slow going
Derby season reflections showing April and May Rebecca Cavalcante Mary Craik Patrick Donely Stephen Dorsett Angie Reed Garner Joyce Garner Will Garner Maureen Hagerman Malynda Poulsen Liz Snodgress Aleksandra Stone Keith Stone garner narrative contemporary fine art gallery hours: Wed-Sun 1-6, First Fridays 1-8 text/message (502) 303-7259 for appointment LOVE
Stephen Dorsett Joyce Garner Aleksandra Stone Friday Jan. 26--Sunday Mar. 31 reception and artists’ conversation Sunday Jan. 28, 2-4 pm (conversation begins at 3 pm) Gallery hours Wed-Sun 1-6 and by appointment: text/voicemail to (502) 303-7259 642 E. Market St. at Clay 40202 Angie Reed Garner
into the weeds Dec. 22- Jan. 21, 2024 reception with the artist Sunday Jan. 7, 2-4 pm artist talk 3 pm garner narrative contemporary fine art 642 E. Market St. (at Clay) Wed-Sun 1-6 and by appointment painstaking unusually demanding, fragile, and labor-intensive practices by three artists: Patrick Donley, Wendi Smith, and Aleksandra Stone Nov. 3–Dec. 16 reception with the artists Sunday Nov. 26, 2-4 pm ***artist discussion at 3 pm*** I have a personal moment of satisfaction and happiness when I am able to make my ideas a reality to my own standards. If others have moments of engagement and enjoyment in my work, that is an affirmation. This practice of making art is the closest thing I have to a spiritual practice. More than joy, it centers me, quiets my soul. –Wendi Smith garner narrative contemporary fine art gallery hours: Wed-Sun 1-6, First Fridays 1-8 text/message (502) 303-7259 for appointment Painstaking: Curator’s Statement & Interviews The question that launched this exhibit is, why are we [artists] like this? I picked three artists whose work had specific things in common: Patrick Donley, Wendi Smith, and Aleksandra Stone. Fragility and Risk All three produced obviously fragile objects. Patrick does not understand his reassembled ceramics as “art.” His current art practice could be understood as performance art, yet the objects themselves are incredibly important. They are held together with painters’ tape, and some may collapse over the course of the exhibit. Wendi’s tiny natural found objects are easily unhoused and scattered. Meticulous paintings of endangered and vulnerable species are presented but not protected in plain pine boxes. Aleksandra’s collages on paper are fully exposed and curling in response to ordinary shifts in humidity. Currency and cicada wings are a definition of ephemeral materials. Patrick ”There are several materials that I find that are mostly by their nature extremely fragile: porcelain, semi-porcelain, pottery, slipware and stoneware. The more delicate, the more difficult to reassemble. The very fact that these objects entered the Midden already broken and were then subjected to being shifted and tossed about even scattered, makes it all the more stunning that I recover as much of each object as I do. For many pieces, sadly, this is not the case.” Wendi “The boxes and the found objects are tactile, a different sensory component than the paintings, and that makes them vulnerable, but the combination of two and three dimensional elements add to the complexity of the idea and that is worth the risk.” Aleksandra “We deliberately expose painstakingly crafted, labor-intensive objects to the world… In the face of this fragility, the appreciation of these delicate works becomes paramount. This deliberate exposure stands as a testament to our coping capacities as artists and society, nurturing understanding through the lens of fragile beauty.” Fragile artworks? Fragile bodies! These three artists have physically painful art processes. By choice and necessity they lean into this embodied reality and work with it rather than retreat. Patrick “Because the works come from 6’ below the surface, they first must be recovered through physically intensive excavation for which I am suited up and sporting a respirator. Once retrieved, the cleaning begins which can involve soaking, scraping, and scrubbing… After the reassembly of the pieces that I have, I then have to begin the search for what may be missing. This can involve suiting up and heading back down to dig some more, or simply walking through my storage space to see if any previously discovered shards match up. And they often do! I work 7 days a week currently, often 4-5 hours a day that are mixed between the various tasks. I have a massage therapist who corrects the damage that I do to myself weekly. I’m a very lucky person.” Wendi “This work is physically challenging partly because I am 72 years old, and my hands are not what they used to be, and my eyesight is changing as well. I work at a steady pace, usually seated at my work table on a stool. Because of the scale, the brushes I work with are small. If I am on a roll I will work quickly, but if I am struggling with something, I go slow. I am in physical therapy for my neck, and do exercises daily… The physical challenges are a given in pursuit of the idea. The painting is always a challenge for me, both physically and artistically.” Aleksandra “When I’m engrossed in the act of creation, time slips away unnoticed, and so does the pain. I only step away when mental fatigue sets in. The intensity of the adrenaline rush I experience while working often masks the physical strain, only revealing its toll days later when the accumulated aches make their presence felt. Historically, I’ve emerged from projects with severe back pain, a consequence of spending days hunched over intricate work. I’ve faced excruciating back spasms when attempting to stretch, especially during projects involving broken glass and shredded currency. Lately, my hands have been swelling, hindering their full range of motion.” So do these kinds of things sell well? Um… These three artists have the skill sets, resumes, and art world experience to produce