The Cotton Mandate by Chris Panatier

My intention is to paint what I see not what I think I see

One hot summer Thursday evening found me at the foyer of RISING Gallery admiring the custom mural on the wall. It is smashed with red paint, bracing itself for the compelling woman painted within. The painting grips you, holds you there for a moment and just when you think you are released, she imposes her will onto you as you walk through the works of Chris Panatier, Love Them Now, Always. He captures various moments in a person’s life on wood panel with oil paint. I inspect the series to try to understand his process, and realize that I need to meet this artist and ask him all the questions that came up during my tour of his series at Rising.

We met at a local Italian restaurant. He reminds me of an edgy Clark Kent; his face bright with promise and his tattooed arm hinting at a good time. We exchanged pleasantries and got down to the business of discussing his art. I wanted to know if the drips on the side of his wood panels were deliberate. He let me know that he left those drips there to illustrate the process and felt they gave them a painterly quality.

I was curious about the intent of several of the pieces where only a portion of the face was painted. His thoughts were that the viewer will automatically fill in where there are blanks. It becomes the viewers interpretation of that piece. If you look closely at this series you will notice gaps in the forms throughout. This fact I find interesting, as I only noticed it on the bodies, and now am very curious to see them again and notice where this is true in the faces of these different portraits.

Across the Threshold of Understanding by Chris Panatier

“My intention is to paint what I see not what I think I see”, remarked Chris. Chris’s work I find engaging and has a way of getting your attention with its almost divine vulnerability.

My favorite paintings from this series are Across The Threshold of Understanding (18 x 24 oil on birch panel, SOLD) and The Cotton Mandate (30 x 40 oil on birch panel).

The quality of the wood panels and the application of the paint have you wondering where did this man come from and how did he land here. Chris is from Oklahoma originally, however calls Dallas home. He spent his college years as a cartoonist at the Daily Texan in Austin. He is self taught and takes his art seriously with self directed study that includes the understanding of color, form and application. In addition, he studies with established artists like Bonny Leibowitz to further his craft.

Chris has abstract works showing at Samuel-Lynne Galleries. These are intense works where Chris uses the application of color and his intuitive nature to blast out works on linen within a matter of 2 hours while rocking to Mastodon on full blast. He paints publicly once a year to illustrate his intense process of painting. This is surely a sight to see for us all.

I love how his influences include amazing women painters like Jenny Saville and Angela Fraileigh. His works seem to understand intuitively what a woman may be trying to convey with a vulnerability that is inspiring. Chris isn’t concerned with gender labels and this sparked my interest regarding his artist picture of him dressed in drag. The question begs, “Are you wearing women’s panties right now, Chris?” and the answer “No” with a laugh follows.

In a recent statement about his work, “In a world that seems to be swirling with any combination of catastrophe, deception, politics, war, and uncertainty a moment of truth is like a shelter you can always rely on”, gives you just a taste of what this particular series reveals in its truth.

I say, “Bravo! Bravo!”.

I look forward to more from this artist and recommend you check him out at either RISING Gallery for his portrait series or Samuel-Lynne Galleries for his abstract works.

The Cotton Mandate by Chris Panatier

I was most impressed with the coordination amongst the museums. There were so many activities both inside and outside that I was unable to do them all. And darn it, I wanted to do it all!

The evening began with me missing the Grace Hula and Tahitian Dance by this much. I had only a second, to regret taking an after-work nap, before the lion dances, martial arts and weapons demonstrations with Lee’s White Leopard Kung Fu School began on Flora Street. Amazingly entrancing for adults and children alike!

It was so hard to tear myself away from that lively performance. But, I really wanted to join the Progressive Museums Tour. We began at the Nasher with a brief but very interesting gallery talk on their retrospective of drawings by contemporary British artist Rachel Whiteread. We were personally escorted across Flora Street to the Crow Collection to a hear highlights about Modern Twist: Bamboo Works from the Clark Center and the Art of Motoko Maio exhibition. My favorite of these contemporary Japanese baskets is probably the least functional, and reminds me of 80s couture. You’ll have to visit the Crow to see it for yourself! To my surprise, we also took a trip up to the LinkAsia gallery space for a viewing of Il Lee’s New Vision: Ballpoint Drawings.

The last stop of the tour was at the DMA. However, I cannot tell you what was shown because just as we crossed the threshold of the Flora Street entrance, I remembered I wanted to catch Fresh Ink with Jake Silverstein. I’d been looking forward to hearing the Texas Monthly editor discuss his first book, Nothing Happened and Then It Did: A Chronicle in Fact and Fiction. Alas, there was not an empty seat to be found in the DMA’s C3 theatre. Note to self: Next time get a ticket at 6 p.m.!

