March 2008

“As long as there is time for dessert, no job is too large.”
Inspector Jean-Jacques Bizot in The Art Thief

A book-in-progress is an essential accessory. Enticing in its combination of art and mystery, The Art Thief by Noah Charney has become so thoroughly enjoyable that I am rationing the pages so as not to finish too quickly. As artworld capers go, the storyline is delightfully complex and the characters are just that- characters. Okay, they are almost caricatures, but that’s part of the fun. The descriptions and dialog are witty- or maybe a bit pretentious, which seems fitting. The requisite experts: inspectors, historians, curators and consultants, are out to nab the perpetrator(s) and recover the missing artwork from heists in Rome, Paris and London. Amid the background of art history, auction houses, forgeries and French dining, there are surely many clues, although most are eluding me. Three separate references to hounds, two of which specified basset hounds in particular, seem incongruous. . . hmmm, maybe I’m onto something. . .
Whether the hounds are relevant or not, I’m in no hurry to part company with this tale.

By six o’clock Friday evening Summit Artspace was overflowing with attendees at the opening reception of the Artists of Rubber City 30th Anniversary Show. The gallery walls and pedestals were also overflowing with an eclectic collection of art from current and former members - artists who work in a diverse range of media and styles.

I love how the lush encaustic on the wall (above) is echoed in the vibrant western sky visible through the window.

Included in the exhibit is a small block print I created related to my series of work inspired by poetry. Titled Preface, it represents the awakening day as the birds arise and the blackbird takes wing.

Additional images of work in the exhibit should soon be available on the Summit Artspace site.

What fun! It’s always interesting to try something new. Having never used the monotype colors by Createx, I decided to start small. Pictured are a few garden-inspired prints: a little winter garden (now) and a couple spring gardens (soon?!).

Artists of Rubber City : Celebrating Our First Thirty Years, featuring work by current and former members, opens Friday, March 14, with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at Summit Artspace.

Although Imprints/little (re)creations was installed in the City of Akron’s Northwest Family Recreation Center in late 2007, I just recently stopped in to take a few photos of the artwork on site. A continuation of the Imprints series, this mixed media piece combines printmaking, painting and collage. The basis of the composition consists of small printed blocks which set the color scheme. A bright, fun palette was used in keeping with the playful environment of the community center.

With the addition of detail: small printed motifs, drawings and paintings, the art becomes a spirited collection of ‘imprints’ and invites closer scrutiny.