflect, and to appreciate the quiet narratives that emerge from the spaces we inhabit.

Gabe Fernandez is an Oregon-based artist who was raised in a small logging town in the Cascade Mountains. Mentored early on by a retired commercial illustrator in his community, Fernandez received his degree from Pacific Northwest College of Art. Though skilled in illustration, he became intrigued with the deeper meaning and personification of everyday items that was more typical of painting within the fine arts. His unique perspective depicting empty and isolated personal places and objects was honed during his time working as a counselor at an overnight homeless shelter for youth.

In the eerie quietude of the nighttime hours at the shelter, Fernandez was captured by the light hitting an old vinyl office chair. He related to the chair as a fellow passerby with a rich story to tell of its mysterious past. Fernandez’s visual vernacular evolved to include architectural elements, vehicles, diners, luggage, and other antiquated accouterments. There is a level of detail in Fernandez’s photo-realist paintings that illuminates his care and thoughtfulness of the subject. Devoid of figures, his vacant scenes are given cognizance and character through a refined use of light and shadow.

The exhibition will run through the month of March, and we will host an opening celebration with an Artist Talk on Saturday, March 1st, from 3-5 pm. Patricia Rovzar Gallery is in its 33rd year of business in Seattle.