NASA Artist Monica Petty Aiello in "Convolutions"

Monica Petty Aiello, Ionian Garden III, acrylic, ink, fiber, paper on panel, 2009. Images courtesy artist web site.

Monica Petty Aiello, Target Tyre Macula, acrylic, ink, fiber,
paper on panel, 2009.

Permanent Collection artist Monica Petty Aiello's works were recently on display at the FAC during the 2009-10 NASA | ART: 50 Years of Exploration exhibition; now her works are placed in a different context for one of our current shows, Convolutions.

Aiello's works are primarily influenced by the planets, making her work a perfect fit for the NASA show. In 2005, Aiello and her family took a trip to New Mexico where they hired an astronomer to give them a tour of the night sky. She had been interested about the Galilean moons around Jupiter, but had never seen them until this trip, describing the event as "exhilarating and humbling, and it began my journey to capture these alien landscapes in paint."



Aiello's uses painting as her "personal exploration - a journey through processes, themes and materials." On a surface level, Aiello's works may seem very abstract, but she conducts extensive research with the NASA scientific community "to better understand of the bizarre geology and unique processes present on these fascinating worlds" and depict the topographical landscapes of these planets. "I also ponder these unearthly landscapes in reference to our own humanity."

Aiello and her husband Tyler, who is a sculptor, own Studio Aiello in Denver, which combines studio and exhibition space, as well as pursuing educational and outreach programs for children and adults alike. Studio Aiello opened in 2003 and won Best New Gallery that year from Westword. 

Monica Petty Aiello, Medici Moons 1-4, acrylic, ink, fiber,
paper on panel, 2006.

"Our fundamental curiosity as human beings manifests itself in a need to explore with the hope of providing purpose for our very existence."
— Monica Petty Aiello

Raiding the Crates is an ongoing permanent collection exhibition series intended to follow exciting grooves in the collection and spin new experiences with a spectrum of artists, ideas, styles, and media. Permanent collection works presented in Convolutions were chosen in response to the upcoming James Turrell and Scott Johnson exhibitions. Aiello's focus on the astronomical and other worlds complements Turrell's similar interests.

Convolutions | Closes Nov. 4

Scott Johnson & James Turrell

July 14 – Sept. 30