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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