Richard Benoit... Earth Writing

Richard Benoit is just one of fourteen Artists included in the "red" exhibition currently presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. While reviewing Benoit's web site—www.rbenoit.com— I found a wonderful Artist Statement which is both passionate and insightful. From his web site:

Paintings are like poetry. If their meaning isn't completely spelled out or absolutely clear, that meaning will rustle about like dried leaves and eventually come to settle. At that moment when the meaning comes to light one gets a sensation of peace and recognition, a glimpse of the universal. The best paintings are not tied to any particular time or place but are flexible vibrant things that bring a fresh feeling each time they are viewed.

I like to treat the canvas not as a place to describe something but more as a place for something to happen. I often arrange random visual elements in such a way as to excite the viewer's curiosity and intuitive sense of aesthetics. Put simply, my art is a random collection of chance and intent with the under-
lying belief that art can be a transcendent experience. While working I like to leave evidence of the art making process (dribbles, brush strokes etc.) to celebrate the act of communication. Beauty is important but not at the expense of emotion, and passion is always more important than technique.

For me art is a quiet place of introspection and repose. I like to create work that people would want to return to time and again, work that elicits an emotional response, work where there's truth not just taste and real beauty, not just ornamentation. Memorable art is a refuge, a place to smooth the waters. Through my work I wish the viewer a life full of quiet moments, full of answers, full of peace, and full of beautiful engaging art.

Benoit's “Earth Writing”, can be seen—along with the works of thirteen other artists from around the country—at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago from September 14 through November 11. The Reception for "red" will take place on Friday, October 9th from 5:30-7:30. Gallery 180 is located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago's Loop. The exhibition is free to the public and all works will be available for purchase.

Above: Richard Benoit, "Earth Writing" acrylic on wood, 24x24", $850.

Lite Brite... Maggie Meiners

"Childhood Contemplations"—a solo exhibition of large-scale photographs by Maggie Meiners—will be presented at The University of Illinois at Chicago, Student Art Lounge, from September 28-October 30. An opening reception is scheduled for Thursday, October 8 from 4-7 PM. The gallery is located at 828 S. Wolcott in Chicago.

I first presented pieces from this collection—last fall—at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. The works are amazing. The mere size of these forty-inch square digital c-prints, allows the viewer to become engulfed by the imagery and to explore their inner mind. The various color patterns are meant to trigger memories on which to contemplate. Michael Weinstein of "Newcity" had a wonderful observation in his September 18th review of the show when he wrote that Meiners' creates "...pure psychedelic abstractions in which the blurred and glowing colors bleed into each other and dance before the eyes." In defining her own work, Meiners explains...“Although the use of blurred imagery seems to defy logic, this intentional shift in focus is meant to transfix and then transport the viewer to a mind space where memories run wild. Various spectrums of color are used as a guide to revisit and explore memories of the past."

Take some time to see this exhibition... and if you have the opportunity to attend the reception on October 8th, introduce yourself to Meiners... she's an amazing lady.

You can find additional work by Meiners at: maggiemeiners.com

A Creative Social Club...

I took some time—yesterday—to drive downtown and meet with The Chicago Creative Social Club at Gallery 180. The creative networking organization is defined on its web site, as “THE Meet up Group for creative people in Chicago.” The group …“supports the Chicago creative community by promoting social connections, enjoyment, and learning across all creative disciplines…” So when the Director of the organization contacted me to ask if I would address the group, I agreed.

I was asked to cover a variety of art-related topics including: the current exhibition being presented at Gallery 180, titled “red”, information about The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, exhibition opportunities, the Chicago Gallery scene, and information on my duties as a Curator. I probably spoke a little too long but the amazing snacks—provided by the Ai Culinary School—kept the group conscious. After the very informal presentation, I spent time talking with some of the individual members. I met some wonderful people and ate a few too many of the monster chocolate, chocolate-chip cookies.

In any case, if you’re near Chicago and are looking for a creative group, with which to mingle, check out the Chicago Creative Social Club at: creativesocialclub.com

A Wonderful New Home In The Clouds...

