artPark

BRIAN MALLMAN at Long Beach Museum of Art

I am thrilled to announce that Brian Mallman, a Migration mainstay and close friend, is featured in the Long Beach Museum of Art's winter exhibit Sweet Subversives: Contemporary California Drawings. The show is currently up and runs through February 12, 2010. Especially exciting is that Brian's work is the cover piece for the show!

Those of you who follow artPark and have been a fan of Migration should be very familiar with Brian's graphite drawings on board. Laura and I have been featuring his work since the gallery's opening day -- it was a big part of our very first exhibit; we have had two subsequent exhibits of his newest work; and we have featured him at the 2007 artDC Gallery Fair in Washington and the 2008 and 2009 Affordable Art Fairs in NYC. Needless to say, we have sold this LA artist's artwork to clients up and down the east coast from New England to Florida.  Museums are now next in line to hang Brian's art on their walls.

Over and over, Laura and I have witnessed firsthand the quizzical and unrepressed reactions Brian's work generates in people. He is a true master of the pencil and has a complete grasp of all that a simple line can do. Through his additive and reductive methods, the layering creates a mystical depth with a little creepiness thrown in. His subject matter and methods may be mundane, but the results are truly superlative. Isn't that what great art is?

Street Art

Street artists add color to our life – and ask little in return. Here is a slideshow of photos of an artist (who goes by Cristophe) and his dog in Paris. He created a pastel self portrait with his dachshund in front of the Pompidou Center.

The photographer who took the shots says this:

he has no greed...doesn't know today's head-lines...has no idea about memory cards or computers....but,...he knows about life on the street, art, his accordion, a good calavados and to take good care of his dog...for some that does the trick...just look in his eyes...that's life!..

The world could use more street art.

Creature Comforts defines Art

I give thanks to my good friend and artist Michael Fitts for hooking me up with this video.

The folks at Creature Comforts have an incredible knack for expressing man-on-the-street opinions regarding challenging subjects. Here they tackle the question of "what is art?" The talking animals cover it all from Picasso to Van Gogh to Impressionism to Pop Art to Bob Ross to Zoo animal art to Performance Art to Dogs Playing Poker. Hilarious yet spot on.

And let's not forget the beautiful art of claymation. Fabulous.

Q and A with STACEY EVANS

The Piedmont Council of the Artssupports access to and awareness of the arts as an essential part of life in the Charlottesville area.  It is a membership based organization open to the general public and specifically to area artists.  PCA has begun a series of interviews to highlight certain of their individual artist members.  This month we get a q&a with photographer/printmaker Stacey Evans.

Personally, I like this for two reasons: 1) I think it is always good to get a little insight to artists’ backgrounds and motivations straight from the artist; and 2) Stacey is a dear friend who I think the world of.  Her story is engaging, and watching her share it through her art makes me feel very lucky.

 

Here is the interview (or read it directly from the PCA site here): 

 

Where are you from? I was born in Waynesboro, Virginia, my family moved there in the 70s. I grew up in Fishersville on a piece of property with a 180 degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and sky. I had a great view through my bedroom window of the seasons changing, the sun rising, the moon, cows and an occasional plane. I lived at the end of a small airport.

 

What brought you to (or back to, or kept you from leaving) Charlottesville?  I spent a few years in Georgia attending art school then working for a newspaper—the heat was too much. I returned to the area with the intention of only staying a summer. Next thing you know I was renting a house with an old friend. Friends, family, and love keep me in the area.

What are your favorite things to do around Charlottesville?  This is an interesting question; I’ve lived in Charlottesville for 14 years and my favorite things continue to change. One constant has been walking along the Rivanna River; I like the sound of flowing water, I’m especially glad the dam was removed. I enjoy teaching and taking courses through various continuing education programs. I like to go the Virginia Arts for the BookCenter and make prints. Another favorite is to hop on the train and leave town.

 

What inspires your creativity? Observation seems to inspire my creativity. Sounds, smells, insects, signs, clouds, humans, anything can send me into a zone and thoughts start processing. I have many ideas but have had to learn which ones to pursue. My current photographic project is Train-Scapes, landscapes from the Amtrak. I started photographing from moving vehicles in 2000 when I first purchased a digital camera. The train has been a natural progression— it catches everything that interests me; bits and pieces of our world passing by. A few prints are on display at the Transit Center downtown.

 

What do you love most about what you do? Tricky question, today I made a beautiful print so I love printing. Tomorrow the printer might act up and I’ll hate printing. I love to see new things. I love to be in motion if not physically then mentally. I love when the light is right the color is perfect and I am transcended to a new place. I love when it is a grey imperfect day and I capture that misty feeling. I love the combination of digital technology and printmaking. I try to love the emotional roller coaster of life. One day you can be on top of the world because you just had a great sale, the next you question every choice you’ve made.

 

What are your favorite ways to stay connected with the arts community in Charlottesville?  My favorite way is direct contact with artists. I collaborate, have critiques groups, and photograph for artists. The easiest way to stay connected is newsletter subscriptions and blogs, the PCA, VFH, and Hook blog are a few. I am a member of Second Street Gallery, the UVA Art Museum and the VABC. If I’m in town I attend first Fridays and PCA second Wednesday drinks.

 

Stacey is currently exhibiting her “Trainscapes” in Charlottesville's Downtown Transit Center – very appropriate.  For more information take a look at her website.

In the pages of a magazine

I subscribe to and read (more or less) a number of the "art" magazines – Art in America, ArtNews, Art & Antiques, Art Papers, Artforum, etc. It's always a thrill to see an artist you know personally (or their work) in those pages. I would consider it a career highlight for any contemporary artist. But I've always thought, as a visual artist, a bigger thrill would be to have your work in a non-art-centric magazine. Imagine your painting prominently displayed (with proper credits) on the wall of a building featured in Architectural Digest. That would be a real coup. Or maybe in Dwell. Or how about a feature in something like Conde Nast, Rolling Stone, or Cosmopolitan?

With that in mind, you can understand my excitement when I was leafing through the newest New Yorker and saw, at page 33, a huge image of one of Amy Stein's photographs from her hugely acclaimed "Domesticated" series. Over the last couple of years, Laura has had some fantastic conversations with Amy. She has always been very open and honest with us. We have wanted to showcase her art here in Charlottesville, but, alas, she's just too big for that – in a good way. Her artistic success has many, many people calling for her and her work. Appearing in The New Yorker (a paid circulation of over 1 million copies) simply proves it.

Congratulations to Amy – she has hit the cross-over market and continues to wow an even bigger audience.

