Unconventional Postage: The work of artist, Jordan Scott

Jordan Scott, "Old Glory" -detail, mixed media and resin on canvas, 36" x 60" 2016

The artist’s studio is a sanctuary. Maybe it’s just the voyeur in me but there is something intriguing about exploring another artist’s workspace. It’s enlightening… It not only offers insight into the artist and their inherent character but also their creative process.

With a long history as an exhibiting artist, gallery director, and exhibition curator, I visit artist studios regularly… always looking for unique work with substantial concept and meaning. Recently—on a sunny but very cold winter day in Chicago—I drove to the Ravenswood neighborhood to meet with Jordan Scott, an amazingly talented fine artist with a passion for life, meditation and the interconnectedness of the universe.

After breaching the steel door of a neighborhood warehouse building—converted into artist workspace—I was shown to Jordan Scott’s sanctuary. A wall of windows allowed the sun to drench the space with light, making it a wonderful environment to review some of his latest pieces. As I settled in, I scanned the room to find postage stamps everywhere… container after container, bowl after bowl. Mostly organized, the only mess was created by the few strays that had been discarded or had fallen to the floor beneath his easel.

With a love for unconventional materials, used out of context, Jordan Scott produces mesmerizing imagery through the repetition of postage stamps. He uses thousands of canceled U.S. postage stamps producing meditative surfaces that allude to communication and the interconnectedness of humanity. When seen from a distance, his technique produces beautiful surfaces of rich color, and as the viewer approaches the work, they are met with the surprising realization of unexpected intricacy.

Scott’s latest body of work introduces a meditative vertical grid-like pattern reminiscent of minimalist artist, Agnes Martin [1912-2004]. Like Martin, the imagery is comprised of a series of repetitive vertical lines that are produced with a monochromatic color scheme. The result is a soothing visual surface. Scott creates the lines by laying similar stamps adjacent to one another. Upon closer inspection, the viewer realizes that each stamp has a unique characteristic… the cancelation marks from somewhere around the world. The consistency of the stamps, contrasted with the uniqueness of the cancelation marks, become metaphor for our global population.

Jordan Scott "Amethyst" mixed media and resin on canvas 30" x 30" 2015

Jordan Scott has a fascination with Carl Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious and the interconnectedness of the universe. In past artist statements, he references the exploration of the parts to understand the whole… a global view… and the interconnectedness of the universe. From Scott’s artist statement:

“The postage stamp collages [are] each composed of hundreds or thousands of similar elements, … [creating] an interconnected and interdependent whole much greater than the sum of its parts.” …An idea clearly represented in his work.

With an upcoming exhibition at the Union League Club, Scott plans to exhibit two somewhat different bodies of work. The first is a single representation of the American flag—a theme he has revisited once each year, for the past seven years. With obvious references to patriotism, Americana and Pop culture, the iconic imagery gives a nod to the Abstract Expressionist painter, Jasper Johns [b. 1930]. The second body of work explores a patchwork randomness, which Scott defines as “landscape”. These pieces reference the farmland of the Midwest—as seen from above. Selected intuitively, the seemingly arbitrary color blocks also have a flavor bordering on American folk art… ironically, with a contemporary twist.

Jordan Scott "Old Glory" mixed media and resin on canvas 36"x60", 2016

Jordan Scott will present a solo exhibition titled “Canceled” at the Union League Club of Chicago, opening with a reception for the artist on Thursday March 3 from 5:30-7pm. That evening—at 6pm—he will discus his work as well as the pieces selected for exhibition. The exhibition will continue through April 1st. Keep in mind that there is a dress code at the Union League Club… it’s business casual, which means no blue jeans or gym shoes. The Union League Club of Chicago is located at 65 W. Jackson Boulevard, Chicago. Additional information can be found on the Union League Club web site at” www.ulcc.org

Also watch for Jordan Scott’s inclusion in a group exhibition titled “Words, Numbers & Symbols: An Exploration of Letterforms in Fine Art” at The Art Center of Highland Park. The group also includes work by Chicago area artists: Audry Cramblit, Katsy Johnson and Carrie Ann Bronkowski and Florida native, Tim Yankosky. Each of the exhibiting artists incorporates letterforms into their work to present a unique visual message. The Art Center-Highland Park exhibition will run from March 4 – April 7 with a public reception on Friday, March 4th from 6:30 – 9pm. The Art Center is located at 1957 Sheridan Road in Highland Park. Additional information can be found online at: theartcenterhp.org