Don’t cry for me …  as I consulted my schedule for an alternative activity, I received a tweet with the first clue of the Museum Art Challenge. As instructed via multiple pre-event tweets, I put my smartphone to good use all through the evening, tweeting and monitoring #SummArt #tilMidnight #ArtTour and #ArtHunt! Upon accepting the challenge, I began speed walking through the DMA to solve the first clue. It was a photo clue. Think “water”…

After solving the first clue, I joined my dear editor outside the front entrance of the DMA for the Dick Dale and Jimmy Dale concert. Though, it wasn’t long before I was back on the art hunt; rushing to the Nasher. Upon entering the garden, I was immediately distracted by the cool tent for members, and then more so by the huge beanbag chairs strategically placed where a weary art detective could take a load off and enjoy a cross stream of air from huge fans provided by Reliant Energy. Accordingly, I took my time pondering the second clue. A few of the fans were dispatched a cooling fine mist. Think “water”…

Before leaving the ‘Til Midnight at the Nasher Sculpture Center, I had to watch a few scenes from the The Wizard of Oz, which was projected at the foot of the Terrace Garden. Before the Lion regained his courage, I was off to solve the last clue of the art hunt.

Across the street, the Crow Collection After Dark was in the full swing of TIKIoke with DJ Mark Ridlen. This multimedia karaoke experience came with complimentary sake & Asian beer, for those patrons of drinking age. The crowd exploded in cheers when Director of Education, Tracy Bays-Boothe, began singing Bowie’s China Girl. I was having such a great time singing along that I almost missed the last clue of the art hunt. In fact, a fellow karaoke patron alerted me to the tweet. I felt like Rocky as I descended the plaza stairs, arms waving in the air as I bellowed, “It’s Buddha! It’s Buddha!”

While the thrill of winning was awesome in itself, there was a grand prize. I won memberships to all three museums! Of course, I’m already a member of each fine institution. I actually took on the Museum Art Challenge for a relative who has suffered a huge loss and to whom I want to give the gift of art as a conduit for healing.

So elated that I’d successfully completed the art hunt, I returned to the Crow’s Gallery III to celebrate karaoke style. But in doing so, I missed one particular event I had been eagerly anticipating all evening. That was the EnLIGHTenment Tour of the Crow’s Jade by flashlight! Perhaps they’ll repeat this event again. I sincerely hope so.

Thank you, Dallas Arts District, for a wonderful evening of art, music and fun. There were some many wonderful activities from which to choose. I couldn’t do them all, but I certainly tried!

Mark your calendars for the next evening of Summer Art fun on July 16th!

The Courage of Gravity by Lisa Lindholm

Sometimes by Lisa Linkholm
Kettle Art Gallery

Local artist Lisa Lindholm recently exhibited her series Sometimes at Kettle Art Gallery. I attended the opening and enjoyed her pixelated works. She included in this show her Lost + Found series; these are painted messages on various maps. I found these very clever. On her works of painted figures, it seems she shows her process a bit with leaving blocks of colors that appear pixalated images on one side and the other side painted in. One of my favorites is The Courage of Gravity. If you look closely you can see the blocks of color in most of her works. I love this touch.

Another point of interest is how she signs her name on the side of the paintings. This is a personalization that “brands” her artwork and makes sure you know it is hers. Great addition to her works. She has various birds, people, deer, and even sharks in her paintings. There is one where the birds seem to ward off the shark that seemingly looks as if it will attack the pretty lady in her painting. I really enjoy her whimsical touches and interesting take on life through her work. If you get a chance to view this artists works in the future, I would highly recommend.

Lisa Lindholm was born in Texas in 1978 and currently lives and works in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas. She completed studies in computer visualization at Texas A&M University in 2000. After serving time in assorted cubicles in assorted large corporations making computers assorted things, she leapt into life as a full-time artist in 2005. Lindholm currently works as a painter, graphic designer, and proprietor of FreeLisa Designs. For more info visit www.FreeLisa.com.

The Courage of Gravity by Lisa Lindholm

The NasherSALON Speaker Series brings a small group of patrons up close and personal with a diverse selection of “internationally acclaimed legends and luminaries”. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed this intimate conversation with the “Empress of Soul”, Gladys Knight. The moderator for the evening was Emmy Award-winning television and radio veteran, and Texas Radio Hall of Fame member, Jody Dean. As I only know his voice from the morning drive show on KLUV, I was a bit perplexed about him being chosen as moderator. That went away within five minutes, as Mr. Dean demonstrated how he earned the “Best Talk Show Host” designation from the Dallas Business Journal.

Throughout the evening, Ms. Knight came across as a really nice, down to earth, likable person. She often spoke directly to the audience and gave the impression that we were all just sitting out on the veranda enjoying a lovely evening of getting to know one another better. No matter what potentially “hot topic” Mr. Dean threw her way, she kept her composure as her gracious nature prevailed where another person of her stature may have settled in to really dish out the dirt. One such moment was when Mr. Dean highlighted early successes touring with the Pips and opening for huge stars like Diana Ross and the Supremes. If you don’t know the story, Mr. Dean was happy to fill in the details of Ms. Ross ending that touring relationship due to feelings that Gladys Knight’s soulful voice outshone hers.

While Ms. Knight is an award nominated actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author; the conversation really focused on her career as an R&B/soul singer-songwriter. Perhaps the most surprising thing I learned is that not only does she love country music, but most of her hit songs were written as country songs. Though the focus of the NasherSALON Speaker Series is to provide a discourse on art, literature and other cultural topics; Ms. Knight ended the evening with several songs! Yes, she sang to us as we swayed, clapped and sang right along with her including the very well choreographed whoo whoo’s in Midnight Train to Georgia.

