Matters of Consequence: January 2010

Please Join us Thursday Jan 7th. from 5-8pm for Fayetteville Underground's first Thursday opening reception. You really do not want to miss this show!
The Fayetteville Underground starts 2010 with a bang!

The month of January features two exciting new exhibitions.

Revolver Gallery : Christopher Baber, Michael Shaeffer = Pedigree

"Matters of Consequence"

Christopher Baber and Michael Shaeffer = Pedigree
photographed by Thomas Petillo

After five years of working together; Hot Springs, Arkansas art duo Pedigree will be showcased in the Fayetteville Underground's Revolver gallery. Pedigree is the collaborative art of Christopher Baber and Michael Shaeffer.

In 2004, Shaeffer was living in New York, and Baber was running VS. Art Gallery in downtown Hot Springs. In the Spring of that year, a chance encounter occurred for the two at the Coachella music festival in Indio, California, where they were formally introduced by a mutual friend. Shortly after meeting, Shaeffer came down from the Empire state to show at Baber’s gallery, and a few months later; Baber moved to New York with Shaeffer and the two began working together. In 2006, they were asked to show at the 404b Gallery in Hot Springs. In 2007, they both returned to the Spa City and opened the short lived Nobrow Gallery, a gallery focused on the works of local young talent they felt were not receiving proper exposure from the art community they called home.

“Matters of Consequence”, the latest Pedigree project, will feature solo works by both artists as well as their collaborations. Baber’s work is described as schematics of the human experience; by creating drawings loosely based on time lines and electrical schematics, he creates a visual representation of abstract concepts such as love, jealousy, hate, loss, elation as well as others. The result is jumbled and chaotic, while still being coherent. His work hosts an intentional array of colors, lines, circles and shapes. Each color, line or shape, representing a moment in time, or a connection he has with the world around him.

Shaeffer’s work began as fashion-based illustration dealing with the concepts of personal identity, and the influences of American popular culture within his surroundings. Recently his work has taken a turn to more personal interests, such as the idea of potential within oneself as well the town he calls home. By starting each work with geometric patterns he shows the concept of possible potential and how it can be used for beauty or simple escapism.

The combination of the two leads to what some have called an attempt to create an emotional blueprint, a constant search for some understanding within their lives, and their environment.

Pedigree © 2009

Hive Gallery: Nationally Recognized Potter Don Nibert

The glowing works of artist Don Nibert have earned him national recognition. Each elegant pot he makes is a portrait of flame. In addition to many other awards, his work earned him an Arkansas Arts Council Fellowship, $5000.00, in 1995.

“I moved here to join a documentary film company. “We intended to shoot films with anthropological themes, travel the world and only come back to collect the money. “When it didn’t pan out, I didn’t intend to stay. But I fell in love, found people to play music with (I still play with) and discovered this is a powerful place to be.

In a previous life, 1970 to 1973, he was a math major studying computer science at the University of Missouri at St. Louis. Nibert continued college at the University of Arkansas. He wanted to teach elementary school, but once again his plans did not pan out. The class ‘Public School Art’ was a required course, in that class he found his way to the clay studio and his real work.

He spent most of his remaining college hours taking clay courses. His second semester in pottery he did his first show, Natchitoches, La., “I made money selling my Homework”, he says.

Don Nibert has lived in Fayetteville for thirty three years, twenty two of those years as a Studio Potter. He sells at Juried Art Shows all over the country. This upcoming show will be a rare opportunity view and aquire Nibert's work.

Vessel © Don Nibert

The Fayetteville Underground is thrilled to bring you the best from the cutting edge Hot Springs' art scene and this rare exhibition of Don Nibert's work and as always there are open studios to tour, work in progress to see, and artists to meet. Also there will be group exhibitions of the talented underground studio artist's in the Vault gallery and the fine crafts you have come to expect in the E Street Gallery. Don't forget to visit the fabulous DDP gallery as well. Once again this is all a part of the cultural amenity that is the visual arts on the First Thursday of every month on the Fayetteville Square from 5-8p.m.

Tell your friends and see you there!

The Fayetteville Underground
Basement of One East Square Plaza
East side of the Historic Fayetteville Square.
Fayetteville, AR
Gallery Hours W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 10-5pm
4 galleries: Open Studios
www.fayettevilleunderground.com

Steve Moore: Memorial

The Fayetteville Underground mourns the passing of photographer Steve Moore. We are grateful for all he has given the community with his art, and are pleased we were able to share his Fayetteville Panarama project with the community this past September.

