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I’ve known Kurt for a long time. I was surprised that the show brought to mind what at first seemed an entirely random set of memories from a 90′s weekend I spent with him and a couple other friends, John Buck and Tom Curtin. The four of us golfed almost non-stop for two days in North Carolina on courses in and around Pinehurst. It was 36 holes a day. One of those marathons. The results were mixed from one round to another, but at one of the courses we played, you could rent a llama for a caddy. (I wish I had a llama story, but we declined them. Doh! Big hitter, the Lama. Long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse . . . oh right, wrong Lama.) On the last day, we showed up in the morning mist, sleepy, dizzy, hungover and, frankly, intimidated by the first tee at a course called The Pit. It was a gnarly, sadistic path through a former sand quarry, with dramatic elevations and vertiginous drops, designed to induce despair with its tiny greens, overgrown chasms, and wild cart rides through twisty terrain. Each tee box was marked using old hardware from the rails that had carried loads of sand from the now-abandoned quarry: screws, spikes, half-rail anchors and rail anchors. Let’s play from the screw tees, one of us said, surrendering to the gallows humor induced by even a casual glance at this course. The screw tees were The Pit’s equivalent to the black on any other course, the longest from the hole and, of course, the hardest. We had a disheartening front nine, and yet we didn’t give up. On the tenth hole, it all changed. We settled down. We woke up. And somehow we actually played well on the back. It was one of the most gratifying rounds I’ve ever enjoyed, mostly because we simply kept going despite the punishment and humiliation of the front nine, and the crazy challenges of each hole. Nearly every shot induced a fear of the peculiar despair only golf can induce, and the doglegs brought dread of what new, crazy hazard might await around a bend. All the while, it seemed your ball could disappear into water, woods, sand, or, well, something like a crevasse. I still have that score card on a shelf in my studio, with those tallies in the lower forties on the back, scrawled in pencil. When a foursome of bogie golfers shoots better than its average, or thereabouts, on nine holes at The Pit, you don’t let go of the evidence. Kurt’s paintings are each like that scorecard. Golf and painting are both about the necessity of hope and the likelihood of despair. With every one of Kurt’s paintings, he’s fought his way toward a win: I didn’t see a losing round anywhere in what he’s showing at RoCo. Each painting serves as proof of his ability to scrape, roll, scratch, stroke and draw his way toward an image that’s never clear to him until he discovers it. And it’s less an image than an indeterminate field of energy coagulating into weathered-looking patches of paint that hold shreds of definite forms. This is the sort of painting you have to keep relearning how to do with each work, which means it takes courage. He’s updating the heart of abstract expressionist improvisation with his own visual vocabulary of airy, taut, looping lines and fragments of a tipped-over and reversed alphabet. Is that a K? Is that a C or a U? It’s never clear what you seem to be seeing. He conveys so much motion that it’s hard not to feel the image changes a little whenever you aren’t looking. He works within extremely tight restrictions: every one of the pieces is essentially a shallow square box, the paint adhering to an unprimed wooden panel, about four feet by four feet in height and width, mounted on a cradle probably four inches deep. Each one sticks out from the wall to such a degree that it almost appears he grabbed a dozen shipping pallets for a few bucks in some garage and went to town with them for six months. They’re marked, scored, cracked in places, riddled with nails and a few screws, engraved naturally with the wood grain that shows through, the sides left raw, so that you see the layers of lamination in the plywood, when that’s what he’s working on. There’s even a little square of blue masking tape—like a postage stamp—stuck in the upper corner of one. These are highly finished pieces, intensely labored, earned, and yet they have the aura of being provisional, maybe abandoned just in time, still breathing. Maybe they keep growing into something else after he walks away from them. You move from one to the next, feeling as if he kept trying to do the same thing again and again, succeeding every time, but in a way he couldn’t have predicted. Those who don’t paint or golf will probably laugh at the suggestion that it takes courage to do either. Caddy Shack isn’t exactly Saving Private Ryan. Neither is Pollock. What’s really at stake, right? Try it and see. Rick Harrington and I have had many conversations about how much painting resembles a physical sport: there’s the same need to get out of your mind, to tap your subconscious abilities, and to overcome the dread and gloom that accompany a bad day of it. Riding a motorcycle is a demonstrably dangerous thing to do, yet I’m never afraid when I do it. Alert, yes. Refreshingly apprehensive, yes. Afraid? No. Until I spot a deer heading toward the road, anyway. When I golf, or paint, there’s a little pang of fear lurking around every stroke. It’s the fear of not being able to get your body to do something you thought you knew how to do. It’s