Sneak Peeks - ROB TARBELL

Having good friends – who are talented artists – has some special rewards. Last weekend, Laura and I were invited by Rob Tarbell (and his wife Anna von Gehr) for dinner and a preview of his newest work which will be exhibited at Gallery Imperato. The show, "Smoke Rings" opens September 18, and runs through October 31. FYI: Gallery Imperato is in Baltimore.

Dinner, of course, was delicious and the conversation rousing; but, I can safely say, seeing Rob's new work was the highlight of the evening. Even better, he gave us a full explanation of his techniques and a little demo in his studio.

For those new to Rob's most recent body of work, his "Smokes", read his artist statement for an excellent introduction:

In my practice, making art is as much directing intent as it is about scientific tinkering. All of my diverse work is linked by the transformation and manipulation of traditional materials and the exploration of non-traditional ones. The loss of an original and the use of elaborate processes are inherent to the creation of each series. The work intends to both balance accident with control and give permanence to the ephemeral.

Smokes consist of images that are created by capturing smoke on paper as evidence of a transformation and preservation of the ephemeral. During the process, credit cards, grocery cards, gift cards, photos, and slides of my artwork are burned to remove their growing presence in daily life, an ironic nod to a self-help technique of burning sentimental things to remove their emotional burden.

The performing animal images in the Smokes parallel the drawing process. The trainer must recognize and respect the innate nature of an animal when trying to modify its behavior to achieve a desired outcome: e.g. training a bear to dance or training a horse to walk upright. The same is true in working with smoke. The inherent properties of smoke must be respected, then permitted to - and yet discouraged from - acting naturally.

There are other artists who dabble in "drawing" with smoke, but none do it like Rob. Rob’s work is precise, narrative and beautiful. Others are simply resigned to leaving the resulting image up to chance and dumb luck. It’s the thoughtfulness, skill and artistry that separate Rob’s work from others.

Laura and I give thanks to Rob and Anna for the preview (and dinner), and giving me the opportunity to encourage everyone to see the show and buy Rob's work.

[Images include – Top: Flying Alinga Flaming Ring, 60"x44"; Middle: Elephant Trick (1 Big Ball), 30"x22"; Bottom: Flying Alinga Jump, 44"x30"]

Arturo Mallmann on Arturo Mallmann

I will apologize (but only a little bit) for posting another video of Arturo Mallmann. But having Arturo sit down and talk about his work is fascinating and a must-see for both collectors and artists alike.

For the years we have represented Arturo's work, very little has needed to be said. His work always speaks strongly to each individual viewer. And for the many, many people who own one of Arturo's paintings and live with it in their home, they are able to enjoy this conversation every day. I know I do with ours.

Arturo is an artist's artist. He prefers to speak through his visual creations rather than his words. He is more comfortable painting than he is at talking. But, after many years, he now speaks; and we get an introspective glimpse of what drives him to create the beautiful and meaningful paintings he does.

In this video, we learn more about Arturo's background – how he has gone from hitchhiking from Buenos Aires to Alaska and back, to being a house painter in LA, to becoming an internationally acclaimed (yet extremely humble) artist.

When studying art history throughout college, I had a mental image of what the life of an artist would be like. Arturo is that perfect image.

The distant places of Arturo Mallmann

In a new video, we are treated to some insight on experiencing an Arturo Mallmann painting. Arturo, the ever quiet and modest artist, gives us another peak into the personal motivations and methods of his work. Enjoy.

Arturo will be opening an exhibition of his newest paintings at Craighead-Green Gallery in Dallas on September 12. Contact me for more information.

Visual Overture

I got a little treat in the mail today: the inaugural issue of a new magazine called Visual Overture. Some background info about the publication (pulled from its website and pages) is:

Visual Overture Magazine promotes and empowers the emerging artist, and connects that artist with galleries and collectors. Our aim is to introduce exceptional emerging artists to galleries, curators, and art collectors worldwide with an emphasis on the Southern Atlantic region (VA, NC, SC, GA, FL).

Visual Overture Magazine was created by artist Arlissa Vaughn to meet the needs of both the professional artist and the gallery or collector seeking new work.

Believe it or not, I get a lot of these kinds of mailings. Most are filled with kind of kitschy, low quality work. I flip through them but am usually disappointed. This one was much better than most.

Knowing that the initial call for submissions for any endeavor like this tends to attract a lower quality of entrants, I was very pleased to find an exceptional grouping of featured artists within the pages. Specifically, I am particularly like the portraits by Taiwan born (now attending school in Boston) artist, Kathy Liao. Take a look at these:

   

For artists, I would recommend considering submitting work - it has potential for some good exposure. But I think the real value in the magazine is for the new (or experienced) collector looking for some fresh work from some of the newest, talented artists out there. I always have my eye open for emerging artists, and now I have a new resource to find some.

[Above Images by Kathy Liao include: Left, De Mask (2008), 54"x54", oil on canvas; Middle, White Plaster (2008), 48"x62", oil on canvas; Right, Scream (2008), 30"x40", pencil on paper]

Wordless Wednesday

 

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Wordless Wednesday

 

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The expressive power of the arts

artPark is devoted to the exploration of the visual arts. It's what I know and am qualified to talk about. There are times, however, when I dip my toe into the various other forms of artistic expression. Indulge me as I do a bit of that now.

It's no secret that I do my fair share of watching television. And recently, I confessed to my enjoyment of certain reality shows. The ones I tend to follow are those that I learn a little something from. For a number of years, I have followed Fox's So You Think You Can Dance for that very reason. I enjoy it because I have learned so much about the art of dance in its many forms. Another reason I watch the show is that during each season there is at least one special dance that is either off-the-charts beautiful, creative, or emotionally moving. Last night, we got this season’s signature dance.

Below is the clip from the show. Contestants Melissa and Ade dance a routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio (music: "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell). It's a powerful routine that depicts the struggles of a woman (and her husband/partner) facing breast cancer. I was touched the moment the lights went up and the music started. I think you’ll see that the judges and the audience were moved as well.

I share it with you as an example of the power and importance of the arts as an expressive force in our lives.

Wordless Wednesday

  

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Wordless Wednesday

 

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The Garage

In this time of downsizing, becoming small is hip. But what does it mean when you are already working with something tiny? Are you uber-cool? That's the feeling I've been getting about Kate Daughdrill and Sam Bush who created, curate and maintain The Garage - the tiniest exhibition space I have ever seen.

The Garage (literally a stand alone one car garage) quietly opened about a year ago – at a time when other art spaces were thinking of closing or changing course. In a short time, this microscopic space has hosted a huge number of successful events and put itself solidly on the map as one of Charlottesville, Virginia's premier exhibition and entertainment spaces. It is also becoming one of the best commercial spaces for emerging artists who are lucky enough to exhibit there. So, keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming events and put The Garage on your must see calendar.

