What does the work mean? There is some mystery, some beauty, some drama, some surprise, and a little wit. There is much about being human and being part of or apart from the natural world. There is a lot about the passage of time and the persistence of the past. There is a great deal about celebrating the joy of seeing. That said, the content remains nearly as open for me as it does for you, the viewer. —Ron Isaacs

Most of Ron Isaacs’s work—a combination of two-dimensional imagery and cut and sawn wood—operates in an in-between space. Isaacs identifies his work as “trompe l’oeil painted constructions.” He further goes on to state, “I never actually made it to three dimensions; I seem to have stalled at two and a half.”

This exhibition debuts a new-to-RAM archive of works created by Isaacs between 1968 and 2020. This grouping—the scope of which is unmatched at any other organization—includes early acrylic on canvas paintings, a drawing, art jewelry, and over 20 painted wood constructions.