In Two Places at Once

Well, three places at once, if you count Tandem Trouble which winds down tomorrow, Oct. 26 with a closing reception from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. We will make room for the next artist at Eyeporium, and with no time wasted, I'll jump right into the next exhibitions.

This busy Chicago Artists Month finds my artwork being exhibited at two galleries that have their opening receptions the same evening — Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 — and unless I manage to clone myself between now and then, I might have to miss one of the parties on different sides of town.

First is "Ethereal Fauna: The Artist's Muse"

When Tom Robinson offered Kim Laurel and me an exhibition at his gallery, we considered doing a two-person show, but decided instead to broaden the opportunity by inviting other artists into a group exhibition. We selected the theme of the inner animal muse, then put forth a challenge to artists whose work we respect to create one or more new works on the theme of Ethereal Fauna: The Artist’s Muse.

With the idea in mind of a unified installation, we specified a a synthetic paper Yupo because of its tensile strength. The material's translucent quality also reinforces the ethereal aspect.

Hardly anyone was familiar with Yupo, and we had to prod the local art supply stores to stock enough for everyone. Most of the invited artists accepted the challenge and began exploring this new surface. Several artists utilized its unique properties, including its non-absorbency which creates lovely reticulation, its strength and durability by scratching and puncturing the surface, and the transparency by layering or working both sides of the sheet.

My own entry, which is titled "Hopefully I'm Evolving" shows my head on some sort of skeletal amalgam of hooved beast and primate. The Yupo was fine with the acrylics, and I gave it a coat of matte varnish for good measure.

Kim and Tom and I finished hanging the show yesterday, and we are so pleased with the quality of the work, and the overall effect of the handsome installation. You'll have to see it in person to fully appreciate the effect of the artwork gently moving in the breeze which is created by your body as you approach them.

For all the facts and a sneak preview, check out the online gallery at etherealfauna.blogspot.com.

Second group exhibition is "Buy Land!"

Jackie Kazarian did a studio visit and asked me to submit two landscape paintings to the group exhibition "Buy Land!" which she organized for Art in My Back Yard.

She did some fishing to find a space worthy of the exhibition, and landed a vacant storefront prominently located at 4201 N. Elston Avenue, with exposed brick walls and large windows facing the street. It promises to be an interesting show.

Check out my painting "Branching" on the poster:

Art In My Back Yard
presents
BUY LAND!

10 artists view the American landscape through painting, photography and video

"Buy land, they're not making it anymore." - Mark Twain

Lorna Filippini
Pamela Valvano Gibson
Liz Gresey
Fletcher Hayes
Jennifer Hines
Michael Barret Kolasinski
Chris Novak
Garrett Reese
Neil Shapiro
Cyd Smillie

Oct. 2–30, 2009
Opening Reception 6-9 pm Friday Oct. 2

Gallery Location: 4201 N. Elston Ave.
Gallery Hours: Fridays, 6-8 pm
Saturdays, 12-4 pm
Sundays, 12-4 pm

Information: Jackie Kazarian
jk@jackiekazarian.net
773-294-9464
www.artinmybackyard.com

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Here Comes Tandem Trouble

Eyeporium Gallery Presents

Tandem Trouble
Works by
Fletcher Hayes & Kim Laurel

Friday, Sept. 4 through Sept. 26, 2009

at Eyeporium Gallery

Opening Reception — 7-10 pm Friday, Sept. 4
 
Closing Reception — 3-5 pm Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009

1543 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, (in the heart of Wicker Park/Bucktown)

This boutique venue showcases two independent Chicago artists' fun favorites and new works.

Fletcher Hayes pursues an ongoing investigation of the figure through drawing and painting, plus experiments with juxtaposed photographs.

Kim Laurel utilizes mixed media including printmaking, collage, drawing and painting in works that involve abstract symbol studies and iconic animal image forms.

An eclectic mix!

_____________

Eye Want & Eyeporium Gallery
1543 N Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60622
P: 773-782-1744 Fax: 773-782-1745


Open Monday - Friday: Noon to 7pm
Saturday: Noon to 5pm
Closed Sundays

_____________

Eyeporium will have extended hours during the smART Show. Please call for details.

smARTshow
The Wicker Park/Bucktown Fall Arts Festival
When:
September 11 : 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
September 12 : 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.
September 13 : 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Event Phone Number: 312-335-3000


The second annual fest showcases more than 150 artists inside the Flat Iron building and neighborhood spots. Live music and performance art round out the fest.