I must thank the Nasher personnel for their graciousness from the time I tweeted about my mother’s unfortunate accident until the we left the event. For the last two weeks, my mother has been required to use a wheel chair. Upon alerting the Nasher, I was immediately given direct contact to someone who made arrangements for us. I dropped into the Nasher early the evening of the event and, upon giving my name, was told that multiple people were aware of our needs and happy to assist when the rest of my party arrived. While I spend a fair amount of time at the Nasher, my family had not and so was very impressed with the kindness of the Nasher personnel with whom they came into contact.

The next luminaries to grace the stage in the NasherSALON Speaker Series are Stephen Sondheim and Jim Lehrer. If you have even the slightest interest in attending, be sure to set your alarm clock for 7:45 a.m. the day the tickets go on sale. These events sell out quickly. For further information, call 214-242-5100 or visit www.NasherSculptureCenter.org/Salon.

Dick Dale and Jimmy Dale at the DMA Late Night Concert (photo by Mr. Holga)

Last night I went with a friend to the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) Late Night Concert featuring Dick Dale and Jimmy Dale. The music was great and the venue was perfect. My hat is off to the DMA for putting on such a wonderful event.

If the name Dick Dale doesn’t ring any bells, then let me introduce you. Dick Dale is the long reigning king of surfer music, which is a wonderful tie in to the DMA’s current exhibit, Coastlines: Images of Land and Sea. Mr. Dale’s guitar style immediately brings to mind surfer music form the 60s and early 70s.

Last night Mr. Dale and his son, Jimmy, took the stage with acoustic guitars at 9 p.m and played and talked for an hour set. After a brief tune-up the duo started with a haunting rendition of Ghost Riders in the Sky. Wow, this was a great rendition. They proceeded through Mr. Dale’s collection of music and even include a few songs from his contemporaries.

To be honest, I am not a huge fan of Dick Dale. But I do appreciate good guitar playing (I play an acoustic). What really drew me to this concert was Quentin Tarantino’s best movie ever, Pulp Fiction, which opens with Mr. Dale’s most recognized song, Miserlou. I would just love to get a copy of Mr. Dale and son’s stage version. They saved Miserlou for second to last. They ended with a new song that I did not get the title for. Mr. Dale mentioned something about recording it with bagpipes. I could have swore their guitars were crying by the end of the song.

My ears enjoyed last nights concert very much. So much, that I am hunting down Dick Dale music in hope of finding acoustic version. So far no luck with Half-Price Books or Best Buy. I’ll have to dig a little deeper.

Next Time I’ll Know Better

As expected, the DMA puts on a good show. The concert took place in the Ross Avenue Plaza at the north end of the museum. People were spread out all over the plaza with blankets and chairs. It wasn’t standing room only because there was ample room for everyone.

My friend and I decided to sit in the front row nearest the stage. This ended up being a small mistake because and soon as Mr. Dale took the stage he encouraged people to walk up closer. This turned my front row seat into a “looking at everyone’s backside” seat. Next time, if I bring a chair, I’ll just sit farther in the back.

Fortunately, the music was great no matter where you sat.

My friend and I did get in a lot of people watching. We saw everything from an Aztec skull tattoo to a dude with dreadlocks down to his feet. We also saw a couple of TV camera crews, John Sommers from KLUV and possibly Long Jim White from KZPS. You never know who will show up at the DMA.

Dick Dale and Jimmy Dale at the DMA Late Night Concert (photo by Mr. Holga)

Teenage Riot by Joey Seeman (Detail)

Rock n’ Roll Fantasy
Dear Clark Studios
Through September 9, 2010

If you missed Joey Seeman’s Rock n’ Roll Fantasy opening at Dear Clark Studios on June 10, 2010, you missed a real rockstar experience. Joey Seeman’s art is vivid, edgy and grabs your attention. It isn’t just his art that reaches for you and begs you to come closer, it is the man himself.

Joey is what I have deemed a new world branding genius in the world of rockstars and wannabee’s. I want to consult with him about my own personal brand and get his recommendations on how to appear more rockstar or at least have droves of beautiful Dallas women following my every word. Either way, Joey is the man to watch in this town of the bold and the beautiful.

Joey’s current series, Rock n’ Roll Fantasy showcases glam rock artists like David Bowie, New York Dolls and the Sex Pistols in Technicolor on wood. He has other various people in his series.

See Joey Seeman’s Rock n’ Roll Fantasy Exhibit at Dear Clark Studios for more information.

Teenage Riot by Joey Seeman

One of my favorite works, Teenage Riot (24×48 acrylic & ink), is the epitome of teenage rebellion and angst. It also, gives you a taste of the underground local Dallas punk scene and would be a great edition to any collector seeking a piece of time from our beautiful city.

Joey Seeman is not only an artist but an excellent marketer. From the guests of his show, you know he has his finger on the pulse of what’s hot in our city. All the young, hip, edgy and fabulous people came out to support him and get their pictures snapped by the alluring paparazzi. Joey could be found in all rock star black with his badass tattoos peeking from his sleeve. You know you want to know him, you know you want to consume him, and if nothing else he would be a lovely morsel of all that is badass and edgy.

