Monday, January 31, 2011
Art news World of the Pharaohs
From youtube, here's some video from inside the Cairo Museum, a small portion of which was looted during the ongoing protests. More on the looting here.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Friday, January 28, 2011
Art news $35 million at U of A, but not for art
A post on the U of A's history listserv makes an apt observation about the Razorbacks' plan to issue bonds to build a "football center."
Regarding historic preservation, I noted that Edward Durell Stone's son Hicks Stone, in his address on his father's work and life to a full house in his father's Fine Arts Center at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville, lamented that the landmark building is deteriorating and in serious need of restoration. Today Jeff Long announced UA Board approval of a 25 million dollar bond program to boost football facilities.
The Football Center is, in total, a $35 million project.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments (1)
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Art lecture A softer Stone
Native Arkansan Ed Stone, who in his architectural work found inspiration in the grillwork of the Middle East, turned to men who knew about wagon wheels and plow handles to produce his furniture, tables and chairs and settees as spare as the living eked out in the Ozarks and as graceful as the mountains. Split oak webbing, blond wood, S curves and rectangles.
Stone, we learned from a visit last weekend to the exhibit “Ozark Modern” at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where his furniture is on display, was putting an Arkansas spin on a New York design — the Eames chair. Today, our furniture is overstuffed, like our lives.
Candy fans interested in learning more about Stone’s work can head over to the Stella Boyle Smith auditorium in the Fine Arts Center tonight at 7 p.m. to hear Stone’s son, Hicks, give a talk, “Edward Durell Stone: The Urbane Rustic.” There will be a reception in the gallery afterward.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Exhibitions Charles Pearce: Lined up at Laman
Charles Pearce — born in England, living in Eureka Springs — combines calligraphy with paint "in a vain attempt to have calligraphic work more widely accepted by the fine art fraternity." So says the news release from the Laman Public Library, which opens a new exhibition, "The Painted Word: Calligraphic Paintings by Charles Pearce" today.
Pearce is the author of "The Little Manual of Calligraphy" and "The Anatomy of Letters," and is also a ceramicist.
As a print person with a (really ancient) background in art, I'm a fan of fonts, and how letters can express mood. But the reason the piece above ("Solitude") works for me — and it gets more interesting the more I look at it — is that the letters function as abstract form, marks across the picture plane.
When I think of calligraphy and art, and in fact this is something I've actually thought about, I think of former Arkansas State University professor and artist Evan Lindquist. His lines are calligraphic without being alphabetical. For example (more on the jump):
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Art news Art for the heart
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has a super feature story today (subscription required) by Bobby Ampezzan on the artists-in-residence program at Arkansas Children's Hospital, where Hamid Ebrahimifar and Elizabeth Weber work with the patients. In the article, Hamid and a 7-year-old heart transplant patient make art by playing "hockey" with tongue depressors on a piece of paper, batting a paint-soaked ball back and forth. Weber fills little medicine cups with paint to work with her 6-year-old patient. What a great program. You can see the children's work — such as the cars Hamid made with older patients — at the Thea Foundation at 401 Main in North Little Rock. The show runs through Jan. 28.
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Friday, January 21, 2011
Exhibitions Tonight: Doug Gorrell
Cantrell Gallery will hold a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight to open its exhibit of new paintings by Little Rock impressionist Doug Gorrell. "People, Places & Things" will feature plein-air work by avid traveler Gorrell, who describes himself as a colorist. The exhibit runs through March 5.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Third Friday Argenta ArtWalk Kendall Stallings, Benini, Matthew Castellano and more
Tonight's Third Friday ArtWalk in Argenta offers up a hugely eclectic showing of work, thanks to Greg Thompson's celebration of 15 years in the art biz, a focus on children at the Thea Foundation and a varied selection of media at Ketz Gallery.
