Larryville Art Night -- Part II

So, here's Part II of the Art Night in Larryville. There are three galleries on Hatfield Street, two of which had openings on Saturday, at the same time as Digging Pitt's preview event. My first stop was at the Society for Cultural Exchange. The show on the first floor was beautiful. Linda Byrne & Maggie Dubris: The Vanishing Birds Project had visual as well as sound components.

Trinity Gallery was my last stop for the evening. I think the Friday night gallery crawl took its toll. Dan Gaser's phtographs were on display for the show. There were these three small prints, near the door, that I thought were really wonderful and showed and interesting depth of tone.

The crowd scene at Trinity -- the downtown gallery crawl the previous night was really packed. I was really pleased to see so many people out on a frigid night to see art in Larryville.

Other galleries in Larryville and the Penn Avenue corridaor are listed here.

Larryville Art Night -- Part I

On Saturday, we had a special presentation of new works by some of Digging Pitt's gallery artists. It was a wonderful evening, lots of great conversations and great art. Below are several images of Marci Gehring's Twelve Gates of the New Heaven and the New Earth. The work will be assembled at Digging Pitt Gallery in April.

These are new calloaborative works by David Gonzalez and Dyer Fieldsa.

From Left: Christiane D, Marci Gehring, David Grim and John Morris. I deep discussion about Christiane D's large-scale drawings.

Christiane D and Marci Gehring

Kyle Pattison and friends

Here's a better shot of Christane D's work. You could check Digging Pitt's online flat file roster to see better images. All of them have been uploaded.

Scottie Tails: My Date with Barney, the First Dog

oh Barney! Where are you.
Link courtesy of Miss Snark (where I spend almost as much time as I do playing Minesweeper)

Never Say Never

Yes, well. I don't know about this one at all --

Though he is more scary than Gilbert & George, the original performance artists, Stone’s insistence on his function as symbol and emblem recalls the pair’s Singing Sculpture (1970) in which, painted as gold statues, they sang “Underneath the Arches” for four hours at a stretch. Stone’s work is more vivid and his vocalisings (“IRA fascists!” fortissimo) offer a briefer but no less moving synaesthetic grace-note.
Belfast Telegraph
Thursday, December 21, 2006
John Walsh
Read the article

Upcoming class st SCC

I will be conducting a large-scale Origami workshop at Society for Contemporary Crafts in February. I hope you can join me.

Exploring Large-scale Origami
dates & times:
3 Wednesdays
February 7, 14, 21
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
instructor: Susan Constanse
In this three-part workshop, students explore several paper-folding techniques. The first session provides students with a basic introduction to interpreting origami diagrams and developing a large-scale project. The second session explores the possible models and appropriate paper and folding choices. In the third session students explore folding, supporting and staging large-scale models.
Tuition: $90 (non-members $100)Materials Fee: $10–20 (depending on project)

Cataclysmic

Cataclysmic in Lawrenceville took place last weekend. It was held at the Stephen Foster Community Center, a beautiful old building that is behind the Lawrenceville branch of the Carnegie Library. The organizers threw open the entire building for the event. There were videos in one room, and on a small monitor. There were three rooms devoted to visual arts. There was a hands-on workspace for creating your own art. And live music. Tons of people came out for this event and it wasn't just the usual suspects, either. If the organizers do this again, make a point of coming. You won't be disappointed.
Margaret Mary Meinzer had this entire corner on the second floor.
Live Music!
These were very beautiful pieces. the artist was S. Armbruster
These paintings were done by some guy named Mike. Really. I asked for his name and that was all he would tell me.

Models models everywhere!

on January 21 at --

The Brew House
2100 Mary Street
Barely Brunch
Two models, $15
1-4PM, doors open at 12:30PM
contact: barelybruch@yahoo.com or 412-969-7689
All mediums, except photography! We have tables and chairs but very few easals. Brunch and coffee supplied.

on January 22 at --

space
Hey all! - the first official Open Model Session is about to take place at 4823 Penn Ave. Bring $10 and any media - model, music, beverages, a couple of easels, tables, chairs, perfect lighting and an air of creativity - The session is from 7-9 on Monday Jan. 22..... a classic session......i.e. "in the buff" - please spread the word! Hope to see you on the 22nd!
contact: Carolyn at carolynwenning@mac.com

on January 23 at --
briilobox dirnk & draw
4104 penn ave
412.621.4900
6-9pm
$10
drinkies!
door prizes!
and Lucky LeRoy!
This is a costumed model session. Lucky LeRoy will be wearing a lovely peacock dress...All mediums welcome except oils and photography. Tables, chairs and a very relaxed atmosphere. contact brilloboxdrinkanddraw@yahoo.com or check out our MySpace

Barbie Girl

Bush-whacking bumper stickers

Bush-whacking bumper stickers. Thanks, Dave

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
-H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

Bush Bumper Stickers


1/20/09: End of an Error

That's OK, I Wasn't Using My Civil Liberties Anyway

Let's Fix Democracy in This Country First

If You Want a Nation Ruled By Religion, Move to Iran

Bush. Like a Rock. Only Dumber.

If You Can Read This, You're Not Our President

Hey, Bush Supporters: Embarrassed Yet?

