Laura Spong and Anna Redwine May 25-June 5 2012

if ART Gallery presents @ Gallery 80808/Vista Studios 808 Lady St., Columbia, SC Two Simultaneous Solo Exhibitions: ANNA REDWINE: Nocturnes & LAURA SPONG: The Way Is Open  May 25 - June 5, 2012 Artists' Reception: Friday, May 25, 5 - 9 pm  Gallery talk Anna Redwine: Sun., May 27, 2:00 pm Gallery talk Laura Spong: Sun., June 3, 2:00 pmFor a PREVIEW of REDWINE's work, CLICK HERE . For a PREVIEW of SPONG's work,CLICK HERE.    ANNA REDWINE: NOCTURNES & LAURA SPONG: THE WAY IS OPEN                           if ART Gallery will present two simultaneous solo exhibitions, May 25 - June 5, 2012, at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios, 808 Lady Street, Columbia, SC: Anna Redwine: Nocturnes and Laura Spong: The Way Is Open. The artist's reception is Friday, May 25, 5 - 9 p.m.  Redwine will present a gallery talk on Sunday, May 27, 2:00 p.m.; Spong's gallery talk will be Sunday, June 3, 2:00 p.m.             Columbia artist Redwine (b. 1978) will present a new body of work, Nocturnes, produced earlier this year during several days of intense output following a camping trip in a remote area. "I love to be alone outside at night," Redwine says, "when the smells are so intense, and shapes are nebulous. The works are non-representational responses to my subconscious and specifically informed by senses other than sight." That has translated in highly expressionistic paintings with vigorous marks that despite their high level of abstraction maintain representational elements.             "I also had been thinking about mystery and embracing the unknown. 'Nocturne' to me doesn't mean scary or macabre. It means enchanting and beckoning. I've always been concerned with space, both formally within a composition and as an important substance in life - the enabler of possibility. Nighttime and darkness are specific forms of space - opportunity, the unknown, staring at the stars, making out the shapes in silhouettes of trees and buildings. 'Nocturne' isn't just about nighttime, though. It's also about mysterious attics and crannies and paths that trail off in the distance."             Laura Spong will present new works from the past year, during which the 86-year-old has broadened her scope as an non-objective painter. "I think my colors are brighter than they used to be," the Columbia artist says. "I have no idea why. Sometimes I wonder whether my eyes are failing me, but I just had my eyes tested, and there was no change. So I don't know. It just seems like the right thing to do, using these colors. I also think much of my recent work is more energetic than some of what I have done before.  More energetic marks, that is.  Then again, lately I've been going back to simpler shapes again, too. I go back and forth."             Redwine (b. 1978) in March was in the if ART group exhibition Contemporary Carolina Abstraction II. He most recent solo exhibition was Frauenau, a 2010 if ART exhibition at Vista Studios. In 2007 she was included in Essence of Asia: Eastern Influences in Western Art at the Asian Fusion Gallery of New York's Asian Cultural Center. That same year, one of her works was acquired by the South Carolina State Art Collection, which is managed by the S.C. Arts Commission. Redwine's 2006 and 2007 solo exhibitions Life In One Breath and New, both if ART productions, were at Vista Studios/Gallery 80808. Redwine in 2000 received a BA in English from the University of Mississippi. In 2006, she received her MFA from the University of South Carolina in Columbia.             Laura Spong (b. 1926) is among South Carolina's most prominent abstract artists. Spong earlier this year had solo exhibitions at the Spartanburg (S.C.) Museum of Art and Young Harris College in Young Harris, Ga. She currently is in a two-person exhibition with Carl Blair at the Florence (S.C.) Museum of Art. Since her 80th-birthday exhibition in 2006, the Columbia artist's career has taken off with multiple solo exhibitions throughout the state, brisk sales, and the acquisition of her work by the South Carolina State Art Collection, the South Carolina State Museum and the Greenville County Museum of Art. Spong currently has a solo exhibition at the Spartanburg (S.C.)

McNinch: Channeling Myself and Other Goddesses

                                

“I never intended to show this work, but I felt developed into something worth sharing. It is a result of an exercise in self-awareness. I have enjoyed this process and hope you enjoy the results”  Michel McNinch 

There are three distinct series of paintings in this show.  In order of their origin, they are:  Channels, Subconscious,  and Goddesses.  

“Channels” - During my father’s illness and subsequent death I sought creative counseling.  It was suggested that I attempt a visual prayer.  With this suggestion in mind, my “Channels” series was born.  It evolved into a treasured practice as I continued these prayers for the last two years.

“Subconscious”-   These paintings were an attempt to paint what was beneath the surface of my present awareness. With nothing particular in mind, I chose a color and started painting.  Each time I sat down to paint, I had no idea or direction.  I painted on sheer instinct from the underlying influence of my subconscious.   What freedom!  What fun!  

“Goddesses” - When researching for a proposed workshop,  I had the idea to use the accomplished women in my life to pose for Goddess paintings.  It grew from there to be a very meaningful and rewarding endeavor to honor the many inspiring women in my life.

May is traditionally the time of year I show new work.  Although I  never intended to show the “Channels” or “Subconscious” paintings, these experiments developed into something worth sharing.  The “Goddess” paintings were done for pure pleasure.   I have thoroughly enjoyed the process and hope that you will enjoy the results. 

