A new month, a new moon, and new artists on the scene
Filed Under: Uncategorized by Adventures Inside a Bright-Eyed Sky — Mar 05, 2010
Inspired by art? By all means, come one … come all to Nashville. Nashville is not just a place where you are quick to see aspiring musicians and songwriters play their latest tunes as they walk across the street at all times of day and night. No; if you haven’t noticed yet, Nashville is becoming something much much more. It is slowly becoming the epicenter of visual art in the South. It is a place where young and old artists are coming together to call home all the while helping promote each others’ works, hopes and visions.
That being written, this weekend holds another handful of treats if treats are what you are seeking. Well-known artists Sydney Reichman and Kaaren Hirschowitz Engel will be present at the Centennial Art Center tonight from 5-7pm to display new pieces, answer any questions from the audience, and also give everyone a free glimpse into their creative process by offering the visitors on hand hands on demonstrations on how they done it! It sure sounds like a great appetizer for the other creative happenings to prepare for tomorrow.
What creative happenings am I typing about? Well, within the First Saturday Art Crawl, I instantly gravitated towards three specific things that I am very excited about to share with you personally (if reading about them on the internet via a story on Examiner is personal for you). The first attention grabber, not shockingly, came in the arrival of another fascinating installation at Twist Gallery. Oliver and Lucha is a wonderful wedding of puppetry and printmaking. Combining Oliver’s take on illustrations, paintings, and creative puppets matched alongside Lucha Rodriguez’s print work will make you believe you just walked into a room where Dr. Seuss, Shel Siverstein, and Jim Henson all worked on the same project. Yep, you could call it magical.
After Twist, head on over to The Rymer Gallery once more to introduce yourself to Layered: new works by Dan Addington. Not only will you be pleasantly surprised by such an introduction, but you will surely be in awe of the new series beside Layered that was put together one of my local favorites, L.A. Bachman called The Big Break Up: This is not a love story. Inspired by continental movement, all of the materials used in Bachman’s latest series were provided by the Professional Development Support Grant she received for 2010.
And speaking of professional development, please put your hands together and feet in motion in order to welcome and attend one of my family friend’s Nashville art debut within a group exhibition at the Davis Art Advisory/The Showroom. After growing up in parts of Kentucky, moving to Chicago for a bit to share her art and talents with the windy city masses, Amanda Sears is happy to call Nashville her home and base (home base if you will) to launch her next creative moves as an artist, actress and fashion stylist. Feel free to stop by any time between 6-9pm so you can catch a glimpse of this newly arrived talent and excitement surrounding a much awaited arrival on the art scene.
So if the above is not enough to get you excited about art in Nashville for the weekend ahead, then this might be the wrong Examiner page for you. No matter what you get into, be safe and be kind to one another. And don’t laugh at that guy singing his song and playing his guitar while crossing the street … try joining in and singing along!
Salud,
Chuck Beard
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Oliver and Lucha at Twist Art Gallery
Nashville Scene
Oliver and Lucha at Twist
It Takes Two
Joe Nolan
Stumbling by Oliver and Lucha's MySpace page — yes, people still have those — is an experience that could be described as “horrifically cute” or “painfully colorful.” Sounding equally inviting and protective, Twist curator Beth Gilmore laughs, “Wait until you see the gallery!” A pair of Georgia peaches, the two-headed-girl-monster that is Oliver and Lucha combines installation, drawing, sound, sculpture and puppets to express a range of ideas inspired by everyone and everything from Doctor Seuss to stuffed animals and bubble gum. Attempting to create greater connection with their audience, the pair often incorporates scratch-and-sniff elements, touch-friendly textures and wearable art into their tripped-out, candy-coated affairs. We won't give away any secrets, but be prepared to check out some totally tubular sounds at this eye-popping exhibit.
http://www.nashvillescene.com/events/oliver-and-lucha-403466/
Oliver and Lucha at Twist
It Takes Two
Joe Nolan
Stumbling by Oliver and Lucha's MySpace page — yes, people still have those — is an experience that could be described as “horrifically cute” or “painfully colorful.” Sounding equally inviting and protective, Twist curator Beth Gilmore laughs, “Wait until you see the gallery!” A pair of Georgia peaches, the two-headed-girl-monster that is Oliver and Lucha combines installation, drawing, sound, sculpture and puppets to express a range of ideas inspired by everyone and everything from Doctor Seuss to stuffed animals and bubble gum. Attempting to create greater connection with their audience, the pair often incorporates scratch-and-sniff elements, touch-friendly textures and wearable art into their tripped-out, candy-coated affairs. We won't give away any secrets, but be prepared to check out some totally tubular sounds at this eye-popping exhibit.
http://www.nashvillescene.com/events/oliver-and-lucha-403466/
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Nashville Critical ..review of the Watkins show
Strange Cocktail: Watkins mixes Faculty and Student Work
Filed under: Uncategorized — nashvillecritical @ 11:49 pm
Though Twist is one of the most exciting galleries in Nashville, this month’s exhibit of Watkins faculty and students failed to live up to the high expectations that accompany the Watkins clan. The work itself was not all bad; however, the manner of presentation left much to be desired. The show, which was inaccurately dubbed Watkins Five + 5, was actually Watkins Five + 6. The show featured the work of five faculty members: Brady Haston, Ron Lambert, Terry Thacker, Kristi Hargrove, and Derek Coté. The faculty then chose six students to join them in the exhibit: Lauren Willis, Clayton Lancaster, Robert Dunn, Claudia O’Steen, Alexis Hicks, and Timothy Marchbanks.
