By MATT KOPER | Jul 20, 2017 | The Eagle

Bryan-College Station artist Hailey Herrera’s “Calligraphy + Color Watermedia Abstracts” is the latest exhibit headed to the SEAD Art Gallery in Downtown Bryan, with an opening reception scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday

The reception, which is open to the public, offers free food and wine at the gallery, 216 W. 26th St.

Callie Storie, the gallery coordinator at SEAD, said Herrera’s art encompasses a different style with its blend of abstract influenced by wabi-sabi, which is a Japanese painting style.

“It’s a lot of abstract free-form lines, calligraphy and shapes all put together,” Storie said. “It’s really beautiful. She kind of leads with her emotions whenever she creates these.”

“In her artist statement that she gave us, she said that she finds beauty in the imperfect shape and incomplete things in the Wabi Sabi aesthetic even though she doesn’t fully understand its philosophies,” Storie said. “I think she’s more interested in the aesthetic of it, which seems to be kind-of incomplete movement and different colors.”

Herrera’s last display featured at the SEAD in the fall was titled “Into the Woods” and focused on landscapes.

“I think its pieces that will really make you think and they’ll be able to immerse themselves and kind of get out of their normal framework,” Storie said of Herrera’s latest work. “I think it’ll be a great way to get away from life for a few minutes.”

Herrera said she was inspired by looking at each aspect of her art and, in turn, it helped her transform her work to look like nothing she’s previously crafted.

“When I look at shapes, colors, and textures in my paintings, I perceive they can be transformed into abstract elements,” Herrera said. “I want to explore possibilities and unleash my imagination and visual sensibility, bringing elements together into my paintings to create something more intuitive.”

Herrera said she was looking forward to people seeing one painting in particular: It’s titled “Liminal Spaces.” She said it best captures the essence of what Wabi Sabi is all about.

“The painting is the most Wabi-Sabi-esque among the paintings to be exhibited,” Herrera said. “Colors transition to another as if the space has no complete or defined boundary. These colors are interplayed with uneven lines and shapes - the way colors and shapes are incorporated in this painting is most pleasing to my eyes.”

Some prints from her older work is sold at the book shop, including a few landscape paintings, Storie said, adding that Herrera plans to raffle off a piece of her work to benefit the Brazos Valley Food Bank.

The exhibit runs through Sept. 16. For more information, visit http://seadgallery.com.