Charlie Vaughan

So last night I got to go to Hastings and actually spend some time in there. So I wandered over to the Corner Artspace.

Charlie Vaughan is the featured artist for May and June. Her work is very refreshing. I've seen Charlie's work before but these pieces introduce a new direction for her in her painting. The three works that are on display are reminiscent of feathers or flowers depending on what flavor you appreciate. The paintings are large and the use of white as a background keeps the focus deeply intent upon the play of color and drip. The petals are defined by use of drastic pencil marks and rough scribbles. This is ultimately what made me see feathers, whereas the others I was with saw flowers.

I especially appreciate the blue piece. I think the color combination here works very well. For such a cool piece it feels very warm and intent. I think the drip effect that Charlie is using in the works is very effective, giving the feeling that these flowers were just painted-just echoing the idea of how refreshingly bright and powerful the objects are here.

Charlie's work will be up for May and June at the Corner Artspace at Hastings on Georgia. Go check it out!

WT/AC Student Faculty Show

AMoA was full of a wealth of eclectic, pivotal, well done art pieces for this past WT/AC show.

I liked so many of them, but I am going to reference the ones that really stuck with me.

Lana Ziegler's Hands and Feet were an amazingly beautiful rendition of ceramic hands and feet. The feet stuck in an ever present invisible high heels made me think of how uncomfortable and pressing the concern is to keep the feet beautiful and to have them arched and high for societal pressures. The hands posed and decorated with detailed flowing floral patterns. The toenails and fingernails painted and perfect just drive home the feeling of how the organic beauty of the natural body battles against the pressure for perfection.

Jesse Melson's "Above" took you there. Here one was faced with the "like mike" tennis shoes on a wire. These sneakers on the line were complete with Hermes wings on the heels. All of this floated above t-shirt clouds with roughly sewn lining. The piece felt like it was suspended high above the steel society below. It was a whimsical undertaking and I thought well done.

Ashley Grossman's Untitled work was a lovely study in contrasting textures and color. The successfulness of the dark and light plays in the photo is undeniable and the point of view was really interesting. The stop and go light patterned color palette made one take note. It drew me in at first then I started to really notice the differences in the flat surfaces of the photo and the rougher textural elements apparent as well. The repetition in the surfaces and colors really makes the pieces feel alive and electric. I was almost waiting for it to start blinking at me.

Karen Herpich's Harlequin, 2010 was a tasty little nugget at the show. This ceramic piece was a delight from all sides. The strong geometric patterns in the piece are boldly embellished with organic details. The bright base colors and the the body draw one in. The figure with its goatish face stands proud with one arm fading into a nature tilted oblivion.

Chad Harris made a strong showing with his Blind Contour and Blind Contour Plus. Two pieces that I would have proudly hung in my home but, alas, someone else must hold that honor! Harris's spray cans with the graffiti feel were full of bold gestural lines and movement. One piece delights in it's illusion of can upon can with the taste of camouflaged paint patterns. The other piece was a cool palette that had subtle reminiscent of the "Take on Me" video by Aha.

Stephanie Jung's delightful work called A conversation with the Noblest Gentleman was a soft cool colored facade hiding the hideousness of the deed. Here we come face to face with what looks like a lounging gentleman in his attire and waistcoat only to feel the cold hard slap of a dead deer laid out upon his lap. The gentleman juxtaposes the oddly bent legs of the animal with his own flippantly rested hand. To me it was a commentary on the things you see and the things that lie hidden beneath.

Jennifer Albertson

“I am challenged by fear.”
“I am challenged by my own self.”
“My body image challenges me.”
“I can’t stop eating.”
“I struggle with spelling.”
“I never want to be at home because I feel like my family doesn’t want me.”
“My battle is with comment for thoughts of others about the decisions I make and the beliefs I hold.”
“Letting love in completely.”
“I struggle with anger.”
“I struggle with acceptance.”

Jennifer Albertson invited the public to hang their woes on her inventive participatory piece at the WT/Ac Student Faculty show at the Amarillo Museum of Art. The piece, which was a give and take opportunity for the audience was a well thought out commentary on letting go of those things we cannot accept or that we struggle with daily and taking some advice that for the moment anyway might give one a piece of mind. I am glad to say that I hung a woe on the dress frame and walked over to the take box and was told to “Take a Nap!” Probably some of the best advice I have ever received! Albertson’s piece was only one of several pieces that are noteworthy in the show. I am including a few picture of the Albertson piece and will write more later on some other pieces I noticed while I walked the galleries of AMoA.

Goings on in Amarillo

So sometimes my real life tends to interfere with my blogging capabilities. Even though these shows are down, I want to write about them. So I am going to make a few posts. Forgive me art world for not doing this in a more timely manner. Surely these artists will be around again and I want to give them credit at least.

There are a couple of things I have actually gotten out to see this week and want to share with you.