Upon first entering the gallery, the extreme variation of media, color, form, and presentation made my heart race. I love nothing more than to see a display of experimentation and rule breaking. My brow began to furrow as I made my way through the front room; it was difficult to link all the work together. There seemed to be no cohesive theme running through the exhibit aside from the fact that everyone gathered in the same building on Rosa Parks Boulevard everyday. A great tool for helping the viewer connect the dots between a broad range of work is a statement from the group or curator. It is true that with group shows involving that many artists, it is not logical for everyone to have a statement beside their work, especially in this case when each artist is only showing one or two pieces. Nonetheless, a simple one page group statement near the beginning of the exhibit would have done wonders for the viewers’ ability to tie the work together.
Preventable Accidents
The first set of work I saw in the gallery was the group of hand-sized geometric sculptures by Alexis Hicks. The four tiny contraptions were made of paper reinforcements, the doughnut shaped white stickers you use to repair your paper when it pulls out of a three-ring binder. They were displayed on a large wooden shelf that competed with the delicacy of the sculptures. Though the little shapes, collectively titled Preventable Accidents, probably took a while to make and are quite crafty, the conceptual substance was hard to find.
After having heard Kristi Hargrove’s artist talk at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts recently, I was thrilled to see two of her drawings up close and personal. Hargrove, the well-read professor packing a bag full of mom issues that she often addresses in her work, is an extremely careful artist. Every mark is deliberately psychological and completely calculated. Hargrove said of the drawings, “This current work questions boundaries and limitations. I’m pressing the physicality of the paper to the point of exhausting the surface.”
Kristi Hargrove
The results are fleshy organic drawings that suggest the inexactness of the body. With a ballpoint pen, she pushes, pulls, and presses the backside of the paper to manipulate the surface of the front. “I’m finding the place where the tenderness and sensitivity of the paper mimics the pliability of my skin,” explained the artist. Her simultaneously delicate and heavy-handed graphite drawings are beautiful, sensual, and tortured. In pristine condition, the excavated drawings were the highlight of the show.
Terry Thacker, whose rumored brilliance precedes him, displayed three untitled mixed media collages and one unframed painting. All four pieces were brought together by a rich blue color, while the topless frames segregated them. His work has an accessible, immature quality that reminds me of his former student Matt Christy’s exhibition last month. In an interview Christy once told me that Thacker had greatly influenced his work. One can definitely see the influence.
Switching dimensions, faculty member Ron Lambert’s well-crafted polygonal model of a scarce environment bearing only two trees commented on the relationship between nature and technology.
Robert Dunn
Student Robert Dunn’s video titled (F)utility depicted a person wearing a bright pink jersey and a bedazzled helmet poorly chopping wood. The footage then played in reverse as if to “un-do” all the work that had just been done.The video was successful in that it was attention-grabbing and prodded the viewer to watch the entire awkward display of masculinity. However, the video could have stood on its own without the physical objects being present right next to it. Displaying the outfit used in the video did not necessarily contribute to the work.
An Easily Distinguished Set of Characteristics Suggesting a Type of Relationship between Individuals
I visited the show twice, once during the crowded Art Crawl and once entirely alone a couple of weeks later, to fully interrogate the work. Funny thing, during the second visit I noticed a sound installation existed in the back room of the gallery that was almost entirely drowned out and largely overlooked during the Art Crawl.Derek Coté’s cringing installation had an extended but necessary title, An Easily Distinguished Set of Characteristics Suggesting a Type of Relationship between Individuals. One speaker repeats in an obnoxiously cheerful female voice, “Hi, how are you? How’s it going?” while out of the other speaker drones a lifeless male voice spouting fractions of narratives such as, “One day, a French boy asks his dad for ten dollars.” Between the speakers were juvenile scrawlings made in pencil by the public. The experience of standing with your head between the two speakers was priceless. The urge to pull out my hair competed with the desire to numbly stand there and listen to several hours of the simulated conversation. The Canadian-born Coté received his Masters in Fine Art from Virginia Commonwealth University and has an impressive oeuvre in sculpture and installation. His work alone is worth the trip downtown.
Overall, the work in this show was hit or miss. There were definitely some gems in the gallery that made it worthwhile. The Watkins Five + 5 exhibit is up through March 4th at Twist Gallery in the Arcade on 5th Avenue.