fundamentally humiliating, discouraging, depressing . . . and you fear the notion that you’ve invested four hours, four days, four weeks into something that can just turn ugly in a way that makes you simply give up. With painting, it’s the fear that you can’t do what it is that gives meaning to your life. You can choose to do it in a way that’s easily repeatable and sells, the safe way, or you can take chances and find fruitfully risky ways to discover images that are as fresh and surprising to you as they are to someone else. Which means to always be trying to do what you don’t quite know how to do–to push through that moment when you can’t figure out what the painting needs. I won’t laugh and say Kurt was in that mode on the golf course (we’re all in that mode because you can’t retain a good golf swing in your head, you have to keep finding it). But it’s high praise to say he seems to be braver than most whenever he starts a new painting. All of which is to say I’ve got evidence of Kurt’s courage in pencil on a card here at home, and there’s more of it, in paint, down at RoCo. With this show, he’s sharing space with some interesting and even distinguished company. Craig Colorusso’s solar-powered sound installation creates a unique alpha-wave ambience as you walk from room to room: a video shows how he sets up his speakers almost anywhere to create a moment never to be repeated. Irvin Climaco Morazan’s “cheesedoodle headdress” hangs from the ceiling, a humorous and, to be honest, slight disquieting piece of headgear, with jars full of orange cheese snacks for eyes. Yes, it made me hungry. It’s part of a costume for Morazon’s street performances that mash up shamanistic ritual with contemporary culture. A video of his work loops on a wall near the entry. Foremost among the exhibitors is Karlos Carcamo, a Beacon artist whose elegant work has been cited by both Roberta Smith and Holland Cotter. Carcamo marries remnants of graffiti tags with rectangular grids of extremely subtle color: offering glimpses of the spray-can’s cursive energy between and behind the grids. Everything floats. The hints of graffiti art seem to recede to a middle depth behind the grids and in front of the wall, making the flat angular rectangles of subtle hues project toward the viewer. The support itself seems to levitate—a sheet of canvas wrapped around a pair of panels designed so that they come to a pointed edge hovering an inch or more away from the wall. His work integrates the disobedient energy of street art with comparatively refined modernist conventions from half a century ago—it suggests AbEx gestural work paired with the minimalism that arose in reaction to it a decade later. His assiduous attention to the quality of his paint gives the work a chill perfectionism. The grids are smoothly applied in uniform layers of color, while the graffiti sweeps in misty arcs behind it, as finely rendered as fog in a Chinese scroll painting. What I like most is the marriage of opposites in this work—the impromptu feel of graffiti fused into the meditative, calm geometry of designer color. As a whole, these paintings convey a sense of taste Clement Greenberg would have admired, yet there’s an ironic appreciative smile behind the cool facade. If you look at his whole output, you’ll recognize how much he relies on a dialectical tension between high and low, what’s in and what’s out, what’s hip and what isn’t. On his home page, you’re greeted by a work that could almost be a logo for what was most vital in 70s pop culture: a pair of hipster sneakers hanging from a ceiling with soles done up as if they were the underside of a disco mirror ball. He merges the now-laughable Saturday Night Fever glitz of dance clubs from 1976 with the hiphop genre that emerged directly out of it and now has become the major tributary of current mainstream pop culture. Yet he’s making an interesting point as he quietly, cleverly characterizes an era. In one stroke, with that lurking benevolent smile, he’s pasted together a humble, witty symbol of both disco and the hiphop it jump-started—pointing out how disco gave birth to the movement that walked all over it. High and low, in and out, impulsive and precise, gestural and geometric—he resolves his opposites in an almost serene reflection on them that suggest generously (and beautifully) that, hey, guess what, we’re all in this together. [youtube http://youtu.be/2TUivH2oSAo] Global Street Art, the newest MOCAtv series to hit YouTube, turns to the world of Palestinian graffiti in its latest episode. Featuring the work of artists Hafez Omar, Areej Mawasi, Majd Abdel Hamid and Hamza Abu Ayash, the five-minute clip explores the use of street art as a means of communication in Ramallah, the de facto capital of the Palestinian Authority, and beyond. The street artists take turns explaining their own struggles with freedom of expression and how the expanding medium has helped them to establish their political beliefs and showcase their artistic talents in the public realm. “In the first Intifada it was more about conveying political messages than being aesthetically pleasing,” says artist Hafez Omar. “Today, however, there is more aesthetic quality to the murals.” Watch the video above and let us know what you think of the shift in the Palestinian street art movement in the comments. Want more? Check out last week’s episode on Libya’s graffiti scene here. Read the original post at Huffington Post Arts for a great slideshow of Palestinian street art.
