Thursday, July 22, 2010

Something to Put Something On

“Something to Put Something On” features Martha Clippinger’s, Russ Havard’s, and Isaac Powell’s explorations involving paintings on objects or object-like forms. In their artwork, the "something" and the “something it is on” become equally important. This exhibition is curated by Emily Sloan.


(Above image courtesy of Isaac Powell.)

Russ Havard and Isaac Powell both arrive at their creations from a painting background. Their artworks consist of paintings on elaborately constructed forms. In their writings about their artwork, both artists mention arriving at this physicality of form from physical limitations. Havard's delicate landscapes on intimate, curved forms evolved into their current state after his finding out he had an auto-immune illness, while Powell addresses the challenges of being handicapped with visual problem solving as seen in his finely rendered paintings on forms with shelves, sleeves and propped pieces.

Martha Clippinger addresses the object first and often creates pieces to be experienced in the round. Clippinger utilizes found objects which she then paints. These objects are collected from sites all around her, often initially in the form of scraps and discarded materials which are then given a new life with colors and patterns. She links her attraction
color and pattern to an upbringing surrounded by domestic fabrics such as upholstery and her grandmother’s quilts which adorned every bed in their house.

"Something to Put Something On" will open Saturday, July 24 from 7pm to 9:30pm at Box 13 ArtSpace, 6700 Harrisburg, Houston, TX, 77011.

(Above image courtesy of Martha Clippinger.)



(Above image: Russ Havard's "Skyline.")

Artist bios

Martha Clippinger grew up in Columbus, Georgia, and it was there that she experienced the art of regional eccentric artists. She left the South to pursue a BA in Art History at Fordham University and later received an MFA in Visual Arts from Mason Gross School of Art, Rutgers University. Since then she has worked as Coordinator of New York Semester on Contemporary Art at Drew University. Recent exhibitions include Jettison: New Ideas in Abstraction at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee and I wanna be somewhere, Daily Operation, New York. She is a recipient of the Marie Walsh Sharpe Studio Fellowship for 2010. Past awards include: the Nadine Goldsmith Artist’s Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center, University Merit Scholar Award and Teaching Fellowship at Rutgers University, and Vasari Lecturer at Fordham University. She currently lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn where she is the creator and organizer of the basement gallery space, The Dirty Dirty.

Based out of Lufkin, Texas, Russ Havard is represented by George Billis Gallery in New York, New York and Los Angeles, California. Havard has exhibited at The Museum of East Texas in Lufkin, Texas, the Longview Museum of Fine Art in Longview, Texas, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont, Texas, Blue Star Art Space in San Antonio, Texas, The Jones Center for Contemporary Art in Austin, Texas, and the Bath House Cultural Center in Dallas, Texas. Havard’s artwork has been featured twice in New American Paintings and is in the collections of Time Life Corporation, Washington, D.C., Longview Museum of Fine Art, Longview, TX, and Vector Corporation, Dallas, TX.

Isaac Powell is a recent graduate of the MFA program at Washington State University who now teaches painting and drawing at Eastern Kentucky University. Powell interweaves the themes of life, growth, reproduction, and creativity with those of his own personal history in his still life and landscape depictions. Having been born without a right hand, the flora in his work directly references the body, its appendages and digits. By addressing his own anxieties through the imagery of plant cuttings and graftings, he has developed his own vocabulary for confronting both awkwardness and beauty. Powell feels compelled to displace this physical handicap by creating highly crafted hand made supports and structures for his paintings and drawings.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

"Salon des Refusés" @ Gallery 1724

"Salon des Refusés" is a exhibition featuring artwork rejected from Lawndale Art Center's The BIG Show 2010. The exhibition will be on view at Gallery 1724, 1724 Bissonnet St. (between Dunlavy and Woodhead), Houston, Texas 77005 from July 9 through August 7, 2010.

Bonnie Blue's Women Who Rock Art Car!

Below: Salon entrance.





Janet Hassinger and her artwork.










All images courtesy of Emily Sloan.

The Kenmore's "The small Show"

The Kenmore presents "The small Show" at Lawndale Art Center. Artists: Aisen Caro Chacin, Loli Fernandez-A, Valerie Powell and Emily Sloan. Opening July 9 through August 7, 2010.

Drop-off and installation with Loli Fernandez-A.


Below: Drop-off and installation with Valerie Powell.


Below: Drop-off and installation with Aisen Caro Chacin.


The Kenmore at Lawndale Art Center's "The BIG Show."
"Outer Sculpture Garden" by Valerie Powell.
plastic, magnets



Below: "miscellaneous" by "The small Show" curator Emily Sloan.
miscellaneous


Below: "Homage to Judd" by Loli Fernandez-A.
butter


Below: "The Freezer Gallery" by Aisen Caro Chacin.
Recording of Unchained Melody, strawberry ice cream, peas.