Check out www.twistartgallery.com for more information and a list of upcoming exhibitions.
by Sara Estes
Arts Writer, Nashville Pix, www.nashvillepix.com
Filed under: Uncategorized — nashvillecritical @ 11:49 pm
Though Twist is one of the most exciting galleries in Nashville, this month’s exhibit of Watkins faculty and students failed to live up to the high expectations that accompany the Watkins clan. The work itself was not all bad; however, the manner of presentation left much to be desired. The show, which was inaccurately dubbed Watkins Five + 5, was actually Watkins Five + 6. The show featured the work of five faculty members: Brady Haston, Ron Lambert, Terry Thacker, Kristi Hargrove, and Derek Coté. The faculty then chose six students to join them in the exhibit: Lauren Willis, Clayton Lancaster, Robert Dunn, Claudia O’Steen, Alexis Hicks, and Timothy Marchbanks.
Upon first entering the gallery, the extreme variation of media, color, form, and presentation made my heart race. I love nothing more than to see a display of experimentation and rule breaking. My brow began to furrow as I made my way through the front room; it was difficult to link all the work together. There seemed to be no cohesive theme running through the exhibit aside from the fact that everyone gathered in the same building on Rosa Parks Boulevard everyday. A great tool for helping the viewer connect the dots between a broad range of work is a statement from the group or curator. It is true that with group shows involving that many artists, it is not logical for everyone to have a statement beside their work, especially in this case when each artist is only showing one or two pieces. Nonetheless, a simple one page group statement near the beginning of the exhibit would have done wonders for the viewers’ ability to tie the work together.
Preventable Accidents
The first set of work I saw in the gallery was the group of hand-sized geometric sculptures by Alexis Hicks. The four tiny contraptions were made of paper reinforcements, the doughnut shaped white stickers you use to repair your paper when it pulls out of a three-ring binder. They were displayed on a large wooden shelf that competed with the delicacy of the sculptures. Though the little shapes, collectively titled Preventable Accidents, probably took a while to make and are quite crafty, the conceptual substance was hard to find.
After having heard Kristi Hargrove’s artist talk at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts recently, I was thrilled to see two of her drawings up close and personal. Hargrove, the well-read professor packing a bag full of mom issues that she often addresses in her work, is an extremely careful artist. Every mark is deliberately psychological and completely calculated. Hargrove said of the drawings, “This current work questions boundaries and limitations. I’m pressing the physicality of the paper to the point of exhausting the surface.”
Kristi Hargrove
The results are fleshy organic drawings that suggest the inexactness of the body. With a ballpoint pen, she pushes, pulls, and presses the backside of the paper to manipulate the surface of the front. “I’m finding the place where the tenderness and sensitivity of the paper mimics the pliability of my skin,” explained the artist. Her simultaneously delicate and heavy-handed graphite drawings are beautiful, sensual, and tortured. In pristine condition, the excavated drawings were the highlight of the show.
Terry Thacker, whose rumored brilliance precedes him, displayed three untitled mixed media collages and one unframed painting. All four pieces were brought together by a rich blue color, while the topless frames segregated them. His work has an accessible, immature quality that reminds me of his former student Matt Christy’s exhibition last month. In an interview Christy once told me that Thacker had greatly influenced his work. One can definitely see the influence.
Switching dimensions, faculty member Ron Lambert’s well-crafted polygonal model of a scarce environment bearing only two trees commented on the relationship between nature and technology.
Robert Dunn
Student Robert Dunn’s video titled (F)utility depicted a person wearing a bright pink jersey and a bedazzled helmet poorly chopping wood. The footage then played in reverse as if to “un-do” all the work that had just been done.The video was successful in that it was attention-grabbing and prodded the viewer to watch the entire awkward display of masculinity. However, the video could have stood on its own without the physical objects being present right next to it. Displaying the outfit used in the video did not necessarily contribute to the work.
An Easily Distinguished Set of Characteristics Suggesting a Type of Relationship between Individuals
I visited the show twice, once during the crowded Art Crawl and once entirely alone a couple of weeks later, to fully interrogate the work. Funny thing, during the second visit I noticed a sound installation existed in the back room of the gallery that was almost entirely drowned out and largely overlooked during the Art Crawl.Derek Coté’s cringing installation had an extended but necessary title, An Easily Distinguished Set of Characteristics Suggesting a Type of Relationship between Individuals. One speaker repeats in an obnoxiously cheerful female voice, “Hi, how are you? How’s it going?” while out of the other speaker drones a lifeless male voice spouting fractions of narratives such as, “One day, a French boy asks his dad for ten dollars.” Between the speakers were juvenile scrawlings made in pencil by the public. The experience of standing with your head between the two speakers was priceless. The urge to pull out my hair competed with the desire to numbly stand there and listen to several hours of the simulated conversation. The Canadian-born Coté received his Masters in Fine Art from Virginia Commonwealth University and has an impressive oeuvre in sculpture and installation. His work alone is worth the trip downtown.