IGNITE THE MIND, STIR THE SOUL, OPEN THE HEART- BOLDLY CREATE! Teen Art Studios- Fall 2012 Ages 13-17 Taught by Brooke Nuckles Gentekos Two session to choose from or sign- up for both! (Each session will be unique and suitable for teen artists of all skill levels. Session 1: Tuesdays, 5-7 pm: Sept. 18, 25, Oct. 2, 9 Please Register Early! Each session: $70 members/$85 non- members Session 2: Tuesdays, 5-7 pm: Oct. 23, 30, Nov. 6, 13 Beginners to experienced teen artists will draw, paint, sculpt and experiment with personal expression through art. Be inspired by contemporary art and artists and be bold as you create original works of art! Register for one or both sessions- each class will be a unique and fun experience specially designed for creative teens! The Rogue Gallery & Art Center provides quality art education to inspire and build life-long interest in the arts. Classes are taught by experienced artist educators in our professional art studio and high-quality art materials are provided to youth to create their art. Discounts and partial scholarships are available! Register online: www.roguegallery.org Rogue Gallery & Art Center 40 S. Bartlett Street, Medford, OR 97501 (541)772-8118
Ignite the Mind, Stir the Soul, Open the Heart- Boldly Create!
The Rogue Gallery & Art Center is offering a variety of inspirational art classes & workshops for adults this summer! For youth ages 4-7, 7-12 and 13-17, please check out our summer art camps. Please visit our website: www.roguegallery.org for detailed class descriptions and to register. For more information, please call (541)772-8118, email [email protected] or stop by 40 South Bartlett Street in Medford, OR.
Adult Summer Art Opportunities at RGAC: May 19, 12-3pm: Ikebana: The Art of Japanese Flower Arrangement- Barbara Longhurst June 15-16, 5-8pm & 9am-12pm: Paste Paper Art Bookmaking- Denise Kester June 23-24, 10am-4pm: Encaustic: Experiment in Layers & Creativity- Cathy Valentine July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Sundays, 1-5pm: Oil Painting Basics- Roni Marsh July 6, 1-5pm: Basketry: Japanese Gourd-Style Basket- Donna Sakamoto Crispin
July 7, 9am-4pm: Basketry: Reed Market Basket- Donna Sakamoto Crispin July 28, August 4-5, 1-4, 1-4, 1-5pm: Intro to Sculpture- David Turner August 10, 17, 24, 6-9pm: Art Interplay & Spatial Synergy: my chair, my space- Marilyn Michele Kunkel PLEASE REGISTER EARLY! In order for us to hold a class or workshop, we must meet the predetermined minimum enrollment requirement one week prior to the first class or workshop meeting. If we do not meet the minimum enrollment, the class or workshop will be cancelled due to low enrollment. REGISTER ONLINE! www.roguegallery.org MEMBER DISCOUNTS and PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE! Call (541)772-8118 ext. 301 for more information. 2012 SUMMER ART CAMPS FOR CHILDREN & TEENS CREATIVE ● INSPIRING ● FUN Summer Art Camps are designed to nurture creativity and youth ages 4-17 will have fun, explore, and learn foundational art skills. Each camp is taught by an experienced artist educator and students use quality materials to create their art. All this takes place in a real art making environment-our professional art studio. Rogue Gallery & Art Center Summer Art Camps provide quality art education to inspire and build life-long interest in the arts. Pre-Register ONLINE at www.roguegallery.org | Camps held at 40 S. Bartlett Street in downtown Medford | 541.772.8118 PLEASE REGISTER EARLY! To hold a camp, we must meet the minimum enrollment requirement one week before the first day of camp. All Camps | $105 Members | $125 Non-Members SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE For more info call the Rogue Gallery & Art Center or email [email protected] NEW! Ages 4-7 RECYCLED ART Tuesday- Friday ● Aug. 7-10 ● 9:00am -12:00noon Instructor- Amy Godard Navickas Play and create with non-toxic up-cycled and recycled materials to make sculptures, kinetic art, mixed media art, puppets, prints and more. We will focus on turning cast away ephemera such as empty spools of thread, berry baskets, game pieces and more into interesting art objects. A parent/ guardian is welcome to participate and stay or to drop-off campers.
Ages 7-12 WORLD ART Tuesday- Friday ● June 19-22 ● 9:00am -12:00noon Instructor- Amy Godard Navickas Art makes the world go round! “Travel” around the world from the Americas and through Mexico, Africa, Asia, and India to create fresco paintings, clay vessels, masks, musical instruments, and more!
YOU CAN DRAW! Tuesday- Friday ● June 26-29 ● 9:00am -12:00noon Instructor- Eva Fawcett Expand your drawing skills and let your imagination soar by learning classic techniques like shading & perspective, draw real or imaginary animals, self-portraits, and explore drawing in Manga style.
PAPER CREATIONS CAMP Instructor- Mary Wilkins-Kelly Tuesday- Friday ● July 5-7 ● 9:00am -12:00noon Experience the wonderful world of paper! Learn to make paper, create marbleized and colorful paste papers, and use your art papers to construct one of a kind sketchbooks, sculptures, and collages.