Recently, Kate was asked a series of questions about The Garage for an article in Proximity Magazine (in Chicago). Kate originally posted this Q&A in an art blog, The Art Klatch, but has been kind enough to allow me to reprint it. Here is what The Garage is all about... in Kate's own words:

1. Does the space have a particular feeling, philosophy, or attitude? What kinds of things happen there?

The Garage is an art space/concert venue/amateur film theater/impromptu studio/potluck dining hall that opens up to a public park in downtown Charlottesville. We host monthly art exhibitions by emerging artists, weekly concerts by local and regional bands, occasional film screenings, local potlucks, sing-a-longs, dance parties, artist talks, drawing nights, etc. Creative activities occur alongside the exhibitions, allowing people to connect, make, and question together after the initial presentation of the work. The Garage's strange publicness makes the tiny space wildly accessible and yet incredibly intimate.

2. What factors lead to choosing the physical space? How was it designed?

It actually feels like the space chose us. I just walked past it one day and realized it was an art space. It belongs to the church where some of us go, so we asked the pastor if we could use it; he gave the music minister who was parking there her two-weeks notice that day.

The physical format of the Garage is perfect for presenting artwork in a "public yet private" context. After chiseling up most of the tar from the black cement floor, we installed a new laminate wood floor, which allows us to appropriate a bit of the visual language of a traditional gallery. The square opening of the Garage serves as our "frame" while the amphitheatre-like seating on the hill across the street provides a "viewing platform" for shows, performances, and creative activities.

3. What sorts of projects are in store for the space?

Along with our ongoing exhibitions and concerts, we’re also looking forward to our upcoming ambient-music-and-pancakes sleepover, our first really free market, and an exciting, relational project by Grand Rapids-based artist Adam Wolpa. We try not to plan too far in advance since we constantly have community members coming to us with ideas for shows and projects. We hope to be an organic, relational space that says "yes" as much as possible.

4. What role does the space play in the community?

We provide an intimate setting for engagement with art (and each other) in the public realm. Since it's a fairly small town, most of our regulars are neighbors who walk or ride their bikes to the space. However, each time the Garage's door is open, a baffling number of people passing by stop to ask questions about the space or exhibition and then end up hanging around, experiencing the artwork, and getting to know us. Our shows and activities often feel like mini-block parties that create a temporary site for community, collaboration, and conversation.

5. With unlimited resources, what would you do with the space? What kind of infrastructural support would you want?

Although we like our industrial, clamp-on lights, we would purchase some type of track lighting to simply the installation and gallery sitting processes. We would also buy a few space heaters to keep the space cozy in the colder months and plant a garden in the little backyard behind the Garage. And of course, it would be nice to pay the artists and bands for their time and to have salaries so that facilitating the Garage could be our full time jobs!

6. What are other spaces or places that you like?

The Garage loves the Suburban, InCUBATE Chicago, the Nest of G-RAD.ORG, the Bridge, the Project Lodge, the Experimental Station, and the DAAC.

July Artist of the Month - RUSSELL U. RICHARDS

Okay, okay.  We've got it.  Times are tough.  We've all been suffering through this recession one way or another.  But as bad as you've got it, imagine being an artist.  Now imagine being an artist and suddenly losing the use of both your hands.  Yikes!  That's exactly what has happened to Charlottesville artist Russell U. Richards.

Not long after coming out of a long term illness that literally laid him up for months; back in March, Russell made a hugely successful return to creating and exhibiting some very strong work.  Read my review here.  Unfortunately, while enjoying his new found good health and energy, Russell - an experienced mountain biker - recently went for a trail ride.  This is where we all cringe… Yup, you guessed it: Russell took an awkward spill and freakishly broke both his arms.  He is now stuck in casts for a good number of weeks.  Could it be any worse?

 

Instead of lockering himself at home and simply riding out this bad time, Russell is making lemonade out of his crappy situation.  Throughout the summer, while he is stuck in his two casts and unable to create new work, Russell is focusing his energies on selling the inventory of his current artwork.  And to make it all particularly sweet, Russell is selling his lemonade… er… artwork at a discount!

 

    

 

This is an incredible opportunity for art buyers and collectors.  Russell has turned his misfortune into a gain for us, and I strongly recommend everyone take advantage of it.  Make it a gain for Russell too.

For those of you new to his work… Russell's quirky and electrifying art is uncompromising.  He draws in a frenetic style and captures fantastical worlds from the past and the future.  These worlds, born in Russell's head, are often brutal and sometimes erotic (or both!).  His work is the complete package: imagination, story telling, beautifully crafted, and, of course, unique and creative.

If you are new to Russell Richard's work (or even if you are a long time fan), do yourself a favor…  Take a look at his website.  Visit his studio.  Contact him.  Buy his work.  This is one of those special win/win situations.

 

Images include:

Top:  4th of July - oil and ink on paper, 21"x15".

Middle left:  Perilous Existence - four color etching (edition of 10), 6.25"x5.25".

Middle right:  Dinosaur Swamp - four color etching (edition of 10), 5.5"x4".

Bottom:  Robots (evolution) - four color etching (edition of 10), 4.5"x4.5".

Wordless Wednesday

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Fun with Architecture

Why the heck didn't they have this when I was a kid?

 

Brick by brick, Lego has been building its way out of the near bankruptcy it suffered around the turn of the century. It has done this by a seemingly simple strategy — making awesome product after awesome product. Now it is releasing the almost ridiculously fitting Architecture series, beginning with the Frank Lloyd Wright Collection.  First up is Fallingwater, the iconic cantilevered waterfall-house outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

 

  

 

All I had growing up was the Lego set that had a total of about 5 shapes - all rectangles.  I guess that's why I have such fond feelings for the American Foursquare.

 

 

 

["Agnes" by Tony Cochran.  Distributed by Creators Syndicate.  May 12, 2009]

Art related comics

As a fan of Chuck Close, I got a double chuckle out of this one.

 

["Get Fuzzy" by Darby Conley.  Distributed by UFS, Inc.]

The Affordable Art Fair New York City

The stock market is rising. Consumer confidence is up. And the art is hot! This promises to be a great week at the Affordable Art Fair. May 7-10.

AAF NYC is the place for new and established collectors to discover and buy paintings, drawings, sculptures, video, photography and limited edition prints from distinguished galleries, all priced from $100 - $10,000. This year the Fair will host more than 60 galleries from the US, Europe, Asia, Canada and South America. AAF 2009 will debut at its new home at 7 West 34th Street.