Chicago Artists Resource listing

Chicago Artists' Coalition listing

ArtSlant listing (with images)

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Sinister Reflections

An exhibition I viewed on Friday at the Avram Eisen Gallery titled "The End of the 80s" includes a couple of shadowboxes by Sean Culver. My guess turned out correct that the photographic images within the boxes were daguerreotypes, similar to ones I have come across in antique stores.

In a quick glance I saw formal portraits of a shirtless man holding an open book in one box, and a woman with eyes closed wearing a black dress in the other. On closer examination a disturbing object revealed itself in the center of each.

Inside each black-lined box a pair of daguerreotypes are mounted at 90º to each other. Being highly reflective by their nature, they share their imagery, which involves the person on one plate and a more sinister image on the opposite plate -- a skeletal hand and a scorpion, respectively.

To me these combined images signify mortality or some malady of the soul. I came away feeling like an anthropologist who has discovered what it was that killed someone's great-grandparents.


The exhibition continues through August 31, 2009 at 5204 N. Damen Avenue in Chicago.

Fame Spreads the Fortune

It's always a thrill to me when I come across a piece of my artwork in someone's home that I had forgotten that they owned.

Most artists, when they sell a work of art, feel that they are placing their "adoptive child" in a good home. The reality is that the artwork is a commodity that can change hands countless times without notifying the artist. It is unfortunate that subsequent sales of a piece of art by a living artist do not provide residual payments to the artist as the piece's value increases with each transaction.

The greater the artist's reputation, the greater the demand, and with higher demand come lofty values on artwork. It's too bad an artist who is working hard to develop recognition for his/her art doesn't receive a percentage of the profits from previously sold art that is presently worth a lot more to the current owners.

On the other hand, that is why art collectors invest in art in the first place. They know that if they catch a rising star and buy a piece when the prices are still low they will have something much more valuable as the artist gains reputation. That is, if the collector can stand to part with it after the artist has hit the big time.

I'm Enjoying Two Current Exhibitions

JoJo Baby and Sal-E as documented by Bernard Colbert
"52 Mondays: Getting Into Face"

(Sal-E at the opening reception)

Curated by: Annette Sollars

Eyeporium Gallery
1543 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622

July 10 - August 1, 2009
http://www.artslant.com/chi/events/show/60866-52-mondays-getting-into-face

and
"Size Matters" at Packer Schopf Gallery
(At the opening reception)

"Size Matters" at Packer Schopf Gallery: http://www.packergallery.com/

Includes my friends:

Victoria Fuller (website) - Safety Star — a starburst made from fluorescent orange street cones that appears simple until you peer into the steel structure

Renee McGinnis (website) - a heroic portrait of the Merchandise Mart flanked by Cupids, all underneath a gigantic thunderhead

Catherine Jacobi (website) - 'Mary' — a skull almost large enough for a person to hide inside and view out through the eye sockets

Friday's opening of “52 Mondays: Getting Into Face”might be a riot.

I got a sneak preview of the outrageous “52 Mondays: Getting Into Face,” Bernard Colbert's photographs document performance artists JoJo Baby and Sal-E as they get ready to host Green Dolphin Street's weekly “Boom Boom Room” party.

The opening 7–10 pm Fri, Jul 10, 2009 promises to be quite an event.

Eyeporium Gallery
1543 N Milwaukee Ave (between North Ave and Honore St)
Bucktown/Wicker Park, Chicago

773-782-1744
http://www.eyewanteyewear.com

http://www.artslant.com/chi/events/show/60866-52-mondays-getting-into-face

I kid you not, "About Wood" kicks butt!

I recommend the "About Wood" exhibition at Las Manos Gallery this month.

Show:
July 3 - 26 2009

Las Manos Gallery
5220 N. Clark Street (half block N. of Foster)
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 728-8910
Hours: Sat and Sun 12-5 or by appt.

www.lasmanosgallery.org/