Overall, the work in this show was hit or miss. There were definitely some gems in the gallery that made it worthwhile. The Watkins Five + 5 exhibit is up through March 4th at Twist Gallery in the Arcade on 5th Avenue.
Check out www.twistartgallery.com for more information and a list of upcoming exhibitions.
by Sara Estes
Arts Writer, Nashville Pix, www.nashvillepix.com
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Watkins Five +5 at Twist Art Gallery
Nashville Scene
Watkins Five +5
Date/Time:Every week Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Sat., February 6 until Sat., February 27
Five + 5 at Twist Gallery
School Daze
Joe Nolan
For this month's Gallery Crawl, Twist Gallery's space at 73 Arcade will play host to a new show of work by both students and faculty from Watkins College of Art. In the last few years, the college has attracted an increasingly talented number of artists to instruct at the school, and the impact of Watkins' students on the local art scene has taken on the urgency and thoroughness of a zombie rampage: There is no escape! Five + 5 will feature the work of students Lauren Willis, Clayton Lancaster, Robert Dunn, Claudia O'Steen, Alexis Hicks and Tim Marchbanks, which will be shown with the work of Watkins faculty members Ron Lambert, Derek Cote, Kristi Hargrove and Brady Haston and Terry Thacker, who both participated in last year's abstract painting survey at Cheekwood.
Opening reception 6-9 p.m., Feb. 6.
Watkins Five +5
Date/Time:Every week Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Sat., February 6 until Sat., February 27
Five + 5 at Twist Gallery
School Daze
Joe Nolan
For this month's Gallery Crawl, Twist Gallery's space at 73 Arcade will play host to a new show of work by both students and faculty from Watkins College of Art. In the last few years, the college has attracted an increasingly talented number of artists to instruct at the school, and the impact of Watkins' students on the local art scene has taken on the urgency and thoroughness of a zombie rampage: There is no escape! Five + 5 will feature the work of students Lauren Willis, Clayton Lancaster, Robert Dunn, Claudia O'Steen, Alexis Hicks and Tim Marchbanks, which will be shown with the work of Watkins faculty members Ron Lambert, Derek Cote, Kristi Hargrove and Brady Haston and Terry Thacker, who both participated in last year's abstract painting survey at Cheekwood.
Opening reception 6-9 p.m., Feb. 6.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Style Blue Print writes about Twist Art Gallery
http://www.styleblueprint.com/art/freezing-icy-enjoy-virtual-gallery-tour/
January 10 2010
It’s freezing. It’s icy. Styleblueprint offers a virtual local art gallery tour.
As Liza and I plan our StyleBlueprint calendar, we've become a bit more organized in progressing our conversation on literature and art. We've even added a fun new monthly post on local music-- get excited as it will post next week. My hand always goes up when it comes to writing about local art: what's happening at the local shows and galleries, who is new on the art scene and just the general buzz in the art community. Nashville's abundance of emerging artists, as well as established artists, is one of the aspects which makes this city flourish. For a city the size of Nashville, the number and caliber of art galleries is pretty amazing. And, when other print magazines are suffering, Nashville Arts Magazine has taken off.
Before I go any further, Liza and I want to thank you so much for forwarding our blog on and championing it the way so many of you do. We had almost 3,000 hits last WEEK (we didn't even get that in a month until after we'd been publishing for 4 months!). Please continue to send your friends emails telling them to sign up. We love writing this blog and the stores are able to offer us more inside scoops and deals for you when they see our numbers grow like this. You all are the best and we love being a part of your every weekday read. To become a Facebook fan, click here!
On with the post.....
I've often wondered if the proliferation of great art, books and music is a Southern thing since this region is so rich and deeply rooted in beauty and passion. Let's face it: if you look at the breath of literature, art and music from Southern artists, it's impressive to say the least. Growing up in Midtown Memphis, I was surrounded (literally) by a cadre of incredible artists like Carroll Cloar, Mary Sims, Dolph Smith and many more. The artists I just named have all received national recognition and acclaim for their work.
So this is going to be a fun online tour of what's going on in three art galleries in Nashville. I am embarrassed to say that one of the galleries, Twist Gallery, I have never set foot in. But the buzz about this gallery is so strong, so it is my loss to be sure. It is a resolution to get there. I have selected my one favorite artist from each gallery, but I could have added several others with ease. Nashville, consider yourself fortunate to have great choices when it comes to art.
If you've never been to on a Gallery tour, or to an art opening, it is a wonderful evening. You would be absolutely surprised what is going on in the world of art in neighborhoods all over the city. From 5th Avenue Downtown, 5 Points in East Nashville to Green Hills, our city alive with cultural events of all varieties.