His current series Rock n’ Roll Fantasy will be hanging at the Dear Clark Studios Salon through September 9, 2010. I recommend checking out this vibrant series and make sure you make it out to his next show. It is an experience you won’t forget.

For more information on Joey Seeman visit his website www.joeyseeman.com.

Dear Clark Studios is located at 3317 McKinney Avenue, Ste. 101, Dallas, Texas.

Come Here by Cathey Miller

Trigger Happy
Magnolia Gallery
Through June 30, 2010

If you take the escalator of the Magnolia Theatre right now, you find yourself on the second floor captivated by Cathey Miller’s series, Trigger Happy. They are like candy on the walls with their pleasing color palettes and saucy actresses holding guns. Each painting has a message, or rather a command, like ‘Shut It’,'Come Here’, and ‘Bring It’.

I find myself in front of ‘Come Here’ intrigued. It speaks to me. I pan my view and realize all these sexy ladies with guns are commanding their audience and I am not the only one submitting. There are many attendees in front of the various painting, who appear submitting to the commands of these fierce starlets. You cannot help it. The color tones welcome you in; the sexy starlets beg your attention and the typeface used, BRILLANT! I dare you not to look and have your curiosity peeked. I find the whole series very clever. It subtlety has you captivated and a bit turned on.

The artist, Cathey Miller could be found among the crowd in her colorful dress, classic good looks and engaging personality. I had questions and wanted to know more about where this artist drew her inspiration.

“Thank you for inquiring about my story. It is a very interesting and fascinating tale of bohemian wanderlust, scantily clad models, and felony charges that were eventually dropped,” said Miller.

“I recently trained at the Ukrainian School of Metaphysics and Sheet Metal Fabrication. I studied under a gypsy fortune tell name Baba Yayga. Many genius ideas began bubbling to the surface as I was levitating the steel, and I began to see words floating in thin air. Words like ‘SHUT IT’, ‘STOMP ON IT’, and ‘SICK YOUR FERAL GIRLFRIEND ON IT’. What was the meaning of these words? I cannot say. I decided to take the shorter commands and put them on the paintings of lady hellcats holding guns.”

“My purpose with this series is to hypnotize the movie customers buying popcorn into taking out their checkbooks and buying my genius art. My feeling on this is that if can afford popcorn at $10 a bucket, you can afford art.

“Currently, I paint pictures all day long, and I am an exotic dancer on a roller derby team to earn money, while constantly being stalked by the medical fetish tranny horse rider people, who just want me to paint them.”

Albeit Miller has more than just tranny stalkers, her whole vibe and work spark your interest. She seems very private and low key and then BAM! She comes out bold, vibrant, and sexy. It seems the art world loves a superstar that fucks super models and paints in Italian suits. The art world needs a change, a revamp, where an artist who looks like a super model, fucks like a rockstar and paints like it is the air she breaths is revered. I say ‘Bring It’ Cathey Miller we are ready to see all you got.

Trigger Happy will be hanging and available for purchase at the Magnolia Gallery thru June 30th. My favorite pieces of the series are ‘Come Here’ and ‘Shut It’. You can find out more about this artist from her website: www.cathedonia.com or follow her on twitter twitter.com/cathedonia.

Trigger Happy by Cathey Miller

Come Here by Cathey Miller

Self Portrait in Blue by Michael Roman, 2010

Last November I told you about my experience learning how to print drypoint with instructor Peter Ligon at Southern Methodist University (You Can’t Make Art without Getting Your Hands Dirty). This time I will impart my experience learning acid etching and aquatint.

Etching and aquatint were once again taught by Peter Ligon at SMU. The only difference was the day of the week and a few of the regular students. I don’t think two sessions makes me a regular yet, but who knows.

Acid Etching

Acid etching is not nearly as scary as it sounds. Yes, real acid is used to remove unwanted parts of the copper plate, but it is very easy to use without incident. If you were to get a little acid on you then a rinse of water will take care of it. Just don’t splash the acid in your eyes because we’ll have to hose you down. Consider yourself warned.

Now that the safety lecture is completed we can start talking about etching a plate.

Same as drypoint, we use copper plates for creating a print. We start out by degreasing the copper plate and coating it with asphaltum, a black, runny liquid. This is known as a hard ground. The hard ground will protect the areas of the copper plate that we don’t want etched.

After the hard ground has dried we take a needle and scratch in a drawing down to the copper plate. The needle is only strong enough to removed some of the hard ground from the copper plate. It does not removed any copper or create a burr like dry point does.

Once the drawing is completed then contact paper is applied to the back of the copper plate. Remember that the acid will slowly eat away at any exposed copper. Since we may decided to be thrifty one day and use the back side for another print, we will protect it from the acid. This also increases the life of the acid by not eating away at the back side.

With our drawing scratched into the hard ground and contact paper applied to the back, we are read to etch the plate. We use small plastic holders to keep the copper plate, which is put into the acid face down, from touching the bottom of the acid vat. Depending on how dark we want the etch lines to be is determined by the length of time in the acid vat. Really light lines can be done in less than ten minutes. Heavy dark lines can take an hour our longer depending on the strength of the acid.

