Between the extreme heat and the massive thunderstorms that roll through every few days, it seems like the weather is trying to destroy our fair city by the James this summer. Thankfully, tomorrow is looking from the forecast like it will be a relatively mild day, at least where the norm for Summer 2012 in RVA is concerned. The fact that I'm saying this about a day with a forecasted high of 94 and an expected UV index of 10 is kind of ridiculous (as is the fact that I always seem to spend most of these introductions talking about the weather--have I already become an old man sitting on a front porch jawing with his cronies? Don't answer that), but regardless, it's about as auspicious an evening as we're going to get in RVA in early August. So slather on the sunscreen and hit the Art Walk, because as always, there's plenty to see!
Ghostprint Gallery: Beyond Skin
Untitled 1 tattooed ink and acrylic 48 x 48 in
“In the same way that a brush can paint the interior of a house or render a fine oil painting, I see the tattoo machine as a tool that can make art.” - Amanda Wachob
Amanda Wachob is a New York based painter and tattoo artist who works in a number of media. Beyond Skin will feature her paintings along with tattooing on leather, fruit and cyanotypes. Many of Wachob’s tattoos begin as abstract paintings, her inspiration coming from examining the work of the Abstract Expressionists, then translating the work from canvas to an organic form.
Before putting ink on skin, a tattoo apprentice will practice on fruit. In a sophisticated take on this, Wachob has created series of blood oranges and pomegranates tattooed with her signature marks. Her work on leather takes the idea of the controlled black line (the basis for most tattoos) and develops its potential in spontaneous gestural marks. This concept is expressed similarly in her cyanotypes.
Wachob has shown extensively in galleries nationally and internationally, including Yves Laroche, Montreal, Robert Berman, Santa Monica, Minescapes, Osaka, Roq la Rue, Seattle, and Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico, to name a few. She has also been featured in numerous publications.
Beyond Skin opens on First Friday, August 3, from 6 PM until 9 PM, and will remain on display through August 25, at Ghostprint Gallery, located at 220 W. Broad St.
Quirk Gallery: Tropical Elegance; Kranitzky & Overstreet; Leanne Maxey
Main Gallery: Helen Harrison, Susan Sugar & Cindy Wynn, curated by Byron Wampler & Lawson Waring
Enjoy the creations from three of Key West's most inspiring artists. Their work encapsulates the unique and relaxed spirit of this southernmost slice of paradise.
Vault: Kranitzky & Overstreet's Rorschach Project
The creative collaboration between Robin Kranitzky and Kim Overstreet began in 1985 when a mutual interest in found objects sparked the beginning of their jewelry venture, “Lost & Found”. As their jewelry gained popularity, Kranitzky and Overstreet’s collaboration blossomed into a career that has earned them international recognition. Their exquisitely detailed, narrative brooches are now included in permanent museum collections.
Shop Wall: Leeanne Maxey
New works by artist Leeanne Maxey. No further description available.
All three of these exhibits will be available for viewing on First Friday, August 3, from 5 until 9 PM, and will remain on display through August 31, at Quirk Gallery, located at 311 W. Broad St.
Art Whino Book Signing And Artist Exhibit
The first Art Whino book, Newbrow: 50 Contemporary Artists, is finally here! The book highlights 50 of Art Whino’s artists and features over 180 pages of artwork. During Richmond’s August First Friday we will be doing a book signing with four of the local featured artists. Artists who will be present are Brandon Hill, James Walker, Nils Westergard and Sylvia Ortiz. Artwork from these artists will be on exhibit and artists will be available for signing.
This signing will take place on First Friday, August 3rd, from 7-10pm, at 202 West Broad St. Books will be available for purchase during the event.
Visual Art Studio: ARTe'licious Silent Auction--Final Round
Pamlico, 87,000 Toothpick Mermaid, with its creator, Greg Lewis
Final chance to take home fabulous artwork at unheard of prices in ARTe'licious 2012 Silent Art Auction. Last installment by local artists Tyler Thomas, Anne Hart Chay, Greg Lewis, Clarke Fitch, Amber James, T. McConville, Linda Hollett-Bazouzi and more.