Twist Gallery:
Twist Gallery owners: Caroline Carlisle and Beth Gilmore
Twist is in the Arcade, one of Nashville's most historically significant buildings. Twist has captured the interest of Nashville after it was opened in 2006 by Caroline Carlisle, an art consultant and Beth Gilmore, an artist and Curator. The Twist Gallery touts innovative events encompassing music, dance and art. Twist has established itself as an art experience not simply an art gallery. The owners hope to create a new model for galleries, instead of the 'one night' art show. This new model includes having artists on display for longer periods of time, allowing for more sales. Twist offers an eclectic mix of local, regional and national artists. If you are a first time art buyer, this is a great gallery to check out as they offer boutique-style affordable art in the back room.
Pinwheel: Work on recycled paper by Lauren Kussro
My artist pick from Twist? It comes from my friend Leigh Hendry, of the Tennessee State Museum. She gave me this tip as the museum has just purchased a piece from Lauren Kussro, whose work is on display with Twist's permanent collection. Lauren Kussro is from Jackson, MS and received her MFA from University of Tennessee. She makes her own paper from recycled goods and creates fabulous designs mimicking the cellular and organic structures you see in nature. Her ability to capture the repetitiveness and patterns is ingenious. She has introduced light into her work giving another dimension all together.
Gallery One:
Gallery One is located at the split between Highway 100 and 70 in the Belle Meade Galleria Shopping Center. You'll never meet a more gracious (now that's a Southern adjective) and delightful gallery owner than Shelley McBurney. She has a marvelous eye and truly wants visitors to enjoy her gallery. Her artists in residence are like her children; she knows their works intimately. Her mailings on artist openings make me drool. One of my favorite artists at Gallery One is Susan Hall. Although I do not own one of her painting, my friend Brooks does, so I can go visit it anytime I want. When I was in Gallery One the last time, I spied the work of Brian Tull. His heightened strong sense of graphics, realism and nostalgic feel sent chills down my back. Ooops, I picked two artists.
Work by BrianTull from Gallery One
Afterglow by Susan Hall from Gallery One
Cumberland Gallery:
My list is not complete without Carol Stein's Cumberland Gallery. She has been introducing caliber artists to Nashville since 1980. She is a no-nonsense business woman located smack dab in the heart of Green Hills. I trust Carol's eye for new, emerging artists more than anyone else in the city. Currently, Carol is featuring 3 artists in a show duly named the Young Turks. The Young Turks are Dane Carder, Jeff Green and Max Shuster. It's a toss up as to who gets the "my favorite Turk" award because they are all incredible in the mediums in which they work. However, since I promised you my one favorite artist, I am particularity drawn to Dane Carder's paintings. His work is beguiling with its eerie flashbacks of the Civil War and a South we never knew. Do yourself a favor and visit the other Turks as they are an impressive trio.
Cotton by Dane Carder from Cumberland Gallery
Dang it, I just can't just pick ONE...again! I HAVE to mention another artist at Cumberland Gallery: Marilyn Murphy, the goddess of capturing the mundane and adding surprising twists. Once I asked my neighbor, a well-respected art collector, "If you were to purchase from a local artist- as investment- whose work would you buy?" Without much thought, he said, "Marilyn Murphy." She is a professor at Vanderbilt with over 270 exhibitions under her belt. She is well respected in EVERY art circle and is truly a nationally acclaimed artist. Here are some examples of her work. I'll leave the interpretation up to you....and Marilyn.
Reaching for Cover by Marilyn Murphy from Cumberland Gallery
Pearls in Wine by Marilyn Murphy from Cumberland Gallery
In closing, visit one of our fine galleries and superior cadre of artists soon. It's may be cold outside, but the beauty and imagination of art within will warm you right up.
Miss a post last week? Click on the 'StyleBlueprint' - the big bold orange and obvious one- at the top of the screen and all of our posts will then be on your screen, just scroll down to read what you've been missing! We know, our site will soon be easier to navigate.......
© 2010, Style Blueprint. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide a link back to this page.
January 10 2010
It’s freezing. It’s icy. Styleblueprint offers a virtual local art gallery tour.
As Liza and I plan our StyleBlueprint calendar, we've become a bit more organized in progressing our conversation on literature and art. We've even added a fun new monthly post on local music-- get excited as it will post next week. My hand always goes up when it comes to writing about local art: what's happening at the local shows and galleries, who is new on the art scene and just the general buzz in the art community. Nashville's abundance of emerging artists, as well as established artists, is one of the aspects which makes this city flourish. For a city the size of Nashville, the number and caliber of art galleries is pretty amazing. And, when other print magazines are suffering, Nashville Arts Magazine has taken off.
Before I go any further, Liza and I want to thank you so much for forwarding our blog on and championing it the way so many of you do. We had almost 3,000 hits last WEEK (we didn't even get that in a month until after we'd been publishing for 4 months!). Please continue to send your friends emails telling them to sign up. We love writing this blog and the stores are able to offer us more inside scoops and deals for you when they see our numbers grow like this. You all are the best and we love being a part of your every weekday read. To become a Facebook fan, click here!