Be sure to stop by Migration’s booth (C-204) and say Hi (mention artPark and we will be extra nice). And take a close look at these artists we will be exhibiting:

  TIM TAUNTON

 MICHAEL JANIS

 BRIAN MALLMAN

 ASHLEY WILLIAMS

 ARTURO MALLMANN

 RANDALL STOLTZFUS

WARREN CRAGHEAD

 

Ashley Williams

Do you ever wonder why people pan for gold? Seems like a lot of time and effort, right?  But when those few nuggets are found – eureka! - all that work pays off. This helps explain why I keep looking at students' artwork. So much of it isn't promising at all. But, once in a blue moon, a discovery is made. This past Fall, Laura and I made one of those rare finds at Univ of Virginia... Ashley Williams is a  rare gem.

Hanging in the hallways outside the artists' studios, two large works on paper caught our attention. We were floored. Craftsmanship, detail, layered imagery, provocative subject, and very very fresh. Ashley's work had it all. Luckily she was in her studio and we were able to introduce ourselves.

  

From there, Laura and I have been working to get Ashley's work out to the public. An obvious decision for us was to take her work to the Affordable Art Fair in NYC. She agreed. We’re psyched. This is the kind of stuff New York needs. And we can't wait to get the reactions.

On a local level, Ashley is currently participating in a student show at the UVa's Ruffin Hall. A reception is being held this evening. I strongly recommend you find the time to attend. See firsthand what has us all aflutter.

A little about Ashley: She is from Roanoke, Virginia and will receive her Studio Art and Art History degrees this spring from UVa. She has already been awarded the prestigious Aunspaugh Fellowship and will continue her studio work at UVa next year. She has studied classical drawing in Italy and has exhibited in various artist shows around Virginia. Ashley is also a gifted creative writer (not hard to imagine based on her painting).

About her work, Ashley says this:

Like the city streets, the modern world floods our bodies with information.  Scientific advancements and improvements in communication technology mean that it has become increasingly difficult to extract the useful from the extraneous.  In response to this, our bodies function as a system that both absorbs and discards sounds, statistics and images.  However, this internal system is inefficient.  We cannot contain everything and the process of filtering out information can cause us to overlook what is most important.  Stillness is sometimes necessary.  My art, in some ways, is about reclaiming what has been filtered out by embracing the confusion, diagramming and displaying it.   It is a process, I think, similar to long-exposure photography.  Like the earliest Daguerreotypes, the lens is left open long enough for images to crowd the picture plane, overlapping each other until, like the famous shoe shiner in "Boulevard du Temple", something important begins to surface.  It is only through observing and accepting the whole, that we eventually find our focus.

JOACHIM KNILL is today's ArtistADay

If one is fun, and twice is nice, then three must be the charm.

First, Randall Stoltzfus was the featured artist on ArtistADay.com. Then, a Migration fav, Susan Jamison, was featured. And now, Joachim Knill, Migration's Polaroid photographer extraordinaire, is today's ArtistADay. We have reason to be excited about this: The attention for each of these artists explodes from this exposure (Randall has received over 13,000 visits and is currently ranked #3 in votes). ArtistADay.com has a very large following, and, more importantly, it is a discriminating following. So, today, go to Joachim's page, take a look, vote, comment, and contact me if you need any more information about his work.

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I find the timeliness of Joachim's selection to be exceptionally appropriate. For starters, the demise of Polaroid has been a hot topic recently. This month's Art and Antiques cover story is titled "Polaroid's Last Shot" (by Sheila Gibson Stoodley). It is filled with great perspectives from some notable artists like Chuck Close, Elsa Dorfman and David Hockney about the importance and uniqueness of Polaroid images. Chuck Close says, "There's so much more information embedded in it than can be seen with the naked eye – unbelievable detail and real physicality."

For those of you who have followed artPark, you are already familiar with Joachim's utterly unique and masterful work (read my early review here). Although many artists rent Polaroid's large format 20"x24" camera to capture their work, Joachim took the extra step and built his own camera. His, however takes 20"x30" photographs. You may read that as a minor difference, but, in reality, it is a monumental. The hoops he had to jump through to convince Polaroid to allow him to use their film in his camera rather than theirs would deter virtually every other artist. Not Joachim. And his persistence has paid off.

Creating his handmade surreal worlds, adding the drama of stage lighting, and capturing them on large format Polaroid film with his one-of-a-kind camera has drawn rave reviews. Laura Parsons of The Hook said, "Say 'Polaroid' and most people envision waving a hand-sized snapshot in the air, drying it as the image emerges... But what Knill's 20x30 single-exposure photographs have in common with those pics is what the Grand Canyon shares with a creek bed – i.e. they're technically created the same way, but the former is, how shall we say, considerably more eye-popping."

See more of Joachim's work here and here.

[Images include:  1) Circus; 2) Armor]

Feeling the love from ArtistADay.com

Some of Migration's favorite artists are feeling the love from ArtistADay.com.  Last week, the site featured the work of Randall Stoltzfus. Today's artist is Susan Jamison. Take a look at both. Vote. Comment.

Based on reports from Randy, this one day exposure gave him a huge bump; and we are still fielding inquires about his work. I assume the same will be true for Susan.

Wonder who will be featured tomorrow? Or next week?

MICHAEL JANIS - April Spotlight artist of the month

Out of the collection of artists Laura and I represent and follow, I can't think of any who have been busier than Washington, DC glass artist, Michael Janis.  In addition to him co-directing and teaching at the wildly successful Washington Glass School, Michael has hit the Spring exhibition season in full stride.

 

Earlier this year, Michael was included in the Corning Glass Museum's New Glass Review - arguably one of the most prestigious and important glass competitions.  Also earlier this year, Michael was nominated as a finalist for the annual Washington, DC Mayor's Art Award.  Michael is currently participating in a group show titled "Dialogues in Glass" at the Mayer Fine Art Gallery in Norfolk, Virginia (runs through May 14). Then, on May 15, Michael opens a two man show at the famed Duane Reed Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri (runs through June 13).  And, finally, Migration will feature his work at the Affordable Art Fair in New York City in May (May 6 through May 10).  Whew!  I'm thinking, at this point, there might be a few artists out there who are a bit jealous.

 

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For the AAF, we anticipate this primarily painting, photography, drawing and printmaking fair to get turned upside down by Michael's glass powder drawn images on fused glass panels.  Michael's melancholic imagery combines the allegorical and the urban, but his materials and process are so elemental.  All of this is brought together by his highly refined technical skills which uniquely bring forth these deeply beautiful and animalian pieces of art.  For more on Michael's process, take a look at this video interview created by the Verizon FiOs creative film production team.

 

From Michael's artist statement:

Inspired by ways we transform ourselves, Michael Janis creates glass pieces that have both visual and spatial depth.  By layering and fusing sheets of glass with overlapping elements, Michael creates an interactive commentary using simple forms with intricate glass powder drawings. 