A memorial service will be held at St Paul’s Episcopal Church community room in Fayetteville today, this Saturday, Dec. 19 from 2 – 4 pm.

In lieu of flowers, Moore’s family is requesting that donations be made to the Steve Moore Memorial Fund (in care of Sadie Moore) at the Bank of Fayetteville.

Here is a nice piece that was written about Steve Moore and posted by the Fayetteville Flyer. Steve will be missed.

Here is the press release from Steve Moore's exhibition this past September:

Castle in the Park © Steve Moore

In the Hive gallery we have long time Fayetteville craftsman and photographer Steve Moore and his exhibition, A Panoramic Project. Moore’s photographic style is a culmination of his early film photography, influenced by Ansel Adams, and his more recent investigations of panoramic images using contemporary digital processes. His early film photography, documenting village life in Mexico, will be included in this exhibition along with his more recent documentary photographs of Fayetteville's changing landmarks over the past several years.

Moore's work is first inspired by light; illuminating from within a building or reflected off or around a structure. Whether you recall a location of Moore’s image as it once appeared or you come to it for the first time, you are left with a haunting sense of human intervention; the composition of a place and the artist's will to reveal a theatrical sense of time and light during a moment. This exhibition is curated by Leilani Law.

December: Art for the Holidays

Fayetteville Underground:
First Thursday December 3rd 5-8pm - Art for the Holidays

Join us first Thursday to celebrate the opening of Art for the Holidays. This month we will feature fun, affordable works of original art created by our Fayetteville Underground artists. A variety of works will be shown from painting, mixed media, collage, and photography; to jewelry, ceramics, custom blown glass chandeliers and unique vessel sinks. Come find your perfect gift. December will also feature a fun and colorful suspended art installation by Fayetteville artist Garrett Hunt.







A taste of what some of our studio artists will be offering:

William Mayes Flanagan currently has smaller paintings that are framed, matted and ready to hang for only $110. So if you love his moody blue watercolor worlds, you may find one that is just right for you. He will also have a selection of medium sized works in the $400 price range.

Leilani Law has been hard at work to bring you an exciting selection of new small works. Elegantly framed 8x10" oil and acrylic paintings for only $150 along with a selection of mixed media works on wood panel in the $150-200 range. Leilani will also have a selection of drawings for $200. These new works have an urgency, design and color combination that is very alluring. I have been very excited when I have popped into Leilani's studio and catch her working on these new pieces.

Jennifer Libby Fay is one of our newest studio artists and we are very excited about her addition to the group. In this new series of mixed media collages Jennifer is exploring the colors and textures created by working with many layers, some opaque; some translucent. Each piece is created from a thought or a question. For instance, when she was making “So They Say,” Jennifer was thinking of all the things we tell ourselves “They” say--which we believe for awhile--and then we have a revelation because it turns out “They” were totally wrong. The pieces are small, sizes—up to 5x9" unframed, and range is price from $25.00 to $75.00.

Kelly Booker (Kelly Price-Colston) is the queen of affordable and especially unique smaller works. She has a whole new selection of works with prices and sizes suited for your art buying needs and tastes. This is a wonderful opportunity to purchase Kelly's work.
Did you know that Kelly Booker...
• is a member of the arkansas artist registry [kelly price-colston]
• has two upcoming publications [Sew Somerset Mixed Media and We Feel Fine, a book about visiting human emotions from sources around the web]
• has shown in Pittsburgh, Chicago and Houston, Art Market, Art Amiss 8, and had a successful solo show in FU Vault Gallery.

Jan Gosnell has provided a large selection of works for your enjoyment, that according to Jan are "for the most part are 16x20" acrylic paintings on canvas, the subject matter being the figure as well as "unstill" still lives." He will also have 18x24" figure drawings available for sale. His holiday themed paintings take it to a whole new level. Do not miss them!

There are more wonderful and fun works by Dana Idlet, a selection of $50.00 works by Gregory Moore, and a new selection of small paintings by Basil Seymour-Davies, and last but not least, talented new comer to the Underground, Sabine Schmidt's wonderful photographs.

And of course the E Street craft artists have great gifts starting at less than twenty dollars; just perfect for your gift giving this Holiday season. It looks great in the Revolver gallery as the fine crafts have been combined along side the studio artist's work and it just makes the gallery come alive.

This is a cash and carry show as well, meaning you can pay for it when you see it and take it home! Purchasing original art is easy at the Fayetteville Underground. Just contact anyone wearing a name badge, and we will be happy to facilitate your sale, we have two sales offices located in the E Street and Revolver Gallery. Cash, Check, and Major credit cards are accepted.