On with the post.....
I've often wondered if the proliferation of great art, books and music is a Southern thing since this region is so rich and deeply rooted in beauty and passion. Let's face it: if you look at the breath of literature, art and music from Southern artists, it's impressive to say the least. Growing up in Midtown Memphis, I was surrounded (literally) by a cadre of incredible artists like Carroll Cloar, Mary Sims, Dolph Smith and many more. The artists I just named have all received national recognition and acclaim for their work.
So this is going to be a fun online tour of what's going on in three art galleries in Nashville. I am embarrassed to say that one of the galleries, Twist Gallery, I have never set foot in. But the buzz about this gallery is so strong, so it is my loss to be sure. It is a resolution to get there. I have selected my one favorite artist from each gallery, but I could have added several others with ease. Nashville, consider yourself fortunate to have great choices when it comes to art.
If you've never been to on a Gallery tour, or to an art opening, it is a wonderful evening. You would be absolutely surprised what is going on in the world of art in neighborhoods all over the city. From 5th Avenue Downtown, 5 Points in East Nashville to Green Hills, our city alive with cultural events of all varieties.
Twist Gallery:
Twist Gallery owners: Caroline Carlisle and Beth Gilmore
Twist is in the Arcade, one of Nashville's most historically significant buildings. Twist has captured the interest of Nashville after it was opened in 2006 by Caroline Carlisle, an art consultant and Beth Gilmore, an artist and Curator. The Twist Gallery touts innovative events encompassing music, dance and art. Twist has established itself as an art experience not simply an art gallery. The owners hope to create a new model for galleries, instead of the 'one night' art show. This new model includes having artists on display for longer periods of time, allowing for more sales. Twist offers an eclectic mix of local, regional and national artists. If you are a first time art buyer, this is a great gallery to check out as they offer boutique-style affordable art in the back room.
Pinwheel: Work on recycled paper by Lauren Kussro
My artist pick from Twist? It comes from my friend Leigh Hendry, of the Tennessee State Museum. She gave me this tip as the museum has just purchased a piece from Lauren Kussro, whose work is on display with Twist's permanent collection. Lauren Kussro is from Jackson, MS and received her MFA from University of Tennessee. She makes her own paper from recycled goods and creates fabulous designs mimicking the cellular and organic structures you see in nature. Her ability to capture the repetitiveness and patterns is ingenious. She has introduced light into her work giving another dimension all together.
Gallery One:
Gallery One is located at the split between Highway 100 and 70 in the Belle Meade Galleria Shopping Center. You'll never meet a more gracious (now that's a Southern adjective) and delightful gallery owner than Shelley McBurney. She has a marvelous eye and truly wants visitors to enjoy her gallery. Her artists in residence are like her children; she knows their works intimately. Her mailings on artist openings make me drool. One of my favorite artists at Gallery One is Susan Hall. Although I do not own one of her painting, my friend Brooks does, so I can go visit it anytime I want. When I was in Gallery One the last time, I spied the work of Brian Tull. His heightened strong sense of graphics, realism and nostalgic feel sent chills down my back. Ooops, I picked two artists.
Work by BrianTull from Gallery One
Afterglow by Susan Hall from Gallery One
Cumberland Gallery:
My list is not complete without Carol Stein's Cumberland Gallery. She has been introducing caliber artists to Nashville since 1980. She is a no-nonsense business woman located smack dab in the heart of Green Hills. I trust Carol's eye for new, emerging artists more than anyone else in the city. Currently, Carol is featuring 3 artists in a show duly named the Young Turks. The Young Turks are Dane Carder, Jeff Green and Max Shuster. It's a toss up as to who gets the "my favorite Turk" award because they are all incredible in the mediums in which they work. However, since I promised you my one favorite artist, I am particularity drawn to Dane Carder's paintings. His work is beguiling with its eerie flashbacks of the Civil War and a South we never knew. Do yourself a favor and visit the other Turks as they are an impressive trio.
Cotton by Dane Carder from Cumberland Gallery
Dang it, I just can't just pick ONE...again! I HAVE to mention another artist at Cumberland Gallery: Marilyn Murphy, the goddess of capturing the mundane and adding surprising twists. Once I asked my neighbor, a well-respected art collector, "If you were to purchase from a local artist- as investment- whose work would you buy?" Without much thought, he said, "Marilyn Murphy." She is a professor at Vanderbilt with over 270 exhibitions under her belt. She is well respected in EVERY art circle and is truly a nationally acclaimed artist. Here are some examples of her work. I'll leave the interpretation up to you....and Marilyn.
Reaching for Cover by Marilyn Murphy from Cumberland Gallery
Pearls in Wine by Marilyn Murphy from Cumberland Gallery
In closing, visit one of our fine galleries and superior cadre of artists soon. It's may be cold outside, but the beauty and imagination of art within will warm you right up.