 

Seamless construction and simplicity of form contrasts with the intricacy of his imagery.  Objects from his “Tarot” series are based on the symbols and forms used in Tarot playing cards. Traditional Tarot cards incorporate icons based on everyday life, religions, astrology and also numbers. The Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, saw all of the Tarot symbols as "descended from the archetypes of transformation", and used the Tarot imagery in his therapy.

 

Michael’s kilnformed work takes scenes and suspends them within layers of fused, formed and coldworked sheet glass. Using crushed glass powder to create drawings, Michael plays on the elements of light, color and also sequence.  The glass powder is sifted onto glass sheets, and by scraping and scratching the sifted black glass dust he crafts his artwork. The glass panel is then fired in an electric kiln at temperatures up to 1600°F. This time consuming process facilitates drawn out contemplation of often overlooked imagery. 

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We will be featuring all the pieces pictured on this page at the Affordable Art Fair (May 6 through May 10).  For more information on Michael and the availability of these pieces and others, please contact us.

 

[Images include: 1)  Full of Uncertainties and Reasons.  Cast glass, steel, glass powder imagery.  18"x36"x2".  $6,000.  2) The Moon - from the Tarot Card Series.  Cast glass, steel, glass powder imagery.  18"x36"x2".  $6,800.  3) The Sun - from the Tarot Card Series.  Cast glass, steel, glass powder imagery.  18"x36"x2".  $6,800.  4)  Seeking Shelter 1.  Cast glass, steel, glass powder imagery.  20"x20"x2".  $3,000.  5) Seeking Shelter 2.  Cast glass, steel, glass powder imagery.  20"x20"x2".  $3,000.]

ArtistADay.com

There's a nice and simple website that promotes artists and their work. It's called ArtistADay.com. Today, the site is featuring the work of Migration artist Randall Stoltzfus. Give it a look. Rate the work (give it a 5). Read the Comments. Leave a Comment.

Interested in seeing the real thing? Migration will be featuring Randall's work at the Affordable Art Fair in NYC from May 6 through May 10. Last year, Randall stole the show at AAF.

Randall is also having a solo exhibition at the Limn Art Gallery in San Francisco from April 18 through May 30.

Hitting both coasts simultaneously means these are busy days for Mr. Stoltzfus – but that's appropriate for an artist of his caliber.

[Image:  "Late" by Randall Stoltzfus.  48"x60", Oil on linen.  $7,000]

The Arts and Innards of Russell U. Richards!

Friday, Laura and I spent a fantastic night out on the town soaking up some art.  Our first stop of the evening was to see Russell U. Richard's exhibit at the McGuffey Art Center titled "The Arts and Innards of Russell U. Richards!"  This was a long awaited for show for Russell.  Simply put, this show made McGuffey look better than I have ever seen it.  Russell provided the full package.  His artwork electrified the space (more on that in a sec.), but what also shined was the execution of the entire concept.  It's the little things.  Russell clearly put a lot of thought, time and effort into the organization and hanging of the show.  Each piece was beautifully framed, hung precisely and lit perfectly.  Too often I have been to McGuffey (and a variety of other galleries) and seen lighting for crap and hanging so poor that I couldn't bear to look at the work on the walls.  Note to all artists:  Presentation is a significant part of your work.  Put some forethought into it as you create your work.  It can make or break an otherwise excellent piece of artwork.

Back to Russell...  I have been aware of his work since first arriving in Charlottesville 8+ years ago and visiting McGuffey where he has his studio.  I liked it then.  I love it now.  Initially, I found myself confused by his frenetic assemblage of lines and flat shapes and colors.  But now I see the importance of the overlapping outlines of his comic-style people and creatures as a process of weaving and layering that ties them all together and tells a multi-faceted graphic tale captured in one frame.

This work is comic book-like, but it is not for children... or the faint of heart.  From afar, the images and concepts are apparent - colorful people, gardens, paths, rooms, monsters, buildings, machines, games, etc.  But closer inspection reveals the real Russell.  He is telling a graphic and often mystical tale.  Much of it is related to his own trying times, but there is plenty about the varied and twisted world he sees around him.  It is a fantastical journey and a beautiful visual story.

 

Russell has the heart and style of the greatest folk artists past and present (think Howard Finster), but he also exhibits the skills of the most refined MFA graduates.  Russell executes his complex ideas with a precise and beautiful craft, and it speaks in a clear and creative visual language.  I am a fan.

 

In addition to the exhibit of his original artwork, Russell has created a book of his life, journey and art.  This is the description:

Russell Richards is an artist known for his fantastical and imaginative imagery. "The Arts and Innards of Russell U. Richards!" is both an art book and memoir tracing his struggles with a devastating chronic illness, and how art helped him live through it, with beautiful full-color reproductions throughout. “Russell Richards’ work is electrifying- sometimes brutal, and always uncompromising. Yet his violent and erotically charged world is tempered with a wry sense of humor (served black.) His complex and original visions have left me gasping for breath and lusting for more for almost 20 years.” -- Daniel Zimmer

See the exhibit.  But Russell's art.  If you can't get to Charlottesville, buy the book here.  $35.00

Images include:  Top, Halloween; Middle, Nude Pool; Bottom, The Arts and Innards of Russell U. Richards (book cover)

The Dot and The Line - Final Weekend

If you haven’t already, please come by Migration this weekend, before we close our exhibition of drawings by Warren Craghead and Brian Mallman called The Dot and The Line.

This show features the work of two contemporary masters of the pencil. The original pages from Warren's book, How To Be Everywhere, and his story, This is a Ghost, are still available. We also have available a selection of Brian's graphite on board drawings from his continued Meetings series.

Both artists have received numerous national awards and accolades for the unique aesthetic of their drawing skills. To call them "creative" is an understatement. In a word, Warren and Brian are breaking barriers and lifting the skill of drawing to high art. Adding a piece or two will compliment anyone's collection of original artwork.

Laura and I are extremely proud to present Warren's and Brian' work. Don't miss this opportunity to see what we believe is the future direction of contemporary art: beauty, creativity, resonance, simplicity and craftsmanship.

 

(Images include: Top, Warren Craghead, page from This Is A Ghost; Bottom, Brian Mallman, Meetings #22)

Laurence Downing - our newest acquisition

During our recent holiday travels, Laura and I dropped into one of favorite galleries - Somerhill Gallery.  Somerhill is located in Durham, NC and owned by the venerable Joe Somerhill.  In the past year, the gallery has moved and settled into a gorgeous new space that showcases the its wide ranging collection of art in a vast and elegant setting.

 

As we strolled through new space admiring any number of interesting pieces, Laura and I simultaneously spotted a clay sculpture by North Carolina artist Laurence Downing. It is titled "Black Eye," and it captured us equally. To us, it speaks of how man's spirituality is born from his relationship with Nature.  The decision to buy it was a no-brainer.