After etching the copper plate in acid for the desired time, we then rinse the plate with water. We use kerosene and fine saw dust to remove the hard ground. At this point we have an etched plate ready for inking and printing, which are much like drypoint printing except that more ink is removed.

Aquatint

Aquatint is also an acid printing process that can be used with and without etching a plate first. Aquatint has the ability to give tonal values to the copper plate. It can be a very beautiful addition to an already etched plate, but it adds a layer of difficulty to the process of creating the plate.

Aquatint is the application of very finely ground resin that is evenly dusted over the surface of the copper plate. After dusting, the copper plate is then heated to 350 degrees to melt the resin and adhere it to the copper plate. Although the resin has melted to the copper plate, it has left evenly spaced holes all over the surface of the copper plate.

Once the aquatint has been applied and the copper plate is cool enough to touch, then we apply stopout (a clear version of the black hard ground) with a paint brush to protect the areas of the plate that should not be etched. After the stopout has dried and the back of the copper plate has been covered with contact paper, we can then use the same acid vat to etch the aquatint.

The great part about aquatint is the ability to build up values. When the copper plate is first aquatinted, we will stopout the area of the plate to be the whitest. We then put the plate in the acid bath for the desired length of time and rinse the plate with water. We can then continue to stopout other areas of the plate again and again. This allows us to create several tonal values using the same aquatint and stopout.

After the aquatint etching process is completed, then all stopout is removed by alcohol. Then plate can then be printed the same as a regular etch plate. The aquatinted areas will hold more or less ink depending on how much exposure to the acid they received.

Well, my general overview is becoming long winded. I think you get the idea. Acid etching and aquatinting is not nearly as hard as it sounds. You should give it a try.

Now would be a good time to look as some photographs.

Pinhole Camera image of SMU Printmaking Lab press (photo by Mr. Holga)

The above pinhole camera photograph is the main printing press at the SMU printmaking lab. The press puts a lot of pressure on the copper plates to transfer the ink from the grooves of the plate to the damp paper. The printmaking lab is a very dirty and wonderful place. Last term I did a lot of hand washing with kerosene to remove the ink. This term I discovered disposable gloves.

Mo Melander inking a full size copper plate (photo by Mr. Holga)

The above photograph is Mo Melander inking a full size copper plate. The plate is put on a heating element which helps the ink flow into all the etched grooves of the plate. Once the plate is inked, then the majority of the ink is removed and reused. Only the ink in the etched grooves will remain for printing.

Mo Melander pressing a full size copper plate (photo by Mr. Holga)

The above photograph shows Mo turning the printing press. Prior to this Mo laid the inked plate on the press and then a damp piece of paper on the plate. He then covered everything with felt blankets, which hold the paper in place and protect the paper from tearing.

Mo Melander and instructor Peter Ligon remove the paper from the plate (photo by Mr. Holga)

Here Mo and instructor Peter Ligon slowly peel back the printed paper from the plate. The larger the art, the more help needed. Clean hands are essential for handling the paper. Nobody wants a smudged work of art.

Untitled by Mo Melander, 2010

Here is Mo’s print. Mo preferred to etch his copper plates without aquatinting. With all the needle work he did, there was no need to add any tonal values.

Self Portrait in Blue by Michael Roman, 2010

Above is my self portrait in blue. This print was both etched and aquatinted. You can see the etched lines and all the aquatint values. In comparison, my print is a small 4 x 6 inches. Mo’s print above is about 20 x 30 inches.

I hope you enjoyed this overview of etch and aquatint printmaking. See you again in the fall. Cheers.

Self-Portrait by Andy Warhol, 1986

Andy Warhol: The Last Decade
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Through May 16, 2010

This review contains subliminal messages [Read Dallas Art News], not all of which are represented in the exhibit.

Time is running out to see Andy Warhol: The Last Decade at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth. If iconic images from the 20th century are your cup of tea, then The Last Decade is sure to hit the spot. The exhibit, organized by the Milwaukee Art Museum [Laverne & Shirley], contains fifty works form the last decade of Andy Warhol’s [15 minutes of fame] life. We highly recommend [Run, don't walk] visiting The Modern to see The Last Decade before it closes on Sunday, May 16, 2010.

Without too much name dropping [Mick Jagger], we’ll give you a brief overview of what you can expect to see [Howdy Doody].

At the top of the stairs is The Da Vinci Code’s [Leonardo da Vinci] most recognized pin-up girl [Mona Lisa] in the form of fifteen heads in white on white. For what it lacks in detail it makes up in beauty. Don’t get pulled into the main gallery until you have seen this one first.

Entering the main gallery Andy is everywhere starting with his self-portraits [Vincent van Gogh] all over the walls, on canvases and in photographs [Polaroids]. Next to Andy you will find other highly recognizable works [Wicked Witch of the West] that are sure to bring a smile to your face [Mickey Mouse].

The next gallery contains some camouflage works [Rambo] in colors other than greens and browns. These are works only a collector could love as camouflage has been over done by the fashion industry [Project Runway]. We can thank Andy for this.