Miss a post last week? Click on the 'StyleBlueprint' - the big bold orange and obvious one- at the top of the screen and all of our posts will then be on your screen, just scroll down to read what you've been missing! We know, our site will soon be easier to navigate.......
© 2010, Style Blueprint. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide a link back to this page.
A review from Rocky Horton's new art blog nashville critical
January exhibtions at Twist 58 and Rymer
http://nashvillecritical.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/january-exhibtions-at-twist-58-and-rymer/#more-10
Filed under: Uncategorized — nashvillecritical @ 2:41 am
The (relatively) new Twist 58, the Twist art gallery’s project space, is the most interesting art gallery in downtown Nashville. Outside the university/college system, it is one of the only venues showcasing difficult, challenging, or “unsalable” works of art. It is not fearful of installation art, a virtual pariah at the more established galleries (with deference to what I think may have been an attempt at installation by the Rymer gallery, which amounted to an enigmatic, unlabeled pile of red dirt in the corner of the upstairs gallery). And, thus far, Twist 58 has shown itself to be an open space for experimentation and imagination.
Currently, Twist 58 is hosting three shows of varying degrees of success: Duncan McDaniel in the rear room, Matthew Christy, and squeezed into a small closet area in the back, Patrick Vagrant.
Knowing very little of Patrick Vagrant’s work, one may have difficulty noticing it. Apart from the video work displayed to passersby on an exterior window, the work is unassuming. This lack of immediate notability is partly due to the cramped closet space it occupies through a door in the front gallery and it’s meager use of slyly modified materials. In an art community that is defined by overstocked galleries and ostentatious artworks, Vagrant’s work offers an intriguing alternative.
The entirety of the exhibition consists of the aforementioned video work, a few clamp lamps (one aiming unnecessarily at a junction box… not a part of the work, but confusing nonetheless), two tape recorders, and a Gideon’s hotel Bible.
All of these works have the common quality of a slow reveal. Somewhat unique in Nashville, these works do their work unhurriedly and without pretention. The piece entitled, “I am a strange loop”, consists of two vintage tape recorders (are there any other kinds?) lying close together emitting a high-pitched whine. Only after some investigation does one realize that the recorders have been simply wired together, receiving each other’s output and in effect, playing each other.
"I am a strange loop" by Patrick Vagrant
This kind of subtle play on expectations is Vagrant’s greatest strength. Akin to artists like Robert Gober, Vagrant’s work refuses to reveal or explain itself fully. “I am a strange loop” requires the viewer to linger and to contemplate. This is no small task in a seemingly urgent, lightning-fast, information-saturated age. And, in this respect, Vagrants work does what all good artwork should do–give the viewer pause.
"there is nothing outside the text" by Patrick Vagrant
In, “There is nothing Outside the Text”, Vagrant has subtly re-crafted a Gideon’s hotel Bible so it is bound on both sides. Again, placed seemingly inattentively on a shelf, this work dares to be dismissed as just another object in the room. The Bible is dirty and slightly damaged. By binding both sides, Vagrant offers a solid critique of the limits of the Biblical text by its inherent metaphorical boundedness, its refusal to be open for interpretation and its occupation as the property and proprietor of a limited worldview. However, it also carries with it a Wittgensteinian understanding of a mistrust of text. It is a simple poetic work on the limits of text, the limits of hermeneutics, and the limits of human understanding, religious or otherwise.
In stark contrast to Vagrant’s work at Twist 58, the Rymer gallery has offered a staggering amount of simultaneous works on display. Apparently, the gallery has a unique understanding of how to consider works of art. A kind of “more is more” approach that is disruptive to any type of contemplative viewing of the pieces. This type of display–more flea market than art gallery–infers a lack of understanding of the importance of each piece, reducing them to pure commodity. If it weren’t for the exemplary work of a few of its artists, the Rymer gallery’s arrangement could be interpreted as an attempt to disguise a lack of quality by distracting the viewer with sheer volume.
detail of Clary work at Rymer
Finding its way to the front of the crowd, the work of Charles Clary is perennially interesting. His work consists of cut paper layered to resemble geological striations or molecular forms. These works are well-crafted and coolly designed. They are not particularly original reflections on new trends in landscape painting. Nonetheless, Clary’s works are often exploratory, manifesting in frameless installations of the stacked cut-outs, reversing the perforation of the traditional surface to boundless relief maps of pure color and organic form. Clary’s works at the Rymer gallery are a welcome respite from the cacophony of works on display.