Jordan Scott’s work is also available at Artspace 8, located on the third and forth floors of the 900 North Michigan Building on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Additional information can be found online at: Artspace8.com

Coffee with the Artists ~ Igor and Marina

Save the Date: 
Thursday, November 12th 6-8:30pm

Please join me at The Art Center-Highland Park this Thursday at 6pm, as I interview the husband and wife collaborative painters, Igor Kozlovsky and Marina Sharapova. During the evening, I plan to explore the history, inspirations, challenges and achievements of these modern masters... All while surrounded by a variety of their paintings—currently on exhibit in the main gallery of The Art Center-Highland Park. The evening will conclude with questions from the audience and enough time for a second cup of coffee. You will also have an opportunity to take a closer look at the beautiful and elaborate paintings created Igor and Marina.

 Igor and Marina, Tiny Squares 261, oil on canvas, 50" x 50"

A little insight:  Igor and Marina reinterpret the imagery of the Renaissance masters while including surrealist elements. The imagery emerges as iconic in a mixture rendered figures contrasted by flat shape. The artists infuse new meaning into familiar imagery, inviting the viewer to experience a newly created existence.

 Igor and Marina, Walkers VIII (In Blue), oil on canvas, 62" x 48"

The Art Center-Highland Park is located at 1957 Sheridan Road in Highland Park, Illinois. Gallery Hours are Monday through Friday from 9am–5pm, Saturday 9-4:30 and Sunday, by appointment. All work in the exhibition is available for purchase. The exhibition continues through January 2.

The Art Center-Highland Park is dedicated to promoting the appreciation of contemporary fine art through exhibitions by both established and emerging artists. We foster creativity through the experience and discussion of fine art and offer extensive educational opportunities through a broad range of classes, panel discussions, workshops and lectures. A nonprofit organization, The Art Center-Highland Park connects artists with the community at large—supporting creativity at every level. 
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FORMAL at The Art Center- Highland Park Opening Tonight at 6:30pm

 FORMAL at The Art Center-Highland Park, Installation view

Join me tonight at 6:30pm, for the Opening Reception of FORMAL at The Art Center-Highland Park. The show combines the work of four artists... husband and wife team; Igor & Marina, sculptor; Beth Kamhi, and still life painter, Carl Holzman.

Elegant adornment is the constant in the works-of-art found in the galleries of The Art Center-Highland Park. The show is elegant with a masterful blend of modern and traditional—representational and the abstract. Each work-of-art presents a layering of ideas with a visual outcome of formal elegance.

The word “formal” brings to mind a sense of graceful sophistication. It is special—proper. It is sometimes historical, ceremonial and ritualistic—but the word always delineates importance. The artist’s methodical organization of form in space, offers yet another interpretation of the word. Both interpretations apply to the exquisite fine art presented in FORMAL.

Igor and Marina, Walkers VIII (In Blue), oil on canvas, 64 x 48" and (right) Tiny Squares 260, oil on canvas, 50 x 50"

With imagery influenced by the artists of the Italian and Dutch Renaissance, husband and wife team, Igor & Marina, collaborate to create iconic imagery. Igor—a colorist—focuses on materials and abstraction while Marina manipulates the figurative imagery. Combined, the duo produce iconic paintings offering metaphoric narrative.

Positive and negative space, play an integral role in the paintings of Igor & Marina’s “Walker Series.” Flat color areas defining form, are juxtaposed with detailed renderings of the human form. Adornment is abundant as flat shape turns to pattern, bordered by whimsical brushstrokes of flowing color. The paintings mix dimensions—yet remain flat—inviting the viewer to enter into a unique environment. The comfortable familiarity of the carefully rendered figures, soften each image.

Igor and Marina, Red Queen, oil on canvas, 72 x 88"

“Red Queen” a triptych from a more recent body of work, begins to take a different compositional approach. The 72” x 88” canvas begins to address perspective yet the central figure remains the focus. The Queen—pregnant and draped in a red gown—floats in front of a vacant birdcage, flanked by historic imagery of baby buggies. She looks back at the viewer—acknowledging our presence. A variety of birds wander around the canvas taunting the Queen with their freedom. Ironically, the formal qualities of the painting differ from the Queen’s predicament.

The wooded vessels and beaded sculpture of Beth Kamhi, offer yet another level of adornment to the exhibition. Kamhi uses a combination of turned wood and metallic beads to interpret classically modern vessels. The work finds a balance between the physical weight of the materials and fluidity—resulting in graceful elegance. References to fiber and fashion are evident.

