Artist and gallerist Julia Martin is primarily known for her poignant, stylized portraits, but this new collection of oil paintings at the Browsing Room Gallery at the Downtown Presbyterian Church shows a new direction for the artist. Inspired by the storybooks she loved as a kid, Martin’s Creature Comforts display is a narrative affair featuring a selection of fantastical scenes with characters and the titular creatures that fly and trot and run and slither through them. I love the palettes here and the abstract landscapes of layered hues shot through with dappled light. Martin is currently making work at the church as an artist in its storied residency program, and the Browsing Room has always been intended as an experimental space where creatives can take chances. This show is a great example of what the church’s art resources do best, and Creature Comforts is a perfect pairing for a late winter season that keeps teasing Nashville with springtime.
Opening reception 6-9 p.m. March 14; through April 25 at the Browsing Room Gallery
154 Rep. John Lewis Way N.