In the most recent offerings, Clary has made an attempt to inject some sense of play or fantasy into the otherwise reserved aesthetic. Regrettably, this is a misstep. Hidden in formerly serene punctures of the surface, Clary has begun including small pencil renderings of science fiction style towers, or buildings. It is unwelcomed and an absolute destruction of the former seriousness and sublimity of the works. Perhaps the inclusion of a more playful hand would be appropriate to push beyond works that are tiring to create and are lacking progression. However, simply placing drawings of confounding subject matter reduces the work to illustrations of sci-fi fantasy lands. Like the Rymer gallery’s all or nothing display style, this choice shows an unexpected lack of restraint and discernment. It is an unfortunate blunder.
http://nashvillecritical.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/january-exhibtions-at-twist-58-and-rymer/#more-10
Filed under: Uncategorized — nashvillecritical @ 2:41 am
The (relatively) new Twist 58, the Twist art gallery’s project space, is the most interesting art gallery in downtown Nashville. Outside the university/college system, it is one of the only venues showcasing difficult, challenging, or “unsalable” works of art. It is not fearful of installation art, a virtual pariah at the more established galleries (with deference to what I think may have been an attempt at installation by the Rymer gallery, which amounted to an enigmatic, unlabeled pile of red dirt in the corner of the upstairs gallery). And, thus far, Twist 58 has shown itself to be an open space for experimentation and imagination.
Currently, Twist 58 is hosting three shows of varying degrees of success: Duncan McDaniel in the rear room, Matthew Christy, and squeezed into a small closet area in the back, Patrick Vagrant.
Knowing very little of Patrick Vagrant’s work, one may have difficulty noticing it. Apart from the video work displayed to passersby on an exterior window, the work is unassuming. This lack of immediate notability is partly due to the cramped closet space it occupies through a door in the front gallery and it’s meager use of slyly modified materials. In an art community that is defined by overstocked galleries and ostentatious artworks, Vagrant’s work offers an intriguing alternative.
The entirety of the exhibition consists of the aforementioned video work, a few clamp lamps (one aiming unnecessarily at a junction box… not a part of the work, but confusing nonetheless), two tape recorders, and a Gideon’s hotel Bible.
All of these works have the common quality of a slow reveal. Somewhat unique in Nashville, these works do their work unhurriedly and without pretention. The piece entitled, “I am a strange loop”, consists of two vintage tape recorders (are there any other kinds?) lying close together emitting a high-pitched whine. Only after some investigation does one realize that the recorders have been simply wired together, receiving each other’s output and in effect, playing each other.
"I am a strange loop" by Patrick Vagrant
This kind of subtle play on expectations is Vagrant’s greatest strength. Akin to artists like Robert Gober, Vagrant’s work refuses to reveal or explain itself fully. “I am a strange loop” requires the viewer to linger and to contemplate. This is no small task in a seemingly urgent, lightning-fast, information-saturated age. And, in this respect, Vagrants work does what all good artwork should do–give the viewer pause.
"there is nothing outside the text" by Patrick Vagrant
In, “There is nothing Outside the Text”, Vagrant has subtly re-crafted a Gideon’s hotel Bible so it is bound on both sides. Again, placed seemingly inattentively on a shelf, this work dares to be dismissed as just another object in the room. The Bible is dirty and slightly damaged. By binding both sides, Vagrant offers a solid critique of the limits of the Biblical text by its inherent metaphorical boundedness, its refusal to be open for interpretation and its occupation as the property and proprietor of a limited worldview. However, it also carries with it a Wittgensteinian understanding of a mistrust of text. It is a simple poetic work on the limits of text, the limits of hermeneutics, and the limits of human understanding, religious or otherwise.
In stark contrast to Vagrant’s work at Twist 58, the Rymer gallery has offered a staggering amount of simultaneous works on display. Apparently, the gallery has a unique understanding of how to consider works of art. A kind of “more is more” approach that is disruptive to any type of contemplative viewing of the pieces. This type of display–more flea market than art gallery–infers a lack of understanding of the importance of each piece, reducing them to pure commodity. If it weren’t for the exemplary work of a few of its artists, the Rymer gallery’s arrangement could be interpreted as an attempt to disguise a lack of quality by distracting the viewer with sheer volume.
detail of Clary work at Rymer
Finding its way to the front of the crowd, the work of Charles Clary is perennially interesting. His work consists of cut paper layered to resemble geological striations or molecular forms. These works are well-crafted and coolly designed. They are not particularly original reflections on new trends in landscape painting. Nonetheless, Clary’s works are often exploratory, manifesting in frameless installations of the stacked cut-outs, reversing the perforation of the traditional surface to boundless relief maps of pure color and organic form. Clary’s works at the Rymer gallery are a welcome respite from the cacophony of works on display.
In the most recent offerings, Clary has made an attempt to inject some sense of play or fantasy into the otherwise reserved aesthetic. Regrettably, this is a misstep. Hidden in formerly serene punctures of the surface, Clary has begun including small pencil renderings of science fiction style towers, or buildings. It is unwelcomed and an absolute destruction of the former seriousness and sublimity of the works. Perhaps the inclusion of a more playful hand would be appropriate to push beyond works that are tiring to create and are lacking progression. However, simply placing drawings of confounding subject matter reduces the work to illustrations of sci-fi fantasy lands. Like the Rymer gallery’s all or nothing display style, this choice shows an unexpected lack of restraint and discernment. It is an unfortunate blunder.
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