HEDGE Gallery is pleased to present Angle of Repose, a major collaborative exhibition featuring new and recent works by acclaimed artists Cathie Bleck and Claudio Orso. The title Angle of Repose derives from the geological concept describing the steepest angle at which debris remains stable without sliding. In this joint exhibition, both Bleck and Orso explore personal, physical, and metaphorical senses of balance, stability, and quiet reflection in response to dynamic internal and external forces.

Cathie Bleck presents over 15 clay-board panels, large works on paper, lithographs, and several sketchbooks created over the past two to three years. Working with liquid clay in relief, water-based oils, pastels, and gold leaf, Bleck’s process involves carving and wiping away through layers of ink and handmade clay pigments to create multi-dimensional painting surfaces that speak to memory, transition, and ancestral pathways. Inspired by underwater diving, nature, and recent travels, her pieces reflect a quiet ascent toward light—hanging onto tranquil peace before meeting the overstimulations of ground-level life. Through her work, Bleck crystallization of moments invites viewers to find resolution and live in a state of repose and gratitude.

Claudio Orso’s contributions highlight his ongoing engagement with paper-making, printmaking, and ceramic sculptures. Moving between relief carved directly into stoneware, allegorical woodblock prints, and pulp-painted paper, Orso draws upon the verticality of his native Italian Alps to build towers, cathedrals, and maps of fantastical territories. Seeking solace in the tactile wonders of color and form, Orso uses gouges and plates to create dynamic vignettes that counter the tumultuous weight of modern digital news. For Orso, searching for an angle of repose provides meaningful grounding and renewed excitement in artistic exploration.