 

  

Laurence Downing received his BFA in Sculpture from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He has studied with Xavier Toubes and at the Penland School of Craft, the Rhode Island School of Design, and at the Art Institute of Chicago.  Laurence has been widely exhibited and is currently teaching at the Durham Schoolof the Arts and at the Durham Arts Council.

 

About his work, Laurence says this:

 

A Biblical parable cautions the farmer not to build barns and store up wealth for this world. It cautions us not to store up what moth and rust will destroy. Water towers and silos remind me of ways our pasts and stored provisions direct our movement. These towers and silos are repositories for our collected wealth. They are our source for sustenance even if they are misplaced confidence in things and our past gain. We are encouraged also to consider the birds because they do not toil or spin or store up wealth, but depend on God for their provision. The birdhouses and silos point at the dysfunctional irony of birds acting a bit like people. The implied function and loaded imagery are wasted on the birds. They also remind me to focus on more permanent matters.

 

More images of Laurence's work can be found here.

 

The Dot and the Line

Migration celebrated its final Charlottesville exhibition with a reception honoring the drawings of Warren Craghead and Brian Mallman.  Despite falling on the evening after New Year's Day, we had a very nice crowd who all seemed to dive into the detail, beauty and resonance of Warren's and Brian's work. 

The original pages from Warren's book, How To Be Everywhere, and his newest story, This Is A Ghost, jumped off the wall.  Brian's newest additions to his Meetings series of drawings on board caused heads to cock while coming to grips with the the unique quizzical facial renderings.  I even caught a few people trying to mimic some of the portraits (although I'm sure they will deny it).

As part of this exhibition - The Dot and The Line - Warren has flexed his illustrated book skills and created an exclusive book of the same title the cover image is pictured above).  It is free and can only be accessed through the Migration website.  Go here and click on the link.  You will then be able to print out the book and make it yourself.  Trust me, it's worth the minimal effort and time.  Plus, it is a unique opportunity to get a free book.  Leave a comment and let me know how you like it.

Finally, for those of you who were not able to make it to the opening (nursing a New Year's Eve hangover, no doubt), I give you a few images of Warren's and Brian's work below.  Of course, this is nothing like seeing the originals.  Drop by the gallery this month.  The show will close January 26.  Or, if you are out of town, contact the gallery and we will provide you with much more information and additional images.  Buying any one of these pieces will get your 2009 off to an excellent start.  I promise you, owning a Mallman or a Craghead will make your 2009 a special year.

  Warren Craghead - sample pages from How To Be Everywhere, graphite on paper.

Warren Craghead - page from This Is A Ghost, graphite on paper.

Warren Craghead - Portrait of Guillaume Apollinaire, collage,12"x12".

Brian Mallman - from the Meetings series, graphite on board, 24"x24".

Brian Mallman - from the Meetings series, graphite on board, 24"x24".

Brian Mallman - from the Meetings series, graphite on board, 24"x24".

Brian Mallman - from the Meetings series, graphite on board, 24"x24".

Lino Tagliapietra

In this age of over exaggerated expressions of excellence, the term "maestro" is often overused. The reality is, in a lifetime, you and I should consider ourselves extremely lucky to experience the craft of a true maestro. Luckily, I have had a few: Pavarotti (opera), Yo Yo Ma (cello), Dean Smith (coach), Michael Phelps (swimming), and Michael Jordan (basketball). Recently, I added one more maestro to my list: Lino Tagliapietra.

During a weekend trip to Washington, DC, Laura and I did what we always do when we are in DC – we dropped into the Renwick Gallery (of the Smithsonian American Art Museum). Through January 11, 2009, the Renwick is featuring an exhibition titled Lino Tagliapietra in Retrospect: A Modern Renaissance in Glass. This exhibition of 140 individual pieces and sculptures blew my socks off.

  

My first introduction to Lino's work was nearly 20 years ago - back when he worked with Dale Chihuly in Seattle (writer's note: in my mind, Lino was the skill that made Chihuly what he is now). It has been a treat to follow his career and watch Lino take his mastery of Venetian glass-blowing techniques to new heights. Despite being rooted in the traditions of Murano glassworks, the inventiveness of Lino's work keeps it relevant to contemporary aesthetics. It wows me every time.

I highly recommend you to see this show (or, at the least, enjoy this slideshow of the exhibition). However, be warned... After experiencing the breadth and unabashed beauty of Lino's exquisite handwork, you will likely be spoiled for all other high-end glass art.

Images: Left, Mandara (2006); Right, Nubia (2000). Both photos by Russell Johnson.

Let There Be Light

Last Friday, Laura and I kicked off the holidays (i.e. winter solstice) by going to the annual outdoor art exhibit held on the campus of Piedmont Virginia Community College. The show is called Let There Be Light. It is a one night affair and begins at sundown. As you probably guessed, the art displayed is all light-centered. It is a fantastic opportunity to experience art in a non traditional setting.

Although a bit chilly, it was a gorgeous evening – the full moon added a touch of drama and natural beauty. Rarely do we get to see art in so many different forms: paper constructed lanterns gracefully floating over the surface of a still pond powered only by the breeze; a giant screen playing a loop of the effects of light on the eye's dilating pupil; glow-stick clad dancers performing on a grassy hill; a school of fish cast against a classroom building; a pottery kiln made of paper in full fire. And there was much, much more. It was a true visual feast.

Here are some pictures:

  Floating Lanterns by Stacey Evans and John Grant (photo by Stacey Evans)

  Dilate by Rob Tarbell

  Dance Move Burglar by Brushwood’s School of Dance (photo by Stacey Evans)

  School by Fenella Belle (photo by Stacey Evans)

  Paper Kiln by Tom Clarkson

Naturescapes by RANDALL DAVID TIPTON

Migration is celebrating the opening of Naturescapes, the newest paintings by Oregon artist Randall David Tipton, this Friday, December 5 with a reception at the gallery from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

It feels like this show has been a long tome coming. Laura and I have been in love with Randall's watercolors on yupo for many, many months. Although showing a few of his paintings in the past, this will be our first exhibit of Randall's work en mass. We couldn't be more excited - like Christmas has come early.

   

I have written before on Randall's work and his mastery of his chosen medium (read my earlier reports here and here). To this date, I have not come across any painter who can control watercolors with such a loose touch and unabashed expression. The power of movement in each and every one of his landscape paintings is remarkable.

   

A special twist to this show is that we are presenting a large number of smaller pieces. Sizes range from 5"x5" to 6"x6" to 9"x12" to 12"x12". Prices are $95 for the smaller ones up to $350 for the larger ones. Talk about bang for your buck! This is the most affordable art we have carried. The prices simply belie the quality of each piece.

