Lynn Galbreath’s Ambivalence paintings are inspired by a past visit to a Brussels art museum.

The Detroit artist observed an elementary class viewing art while she was at the museum in Belgium. The class, along with its instructors and chaperones, listened silently to a gallery docent discuss a painting based on The Rape of the Sabine Women.

“I co-chaperoned 11 groups on immersive art experiences to Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, England, Germany, The Netherlands, Austria, and the Czech Republic,” said Galbreath, who’s a retired adjunct associate professor of studio art at Oakland University.

“I lived in Argentina and Mexico and have done a lot of traveling with friends and family. Much of each trip is documented with sketches, notes, and images. Many of which inspire my work. The underlying meaning of Ambivalence is the unfortunate repetitive, cyclical nature of history.”

The Ambivalence paintings are also some of the works featured in Galbreath’s latest exhibit, Twenty-Two Paintings From the Series “Telegraph,” “Working Hard for a Living,” and “Storyboard,” at U-M’s North Campus Research Complex.

Running through April 24, the exhibit showcases artwork from three different series of paintings by Galbreath. Ambivalence is included with the Storyboard series, which features commercial-image-driven pieces that vary in size and reflect Galbreath’s versatility and creative ingenuity.

The titles of the Storyboard paintings take inspiration from the time Galbreath spent creating visuals for TV commercials and public service announcements. The series also emphasizes the profound impact visual narratives have on consumer culture and public perception.

“I usually work on more than one series at a time,” Galbreath said. “Most are underlying themes that are constantly evolving.”

Another series, Telegraph, focuses on communication and includes diptychs composed of representational, mostly expansive, road scenes paired with flat panels of nondescript color fields. The paintings, Marlette Road and Rerouted Again, are two of the pieces featured with it.

“They intentionally bring opposite methodologies together,” Galbreath said.

The final series, Working Hard for a Living, examines sustainable and economic resources and spotlights self-employed suppliers, including farm market managers, fishmongers, and beach vendors.

The paintings, Un-Sustainable Living, Sustainable Living, and Javier, along with their detailed pieces, draw attention to the unique challenges these individuals face. Visually, the paintings are filled with bold colors and feature striking, lifelike elements. In a way, Galbreath is inviting viewers to take a closer look at the merchants’ offerings.

“They also address the beautiful ambient light specific to location, are layered in painterly content, and are fun to work on,” Galbreath said.

Collectively, Galbreath’s work represents a unique exploration of themes, techniques, and social commentaries that reflect her artistic journey and concerns for the world.

Galbreath said she hopes her exhibit encourages viewers “to find a painting in the show they can relate to. Have a moment of reflection. An open conversation with anyone about anything. Get involved. Go outside and take a walk in nature. Maybe immerse yourself in the creation of a plein air painting.”

Lori Stratton is a library technician, writer for Pulp, and writer and editor of strattonsetlist.com.

Twenty-Two Paintings From the Series “Telegraph,” “Working Hard for a Living,” and “Storyboard” runs through April 24 at U-M’s North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor. The exhibit is located in the Rotunda Gallery. Lynn Galbreath's exhibit is running concurrently with Terry Swafford's exhibit, "On Site: Paintings From Detroit's East Side (2015-2025)," which is located in the Connection Gallery, or the tunnel of Building 18.