Carl Holzman, Ice, oil on canvas, 24 x 30"

Formal composition is clearly apparent in the nostalgic still life paintings created by Carl Holzman. Perfectly composed groupings of vintage and mid-century utilitarian objects—marked by the passage of time—are the subject of Holzman’s work. His passion for these historical artifacts is heightened by the use of theatrical lighting to emphasize the patterns and textures of the past. Holzman’s approach offers a contemporary perspective while using classic elements and formal composition.

FORMAL at The Art Center-Highland Park, Installation view

A public reception for “Formal” will be held at The Art Center-Highland Park tonight, from 6:30–9pm. The Art Center-Highland Park is located at 1957 Sheridan Road in Highland Park, Illinois. Gallery Hours are Monday through Friday from 9am–5pm, Saturday 9-4:30 and Sunday, by appointment. All work in the exhibition is available for purchase. The exhibition continues through January 2.



The Art Center-Highland Park is dedicated to promoting the appreciation of contemporary fine art through exhibitions by both established and emerging artists. We foster creativity through the experience and discussion of fine art and offer extensive educational opportunities through a broad range of classes, panel discussions, workshops and lectures. A nonprofit organization, The Art Center-Highland Park connects artists with the community at large—supporting creativity at every level. 

Igor & Marina: Working as a husband-and-wife team, the Russian-born duo collaborates on each canvas, Marina contributing her impressive skills as a figurative artist in the Old Master tradition, Igor lending his refined sense of color, shape, texture and affinity for abstract images. As a result, the paintings are influenced by, and recall, a diverse spectrum of artists and eras: famous avant-garde figures like Chagall, Malevich, and Kandinsky as well as fifteenth-century Russian religious painters. Partly, this array of forbearers reflects the artists' educations: trained in rigorous Russian academies to appreciate both ancient and modern techniques, they learned to combine past and present with fluidity. In each of their canvases we sense a narrative implied, but we always fall short of piecing it together - it’s like waking up from a dream. And just as dreams synthesize all manner of seemingly disparate material into cohesive experiences, so Igor and Marina blend the modern and traditional, the representational and the abstract - and indeed their own divergent personalities - into each finished painting.  

Beth Kamhi (Born: NY 1956), is a Chicago Artist with a studio located in the Cornelia Arts Building in Chicago’s Roscoe Village. Currently Beth’s practice focuses on Site Specific, Collaboration and Commissioned Projects. She has a Textile, Fashion and Interior Design background from the Fashion Institute of Design. Beth’s work has been described as “Delicate, industrial and a sensual tapestries of woven steel beads,” “Inspiring works of sculpture to achieve a dynamic sense of tension through their provocative juxtaposition of style, content and form.” Her work has been exhibited in Museums, Galleries, Art Centers, Colleges, Public settings, Executive offices and Commercial spaces throughout the US. Actively participating in a collaborative art community; Beth is a co-founder of The Margin Gallery Collective (2006-2012) and 3D 12 Sculptors Group (2010-present) both with extensive exhibitions in the Mid-West region.

Carl Holzman: Born and raised in Topeka, Kansas, Holzman pursued a career in corporate finance before taking early retirement to devote his time and energy to painting. Holzman's love of drawing and painting dates from childhood and adolescence, but later took a back seat to his work in the publishing and healthcare industries. Holzman received degrees in literature from Swarthmore College and The University of Chicago, and an MBA from The University of Chicago. A resident of Chicago since graduating college, Holzman began to practice art seriously about 15 years ago when he enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago's continuing education program. Very soon his long-dormant love of painting eclipsed other interests, and he resolved to develop his hobby into a vocation. In the years since, Holzman's award-winning still life paintings have been included in numerous solo, group and invitational exhibitions in galleries and museums in Chicago, the Midwest region, Santa Fe and Atlanta. His paintings are in many private and museum collections, both domestic and foreign.
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An Evening of OUTSIDER ART and JAZZ

Frank Joseph Zirbel, Post Atomic Woman
15” h x 6” x 9”, wood, cast iron, doll, screws, etch, sand and oil paint, 1996  

Save the Date: Friday, November 13, 2015 at 7pm

Join The Art Center-Highland Park for an evening of great jazz, craft beer, barbecue and outsider art. The list of obsessively creative and quirky artists include: Lea Atiq, Ellen Greene, Debo Groover, Mary King, Bruce New, and Frank Joseph Zirbel. If you haven’t yet experienced Outsider Art, you will be astonished by this experience!