   

Please come to the gallery and experience Randall's explosion of colors and beautiful renderings of west coast landscapes. It will be a great way to kick start the holiday season.

About his paintings, Randall says this:

Throughout my career the landscape has been my guiding orientation. Whether I've tried to reduce its complexity to bands and gestures or to focus intently on a particular aspect, my motive has always been to suggest something fundamental and primal. My impulse comes from a simple belief in the restorative qualities in nature. In the American tradition of Thoreau to Frederick Edwin Church to Arthur Dove and others, I include myself among those trying to expose and explore the transcendental relationship we have with the natural world.

Coming of age in the late 20th century, after the example and sacrifice of the abstract expressionists, I came to also believe in their faith in improvisation as a more direct link to the unconscious and therefore to something more authentic.

Ultimately, this is where my commitment lies; through the process of painting, alert to possibility, my belief in the redemptive essence of the landscape becomes an image.

For more on Randall and his work, go here.

Sarah White taps Laurel Hausler

Right on the heels of me getting all excited about Maggie Taylor's artwork appearing on the cover of Shawn Colvin's new album, "These Four Walls," Laura and I get word from one of our very favorite local artists, Laurel Hausler, that her artwork will grace the cover of Virginia based singer-songwriter Sarah White's new album, "Sweetheart" (buy it here). It’s been 20 years since I’ve gotten excited about album cover art, and now I get a two-fer in a matter of days. Cool.

Sarah's talent for songwriting recently received national accolades at the 2007 Mountain Stage New Song Contest where she won Best Song for "Sweetheart." For those of you who missed Sarah's performance last month at the filled-to-the-brim Gravity Lounge here in C'ville, she will be performing tonight (Nov 14) at Frye Springs Beach Club, and again in Richmond at The Camel on November 20.

As for Laurel… She has been tearing up the visual arts scene lately. Most recently, she had an exceptional solo show at the Nevin Kelly Gallery in DC called "A History of Dogs and Witches." In it, Laurel got to show off her newest series of paintings, ink and watercolor drawings, sculptures and other works – all of which have been described as erudite, evil, haunting, mysterious, beautiful and charming (read an interview of Laurel in the DCist here). Prior to the Nevin Kelly show, Laurel exhibited in the main gallery of the Gallery in the Woods in Brattleboro, Vermont. We also saw Laurel's paintings exhibited in New York at the Affordable Art Fair this past June.

Collaborations like these are win/win/win situations: When the visual arts and the musical arts come together, the painter wins, the musician wins, and the audience wins.

Taubman Museum of Art

There is a new jewel in Virginia’s art museum landscape. The former Art Museum of Western Virginia located in Roanoke has spent the last three years undergoing a complete transformation and is now the grand and spectacular Taubman Museum of Art. The Taubman Museum is celebrating its grand reopening this weekend. Go to Roanoke. Enjoy the dramatic architecture and glorious new exhibition spaces. Be a part of the art.

 

Here are some excerpts from recent Taubman Museum press releases:

The Art Museum’s new 81,000 square foot facility has been designed by emerging Los Angeles architect Randall Stout, principal of Randall Stout Architects, Inc. and an internationally admired proponent of sustainable "green" architecture. The building is a dramatic composition of flowing, layered forms in steel, patinated zinc and high performance glass that pay sculptural tribute to the famous mountains that provide the city’s backdrop and shape the region's spirit.

The new building will house the Art Museum’s permanent collection and feature greatly expanded exhibition spaces and education spaces, including a larger Art Venture, the Art Museum’ interactive gallery and art center for children and families. It also will incorporate a multi-purpose auditorium, a flexible theater/programming space, a book and gift shop, a library and study center, an art studio, and a café with indoor and outdoor seating. A dramatic, spacious atrium will provide a meeting place for the community, as well as a premier downtown venue for special events and receptions.

Summarizing his approach to the design for the Taubman Museum of Art, Randall Stout said, "A guiding principal of this project is creating a powerful relationship to the natural landscape and its influence over life, learning and art in Roanoke. Our references to nature are intended as deeply meaningful ones and are central to the purpose… The beauty of architecture is that it creates a democratic situation by engaging every observer equally and making room for every possible interpretation. Like art, it connects people with their own past experiences and future ambitions, and provokes an intriguing array of responses…"

Public opening is Saturday, November 8th, 10:00 am. 110 Salem Avenue, Roanoke, Virginia.

Check out this full list of opening day events.

Keeping up with... ERWIN TIMMERS

Reported by Laura:

We thought we’d catch everyone up on what glass artist Erwin Timmers is doing. I got a chance to spend a few hours with him at the Washington Glass School a few weeks ago when I made a trip up there to collect a work by another WGS director, Michael Janis. Erwin looked fantastic and energized by all the work he’s been doing. It was my first visit to the studio, which is enormous.

A little background… Erwin Timmers is a co-founder of the Washington Glass Studio and Washington Glass School. Originally from Amsterdam, he moved to California and graduated from Santa Monica College for Design Arts and Architecture. In 1999 he moved to the Washington DC area. His approach to art is multifaceted, incorporating metalwork, innovative lighting and glass design. He teaches glass, lighting, sculpture, and metal work. Industrial salvage and recycling are recurring themes in his work, which he sees as crucial parts to the interaction with one’s surroundings.

60s    70s 

80s    90s

Currently, Erwin is part of a show at Visarts in Rockville, Maryland called Glass Evolving. It will be on view until Nov 16. These images are of new work included in that show. I saw these pieces on my visit, and they are luminous and beautiful. The glass he used in them was tempered glass, so he went through an extensive melting and re-melting process to be able to use it. Even more importantly to my narrative mind, the works have a lot to say. For this series titled "What We Leave Behind" (pictured), what he did was collect a group of objects – sunglasses, battery, portable music device, money / credit cards, and phones among others – from each decade, the 1960s to the 2000s. What we get is a visual historical journey through the items we use every day and how they have changed. These objects are set into the glass as if they were found in rock 1,000 years from now. They are part history, part social commentary, and part beautiful imagery. All the elements of important artwork, although Erwin continues to see himself as more of a craftsperson. Which brings up an interesting point about the line between art and craft and how thin it is getting. But I’ll leave that for another discussion.

 detail of 2000s 

Erwin recently had new work in a show, "The Art of Trash," at the Baltimore Public Works Museum. And he is just opened a new show in Norfolk at Mayer Fine Art Gallery.

Erwin is a very busy artist, and his work is getting better and better. Get a piece while it is still underpriced at one of these great locations, or visit the studio, or give Migration a call and we’ll help you get a great piece.