One work worthy of more attention is the large silk screen print on canvas of a .22 caliber revolver [Valerie Solanas] in red and black. Although it is a simple double screen print of a gun [Smith and Wesson], the work has a chilling undertone. After all, Andy was shot.

Another work not to miss is the four representations of Norma Jean Baker [Marilyn Monroe] in black on black. Looking at this work head on gives the appearance of a photographic negative [Kodak]. Looking at it from an angle makes the work appear in the positive. What really appears is that Andy is just playing with us.

The most spectacular work in the exhibit is a double image in yellow and black of a dinner party [The Last Supper] with a major celebrity [Jesus] and twelve guests [Apostles] at the table. When you get to this work, take a seat [La-Z-Boy] and enjoy it for a little while. I don’t know if it is life size, but it sure is breathtaking. If only I had a couch long enough in my house for this one.

Lastly, don’t miss the stack of cans [Campbell’s Soup] screen prints. Andy wouldn’t want you to go away hungry [Tomato, Beef and Onion].

The Last Supper by Andy Warhol, 1986

Self-Portrait by Andy Warhol, 1986

Tempest by Corey Godfrey

Soft at Heart
The Magnolia
Through April 7, 2010

Local artist Corey Godfrey’s opening of her series Soft at Heart at The Magnolia this past Thursday, March 4, found me delighting in childhood memories of crafting with glue and found objects. She utilizes soft material (yarn) mixed with acrylic paint in creating beautiful visuals of women.

The soft material used gives Godfrey’s work the feel of ‘woman’ in vibrantly supple imagery. She was inspired in college by Macaroni Porn and began creating erotic works of women using yarn. Godfreyhas added acrylic paint in her current series and I feel it provides more interest. She is an artist inspired by erotic photos of women and in her recent work incorporated high fashion. Her piece Tempest is a great example of this effort.

I was struck by the innocence of her current works and how it found me remembering the magic I felt in grade school playing with crafts and paper and glue. She uses glue and yarn and paint in her current works and channels her inner child with unique style and presentation. The colors are vibrant and the work draws you in searching your own imagination. Soft at Heart is on display upstairs in the gallery at the Magnolia Theatre in the West Village through April 7, 2010.

Admission is free and art is available for purchase.

The Magnolia is located in the West Village at 3699 McKinney Avenue, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas.

Tempest by Corey Godfrey

Tatoo Lady by Daniel Perez

This past Saturday found me at the HiFive opening at Kettle Art Gallery. The show featured five male artists, Tyson Summers, Clint Scism, Daniel Perez, Hatziel Flores, and Dan Colcer. This is a strong show that goes until March 14, 2010.

Tyson Summers did a series of cereal boxes with a little splash of tongue in cheek humour. My favorite is Gummie Hunters. I could imagine that box hanging in my dining area and putting a smile on my face every morning.

Clint Scism has these 3D framed art pieces that are interesting of various shapes and people. Hatziel Flores has several pieces that were provocative and almost photo quality. I enjoyed his sexy pieces.

Daniel Perez has one large piece that has a woman staring out with arms folded. What jumped out at me are the women’s tattoos. They were vibrant and interesting. He did a really great job of rendering these tattoos on canvas. There are several pieces of his in the show that have comics collaged onto the canvas that gives them more depth and interest. Make sure to take more than a glance at his works.

Dan Colcer’s work is intricate; where it appears he came back in and lined all the figures out to provide more depth. One of his works in the show, Strada IV, is a painting of a man and two other figures. In the man’s beard are a bunch of different people walking upwards. It is really a fantastic piece of artwork. His work reminded me of the music from Pink Floyd ‘The Wall’ album. My favorite piece from the entire show came from his collection and it is his painting, ‘Erykah Badu’.

I would highly recommend checking out the HiFive show at Kettle Art Gallery. There were coasters for sale of the various artists work for only $12. You could get a piece of wonderment for just a small price. Kettle Art Gallery is located in the heart of the historic Deep Ellum entertainment district. The gallery space is approximately 1,000 square feet in size and geared for quality visual art presentation.

Erykah Badu by Dan Colcer

Tatoo Lady by Daniel Perez

The Wave by Gustave Courbet, 1869

The Lens of Impressionism: Photography and Painting Along the Normandy Coast, 1850-1874
Dallas Museum of Art
February 21 to May 23, 2010

The Lens of Impressionism: Photography and Painting Along the Normandy Coast, 1850-1874 at the Dallas Museum of Art is a beautifully arranged exhibit with paintings by Gustave Courbet, Edouard Manet and Claude Monet, and photographs by Gustave Le Gray and Henri Le Secq, among others. The exhibit, which focuses on works of the French coast, juxtaposes the birth of photography with the ever evolving art of painting. Lens of Impressionism is on display through May 23, 2010.

The 19th century marked a vast change in art. Paintings of the era started out in the Neo-classical (1750-1830) style which soon morphed to Realism (1830-1870) and then onto Impressionism (1863-1890). At the same time photography, invented in 1825, started out blurry and unfocused and since then has greatly improved to the sharp images of today.

