Joanne Mattera blogs about the exhibition Super Saturated: Pigment and Pattern at the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn, New York, on view through August 19, 2012.

Curator Kenise Barnes writes: "The term decoration was largely used pejoratively in art parlance in the 20th century in spite of non-Western cultures rich history of intricate patterning and decoration. In this ever expanding age of information artists are influenced by and able to study many cultural, scientific and historic sources to inform contemporary art making. While minimalist abstract art can often appear cold or mechanistic, the work in this exhibition is obviously handmade, laborious and human. Patterns are slow to produce, echoing traditional handwork and suggesting the passage of time. Often suggestive of fabric, patterns can be a symbolic repository of highly personal or communal experiences."