objects that could be easily shown, valued and collected in the fine art market. At the moment anyway, this is not what they choose to do. Patrick ”I have made paintings and sculptures that incorporate found objects and collage for many years. During this process of excavation, I do not have time or emotional space to devote to those practices. This is fulfilling that void, but I do miss working with color. I also miss ‘feeling’ like an artist.” Wendi “I have never been drawn to production work. I work on one body of work based on a concept, and that usually takes two years, although it might take longer. The concept would be watered down by producing too many similar works.” Aleksandra “The path… of production artwork highly valued in the fine art market, is not one I’ve intentionally chosen to bypass. In truth, I don’t even know where this road is located. It hasn't been a conscious decision to avoid it; but I also haven’t actively sought it out. For better or for worse, my artistic journey has taken its own course, guided by intuition and the call of my creative instincts. I find a profound connection to the essence of the human experience—our constant struggle to overcome limitations and reach for the extraordinary, even in the face of the mundane challenges of daily life.” So, why? Knowing these artists, their motivations never struck me as rebellious per se. They don’t work out of spite, to reject what other people do or want from art, though they doubtless have opinions. When I put my own word to it, I thought they work from love. My mother Joyce Garner’s word for this was joy. Patrick “The recreation of these objects is a joyous event. I am the first human to touch them in over 120 years, and I love that their reemergence into the light inspires others. Every aspect of this process is physically challenging yet I find myself driven to do it. There is an end in sight, but I can’t say when and then what?” Wendi “I have a personal moment of satisfaction and happiness when I am able to make my ideas a reality to my own standards. If others have moments of engagement and enjoyment in my work, that is an affirmation. This practice of making art is the closest thing I have to a spiritual practice. More than joy, it centers me, quiets my soul.” Aleksandra “...there’s an inherent and highly personal sense of joy, a deep satisfaction that emanates from the intentional pursuit of my artistic standards. It’s a pleasure derived from the intricate, personal process that I’ve crafted, one that bears my distinct signature.” To situate myself in bringing these three artists together: I am a mid-career artist, now programming two art gallery spaces in Louisville KY. My personal art practice is on a trajectory away from the fine art market. I have excellent company in making objects that are increasingly demanding of me, and less and less what anyone ever asked for and planned to buy. Meanwhile I feel somehow that these objects are the only things compelling and therefore possible for me to make. I have enormously enjoyed this conversation and this show, and hope you do as well. –Angie Reed Garner Margaret Archambault
Resurrection new works: 2020-2023 ***at garner large*** through November 20 opening reception Saturday October 21, 6-9 pm garner large 1013 Bardstown Rd., alley entrance at orange door. Some parking available at the entrance; do not park at Jack Fry's. MAP gallery hours Thurs., Fri., Sat. 1-5—text or email to confirm. (502) 303-7259 garnerlarge@gmail.com Mary Yates
all photography is fetish 9/8/2023-10/7/2023 Gallery hours: Thurs-Sat 1-5, and by appointment Text/voicemail: (502) 303-7259 Opening reception Sunday Sept. 17, 6-8 pm *Artist Talk Sunday Sept. 17, 7pm* Fetish can be a desire linked to an object, activity or part of the body not typically associated with sexual desire. Fetish is also defined as an inanimate object used for worship or considered to be inhabited by a spirit. My definition of fetish falls somewhere in between the two. The fetish object here is the photograph itself, imbued with the spirit of the individual and the process. The display of photography also involves a type of voyeurism. I’m in a position to see the individuals I photograph in a way they cannot see themselves. When making a picture I seek to find the individual’s essence and capture their sensuality, hopes, dreams, and desires. I want to communicate a little bit of who they are in an intimate, respectful way that brings the viewer (another voyeur!) into a greater understanding of humanity, and all the wonderful ways that individuals are unique.—Mary Helen Yates ***This show contains adult subject matter. Entrance is limited to ages 21+.*** Stephen Dorsett Inner Landscapes photographs and dioramas 9/8/2023-10/8/2023 Opening reception Sunday Sept. 10, 1-3 ***artist talk at 2 pm*** From the artist: Inner Landscapes includes miniature dioramas of natural environments crafted from consumer waste, and photographs of these constructed landscapes. My process is uncovering the beauty and value in the discarded debris of trash cans, while simultaneously delving into my own mind to discover joy and other positive emotions. Sometimes I cope with feelings of emptiness and unmet emotional needs by accumulating unnecessary items. The dioramas incorporate the physical waste and emotional remnants of this consumption cycle. Lighting and photographing the dioramas allows me to experience the sense of wholeness, satisfaction, and tranquility that comes from time spent in mountains, forests, caves, and other natural settings. Through the transformation of discarded materials into art pieces, I practice resilience and celebrate my innate ability to discover solace and growth within my own anxious mind. I hope my work encourages viewers to reassess their own consumption patterns and find happiness in the depths of their own inner landscapes. Mary Craik [1924-2019]