The Lens of Impressionism is a vacation. Parisians escaped from city life to visit the picturesque Normandy coast and artists and photographers followed along. Artists painted landscapes, seascapes, beach scenes, tourist hotels and shipping docks. Photographers captured the same subjects but with a less discerning eye. Where an artist would paint a beautiful coast line with a limited view, a photographer would capture the same view with everything in site including homes, businesses, streets and other elements of the time.

Photography from this time has given a valuable behind the scenes look at what the Normandy coast really looked like sans artistic license. Artists may have painted ideal beach scenes, but photographers have given us a peek behind the curtain¹.

The Lens of Impressionism exhibits many works from near and far, including works from the Kimbell Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum. The Kimbell has loaned Monet’s La Pointe de la Heve at Low Tide, 1865. The Amon Carter has loaned a beautiful display of early photography including a view camera. The exhibit is a grand display of paintings and photographs. Each room dramatically changes with different lighting and color, the only constant is the creaking sound of the hardwood floor. A more comfortable setting could not be imagined.

Impressionism? Really?

Now, for what I really think.

Yes, this is a beautiful exhibit and it is worth the extra admission fee to see, but I feel the use of impressionism in the title is misleading.

I understand that more people will line up to see an exhibit of impressionist art and that this exhibit does have works in it by impressionist masters like Monet and Degas. But impressionism did not really come along until Monet, Renoir, Pissarro and Sisley organized the Cooperative and Anonymous Association of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers to exhibit their works in 1873.

I mention this because viewers should not go expecting to see room after room filled with bright, vibrant impressionist works they have grown to love. Instead viewers will see pre-impressionist works that are earthy and dark with a touch more realism.

The Lens of Impressionism has a lot of great works to see and I really hope you enjoy the exhibit.

SmARTphone Tours

I love technology and the new SmARTphone Tour with The Lens of Impressionism and the Reeves Collection sounds like great fun. I have not had the chance to try it yet.

The smARTphone tour provides added information about artists and their works via WiFi enabled mobile devices or loaned iPod Touches available free from the DMA’s Visitor Services Desk. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

No. 12, Etretat, the Manneporte by Louis-Alphonse Davanne

The Wave by Gustave Courbet, 1869

¹ “[Pay no attention to that man] behind the curtain” refers to the quote from the movie The Wizard of Oz, 1939.

Modern Ruin Opening (Photo by Kasten Searles)

Modern Ruin
February 20 & 21, 2010

No one traveling down Greenville Avenue would have taken a second look at the Washington Mutual building that sat stripped of its corporate brand and unused until Saturday night. The uninviting shell of a bank, surrounded by a chain link fence, drew in a crowd of Dallas gallery goers like a magnet.

Construction of the bank at 5030 Greenville was completed just in time for the government to seize WaMu. The company’s failure created a shiny, new and completely useless symbol of our new economic reality. Modern Ruin is an exhibition organized by Christina Rees and Thomas Feulmer in which 15 artists displayed and created work with the resources of the soon to be demolished building.

The exhibition took over the whole of the bank, from the front door to the drive up pneumatic tubes in the rear of the building. Upon entering you were immediately confronted with Noah Simblist’s Double Trouble – a bleak statement painted in the entryway while broken noises filtered in from Jeff Zilm’s video piece. At the center of the would-be bank was Frances Bagley’s work Teller Ring, a large stuffed teddy bear made of money-printed fabric, and watchful eyes inserted in light fixtures appeared above and below you. In a piece by Thomas Feulmer visitors were able to trade items for stamped dollars via the teller tubes with a man in a space suit. Throughout the exhibition Cameron Schoepp installed bags of water in the ceiling that dripped into buckets on the floor. The space was an unusual balance between the creative works and the destructive impact of the artists on the building, foreshadowing the future destruction of the building itself.

Though the art ranged from subtle to performative, the atmosphere of the re-purposed bank unified all of the works contained with a feeling of strangeness and both a connection to and defiance of their site. This atmosphere of strange destruction was well communicated to visitors who stole peepholes from Terri Thornton’s piece the big picture, from public to private. In the end, WaMu created a million dollar venue for the critique of a crisis it helped to create.

Modern Ruin was open to the public for two days only, and will be demolished this week.

Double Trouble by Noah Simblist (Photo by Kasten Searles)

Teller Ring by Frances Bagley (Photo by Kasten Searles)

The Future by Thomas Feulmer (Photo by Kasten Searles)

Autumn by Yang Jin Long

Seizing the New World: Recent Paintings by Yang Jin Long
Crow Collection of Asian Art
Through April 18, 2010.

Stride hastily into the ground floor gallery of the Crow Collection of Asian Art and you may find yourself halting abruptly in utter awe. In this gallery hang huge canvases full of a frenzied mix of colorful and cotton eye-candy fun imagery. This is the work of Yang Jin Long. Slow your approach to take in Yang’s Untitled Series, a collection of contemporary Chinese works of art that is intensely enriched with a depth echoing the vibe of modern China.

In the span of thirty years since the death of Mao China, mega Chinese cities have become an almost physical assault of colors, lights and noise. This transformation leaves no doubt that the period of stagnation that was the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution is long gone. In my mind, Yang’s work both reflects and pays homage to this explosion of vitality in his home country.