As always there are open studios to tour, work in progress to see, and artists to meet. Don't forget to visit the fabulous DDP gallery as Dede Peter's presents her artist's 3rd annual small works show. It is all a part of the cultural amenity that is the visual arts on the First Thursday of every month on the Fayetteville Square from 5-8p.m.

Enjoy this quick tour of the Fayetteville Underground: Just a taste of what you will see. Can't wait to see you all out at First Thursday.

December Preview: Fayetteville Underground. from Megan Chapman on Vimeo.

Fayetteville Underground

One East Center Street

East side of the Fayetteville Square.

Fayetteville, AR

Gallery Hours W-F 12-7pm

Saturday 10-5

4 galleries: Open Studios

www.fayettevilleunderground.com

The Fayetteville Underground Galleries will have extended hours on Saturday from 10am to 5pm

November: Leon Nihues and Art for the Holidays

November's First Thursday will be another do not miss event. The Revolver gallery will feature nationally renowned basket maker Leon Niehues as well as an exciting selection of affordable new works from the Fayetteville Underground studio artists in the Hive and Vault galleries along with new work from artists in the E Street Gallery.

Join us this Thursday Nov. 5th from 5-8pm to celebrate and support our artists and the thriving arts district in downtown Fayetteville. It is not too early to start thinking about giving the gift of original art for the holidays and you are sure to find something unique and within your budget at the Fayetteville Underground.

Revolver Gallery:Leon Niehues

Leon Niehues is a studio basket maker living and working in Huntsville, Arkansas. His baskets are made from the young white oak trees that grow in his immediate area of the Ozarks. While using traditional splint techniques, he has added innovative ideas, new construction methods, and simple design elements that dramatically change his oak baskets into exciting contemporary pieces. In 2005 he was named an Arkansas Living Treasure by the Arkansas Department of Heritage. His baskets have been featured in the New York Times, American Craft Magazine, and Craft Arts International. He exhibits widely throughout the U.S. and his work is included in the Arkansas Art Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, Racine Art Museum in Racine Wisconsin, Huntington Museum of Art in Huntington, West Virgina, and in The White House Craft Collection, Washington, DC.

We are very excited to welcome Leon to the Fayetteville Underground for his November exhibition. Please come and learn about this talented artist and his work.

Hive & Vault Galleries: Studio Artist's Group Show: The Gift of Art

This November, all of the represented Fayetteville Underground artists have come together to help you with your holiday gift giving! All month long, both the Hive and the Vault galleries will be full of affordable, original works of art. This year, consider buying beautiful, special and unique works of art for your loved ones. Sweaters may fall out of fashion, housewares fade or break over time, but art is the gift that endures.

I had the pleasure of talking with a few of my fellow studio mates to see what types of affordable works they were creating for your gift giving needs. Let's just say whether for yourself or a friend now is the time to buy.

William Mayes Flanagan currently has 19 smaller paintings that are framed, matted and ready to hang for only $110. So if you love his moody blue watercolor worlds, you may find one that is just right for you. He will also have a selection of medium sized works in the $400 price range.

Leilani Law has been hard at work to bring you an exciting selection of new small works. Elegantly framed 8x10" oil and acrylic paintings for only $150 along with a selection of mixed media works on wood panel in the $150-200 range. Leilani will also have a selection of drawings for $200. These new works have an urgency, design and color combination that is very alluring. I have been very excited when I have popped into Leilani's studio and catch her working on these new pieces.

Jennifer Libby Fay is one of our newest studio artists and we are very excited about her addition to the group. Jennifer will present a selection of hand dyed fabric and paper prints. Framed 5x7" works as low as $65 and ranging in price up to $150 for an 8x10". Come welcome Jennifer and learn about her unique medium and process. These works are rooted in clean and stylish design, color, and spirited experimentation with this unique medium.

Kelly Price-Colston is the queen of affordable and especially unique smaller works. She has a whole selection of prices and sizes suited for your art buying needs and tastes. This is a wonderful opportunity to purchase Kelly's work. I know I would be thrilled to receive one of her mixed media collage pieces this holiday season.

I have also seen some of the works to be exhibited by Jan Gosnell, Dana Idlet, Gregory Moore, Basil Seymour-Davies, and talented new comer to the Underground, Sabine Schmidt. Let's just say I think there is something for everyone. If you have been a long time fan of any of these artists but have been waiting to purchase- wait no more, now is your opportunity to enjoy the underground studio artist's work in yours or your friends and families homes.