Most Artists think of their work, as thou it were their children. It’s probably because the Artist brought them into the world. And when they're ready to leave home, every “parent” wants to know that their children are doing well. Well, two of Nancy Rosen’s “children” are doing very well in a new wonderful home in the clouds.

I spent the morning—installing two of Rosen’s pieces—in a wonderful home on an upper floor, right off of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. The two mixed-media works were purchased from Rosen’s recent exhibition at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. The collector spotted them while walking by the gallery, which is located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago’s Loop.

Above - Rosen’s pieces hang in the formal entry of the collector’s home. Additional work by Rosen can be found at nrosen.com

Claudia Craemer in "red"

As I mentioned in my previous post, this past weekend I installed The National Juried Exhibition, titled "red", at Gallery 180. It's always interesting to see the actual work, once the selections process is complete. You see, during the selection process, the Juror is looking at a relatively small visual image, which is either a slide format or digital file. So when the work arrives for the installation, it’s a little like opening a room full of packages on Christmas morning.

One of the amazing gifts I received was from Chicago-area Artist, Claudia Craemer. Craemer’s “The Path Was Chosen For You”, is a forty-inch square oil painting with tendencies toward O’Keeffe. The unfolding forms in nature influenced work by both Artists. Craemer writes:

“I am often inspired by plant forms – blooms, bulbs, roots, and leaves – as well as paper and cloth forms. The works suggest organic layers or veils, peeling away, tearing, hiding and revealing, opening and releasing, and they usually develop in a layered, organic way as well, through a process of both spontaneous mark-making and deliberate decisions, of both intuition and choice.”

Craemer’s “The Path Was Chosen For You”, can be seen—along with the works of thirteen other artists from around the country—at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago from September 14 through November 11. The Reception for "red" will take place on Friday, October 9th from 5:30-7:30. Gallery 180 is located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago's Loop. The exhibition is free to the public and all works will be available for purchase. Craemer’s work is also shown at Union Street Gallery in Chicago Heights.

red

"red" The National juried exhibition at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago was installed today. The show—consisting of fourteen Artists, includes a wide range of work from the cleverly symbolic paintings of Lorraine Sack and Richard Laurent to the powerful, geometric, color-saturated photographs of Jennifer Jackson and steel sculpture of Michael Stanley. The show includes two beautifully painted still life studies by, Catherine Maize as well as a breathtaking photorealistic portrait by Ming Zhou. The amazing diversity of work—presented in this exhibition of national fine artists—provides a beautiful and creative look at the use of “red”. The exhibition continues through November 11th and a catered reception is scheduled for Friday October 9th from 5:30-7:30.

The represented Artists are: Richard Benoit, Bradley, IL; Tom Brand, Michigan City, IN; Claudia Craemer, Country Club Hills, IL; Jennifer Jackson, Chicago, IL; Roland Kulla, Chicago, IL; Richard Laurent, Chicago, IL; Dena Lyons, Chicago, IL, Catherine Maize, South Haven, MI; Nancy Rosen, Chicago, IL; Lorraine Sack, Indianapolis, IN; Michael Stanley, Ames IA; Jim Tansley, Chicago; IL and Ming Zhou, Cambridge, MA.

The exhibited work is available for purchase. Images and pricing, included in this exhibition, can also be found online at gallery180.com. Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago has presented a wide variety of exhibitions since it was established in November of 2003. Each exhibition has been tailored to be beneficial to our student body, faculty, staff and community at large.

Nancy Rosen... Enlightening

A few weeks back, a man came into Gallery 180 to take a look at the current exhibition of work by Nancy Rosen. He was in the midst of a passionate discussion with a female companion when I approached the pair and asked if they had any questions about the work. Paul Wandless introduced himself as a Professor of Art at Harold Washington College. We had a brief discussion and the conversation concluded with a request. Wandless asked if it would be alright to bring his students to Gallery 180 to see Rosen's work. He wanted to use the exhibition as an example of beautiful liner quality within fine art. I agreed.