A little background... Outsider Art is generally produced by self-taught artists that are not part of the artistic establishment. It is work produced far outside of the historical continuum of society... Embracing unconventional views of the world.

The intriguing art work—combined with wonderful food and smooth jazz—will make for an exceptional evening. The event is a fundraiser for The Art Center-Highland Park which is dedicated to promoting the appreciation of contemporary fine art through exhibitions by both established and emerging artists. The center fosters creativity through the experience and discussion of fine art and offers extensive educational opportunities through a broad range of classes, panel discussions, workshops and lectures. A nonprofit organization, The Art Center-Highland Park connects artists with the community at large—supporting creativity at every level.

Tickets for "An Evening of OUTSIDER ART and JAZZ, may be purchased online at TheArtCenterHP.org or by calling Jacqueline Chilow at 847.432.188

The Art of Influence... Corinna Button

Corinna Button, Little Black Dress, Stoneware

"The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions" is currently on exhibition at The Art Center-Highland Park. The show presents more than fifty paintings, drawing, prints and sculptures created by fifteen fine artists from around the country. Each artist directed by their own specific passion, has created work not necessarily intending to address human rights issues... And yet they do.

I've selected pieces that are intriguing—with many levels of interpretation. Being conscious of the human rights issues outlined by Executive Producer, Cheryl Jefferson, I chose beautifully intriguing works of art that contain multiple levels of meaning—the meaning ultimately defined by the interpretation of the viewer.

Button's work—painting, sculpture, and prints—tend to explore humanity. Utilizing the figure as subject, the outcome defines a visual vocabulary where distressed beauty converges with quiet elegance. She points out...

"It's my fascination with people, the masquerades, performances and dramas seen in daily life that provides me with a continual source of inspiration."

"Little Black Dress" [shown above] seems to address the repression of women in male dominated societies. The bondage-inspired apparatus with voluptuous curves and pleated ruffles, accentuates the femininity of the form, referencing the beauty and grandeur of red carpet fashion. The piece may be a symbol of suppression, or perhaps the piece is just a nod to the beauty of women and fashion. Either way... it begins a dialogue.

The exhibition continues through December 29. The Art Center-Highland Park is located at 1957 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, Illinois. This event is free and open to the public. All works are available for purchase.

The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions includes works of art by: Corinna Button, James Deeb, Sheila Ganch, Claire Girodie, Sergio Gomez, Andrea Harris, Paula Kloczkowski Luberda, Richard Laurent, Kathy Liao, Chandrika Marla, Zoriah Miller, Nancy Rosen, Lorraine Sack, Valerie Schiff, Barbara Simcoe, and Anne Smith Stephan.

Originally from Sheffield, England, Corinna Button earned her BA (Honors) in Fine Art from Leeds Metropolitan University. Although continuing to paint, Button adopted printmaking as her primary medium of expression and earned a postgraduate degree in advanced printmaking from the Croydon School of Art. Her exhibition history is extensive, with shows in the US, Hungary, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Korea, and of course her country of origin, the UK. Her work is held in a number of important collections including the BBC, The University of Aberystwyth, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and Castle Lesley in Ireland. She has garnered recognition with awards, including the Hector Purchase prize and the University of of Aberystwyth prize . Button's work is featured in several publications, such as 'Extraordinary Sketchbooks' and 'Printmaker's Secrets' (Published by A&C Black). Button is an elected member of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. Corinna Button works in several mediums and will often combine these, blending painting, printmaking and collage to create the qualities she is seeking in each individual work. The results are uniquely textured artworks that embrace both the deliberate and accidental elements of the artist's process.

James Deeb: Breaking Criminal Traditions at The Art Center-Highland Park

James Deeb, "Silent Witnesses" Monotype, 30"x22" 

Save the Date: Friday, November 7th

Opening November 7th at The Art Center of Highland Park is, The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions. This fine art exhibition, features the work of fifteen artists from around the country, calling attention to the ongoing ancient rituals that kill or maim millions each year—yet are not considered crimes. The exhibition utilizes the beauty of high-quality fine art to raise awareness of human rights issues and—in doing so—begin a dialogue that may encourage change.

This provocative yet engaging exhibition debuted in 2013 at the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, putting the shadowy topics of honor killing, child marriage, acid violence—among others—directly in front of current and future law makers. Since the show debuted, new art pieces have been added. The show has evolved into the unique presentation designed specifically for The Art Center of Highland Park.

