Bitfactory Gallery brings together the luminous, contemplative works of Carlene Frances and the psychologically charged figurative paintings of Rebecca Gabriel for Cross currents, a new exhibition on view May 15-June 13, 2026, at 851 Santa Fe Drive. Their individual practices, showcased in tandem, invite viewers into a space that balances stillness and introspection with intimate, human complexity. The public is invited to an opening reception on May 15, 6-9 p.m., the June 5 First Friday Art Walk, 5-9 p.m., and to view the show during regular hours on Tues. – Sat, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Frances builds her oil paintings through layered transparent glazes, drawing on Eastern philosophy and the principle of Shunyata— dwelling in emptiness—to create serene compositions where simplicity allows depth and presence to emerge. Each work focuses on an aspect of the environment: a texture, a shadow, a horizon line. Some forms lean toward representational, while others dissolve into abstraction. These fragments act as visual artifacts, suggesting moments remembered, imagined, or lost.

In contrast, Gabriel’s work explores the inner emotional landscape of her subjects, combining Old Master techniques with a contemporary sensibility to reveal narratives of identity, memory, and connection. Each work suggests something that exists just beyond the frame, inviting the viewer to participate imaginatively in the emotional terrain of the subject.

Gabriel pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California and earned a Master of Science in Art Education from Massachusetts College of Art as well as a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting from the University of Massachusetts. She studied old master painting techniques in Austria with Michael and Ernst Fuchs at the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado and has worked as an art instructor in Oregon and New York. Her art has been featured in multiple publications and is part of several permanent collections in Southern Oregon.

Frances has been exhibiting professionally since 1997, and her work has been featured in major national and international exhibitions. She holds a BFA in painting and drawing from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design and attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan before moving to Colorado in 1974, where she currently resides.