Bidding begins 6pm Thursday August 2nd and continues through First Fridays August 3rd from Noon-9PM. After the final bids are locked in at 9PM, you may take your artwork home with you!
The ARTe'licious Silent Auction final round First Friday event will feature a performance from country-rock group Boots N' Pearls. Visual Art Studio is located at 208 W. Broad St.
1708 Gallery: Avery Lawrence Is Moving A Tree And Arranging Suitcases
1708 Gallery is pleased to present its upcoming exhibition, Avery Lawrence is Moving a Tree and Arranging Suitcases, featuring the work of New Orleans-based artist Avery Lawrence. With an interdisciplinary studio practice bridging video, sculpture, installation, drawing and performance, Lawrence creates works that engage concepts of perseverance and futility through physically grueling, absurd actions. In Moving a Tree, one character fells a dying walnut tree while another painstakingly reconstructs it. In Arranging Suitcases, three characters haul different parts of a set of suitcases across train tracks and canals, finally uniting to reveal their contents. Through these surreal narratives, drawings and sculptural objects, Lawrence explores themes of affection, disorder, persistence and failure.
Avery Lawrence was born in Charlottesville and holds a BA in Visual Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Lawrence is the founder of The Pomp, an experimental print shop and studio in Charlottesville, and has exhibited at the (E)merge Art Fair, SCOPE Miami and Heiner Contemporary in Washington, D.C. He is the recipient of the SCOPE Foundation Award and was recently named one of the “100 Under 100 Art Superstars of the South” by Oxford American magazine. Lawrence lives and works in New Orleans, LA.
The closing event for Avery Lawrence is Moving a Tree and Arranging Suitcases will take place on First Friday, August 3, from 5 to 8 PM, and will feature a live performance by the artist. 1708 Gallery is located at 319 W. Broad St.
Art6: Erasing Borders
Indo-American Arts Council presents Erasing Borders: Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art of the Diaspora
Erasing Borders is a richly provocative exhibition by artists of the Indian diaspora who confront issues of sexuality, terror, disease, the environment, racial and sectarian politics in painting, prints, installations, video, and sculpture. With great technical mastery and diversity of theme and style, these works combine traditional Indian aesthetics with Western elements, and speak to the powerful experience of personal and cultural dislocation in the global village. In its eighth year, Erasing Borders is curated by Vijay Kumar and produced by the Indo-American Arts Council.
Participating Artists: Debangana Banerjee, Raazia H. Chandoo, Shanthi Chandrasekar, Bivas Chaudhuri, Pritika Chowdhry, Nandini Chrirmar, Delna Dastur, Minakshi De, Uday K. Dhar, Claudia Dias, Anujan Ezhikode, Mustafa Faruki, Ruee V. Gawarikar, Reeta Gidwani Karmarkar, Abhijit Goswami, Shivina Harjani, Mansoora Hassan, Samina Iqbal, Ina Kaur, Kulvinder Kaur Dhew, Reet Kunal Das, Rahul Mehra, Shobha Menon, Rahul Mitra, Jayanthi Moorthy, Alakananda Mukerji, George Oommen, Jigar A. Patel, Avani Patel, Nirmal Raja, Ali Raza, Rasika Reddy, Sangeeta Reddy, Tara Sabharwal, Aparajita Sen, Ela Shah, M. Tasneem Shahzad , Madhvi Subrahmanian, Anu Thadani, MD Tokon
The opening reception for Erasing Borders will take place on First Friday, August 3, from 5 until 9 PM. The exhibit will remain on display until August 30 at Art6, located at 6 E. Broad St.
Steady Sounds: A Name I Call Myself
Steady Sounds (322 W. Broad St.) presents a collection of new works by local artist Eliza Childress.
Friends and future friends! I will be showing recent works at Steady Sounds on Friday August 3rd from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. I'm planning on having a few rap portraits completed (Brand Nubian and Nas in the works. I have a huge list and enough time to make more, though), a recent piece I created for Numero Group (this one is a game changer for me!), as well as various other commissions and personal pieces I've been working on for the past few months. The last show I had was a retrospective of my fliers from the past 5 years, so come say hello and check out my newer pieces! There will be discounts on specific prints if you spend at least $20 on records. We all succumb to the desires of indulging in worldly possessions so I thought I'd make it easier on you if you want to take home some art and some music. I hope to see you all there!