Contemporary Chinese art of the last few decades has mirrored the post-Maoist China’s period of nation-wide turmoil and economic disarray in diverse ways; depicting the conflicts between old and new, tradition and modernism as well as a never ending search for identity. Yang Jin Long’s oil on canvas works are a gorgeous bedlam of vivid colors, bright hues, symbolism, and just about everything that makes the mega cities of China so boisterous and vibrant.

Yang’s impeccable knowledge of art and techniques shines through in his Four Seasons Series on display in the Mezzanine of the Crow Collection. My favorite is Autumn, with its strong tension between traditional and modern Chinese symbolism. In this piece, Yang forgoes the irony and ambiguity of the other seasons as he balances a respect for antiquity and tradition. It is a fascinating mix of traditional and modern technique. His devotion to technique, demonstrated in a meticulously rendered Chimera, coupled with poetic expression is what I think of as the foundations of great Chinese art. I only wish it were displayed in a position where I could view it from a greater distance.

Admittedly, not every person will immediately warm to Yang Jin Long’s work. But, is not the purpose of all art to tempt a patron into spending a little time contemplating the point of view of the artist, so as to expand the patron’s perspective?

Amy Hofland, Director of the Crow Collection, remarks,” [Yang’s] composition is intense, but full of messages – Yang is a teacher on canvas.” Wouldn’t it be marvelous if the Crow Collection left out a few cushions, from the Tuesday evening meditation session, on which patrons could sit before one of Yang’s pieces to savor its depth of details? I took advantage of those meditation cushions on a 3rd visit and thoroughly enjoyed a different view of and message within Autumn. I saw the “tree” of round fans and fresh fruit, juxtaposed with abstract half-fan shaped wood wedges, as a quite captivating transition from ancient to modern China where the round fans signify union and happiness, the fresh fruit symbolize life and a new beginning and the abstract depictions of wood represent innovation and prosperity.

These works from Yang are a striking representation of Chinese contemporary art that invite the patron to contemplate the weight of China’s history and its present-day reformulation. I love to grant myself several visits to view an exhibition. However, this is the first time I actually sat on the floor and gave myself time to explore the rich details. Call it bright and chaotic, but do not call it formulaic or superficial. Yang paints what he feels, drawing from his diverse interests in “motifs and elements from ancient and modern art history, film, everyday life, music, literature and science.”

I challenge you to follow suit! Sit on the floor before your favorite work from Yang. Close your eyes and meditate on that one little gem of iconography that calls to you and think about what it means to you as well as what it might mean to Yang Jin Long. Come back and share your thoughts with us!

Autumn by Yang Jin Long

Disparate General by Goya, c.1816-1824

Goya’s Prints: The Dawn of Modern Art
Blanton Museum of Art
Through March 7, 2010

If you are wandering the corridor’s of the Blanton Museum of Art not sure what to do with yourself while between exhibitions, it is well worth your time to stop by the small exhibition featuring prints by the Spanish Master Goya. Goya’s Prints: The Dawn of Modern Art is located in the upstairs print gallery, and although the area seems tiny in comparison to the major exhibition space, it offers a view into the later years of this world renowned artist.

Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes was a household name even during his lifetime. Although in the 1700’s he was known for his grand portraits of royalty and depictions of the frivolity surrounding the upper class, the modern viewer maybe more familiar with the work produced in his disenchanted older age. After living through French invasions, civil strife, the formidable Spanish Inquisition, and an illness that left him deaf, Goya’s work no longer contained the sunny disposition it once had.

One release for the torments of this troubled artists was in his prints, some of which were so controversial they could not be published in Goya’s lifetime. The Blanton, whose private collection holds over thirty of Goya’s prints, presents a selection from four groups of work by this artist, La Tauromaquia (Bullfighters), Los Disparates, Los Caprichos and Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War). All of which contain commentary on the current social climate of Spain and various ways in which the common person had suffered at the hands of various foreign or national powers.

The prints are dark not only in their content, but also in their construction. If you take a moment to view the prints housed in the neighboring galleries, what you will find are smooth, clean lines and clear depictions of the moods and actions of the figures. Although some examples of Goya’s work does coincide with these observations, his most striking pieces are quite a contrast from this model. Many pieces, such as Disparate General, have a fast, sketchy quality to the scene. The figures loom in and out of large, inky shadows, with their faces shaded to the point of being disfigured.

The scenes are a jumble of metaphor and fear with an underlying current of deep revulsion towards humanity. Goya stresses how far man has fallen with the representation of shadowy goblins and devils hovering over figures and prodding them on their wicked ways. Although the devilish figures are haunting enough, what is most disturbing is the portrayal of the eyes of the human figures. The majority of the people, even those lurking in the shadows, have round, bulging eyes that seem to pop from their heads. This conveys a sense of madness within the figures, as if they are carrying out their evil deeds in a frenzied, dehumanizing trance.

This small collection of prints is not a group meant to brighten your day. It is, however, a captivating glimpse into the psychological state of Goya towards the end of his life, that of a royal painter haunted by the atrocities of humanity.

Disparate General by Goya, c.1816-1824