The rich, abstract paintings of Olga de Jesus Chuqui are at once dynamic and seductive, contemporary and ancient. They are the ultimate in harnessing contradictory elements into an exquisite, cohesive and balanced whole. Born in a rural village in Ecuador, Olga’s imagination was seared with the extreme, yet picturesque landscape and simple rural life she observed. Her talent and hard work earned her the opportunity to study fine arts in the U.S.; once here, Olga was quickly attracted to the complexities and challenges of abstract paintings. Her deliberate strategy of leaving half the painting in a placid field of tans and creams against an expressive, almost violent field of dark umbers and oranges created a tension that serves as a never-ending visual feast for the viewer’s eye and imagination.