Hofheimer Gallery - The Salon Show

Frances Cox, Brown Tree, oil on canvas, 48″x30″

On Friday, June 12, Hofheimer Gallery opened an exhibition titled, “The Salon Show” featuring a collection of work by gallery artists. Playful, obsessive, and thought provoking, the work included in this exhibition presents an array of elegance with a bit of quirky—highlighting each artist’s unique voice.

 

“Brown Tree” by Frances Cox is composed of painterly strokes of pigment that convey the fluttering of reverberating motion. This fluid abstraction of muted tones manipulates the space in the manner of the Cubists. The use of Implied shadow alludes to the third dimension while the translucent application of paint, infers the sound of rustling sun-soaked leaves. This technique exposes the artist’s journey—revealing areas of underpainting that chronicle the form’s evolution. 

Teresa James offers a new spin on the concept of the glass ceiling, with “My Spirit and I Are One”. James creates the surrealistic image on the inside of a book cover, using mixed media; drawing, watercolor, and collage. The image presents a number of winged hands—a reoccurring symbol in James work—in battle with a pair angry birds, blocked from their given right to soar above the clouds. The unresolved conflict results in the loss of feathers, yet the determination of the birds seems unending. 

Teresa James, My Spirit and I Are One, drawing collage with watercolor on inside book cover, 7 3/4” x 10”

George Klauba uses the style of tattoo art to create intimate canvases that address curious topics. His obsessively painted “They Shall Take Up Serpents” references Mark 16:17-18 and comments on that gospel’s misinterpretation for use as spectacle in religious theatre. As the story goes, in 1910—after preaching this gospel—an illiterate Tennessee preacher pulled a large rattlesnake out of a box with his bare hands. He handled it for a few minutes and then demanded members of the congregation do the same—or burn in Hell. This snake-handling practice became commonplace in the Church of God throughout Appalachia. 

George Klauba, They Shall Take Up Serpents, acrylic on panel, 18″x14″

Referencing this unusual life-threatening custom of the Pentecostals, Klauba defines the narrative through the symbols of tattoo culture. Along with the serpent—representing wisdom, rebirth, and temptation, we find the tortured Christ figure, a dagger—symbolic of betrayal or sacrifice, and a skull—referencing death or mortality. Beautifully painted, Klauba uses a variety of flat color areas, patterns and implied textures, which entice the viewer to continue exploring the charmingly quirky content of his compositions… each one with a unique theme.

All of the work in The Salon Show exhibition can be reviewed online and on site, by appointment. Hofheimer Gallery is planning to reopen to the general public after the Fourth-of-July holiday. Face masks will be required, and social distancing will be practiced.

Hofheimer Gallery is located at 4823 N. Damen, Chicago, IL 60625 | 847.274.7550
View the exhibition at: hofheimergallery.com.

The Salon Show includes work by: Betty Cleeland, Colleen Cox, Frances Cox, Charles Gniech, Teresa James, Mary Jones, George Klauba, Catherine Maize, Michael Noland, Karen Perl, Mary Porterfield, Jeanine Coupe Ryding, Eleanor Spiess-Ferris, Fred Stonehouse, and Chuck Walker. The exhibition continues through July 31st.

Mary Porterfield - Hofheimer Gallery

Mary Porterfield, Alice Begins, oil on layered glassine, 36 x 36"

It’s not a secret that Americans have an issue with growing old. Botox, Restylane, Kybella, Chemical Peels… we’re a youth-obsessed society fearing the natural deterioration of the body. In other cultures, elders are honored. Wrinkles are a sign of a life well lived. They signify knowledge and wisdom. When we embrace our elders, we find ourselves honored with the gift of wisdom.

I visit my ninety-two-year-old aunt on a regular basis. When I was a child, she lived in the house next door. A kind and sweet woman, I see her as a second mother. When we talk, the details of her life unfold into a vaguely familiar history with moments of insight—moments that might have been lost forever. 

Mary Porterfield, Waiting, oil on layered glassine, 24 x 60"

This brings me to a wonderful solo exhibition by Mary Porterfield, currently on display at the Hofheimer Gallery in Chicago. The show titled “in:dependence,” fearlessly examines the later stages of life, Inspired by Porterfield’s experiences as a caretaker. Her kind and gentle demeanor is authentic—And that sensitivity is reflected in her imagery.

Porterfield paints her subjects in oil on layered glassine, layered on top of Yupo [Synthetic Paper] and Vellum. This process produces a hazy dreamlike effect which seems to reference fleeting thoughts or foggy memories. Porterfield’s ghostly figures emerge in and out of sterile environments, questioning perception and reality. Is assistance needed? What if it’s not wanted? 

The Hofheimer Gallery will be hosting an artist talk tomorrow, Saturday, September 21 from 2-3pm. Porterfield’s exhibition continues through September 28. Hofheimer Gallery is located at 4823 N. Damen Avenue, in Chicago 60625. Learn more at hofheimergallery.com.

Mary Porterfield ~ Nuances of Landscape

Mary Porterfield, Rise and Fall, 2011, Oil on Panel, 48"x 41"

Last night—after work—I took a short ride out to the Koehnline Museum of Art, at Oakton Community College located Des Plaines, Illinois. It’s just a 30-minute ride from downtown Chicago and I knew it would be worth the trip. Mary Porterfield was opening a two-person exhibition titled “Nuances of Landscape”. I’ve worked with Mary in the past and I’ve always been intrigued with the work that she produces. Her imagery possesses a mysterious quality… with dreamlike figures emerging from atmospheric anomalies. Porterfield’s exhibition statement—paraphrased here—reads in-part, as follows:

“My work asks what makes an act “heroic” in the midst of overpowering circumstance—symbolized by natural phenomena such as geysers, storm clouds, and volcanoes… In my paintings, landscapes represent situations beyond my control—literally and figuratively. A closer look reveals that these scenes are actually composed of hundreds of multi-figured narratives. Some depict religious paradigms and saints, whose heroic acts involved giving unconditionally. Other forms represent animals, which symbolize the courage needed to perform a selfless act—and the harm that can result, especially in the midst of futile situations.”

Porterfield’s paintings are presented at the Koehnline Museum with the work of Nina Weiss. It's a beautiful exhibition and well worth the short dive to the suburbs. “Nuances of Landscape” continues through January 25. Oakton Community College is located at 1600 East Golf Road in Des Plaines, Illinois. The Museum hours are Monday-Friday 10-6 and Saturday 11-4. Additional information can be found at oakton.edu. You can also view additional work by Mary Porterfield at: maryporterfield.com.
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