For more info:

Contact: Ashley C. White, 803-603-0982

AshleyWhite114@gmail.com 

www.michelmcninch.com

OPEN STUDIOS AT VISTA STUDIOS

701 CCA Columbia Open Studios, April 21-22, 2012

Saturday, April 21: 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Sunday, April 22: 12 noon until 6 p.m.

FREE!

701 Center for Contemporary Art (701 CCA), Columbia's nonprofit visual arts and artist-in-residence center, presents 701 CCA Columbia Open Studios on April 21st and 22nd, 2012, now a partner of The Nickelodeon's 6th Annual Indie Grits Festival. This free, self-led driving tour of 69 artists' studios throughout Richland and Lexington Counties showcases the Midlands' talented visual art community. Artists will open their studios and be on hand to share their personal stories, backgrounds and share their tools and techniques. Artists' work will be available for purchase at zero markup. VisitColumbia Open Studios for more information on participating artists and to map out your Columbia Open Studios tour.

Artista Vista 2012 - OH BROTHER! Where ART thou?

Vista Studios Offers Bluegrass Theme for Artista Vista

2012 Artista Vista Gallery Crawl! Thursday 5 - 9, April 26 for Art Night and Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28. 

Vista Studios has adopted and exhibition theme  : "O Brother Where ART Thou" (Bluegrass). for the upcoming Artista Vista event  April 19th through May 8th 2012. 


Among the artists exhibiting will be a piece by Susan Lenz ,”My Bluegrass Roots,” which is comprised of an image transfer on a vintage blue-and-white quilt fragment with hand stitching and button embellishments. Lenz describes the piece,”When thinking of Bluegrass music, the theme of lost love in a wild and wonderful landscape comes to mind.  This image is from my maternal Great Grandmother's photo album and dates to the mid-1920s.  I can almost hear a fiddle and banjo picking up this story of My Bluegrass Roots. Susans Blogg can be accessed at this address(http://artbysusanlenz.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-bluegrass-roots.html).

  Laurie McIntosh will offer a painting,"She's Already Gone With Her Red Shoes On," is based on the lyrics from "Go to Sleepy Little Baby" from the motion picture "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack. Other works that will be shown are from her ongoing series of "All the In Between," a narrative series of a life lived. 


Michel McNinch will offer the oil painting  "Late Night Songs,  which features figures engaging musical instruments associated with the Bluegrass theme.  www.michelmcninch.com.


Kirkland Smith will be presenting a new portrait created from post-consumer waste. Commissioned by Department of Commerce employees, this portrait of SC Secretary of Commerce, Bobby Hitt, includes some of his own waste to create an image that represents not only his likeness, but his “likes” as well. Presented as a surprise, his wife and employees secretly collected materials to include in the Assemblage to make the portrait more personal and relevant to him. 

Sculptor Pat Gilmartin will be showing a number of new works, including one that connects with this year's theme of Bluegrass music. Entitled "Sit Down and set a While," the piece incorporates several found objects and sculpted details pertaining to Bluegrass. In addition, she will display some new figurative pieces, both realistic representations of the human figure and a more abstracted series, showing blocky, angular figures reminiscent of certain indigenous cultures. The meaning of the members of the latter series is ambiguous, as is its title: "Is it Better to Remember or to Forget?" 


Other Vista studio Artist exhibiting include:  Ethel Brody, Stephen Chesley, Jeff Donovan, Robert Kennedy, Sharon Licata, Heidi Dar Hope, David Yaghjian, and Laura Spong. Further Information is available at the Vista Studio Site; (http://gallery80808.blogspot.com/)


Entertainment:  

Come on out and hear the PALMETTO PORCH PICKERS play old-time mountain music, it’ll make you want to tap your toes, and maybe do an elbow swing with an innocent bystander.     Old-time music is the granddaddy of Bluegrass… it was played for square dances , pot luck suppers , and anytime people got together to visit in the hills. Yeah, we live in the Sandhills, but come on down to the Vista and get a dose of porch music….it’ll make you feel GOOD! Got a jug?   Bring it and play along, or just pass it around for the band to take a sip.  See ya there !

The players are:

Kathy Bradley , playing guitar, fiddle, and accordion [they had those in the mountains?   Naw. But she has one]  Previous bands are: The Fabulous Porkskins, Granny Gotta Gig, and currently SLAP WORE OUT.

Kenny Barnes, playing bass and guitar. Previous band was The Homeboy Discount Band from Charleston.

Andrew Berger, playing banjo and guitar, hopscotch and checkers.  

Jack McGregor, playing guitar, mandolin, harmonica .  Other bands are SLAP WORE OUT and the WHATEVER BAND. 

Ray Murphy , playing a mean, mean banjo and guitar. He has played with the CHARLESTON BLUEGRASS SOCIETY , the TIRED HANDS, and THE HOMEBOY DISCOUNT BAND.

The Travelers’ Trio, Friday 4/27 12 3-5, featuring Kerk Spong on acoustic guitar, Robert Key on mandolin, and Vernon Dehart on stand up bass will be playing Friday 4/27 12 3-5  at 80808 Gallery/Vista Studios, 808 Lady Street. The Trio will plays a eclectic mix of country, traditional and bluegrass. Everything from Jimmy Martin to Marshall Tucker Band with a little Dylan, Haggard and Monroe on the side. Come on out for a lot of fun.

Kirkland Smith

Laurie McIntosh

Stephen Chesley

David Yaghjian

Susan Lenz

Pat Gilmartin

Michel McNinch

Michel McNinch

Sharon Licata