E Street Gallery: Fine Hand Crafts for the Holidays

Great gifts starting at less than twenty dollars; the E Street Gallery of Fine Crafts is unveiling many new works that are great for your gift giving this Holiday season from jewelry and coffee mugs up to custom blown glass chandeliers and unique vessel sinks. Come find your perfect gift with heart and soul for your treasured friends and family.

This is a cash and carry show as well, so if you see a piece you like in the Hive, Vault, and as always in the E street, you can pay for it when you see it and take it home! Purchasing original art is easy at the Fayetteville Underground. Just contact anyone wearing a name badge, and we will be happy to facilitate your sale, we have two sales offices located in the E Street and Revolver Gallery. Cash, Check, and Major credit cards are accepted.

Please join us for all this as well as new work by studio artists in the back vault. As always there are open studios to tour, work in progress to see, and artists to meet. Don't forget to visit the fabulous DDP gallery as well. It is all a part of the cultural amenity that is the visual arts on the First Thursday of every month on the Fayetteville Square from 5-8p.m.

Fayetteville Underground

One East Center Street

East side of the Fayetteville Square.

Fayetteville, AR

Gallery Hours W-F 12-7pm

Saturday 8-2

4 galleries: Open Studios

www.fayettevilleunderground.com

15 minutes with Dana Idlet

art patrons enjoying works in the Vault Gallery by Dana Idlet, photo credit Henry Turner ©2009

Don't miss the last two days of Dana Idlet's current solo exhibition, The Nature of Faces, which opened the First Thursday of October and will close this Saturday, October 31st at 2:00p.m. This is her shows final week, so be sure to see it and all the other wonderful exhibitions currently on display at the Fayetteville Underground.

I hope you enjoy getting to know this young, vibrant, and talented artist.

Dana Idlet, 23, born Houston TX,

Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Tulsa in painting

When was the first time you called yourself an artist, what did that feel like?

The first time I called myself an artist was at my first solo exhibition in Tulsa. It felt odd to say it out loud, and it still does a little. But that's what I am.

Were the arts actively encouraged in your home? Have people always supported your desire to be an artist?

The arts were definitely encouraged in my home, anything my brother and I were interested in was supported in our home. My parents took us to piano lessons, thousands of basketball practices and art lessons. My family has always supported my decision to be a full time artist.

What is your long term goal as an artist? What is the best part about being an artist? What is the worst?

My goal is to make enough money to live comfortably and continue on a natural path as an artist. The best part about being an artist for me is that I'm able to do something I love and care about, using my energy for what I believe in. I think the worst part is the doubt and that negative voice in the back of my head sometimes, but there are ways of stopping that. Not knowing exactly how much money you will bring in each month can be stressful too.

What is something you would like people to take away from your work, something that viewers might be missing?

I want people to notice the shifts in color, some obvious and some subtle, that make up the image.

Are titles important to your work? If so how do you come up with them?

I used to hate titling my work, I never want it to affect what someone else might see on their own. I try to leave it as open as I can, a lot of times I write down words I hear or see that I like together. Some titles come from songs that mean a lot to me, or that I've been listening to while that painting was made. Once the painting is done I find a title that works with the image/idea.

Do you have an idea for what you want to create in a piece of art before you start the piece or does it evolve organically?

I have a very loose idea before I start a piece, but often what comes out first triggers a response that can change the whole painting. I think it's very organic and comes out fast when I just respond to lines or color, I try not to think too much.

Dana, you paint on traditional materials and you also do your cardboard collage work. How did the cardboard collage come about? Had you seen anything like that before? How did this evolve into your work?

I started painting with oils on sheets of cardboard I would find in dumpsters around campus. I used it because it was free, light, easy to store and I really liked painting on the brown cardboard. Then I started building up a surface with cardboard before I started painting on it, doing the collage part before I would paint, more sparse and bigger pieces. The paintings never really matched up with the random collage method...so I switched to acrylic paint so I could collage over the whole piece. I chose my pallet and painted each piece of ripped up cardboard, leaving some corrugated and had a enough warm and cool light and dark to pull from. It was very natural for me to do the collages so I kept them up.

I had never seen anything like that before with cardboard, some pallet knife paintings or paintings with very thick and clear color choices and not much blending were inspiration. I think the reason I kept making them was to practice painting from them. It's a fun process and I enjoy seeing the color changes throughout the collage when it's done.

What or who influences/inspires your work?

The people and things that bring joy to my life are my inspiration. The landscapes and seasonal changes influence my color choices, I feel like there are so many intense colors we kind of overlook around us. I use natural colors in my paintings, as bright as they may seem I find them everywhere. I love painting people and nature around me. Sometimes seeing someone else's paintings or photography can be inspiring as well, it could trigger something inside me that must come out.

