Sunday, April 3, 2011

Social on Julia Street




Last evening, on Julia, there was art and people were invited to jam. A Spring tradition, "Jammin' on Julia" is well advertised. The crowd is thinner each year and showed little enthusiasm yesterday...Why? Food and music are at the rendez-vous, what about art? Le Mieux Gallery was presenting two artists. Nathan Durfee with "Moments Behind the Eyes", characterized by his anachronistic personages, with their heads in a bubble, isolated and dreamlike. The technique is a mixture of realism interrupted by pixelated areas and naive. The result is disconcerting. Kathryn Hunter is the other featured artist, with bright colored cuttings. "Confluence" is about animal and human relationships. The Jonathan Ferrarra Gallery and Arthur Roger Gallery did not bother to bring a new show, and I had already spent plenty of time a month ago looking at the new works of Dawn Dedeaux. Paul Campbell's works were displayed at the Heriard-Cimino Gallery. "Koosh" is a series of paintings made with paint-soaked koosh balls and strings saturated in paint. The result is described as "a delicate dance of formal composition and spontaneous chaos." I felt like the repetitive act with random results produced flat works, decorative at best. Finally, I visited Gallery Bienvenu presenting its yearly show of Raine Bedsole's works. The boats with their mystery and symbolism create a strong impression on me. Unfortunately, the mass production of the boats, in all sizes to accommodate buyers, and different colors to match interiors, weakens the message.They are becoming repetitive and meaningless. What about new works? One of the space has become a "Spa" where the visitor can let his/her inner talent flow. The well aligned canvasses were waiting for customers. Artists and gallerists beware, there is no art without viewers.


photographs by the author from top to bottom:


"Ethan Was Studying and Had no Time To Save the Planet" Nathan Durfee


"Stormed" Kathryn Hunter


Rayne Bedsole

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