George Bush: Creating the Terrorists Our Kids Will Have to Fight

Impeachment: It's Not Just for Blowjobs Anymore

America : One Nation, Under Surveillance

They Call Him "W" So He Can Spell It

Who's God Do You Kill For?

Cheney/Satan '08

Jail to the Chief

No, Seriously, Why Did We Invade Iraq ?

Bush: God's Way of Proving Intelligent Design is Full Of Crap

Bad President! No Banana.

We Need a President Who's Fluent In At Least One Language

We're Making Enemies Faster Than We Can Kill Them

Is It Vietnam Yet?

Bush Doesn't Care About White People, Either

Where Are We Going? And Why Are We In This Handbasket?

You Elected Him. You Deserve Him.

Impeach Cheney First

Dubya, Your Dad Shoulda Pulled Out, Too

When Bush Took Office, Gas Was $1.46

Pray For Impeachment

The Republican Party: Our Bridge to the 11th Century

What Part of "Bush Lied" Don't You Understand?

One Nation Under Clod

2004: Embarrassed
2005: Horrified
2006: Terrified

Bush Never Exhaled

At Least Nixon Resigned

For all of you figure drawers

Thanks, Dave, for sending this link.

Kippy @Drink and Draw

Eric won a door prize last night at brillobox'x drink and draw, a lovely little wotercolor box.
Our model, Kippy the '50's house wife. Thank you, Crystala, it was lovely.

We had a wonderful turnout, lots of great drawing. Join us in two weeks --

Tuesday, January 23

6-9pm

$10

drinkies!

door prizes!

and Lucky LeRoy!

Check Drink and Draw's MySite for more information or sign up for updates.

JOIN THE ART INSURGENCY

I found this site via Huffington Post's Contagious Festival this morning. The Art Insurgency has this to say --

The past decade has seen an unsettling evolution of thought with regard to the artist’s place in society. That place has increasingly become a wobbly axis of discord. Painters, poets, actors, authors and musicians are battered and belittled for doing nothing more than what they were born to do: express themselves. While the artist’s contribution to the world community was once valued for its conscience and vision, in recent years it has depreciated and even become a liability.

You can read the entire text here. The sentiment is really rather sweet. I do agree with some of the points made in the Manifesto. However, I don't agree that artists have had much to do with shaping our culture. I still hold that you can only change a willing tide.

One point that is brought up is the influence of celebrities. I think it is very difficult for visual artists to reach the mass of people that movie actors reach. Even the Painter of Light doesn't reach as many folks as a pop singer.

I've seen a lot of art that challenges, that provokes thought, that expresses views outside of the mainstream. I haven't seen much that I disagree with. It seems to me that art audiences already agree with art politics. When visual art stories reach mass publications, it is usually in the form of a story about a celebrity, like the story posted about Anjelina Jolie through AP. This what they had to say about the artist --

Kate Kretz has painted for 20 years but none of her previous work has garnered the attention given ''Blessed Art Thou,'' showing this weekend at Art Miami, an annual exposition of modern and contemporary art.

You can read the entire text here (requires NYT login). I guess, as a visual artist, I should be pleased that there is even this much notice being given to the art that I hold in such high esteem. But still, it seems like we are shouting in the forest where no one can hear us.

Peter Parker

The story line has been building for a while. Superheros are being detained out of fear. What is a great American hero to do? Read about it on 10ZenMonkeys

Bigotry=conservative=portaiture

What's wrong with the above equation? There's an interesting post over at Edward Winkleman's blog; Why Doesn't the Right Make Art? The comment trail is probably one of the best discussions I've seen on this topic. One reply struck a chord for me:

Franklin posted the following --

Ed, the question is whether the purpose of government art agencies is to remedy perceived social ills in the world. I would suggest that it isn't, or it shouldn't be. The broader movement of political correctness may have benefited you, but the NEA's track record of mistaking progressive politics for progressive aesthetics finally took it far from its original mission. Congress reacted accordingly. Lynne Munson:

"Obviously there is much to be said about how the level of seriousness displayed by NEA grantees plummeted over the years. But the most stunning contrast between the NEA's first and last visual arts fellowship recipients is the stylistic narrowness of the art the NEA sponsored in 1995 in comparison to 1967. Whereas the earlier grants went to artists working in a wide range of styles, the vast majority of 1995 grantees
were working within the confines of postmodern academicism, making work which,
like the art which has set off the art wars, takes baiting the public as its goal."

This is indeed a divisive issue. I know a couple artists that are Republicans, one of who was given the Artist of the year slot a few years back at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Now, I don't think that her work was really conservative.

Also, I don't think that all art that is formal is conservative in its concept. There is an awful lot of confusion between those two superficial issues. Many of the artists that I know that are producing formal work have very challenging ideas at the core of their work. But the art world designations of who is doing cutting edge work are very narrowly defined.

Get this DVD now!

Catune Xprez is a great collection of animations. I've listed my three favorites from the collection, but all of them were good.

SLOW DANCE RECYTTAL
by Peter Burr, Christopher Doulgeris, Cassandra C. Jones
2006


THE LITTLE FOX
by Luke Meeken and Andrew Negrey
2003


THE MONKEY WRITES
by Drew Pavelchak
2004

The DVD is available from their website. You can also pick it up locally at Copacetic Comics. A preview of The Little Fox is available here.