Art model Bobby Younce and The Kenmore.

Art to see! Performing Models to Draw!

This is an independent drawing/painting group I work with at Art League Houston. I organized a patio drawing session/show outside of Art League Houston and Inversion Coffee on Friday, July 9 from 6-9pm.







Thursday, July 8, 2010

Putting things into perspective at The BIG Show preview party.

I scored an invite (that included bringing a guest) to attend Lawndale Art Center's The BIG Show 2010 preview party. Art model Bobby Younce was my guest and aided me in giving the artworks perspective by posing next to them. Bobby is approximately 69 inches tall.

Above: Bobby with Zepeda.
Top: Lint on Black Rug, Pill Bottle and Hairbrush (sexy mirror image: IMG_1213)
Bottom: Green Room with Teddy Bear and Old Bra (sexy mirror im- age: IMG_708)


Bobby introducing the audience to The Kenmore's "The small Show."
Artists: Aisen Caro Chacin, Loli Fernandez-A, Valerie Powell, Emily Sloan (curator)

Below: Bobby working it...in front of Stuart Kimbrell's "The Virgin Mary."


Bobby napping at "The BIG Show Power Nap Station" to rejuvenate before putting more art into perspective.


Bobby and a woman in similar pink bottoms created by Lisa Paula Patrick called "Any Guy Can Hold a Girl's Hand."


Thank you Bobby Younce for your expertise in putting things into perspective at The BIG Show! Thank you Lawndale Art Center for hosting!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

The small Show within The BIG Show at Lawndale Art Center

The Kenmore's "The small Show" within Lawndale Art Center's "The BIG Show" will open Friday, July 9, 2010 from 6pm to 8pm inside Lawndale Art Center, 4912 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002. "The small Show" will remain on view at Lawndale Art Center through August 7, 2010.



Participants:
Aisen Caro Chacin, The Freezer Gallery
Loli Fernandez-A, Homage to Judd (pictured above)
Valerie Powell, Outer Sculpture Garden
Emily Sloan, curator of "The small Show" and owner of The Kenmore and its miscellaneous items

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Salon des Refusés will open @ Gallery 1724 on Friday, July 9!



Please join Gallery 1724 for "Salon des Refusés" opening Friday, July
9, from 8pm-10pm. The exhibition will close August 7.

"Salon des Refusés" is an exhibition of artworks rejected from the Big
Show 2010 at Lawndale Art Center, 4912 Main St., Houston, Texas 77002.
The BIG Show will be opening the same evening from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

A special thanks to all participating artists!

Fariba Abedin
Melinda Ainsworth
Joel A. Bender, Jr.
Bonnie Blue
Deborah Bright
Will Brooks
Greg Budwine
Douglas Cason
Vachu Chilakamarri
Gabriel Craig
Hillary Cumberworth
Anthony Day
Ronald Dykes
Jennifer M. Dunn
Bill Fester
Jeff Forster
Reema Forster
Helena Gijsbers van Wijk
Stephanie Guajardo
Rachel Robertson Harmeyer
Janet Hassinger
Sarah Hazel
Jane B. Honovich
Cynthia Hoyt
Cecilia Johnson
John M. Linden II
Carrie Marbello
Caroline Z. Marcos
Laura "Mic" McAllister
Van McFarland
Edgar Meza
Merilee Minshew
Deborah Moore
John Nichols
Richard Nix
Annette K. Palmer
Donna E. Perkins
Chasity Porter
Valerie Powell
Preetika Rajgariah
Gilbert Ruiz Jr.
Steve Ruth
Mitch Samuels "Grystar"
Charlie Jean Sartwelle
Louise Schlachter
Carol Scott
Rachel K. Skov
Emily Sloan
Karen Smith
Madilyn Stein
Marie-Pierre Stien
Texas Pizza
Cookie Wells
Tangerine Williams
Sally Worthington
Julie Zarate
Zepeda

Gallery 1724 (www.gallery1724.blogspot.com) hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11am to 6pm. Stop
by, or call 713-582-1198 for an appointment.

Drawing Dreamland - Large Scale Drawing

"Drawing Dreamland" is a children's art project I designed and implemented for Art League Houston.

Drawing Dreamland - Large Scale Drawing

Dirty Drawers on the Patio


This is a show/opportunity to participate I am organizing for an independent drawing/painting group that meets at Art League Houston.

One night only! Art to see, performing models to draw!

"Dirty Drawers on the Patio"
outside of Art League Houston
1953 Montrose Blvd.
Houston, TX 77006

Friday, July 9 from 6pm to 9pm

Models: Bobby and Stephanie

Artists:
William Bailey
Hagit Barkai
Amanda Candler
Cholla
Richard Clark
Jess Coleman
Denise Crow
Gena Haber
Byrne Jackson
Rhonda Lanclos
Rona
Bill Tone
Liz Wagar

...and YOU, come draw with the group!