ART THAT POPS! Instructor- Amy Godard Navickas Tuesday- Friday ● July 10-13 ● 9:00am -12:00noon Draw, paint, print, collage, and have fun exploring pop art techniques inspired by popular culture. Learn to draw in three dimensions and discover basic skills that will make your drawings POP!
MIX IT UP- EXPRESSIONS Instructor- Samar Dawisha Tuesday- Friday ● July 17-20 ● 9:00am -12:00noon The fun is in the mix of art expression- experiment and get creative with paint, printmaking, collage to discover their own unique style of expression while referencing art history from ancient to modern art.
SCULPTURE EXPLORERS Instructor- Samar Dawisha Tuesday- Friday ● July 24-27 ● 1pm -4pm Explore the world of 3-dimensional art from Egypt’s Sphinx to Oldenberg’s Giant Bag of Fries and play with a variety of materials to create and construct wild, wacky, and fantastic art objects.
SPLASH! WATERCOLOR Instructor- Amy Godard Navickas Tuesday- Friday ● July 31-Aug 3 ● 9:00am -12:00noon Paint with watercolors and explore landscapes, buildings, abstract designs, imaginary creatures and more while learning basic design principles with references to art history.
IMPRESSIONIST PAINTING Instructor- Tia Gardner Tuesday- Friday ● August 7-10 ● 9:00am -12:00noon Experience acrylic paint on canvas! Learn to use light and shadow, describe shapes in 3-D, experiment with color mixing, composition, and paint an impressionist landscape with movement and expression.
PRINTMAKING MEDLEY Instructor- Tia Gardner Tuesday- Friday ● August 14-17 ● 1:00 pm -4:00pm Printmaking is like a giant stamp- explore and discover ways to create block prints from a variety of materials with bright and colorful inks to create original designs.
CARTOON & COMICS Instructor- Ted Helard Tuesday-Friday ● August 21-24 ● 9am-12pm Learn to construct creative and unique comics with the basic concepts of cartooning. Create simple cartoon figures and characters and bring them to life with stories, expression, and creativity!
NEW! Ages 13-17 TEEN DRAWING: Draw on the Artist Within Instructor- Eva Fawcett Tuesday- Friday ● June 26 -29 ● 1:00 pm -4:00pm Let the artist in you come out and play by illustrating the human face, explore figure drawing, and practice drawing realistic animals. Learn to see as an artist and apply that vision to paper with graphite, charcoal and color, exploring value, tone and line.
TEEN PRINTMAKING (Two-Day): Monotypes on the Square Instructor- Nancy Jo Mullen Thursday & Friday ● July 5-6 ● 9:00am-4:00pm Create “out of the box” monotypes (unique prints) using square plexi-glass as a plate and learn to pull prints using a professional etching press and fine inks in the studio of the instructor. Explore ways to create one-of-a-kind prints from black & white to full color. Bring a lunch, a small sketchbook and a swimsuit and towel as campers are welcome to take a swim after camp each day.
TEEN PHOTOGRAPHY: Developing an Artistic Eye Instructor- Mary Wilkins-Kelly Tuesday- Friday ● July 10 -13 ● 1:00 pm -4:00pm Develop an eye for taking great 35mm photos, express individual style, and explore lighting, composition, portraiture, and still-life with fun hands-on activities and walking field trips then develop your film in the darkroom and print black and white photographs. REGISTER ONLINE! www.roguegallery.org
CALL TO ARTISTS Elvis Emporium Exhibition In celebration of Elvis Presley’s 77th birthday, and in conjunction with the Heart of Medford “Elvis Week,” the Rogue Gallery & Art Center will host a non-juried art show of work inspired by “The King.” Artists of all ages are invited to bring in one work for display in our Community Gallery. For an Elvis Emporium entry form, visit our website: FUNdamentals of Design & Composition with Roni Marsh Saturday & Sunday, December 3 & 4 from 10 AM – 5 PM Roni Marsh at work All skill levels welcome! NEW!!! Register online: www.roguegallery.org $85 members/ $100 non-members Individual Annual Memberships start at $35! Fundamentals of Design and Composition taught by nationally and international award-winning local artist Roni Marsh will be a FUN and informative weekend workshop for painters of all mediums and any skill level to explore and strengthen artistic use of the fundamental building blocks of design and composition. Participants will learn skills to capture and hold the attention of their viewers and build confidence in the fundamentals, while enjoyably exercising creativity and exploring painting in new ways. Whether you use pastels, oils, acrylics, watercolor, mixed-media, drawing, or more- this workshop led by outstanding artist educator Roni Marsh will be FUN and help you take your artwork to the next level! Register online: www.roguegallery.org, email [email protected], or call (541)772-8118 for more information! Ignite the Mind, Stir the Soul, Open the Heart… Boldly Create! Rogue Gallery & Art Center 40 South Bartlett St. Medford, Oregon 97501 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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