Keeping Up with… TIM TATE

It’s not easy keeping up with glass artist Tim Tate. He is a true shooting star in the art world. Since we exhibited Tim’s widely collected video reliquaries at Migration this past April (with Michael Janis and Erwin Timmers of the Washington Glass School), Tim has been extremely busy. Some of his highlights include shows at Jane Sauer Gallery (Santa Fe, NM), Marx-Saunders Gallery (Chicago, IL), Donna Saeger Gallery (San Rafael, CA), Pentimenti Gallery (Philadelphia, PA), Habatat Gallery (Berkshires, MA), Billy Shire Fine Arts (Los Angeles, CA), Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery (Pittsburgh, PA), and Maurine Littleton Gallery (Washington, DC). Tim also won the 2008 First Place Niche Award for Blown Glass, and had two of his reliquaries auctioned off for over $40K each. Not a bad year, huh?

Now Tim is going international. Tim’s video reliquaries are included in a show titled "Light & Technology" at The Steps Gallery in London opening this Thursday, Oct 16th. What makes this especially fun for Laura and me is that we were there when this international relationship was conceived. It goes back to April 2007 at the first (and only) artDC gallery fair. The Steps Gallery, Migration and The Washington Glass School all had booths that were next to each other. So while Laura and I were beginning our talks with Tim (and Michael Janis and Erwin Timmers), the director of The Steps Gallery, Davinia Bulford-Cooper, was doing the same. Although the lifespan of that fair may have been short, the relationships developed there have proven to be long lasting and very fruitful.

As stated in their press release, The Steps Gallery says this about Tim’s work:

Tim Tate exhibits handmade glass vessels containing video pieces that depict and address the topic of using technology or human constructs to repair and aid the repetition of natural systems and phenomena.

The Steps Gallery is recognized as one of the UK’s leading promoters and exporters of young contemporary art. Over the years, it has established a reputation for identifying pioneering artists. The comprehensive gallery program is inclusive of innovative media, technology-based work, photography, sculpture and site-specific installations.

Imitation = Flattery

As the saying goes... Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. With that said, you’ll understand why my eyebrows rose as I recently flipped through the pages of my Art & Antiques magazine. An article, titled "State of the Art Market – Through Thick and Thin" by Andrew Slayman (read it here) is a thorough investigation into the world of art as a viable investment tool. My eyebrows hitting the ceiling was due to the fact I had written an article on the same subject last March titled "Art as an Asset" (read it here). Eerily similar. Heck, Slayman and I even used the same Mei Moses All Art Index chart.

Despite having already discussed the subject five months earlier, I very much liked Slayman’s opening paragraph:

While art and commerce have never been strangers, it used to be customary to at least pretend that art was primarily an aesthetic matter. Not any longer. More and more people are speaking of art as an asset class, and few are embarrassed by the phrase "art investment." After all, why should they be? The art market as a whole returned 20% in 2007 versus 5.5% for the Standard & Poor’s 500, according to one art price index, while certain sub-sectors such as contemporary art performed even better. And at least four new art investment funds—which sell shares and use the proceeds to trade artworks for profit—have been announced in the past year and a half.

So if Art & Antiques, a glossy international magazine with a circulation of 153,000, wants to imitate me, I’ll take it. I’m flattered.

JAN ARONSON - "While Rome Burns"

Please join us Friday, October 3, 5:30-8:00pm for a reception with acclaimed artist Jan Aronson as we celebrate the opening of Migration’s exhibition of her newest series of oil paintings called "While Rome Burns."

Jan Aronson’s paintings are internationally recognized and applauded for their sharply colored and textured depictions of basic natural elements: rocks, leaves, clouds, trees and water. She has incorporated those elements into her new series, "While Rome Burns". The ominous title - a reference to Roman Emperor Nero and his legendary apathy in the face of the fires that destroyed the city in the first century- is a sign that Aronson has once again effectively infused her landscapes with her individual perspective. These interpretations result in a visually astounding personal adaptation of the basic elements of nature found around the world. As she explains:

"My work uses nature as its subject matter and my current series under the title While Rome Burns explores the turbulent and seductive elements of water in motion. Many of the pieces take a micro part of a water image and make it macro thus making the viewer confront the interior of the experience. Other works allow a more distant view but the feeling of being a part of the water still prevails. The title of the series While Rome Burns refers to my personal response to current national, international, and ecological events over which I feel I have little or no control."

The directional lines and muscular energy of Aronson’s "While Rome Burns" series reflect her belief that "while forces of the universe are chaotic, they are also balanced".

Aronson’s process begins by taking photographs, many of which are from her world travels. She essentially uses her camera as a sketchbook, taking it back to her studio to construct each painting based on her film record. She paints her scenes in oil or watercolor, or sketches them using graphite and colored pencil.

Jan was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and remained there to major in Fine Arts at the University of New Orleans. She continued her education at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where she attained her MFA in Painting and a minor in Art History. She now lives primarily in New York City, but enjoys a country home outside of Charlottesville, Virginia with her husband Edgar Bronfman.

Jan has received national acclaim for her landscapes and portraits. She last exhibited in Charlottesville at Les Yeux de Monde Gallery in 2006, and before that at the Bayly Art Museum at UVA in 2001. She has also participated in several exhibits abroad, most recently at the Jan Van Der Togt Museum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Her work is a fixture among permanent collections across the world, and her renown has earned her a place in the list of Who’s Who in the World.

 

(Images include: Top, While Rome Burns - Water #10 oil on canvas 28"x42"; Middle, While Rome Burns - Water #6 oil on canvas 45"x80"; Bottom, While Rome Burns - Water #6 oil on canvas 60"x84")

HUNDERTWASSER

While sitting on my living room couch reading the latest issue of Art & Antiques, I had one of those serendipitous moments: Turning to page 86, I see a feature article on the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2000) written by Rebecca Ascher-Walsh. What made this so special to me was that I got to look up from the pages of the magazine and admire Laura's and my own Hundertwasser painting hanging on our living room wall. For those of you new to the work of Hundertwasser, here are a couple of excerpts from the article:

By refusing to adhere to established art-world mores and eschewing traditional design rules, Friedensreich Hundertwasser developed an enduring eccentric style that he applied to painting, architecture and philosophy.

He wore a uniform of studiously mismatched socks, quirky hats, and patched and handmade trousers and shirts – assuming it wasn’t and occasion when he simply eschewed clothing altogether. He railed against straight lines – calling them "the work of the devil" – embraced exuberant color and rebuffed critics to champion art’s potential for mass appeal. His moniker was a carefully considered nom de plume. By the time of his death in 2000, Friedensreich Hundertwasser was known as an eccentric and brilliant modernist artist, architect, environmentalist and philosopher: a man lambasted by the critics as he was embraced by the public.

Laura and I are terribly proud to own a little slice of Hundertwasser’s work – and we are even more proud to see him get a recognition here in 2008. He was a remarkable artist who lived a remarkable life.