Charlie Vaughan is showing over at Hastings Corner ARtspace. I knwo Charlie pretty well and have seen her work in the past few months. The pieces she has up at HAstings are very nice! Charlie works BIG and I love that-so even though she is only showing three pieces-they are fabulous. Her use of color and her perspective is definitely unique and commands attention. I will be writing a review of her work in teh next week here so check back in a couple of days for that.

Not to toot my own horn, but I am showing at OHMS. I'm not going to say alot about my own work here-this is for everyone else. I am proud of the show and hope that some of you could get by there and check it out if you have the time.

On thursday night, the 806 opened a show with a few artists being spotlgihted- I failed to get the information in time to change my column in style (hence the ??? marks), that was actually a typo and I promise never to do it again-remember I'm new at this and I do apologize to my readers! Ashley Grossman is showing there in this group and I really like her photography pieces. She had an outstanding piece in the AC/WT show at AMoA last month. She is most definitely worth the time to go and check out.

I will make sure you hear more from me in the next week. I am going to try and get out this weekend and write up some individual blogs about these artists!

I met with Brian Bussey yesterday. He is who I am writing about in the June column. It's so refreshing to go out and talk with artists who think much the same way as I do.

AMARILLO wake up and embrace your artists! We love you, we stay here, we live here, we contribute to your community thorugh our day jobs and our after hours passions! Please, it is my wish for you, go out this weekend and see some art!!!!!

Denise Carter-Roasters on Georgia

Hello Denise Carter!!!!

I popped into Roasters last night for some earl grey and low and behold my artistic senses tingled all over. What Denise does with cardboard can only be called magical. I particularly liked three pieces which will be mine!! I plan on giving her a call soon. Denise gives a color blocking technique to the cardboard pieces she finds and leaves feathery brushstrokes and pen and ink trailings throughout her pieces. Painted Desert was a very successful piece that incorporates the larger piece framing the smaller special vignette inside. The blocked landscape with a hint of parameters holds that tiny inset of what I saw as an abandoned teal blue mesa type house and a little red desert sun poking its head around the corner.

Denise uses the 70x7 motif in her work to emphasize how many times Jesus said to forgive in the Bible and she gives a percentage of her sales to a local charity.

Make sure you trek over to Roasters on Georgia to check out Denise Carter and BUY SOMETHING!!!!

Get out there and support your local artists Amarillo!

Roswell- SO much more than UFOs

My husband and I recently celebrated our 1st anniversary by taking a quick trip over to Roswell, NM. He wanted to immerse himself in alien stuff and I had been to their art museum before and liked it a lot. So we headed out last Friday and had a great time. While we were there we stopped at the Anderson Gallery. If you have never heard of the Anderson Gallery, you should make yourself aware of it!!! Never have I been in such a space that puts you in the middle of a wonderland of sorts of contemporary art. Sculptures, paintings, woodwork, boats, bottles, even a bar! It was a haven of amazing work. Most of the pieces are donated by former or current Artists in Residence. If you are an artist and are unfamiliar with that program you should check it out as well!!!

We were invited to hang out with the current Artists in Residence that evening at an opening and I am ever so glad we went. We sampled local wine and met people from all over the world. I had a wonderful time speaking with the artist from Poland. I will follow up this blog with one on that opening solely.

Check out the website for the Anderson Gallery here and make sure you read up on the Artist in Residence program as well.

http://www.roswellamoca.org/

If you do plan on traveling to Roswell any time soon, make sure you stop by the Pecos Winery on Main Street and say hello to Dave. He is great for recommending wine and good places to visit while you are there!!!

Thanks Roswell for a great first anniversary!

A is for Art in April

Okay everyone. I just got finished writing my column for Style for the month of April. I know it's a bit early but I wanted to give you the list of who is showing.

My column is about Anne Amerson who is the featured artist over at Hastings Corner Art Space on Georgia. Check her out because I really enjoyed her show. My absolute two favorite pieces were Othelo and Poker Night at the Convent.

So good! Get out and support your local artists!

Here's the list of what to go see in April!

Sunset Center
First Friday Art Walk April 2

Hastings, 2020 Georgia Street South
Ann Amerson

The 806, 2812 6th Ave.
Diana Price

Roasters, 1818 S. Georgia
Denise Carter

Roasters, 4301 SW 45th Ave.
Mendy Eslinger

OHMS, 619 S. Tyler St.
Ralph Duke

Ground Café, 600 S. Tyler St.
Mason Morrow

Right Angle, 4123 W. 34th
Judy Rogers, Chris Johnson, Jan Bell, and Pam Lary

Against the Wall, 4310 S. Western
Cherine Marie

Ascension Academy, 9301 Ascension Pkwy
Student Show

WTAMU/Mary Moody Northen Hall
Carol Born March 22-April2
Brent Hillard April 26-30
Ongoing-Vermillion Press/Sunset Cen.

AMoA, 2200 S. Van Buren
AHS Fine Art Collection February- April 11
AC/WTAMU Student Faculty Show April 16-May 2
Ongoing- Price Collection of Asian Art

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame
The Art of the Western Saddle