Former Hot Springs artist and gallery owner Benini hasn't lived in Arkansas for some time — he's in the Texas hill country now — but his post-pop work will be at Thompson Fine Art, 429 Main St., along with photorealist work by Glenray Tutor, impressionism by Barry Thomas, surrealism by Gary Bolding, geometrical lightscapes by Al Allen and more. Post-post-pop artists Matthew Castellano and Sulac and jeweler Cliff Bernard will have work at Ketz, 705 Main St., as will Sharon Dawn Clark, who hand-paints gourds. Work by patients at Arkansas Children's Hospital is featured at Thea, 401 Main St., and artists-in-residence at Children's Hamid Ebrahimifar and Elizabeth Weber will be on hand to talk about their work with the children. Sharon Franke will give a demonstration of painting technique at Thea, and artists in TheArtists Studios on the second floor of the foundation building will open their studios for the evening.
Third Friday runs 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Exhibitions Cody Arnall at Pulaski Tech
Work by Louisiana artist Cody Arnall has been at Pulaski Tech since last November, according to a news release I just got today announcing a gallery talk and closing reception at 10 a.m. next Wednesday, Jan. 26. Better late than never! The exhibit is in Pulaski Tech's Bank of the Ozarks Gallery in its Ottenheimer Library.
The release says the show features three prints and six sculptures made of domestic, industrial and commonplace objects, "many of which Arnall finds at thrift stores."
The gallery is open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
An artist statement I googled up:
While exploring the area I live, work and study in, I take the opportunity to collect things that others have discarded. I am drawn to particular objects. These things are humdrum in the sense that they are typically over looked or easily replaced, but their contexts and uses are socially occupied enough that when the unfamiliar and the unexpected is forced on them they become curious. I consider these qualities when I manipulate and begin to assemble formal associations with these objects.With care, I recycle these objects; deconstruct, repaint, refinish, rework, bend, cut, and reassemble them in new ways. I work quickly, not afraid to attack and make ‘mistakes.’ I constantly flip these objects over and over during construction. I do this to channel a sense of spontaneity and movement in the pieces I create. I also seek to unify the surface of these objects by layered paint, in order to push a sense of ambiguity and curiosity that viewers can engage in.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Art news Rohwer art given to Butler Center
Slideshow
Those who attended the many exhibits that attended the "Life Interrupted" project in 2004 will recall the tremendous art generated by the Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II at camps in Arkansas. The work of Henry Sugimoto, a professional artist before his government locked him up at Jerome, was on display at the Cox Creative Center; drawings by children interned at Rohwer were exhibited at the Baum Gallery at UCA, and a show titled “Lasting Beauty: Miss Jamison and the Student Muralists” was at UALR.
The Butler Center announced today that it has received "Miss Jamison's" collection of art and other materials generated at Rohwer, a gift of Rosalie Gould of McGehee. Gould and Rohwer art teacher Mabel Jamison Vogel made it their cause to preserve the memory of Rohwer, which was dismantled, and Jamison Vogel gave Gould her collection in her will.
From the Butler Center's news release (in full on the jump):
Appraiser Jennifer Carman describes the materials Gould has given the Butler Center as "unique among internment collections" and cites experts Franklin Odo and Delphine Hirasuna who have said it contains artwork and documents that are "truly unmatched among objects in public collections." The collection also includes a large amount of material documenting day-to-day life in the camp, which had its own school system, police department, and mayor.
David Stricklin, Butler Center director, says in the release that he looks forward to sharing the work with the people of Arkansas. We look forward to that, as well.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Monday, January 17, 2011
Exhibitions Opening Tuesday at Fayetteville Walton: Bethany Springer
Bethany Springer, a professor of art at the University of Arkansas, opens a show of her mixed media work tomorrow, Jan. 18, at the Walton Arts Center.
The exhibit, "Watermarks," "offers a glimpse of a promising young artist who works with materials and ideas that speak to our current climate of accelerating technological change and globalization," the Walton press release says. I couldn't get a larger image of "Mirage" above, but the digital print was described for me this way: "Desktop wallpaper scenes are reflected in six dozen Joan of Arc sterling silver place knives (with hollow handles)." UPDATE: The artist sent me this larger-resolution image.
The exhibit is part of the Walton's "Signature Projects" series of work by established and emerging artists. Sculpture by Anita Huffington opened the series.