Well, today was the day. But there was a little surprise. I had contacted Rosen to see if she was interested in speaking to the group. I would have given the students a good overview of the work, but I knew it would be beneficial for them to get the information directly from the Artist. Rosen was wonderful. Not only did she give a quick history of her career as an Artist, but she also spoke openly about the materials she uses and her unconventional process. She was an intriguing speaker.

The Nancy Rosen exhibition closes on Saturday. If you haven't yet had an opportunity to see this show, you only have a few days left. Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago is located at 180 N. Wabash in Chicago's Loop. The gallery hours are from 9-6 Monday through Friday and 9-5 on Saturday. Additional work by Nancy Rosen can be seen at: nrosen.com. Also check out Rosen's wonderful studio tour on flickr

Jim Tansley... "Cherished Scheme"

Three summers ago, I was called out of a class for an “urgent” meeting. I was told that there were some people in Gallery 180 who needed to speak to me. When I arrived in the gallery, I met a charming older French couple, on holiday from Paris. They had been walking down the street—in front of the gallery—and spotted a painting that intrigued them. They found their way inside and fell in love with a work by Jim Tansley. The couple told me that, often when they traveled, they would purchase art as a memento of the trip. When they saw the Tansley painting, they knew that they wanted to return to Paris with it in hand. The couple made the purchase and asked if they could take the painting to avoid shipping the work. After a quick telephone call to the artist, to ask if a replacement piece was available, the transaction was complete and the couple left with their newly acquired treasure.

Another of Tansley’s paintings will adorn the walls of Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. “Cherished Scheme”—one of Tansley’s most recent pieces—will be included in the upcoming national juried exhibition titled, “red”. After spending more then forty years of his life as a graphic designer and painting for almost a decade, Tansley has created a number of wonderfully flowing images within this latest body of work. Created from random marks, Tansley make no intentional reference to reality. In fact, his intention is to “…attempt to produce unique environments, which rely on traditional painting and drawing techniques for their formal structure and composition.”

The piece shown above—selected for the “red” exhibition—is titled "Cherished Scheme". It is a 20 x 24 inch acrylic work on canvas, with a price tag of $2,000. Take a moment to review the some of Tansley’s other work at: jimtansley.com. You won’t be disappointed.

Ming Zhou... "In Front of the Fireplace"

I’ll be installing the “red” exhibition at Gallery 180, next weekend. This year, fourteen Artists were selected to exhibit fifteen works of art, in our annual National Juried Exhibition. The selected pieces range from the cleverly symbolic paintings of Lorraine Sack and Richard Laurent to the powerful, geometric, color-saturated photograph of Jennifer Jackson and steel sculpture of Michael Stanley. The show includes two beautiful still life paintings by, Catherine Maize as well as an amazing photorealistic portrait by Ming Zhou. The amazing diversity of work—presented in this exhibition of national fine artists—provides a beautiful and creative look at the use of "red".

Above is an image by Ming Zhou, titled “In Front of the Fireplace”. After doing a little more research on the artist, this beautifully-painted 16 x 20” oil painting is seems to be a study from the past. Ming Zhou’s current work is much more whimsical—but with an edge. The new work is a comment on the “Tasteless” manners of China’s new middle class. From her web site:

“My work is a critique of China’s New Middle Class’s tasteless manners. The New Middle Class in China have attempted to use “good taste” as a means of distinguishing themselves from the masses. However, that “good taste” has been usually associated with certain status symbols, in particular famous Western brands and popular leisure activities. China’s New Middle Class would blindly mimic things from the West in order to present themselves as members of the middle class. Meanwhile, they would pay no attention to the deeper, spiritual aspects of our traditional Chinese culture. They would parade our own traditional culture, wear traditional garments, and stage cultural festivities only for purposes of entertaining and pleasing Western eyes, and no more. And, in doing so, the New Middle Class would devalue the very cultural richness they purport to convey.”

“…My artwork's intention is to bring about self-awareness among China’s New Middle Class. I try to tactfully remind them that the cultivation and creation of any culture is long-term project; they should pay attention to a culture’s inner spirit instead of mindlessly assuming it and no more.”

Take a few minutes to review Ming Zhou’s new work at: imageming.com. You can also get a glimpse at some of the older academic work. Her observational skills are quite wonderful.