The pieces selected for this exhibition are intriguing—with many levels of interpretation… Conscious of the human rights issues outlined by Executive Producer, Cheryl Jefferson, I selected beautifully intriguing works of art that contain multiple levels of meaning. Each piece was chosen to allude to the issues at hand… the meaning ultimately defined by the interpretation of the viewer. For example, "Silent Witnesses" by James Deeb, is a 30x22” Monotype, that was developed from Deeb’s interest in medical and dental x-rays. I found it appropriate for inclusion due to the implied content; the use of figurative abstraction with an emphasis on the bones of the mouth—a graphic image that alludes to the silencing of the repressed. Deeb explains...

 “… After I finished it [Silent Witnesses] and the other pieces in the series, I realized that they were less about human interaction with medical technology and more about taboo subjects often left unspoken. This fits particularly well with the theme of Breaking Criminal Traditions. Speaking out against these crimes almost always leads to violent reprisals. The victims’ coerced silence helps give these “traditions” and their perpetrators an air of normalcy that allows the vicious cycle to continue. I want Silent Witnesses to point out the need to give a voice to the voiceless.”

The exhibition includes works of art by: Corinna Button, James Deeb, Sheila Ganch, Claire Girodie, Sergio Gomez, Andrea Harris, Paula Kloczkowski Luberda, Richard Laurent, Kathy Liao, Zoriah Miller, Nancy Rosen, Lorraine Sack, Valerie Schiff, Barbara Simcoe, and Anne Smith Stephan.

The public Opening Reception will take place on Friday, November 7 from 6:30-9pm. The Art Center of Highland Park is located at 1957 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, IL 60035. The gallery is open Monday–Saturday 9am-4:30pm. Most of the pieces included in the exhibition are available for purchase. Additional information can be found at BreakingCriminalTraditions.com.

James Deeb was born behind the wall in Berlin, Germany. He received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University South Bend in 1988 and earned a Master of Fine Art degree from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo in 1994. Deeb’s first one-person show was ‘Dislocated Media’ in 1988. Since then, he has shown his work in numerous competitive, group and solo exhibitions. James lives and works in Evanston, Illinois.
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Corinna Button ~ A Studio Visit

Corinna Button, "Watching you watching me watching" Acrylic, ink & charcoal on canvas 109 x 72in

The “…Breaking Criminal Traditions” exhibition—currently on display at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law—has gained a great deal of attention. Audiences seem to be drawn to the visual content and touched by the issues that the paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures represent. Since the opening of the show, two other Chicagoland venues have expressed interest in acquiring the exhibition—the Beverly Art Center and The Art Center of Highland Park. As the Exhibition Curator, I decided early on, to select a unique mixture of fine art pieces for each new venue. That said… I continue to explore new work.

Yesterday morning, I met with fine artist, Corinna Button at her studio at the Zhou B Art Centre in Bridgeport. Button—an exceptionally prolific artist—explores the human condition. Her figurative imagery is presented through layers and layers of surface—paint, ink, graphite, and collage—symbolic of the layers of life experience that we collect over time. Occasionally, portions of the layers may be erased or even ripped from the surface …perhaps to remove a bit of the collected armor.

Exploring the studio walls, it was obvious that Button communicates with honesty and passion. Each object demands the viewer’s attention. Each tells its own story. As we discussed the work, I pointed out that interpretation is the result of the viewer’s history and experience—at times, void of the artist’s intention. With this, it was obvious that many of Button’s works were appropriate for inclusion in upcoming presentations of “…Breaking Criminal Traditions”.

The exceptionally large “portraits” found in Button’s studio, are just a sample of the imagery she is currently producing. One of these appears to be the interpretation of a child bride—adorned with the ornate fashion of a foreign land. The pensive stare conveys a loss of hope… the questioning of the future. Other pieces reference Human Trafficking, Circling and issues related to Honor Killing. To be clear… this was not the artist’s intent. These references are strictly an interpretation. Incidentally, I gravitate to many of Button’s pieces for their ornate beauty and haunting honesty.

Select pieces of Corinna Button’s work will be included in upcoming presentations of “The Art of Influence… Breaking Criminal Traditions. Watch for it at the Beverly Art Center [April 18-May18, 2014] and The Art Center – Highland Park [November 7 – January 3]. Information for receptions will be included in future posts. Additional information about the exhibition can be found at BreakingCriminalTradition.com

After completing her Fine Art degree at Leeds, Corinna Button went on to study Printmaking in London, gaining much attention for her works. Now with her pieces in many high profile collections including the BBC and Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, Button has exhibited at the Zhou B Art Centre in Chicago and is a respected member of the Royal Society of Painters and Printmakers.
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