Main Art Gallery: Short Twig
Short Twig: a collection of paper works is an exhibition of prints, broadsides, and artists' books consisting of handmade paper and various printmaking processes. This show features pieces created by current and former Longwood University Art students within the Printmaking/Book Arts BFA program. The artists include: Kevin Biddle, Caleb Briggs, Brittany Claud, Chelsea Colon, Andrea Damiano, Lindsay Decker, Melissa Dorton, Liz Hale, Amanda Haymans, Amy Jackson, Alexander Leonhart, Kristin MacQuarrie, Katie Miller, Hannah Newton, Antrice Petty, M. Spencer, Alyssa Strackbein, and Dane Summerell.
Short Twig will open on First Friday, August 3, with a reception from 7 until 9 PM, and will remain on display through August 31, at Main Art Gallery, located at 1537 W. Main St.
Studio Two Three: Shallower, Then Deeper, Than
Studio Two Three (1617 W. Main St.) presents Shallower, Then Deeper, Than, an exhibition of printed works by Corey Eli Durbin, Branch Ashton Hudgins and Jorge Guillen. Opening reception will take place on First Friday, August 3, from 7 until 9 PM.
The Camel: Jack Brandt: Substantial Position
Jack Brandt's Artist Statement:
My artwork reflects my understanding that each individual holds an important position in life that is complex and intertwined with emotion. Substantial Position represents a place in society where each individual is valued. This position, whether political, religious, or personal needs to be acknowledged and respected. Substantial Position is my viewpoint on society's perceived knowledge and understanding for "different" or "diversity" in today's world.
When I create a piece of artwork, I ask myself the following questions:
Are the colors and designs substantial to the piece?
Does the position of the colors affect the piece, or is it better to view the piece in black and white?
In Life, does color matter?
Are the titles of my work substantial to understanding the piece beyond the color and elements of design?
Do the titles provide a clearer understanding of my viewpoint?
Does my physical state add anything to the piece?
Now, if I tell you that I have a disability is that meaningful for you to know?
Art allows me to be expressive and bold. The medium i choose allows me speak more directly to an individual in lieu of other means of communication. In some of pieces, the viewer will see my understanding of life as being complex and intertwined with emotion. My other pieces reflect my frustration with society's lack of knowledge, intolerance, and, in some cases, total neglect for those who are deemed "different." I feel that we live in a society that does not see all individuals as leading substantial lives in our respective communities. Some people in today's world believe individuals with disabilities or those who are diverse in other ways, such as myself should be nonexistent or unseen. When individuals take a first glance at me they focus on my wheelchair and speech and tend to forget that I have a Substantial Position in life, which is exhibited through my use of color and design in my art.
Substantial Position opens with a reception from 5 until 8 PM on First Friday, August 3, and will remain on display throughout the month of August, at The Camel (1621 W. Broad St.)
Artemis Gallery: Debbie Talman
Debbie Talman, Folk Art painter, creates whimsical paintings of vivid characters that come from her time spent on the James River kayaking, and her past time spent in the water as a synchronized swimmer. Debbie attended Longwood College and VCU as an Art Major. She currently designs cards for the Jefferson Hotel, and has designed the Jefferson's menu cover. Jefferson Hotel cards will be available for sale at the First Friday Event!
Debbie Talman's paintings and Jefferson Hotel cards will be on display on First Friday, August 3, from 5 until 10 PM, at Artemis Gallery, located at 1601 W. Main St.
Visual Arts Center Of Richmond: First Friday Samplers
Visual Arts Center Of Richmond presents First Friday Samplers, an event that offers artistically-inclined RVA residents the opportunity to receive training in the Wheel Throwing and Raku pottery methods, as well as the Letter Press printmaking technique. First Friday Samplers will take place on First Friday, August 3, from 6:30 until 8:30 PM, at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, located at 1812 W. Main St.
Artists! Galleries! Would you like your future First Friday events covered in these monthly articles? We might hear about your event anyway, but why leave it to chance? Email your press releases to andrew@rvamag.com.
By Andrew Necci
Top Image by kissmyfashion.org