A reception is set for 4:30-7 p.m. on Feb. 3, when downtown Fayetteville celebrates First Thursday.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 'Museum Boom': Bloomberg cites Crystal Bridges
In a story published last week headlined "Eli Broad, Wal-Mart Heiress, Piano Lead Museum Boom," Bloomberg News' James S. Russell says the next few years will see a boom in new museums. Nothing new here, except his inclusion of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in his list of 11 significant new museums. Only CBMAA and the St. Louis Art Museum (also adding 200,000 square feet) don't disclose the total cost of museum construction. The article notes the Whitney is spending a cool $450 million on its new museum, slated to open in 2015 in New York's meatpacking district.
Would like to know the final price tag for Alice Walton's museum. Does $200 million sound close?
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
"Women to Watch 2011"
Six women who were nominated for consideration for The National Museum of Women in the Arts "Body of Work" exhibit in Washington are showing their work at the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas through March 19. The show will make three other stops in Arkansas. Included in the exhibit are works by Emily Wood, Endia Gomez, Janet Frankovic, Nikki Hemphill, Ruth Pasquine and Thu Nguyen; Catherine Brimberry was also a nominee but does not have work in the show. Deborah Warren (a 2007 nominee) is showing her photographs as well.
Hemphill, of Harrison, was chosen as the Arkansas representative for the national exhibit by NMWA contemporary curator Kathryn A. Wat.
Nominees were selected by Les Christensen of the Bradbury Gallery in Jonesboro. For information on the Arkansas Committee of NMWA, go here.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Saturday, January 15, 2011
2nd Friday Art Night Robert Scott Duncanson
I apologize for not getting the name of this artist who portrayed Robert Scott Duncanson at Hearne Fine Art last night. I also apologize for the shaky video. But you might find the information about this 19th century African American landscape painter, whose work is at Hearne, interesting.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments (1)
Friday, January 14, 2011
2nd Friday Art Night 2nd Friday Art Night: ASI, Hearne, HAM, Mediums and more
Slideshow
The Central High School drama department and professional actors will be on hand at Hearne Fine Art, 1001 Wright Ave., for tonight’s 2nd Friday Art Night event portraying the African-American painters whose work is on display there. "Pioneers of the Paint: Masters of the 19th Century" features the work of Robert Scott Duncanson, Edward Mitchell Bannister, Charles Ethan Porter and Henry Ossawa Tanner; visitors will be able to vote for their favorite pieces. Performance times are 5:45 p.m. and 7 p.m.; 2nd Friday Art Night runs from 5 to 8 p.m.
At the Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third, listen to Mare Carmody and Friends and check out the exhibits, including paintings by Adrienne Cullins, sculpture by Diana B. Ashley and multi-media by Scinthya Edwards, then stroll over to the Arkansas Studies Institute (401 President Clinton Ave.) for nosh from The Food Truck, live entertainment by the Smittle Band (a contestant in our coming Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase) and the "2010 Design Awards Exhibition" by the Arkansas architects and more.
You're not done yet. Down the street from ASI, in the Courtyard Marriott, the ArtGroup Maumelle is showing work and serving hot chocolate. The Copper Grill (300 Third Tower) features work by Theresa Cates, and Christ Episcopal Church (509 Scott) is hosting "Love and Light," a group show of work by 10 artists. Mediums Art Lounge (521 Center St.) has a show of work by Ngozi Okechukwu. Dizzy's (200 River Market Ave.) and Lulav (220 W. 6th St.) are also offering up food, drink and visual sustenance.
Fortunately, there’s a rubber-wheeled trolley running between all the venues so you don’t have to spend much time in the cold. Quite a night.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Exhibitions "Women Call for Peace: Global Vistas"
Opening in Gallery I of UALR today: An exhibit of work by 13 big name artists, including Chakaia Booker, Judy Chicago, Faith Ringgold, Betye Saar and others: The Exhibits USA and Mid-America Art Alliance show denounces aggression and hopes to bring peace through art.
From the UALR press release:
The works in this exhibition are formidable in their disavowals of violence of all kinds—personal, political, domestic, and international. Their messages are all the more compelling because they reflect a range of religious beliefs, racial identities, and personal encounters with violence. Lebanon-born, Helen Zughaib brings a global perspective to Prayers for Peace derived from her experiences of living in the Middle East, Europe, and now the United States. Prompted by escalating conflicts between Muslims and Christians after 9/11, she portrays four people praying for peace in an Islamic mosque-inspired setting. With their backs to viewers, they become timeless guardian figures.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock | Permalink | Comments
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