I enjoyed a good fight. And I was always ready. Louisville feminist and fiber artist Mary Craik was born on West Market St. She lived and stitched in an urban studio just two blocks away (now NULU Marketplace) until 2019, when she passed at the age of 95. The show title is a quote by Dr. Mary Craik, whom we first came to know in her early 70s as an artist and philanthropist. By then she had already had an academic career: receiving a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Iowa in 1968, teaching at St. Cloud University, and fighting and winning a landmark battle against sexual discrimination. In 1976, Mary was denied a Department Chair position at St. Cloud, and filed a class action law suit for sexual discrimination against the University based on salary inequity, lack of promotions for women, lack of tenure for women, and lack of openings as chairs of various departments. She continued the law suit while teaching at St. Cloud, and endured nine years of shunning from fellow faculty members. And after these nine grueling years, the court finally found that discriminatory practices were in place, and St. Cloud University was ordered to settle. With the money Mary received from the settlement, she established the Mary Craik Scholarship for Women at the University of Louisville. After she retired from academia, she began her next career as a fiber artist. Please join us for a final show of her fiber art. August 4-28 ***reception Sunday August 20, 2-5 pm*** Over seventy fine works by her are still available; prices top at $500. Proceeds benefit the Scholarship Fund. "not exactly equestrian art" Angie Reed Garner, Joyce Garner and Will Garner opens May 3, 20234/29/2023
not exactly equestrian art Angie Reed Garner Joyce Garner Will Garner opens May 3, 2023 Equestrian art is a huge genre with some hallmarks: unambivalent enthusiasm. Sincerity. Technical prowess depicting glorious, glowing equines that are good-smelling, if you could smell them. I don't think any of the artists in my family are up for this challenge, but who knows, so check back next year. Meanwhile around Derby I try to show some kind of art with love for horses and their place in our landscapes, our economy, our hearts, dreams, and collective stories. In 2021 I asked my brother Will Garner if he could do a piece for Derby that respected the conventions of equestrian art but also had poop. He did, and we put it in the window. Will Garner experience the derby mixed media on stonehenge paper 90 x 96" Will Garner loves animals, meaning he relates to them without sentimentality and with fellowship: we are all on this one planet together. So he pays attention to the horse's face, their embodied attitude or mood... and poo. Some details only resonate for certain audiences. Animal lovers as a demographic expressed strong appreciation for the beauty and matter-of-factness of the piece (though I notice no-one has yet collected it for their living room, entry, or the hall leading to the bathrooms. It's still available). Contemporary artists read it as light-hearted commentary at scale—all positives. Some people asked if negativity about Derby was intended, and yes a few folks took offense. It was a whole thing, to watch people out on the sidewalks as they encountered this piece. Usually they found the horse's face first, and their faces lit up. What followed next when they sighted on the poo was a frown or some kind of smile, pulling back or leaning closer. People's responses seemed to be individual, emotional and very very clear. Art can be glory and poop all at the same time in varying proportions. You are invited to feel whatever you feel about what you are shown, and enjoy the space to reflect if you want. Or you can just love horses. I do. Angie Reed Garner artist & gallery director garner narrative contemporary fine art gallery 642 e. market st. louisville, ky 40202 wed-sun 1-6, first fridays 1-9, and by appointment (502) 303-7259 garnernarrative@gmail.com above: How to Curtail the Pink Truck 60 x 60” water based pigment and medium on panel Lennon Michalski Cosmetic Construction March 24–April 30 opening reception Sunday March 26, 2-4 pm Please join us for an immersion into a world of delicate lines and layers, soaked in color. We welcome Lennon Michalski for a solo show from March 24 to April 30, 2023. An opening reception with the artist will take place on Sunday March 26 from 2-4 pm. Of this body of work, Michalski writes: The tornadoes that hit and devastated Southern Kentucky in December 2021 were the inspiration for this body of artwork. Much of the community was affected and lost not only their homes and businesses, but also the technology they had become reliant on to communicate, and easily navigate an average day. I reflected on the loss of the technology and the bond generated from those objects used in daily life. There was great displacement of personal and mental self when the connections between technology and individuals were severed during and after the storm. All technological advancements were lost in those towns causing citizens to revert back to a primal, survival mindset. This intensity birthed a whirlwind of emotions that pushed and pulled the community apart, but equally together. My purpose in this artwork is to reflect the dynamics the tornadoes delivered and the reemergence of the bond shared between the community and technology. To learn more about this widely-collected and exhibited artist, please see his bio and resume. For additional show images or information, contact the gallery: garnernarrative@gmail.com 5023037259 above: The Domestic Vacuum Braves the Wild 60 x 36” water based pigment and medium on panel garner narrative contemporary fine art
642 e. market st. louisville, ky 40202 Wed-Sun 1-6, First Fridays 1-9, and by appointment garnernarrative@gmail.com. (502) 303-7259 |
|