Do you listen to music while you work? If so who is on heavy rotation in your studio currently?

Sometimes I feel like listening to music and sometimes I don't, it can either be distracting or meditative for me. Just depends. But when I do listen to music...lately it's been a lot of accordion, French and Gypsy styles, Hoots and Hellmouth has also been playing a lot.. so much, it may be a little irritating for the people around me, and Cinematic Orchestra.

What has it been like working in the Underground studios? Have you ever worked around a group of artists in this way before? What are the pros and cons? What have you learned about yourself or your work since your time in the Underground?

It's been interesting working in the Underground. I graduated a year ago, so I'm used to being in close quarters with other artists. I really enjoy being around all of the artists, each person has taught me something either by my observation or having talks about business or how to get an affect with the paint I'm using. There is feedback if I want it and everyone brings something different to the table. The space is great, the galleries are very nice. I feel so lucky to be a part of the First Thursdays, showing my work with all the other artists. It is a little scary how time can pass down in a basement though, there's no natural light which takes some getting used to.

What do you enjoy about First Thursday's at the Underground? What is the experience of having people in your studios like?

I really enjoy eating the cheese. I usually start out pretty nervous about talking to people, but it fades quickly when everything gets going. I like that people have the chance to see the studios because I love looking in other artists spaces and feeling the energy. I hide the work I don't want people to see, but I think the studios being open is a great thing. I hope it feels special to the people who visit too.

As is common in this segment, I ask the artist to list 15 things. Dana came up with a list of 15 things she can not live without.

family, friends, cheese, accordion, my dog Lenny, music, art, trees around me, cozy chair, family treasures (things I've stolen from home), alternative lighting (lamps/lanterns), dried mango, my Subaru, ability to travel, Sushi

Dana Idlet
"The Nature of Faces"
Exhibition remains up through this Saturday October 31st at 2:00pm.

Fayetteville Underground
One East Center Street
East side of the Fayetteville Square.
Fayetteville, AR
Gallery Hours W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 8-2
4 galleries: Open Studios
www.fayettevilleunderground.com

First Thursday: Brodnax, Idlet, Moore

October's First Thursday is sure to thrill. Don't miss these talented featured artists, as well as new work from the Studio Artists in the back vault and new work from the E street artists. First Thursday is sure to be a wonderful night at the Fayetteville Underground. Join us Thursday Oct.1 from 5-8pm to celebrate these artists and the thriving arts district in downtown Fayetteville.

Revolver: Randy Brodnax: Joie de vivre

Randy Brodnax, a life-long potter and educator in Dallas, Texas, creates everything from functional dinnerware to large sculptural vessels and painting. A Louisiana native, Randy has retained much of the Cajun joie de vivre with which he was raised, and has spent a career building bridges among clay artists with all levels of experience.He has specialized in Raku for many years using images from nature and drawing upon a wild fantasy world of creatures of the mind. He's a very inventive and intuitive technician.In workshops, Randy cajoles and entertains as he shares his deep knowledge with participants, helping them seek a refined focus, new direction, or simply building camaraderie among clay artists.He has participated in numerous exhibitions throughout North America and is a dedicated and humorous teacher.

The Vault: Dana Idlet: The Nature of Faces

Local artist Dana Idlet will show her most recent work, a mix of oil paintings on canvas and re-purposed cardboard transformed into colorful collage pieces. This show represents where the artist is at this very moment of her life. It focuses on her fascination of the human face and many of its forms and emotions. This subject is juxtaposed by nature--trees, water, color, earth. This exhibition creates a beautiful and balanced organic product which moves the artist and somehow comes across as simply whole. A unique blend of media and artistic interpretation, this colorful collection of art is refreshing.

Hive: Gregory Moore: Reclaimed Surfaces

For the past 2 years, local artist Gregory Moore has been combing Fayetteville's salvage yards, scrap heaps, recycling centers and dumpsters in search of the perfect materials to transform into art. He collects pieces of rusted, dented metal debris and paints on them is a way that doesn't obscure the original texture and color of the object. He seeks out objects that are notable for their interesting stains, rust and damage and he lets those characteristics guide the paintings. Gregory will show paintings of wildflowers, weeds and other plants painted on salvaged metal and wood.

Please join us for all this as well as new work by the E street gallery artists and new work by studio artists in the back vault. As always there are open studios to tour, work in progress to see, and artists to meet. Don't forget to visit the fabulous DDP gallery as well. It is all a part of the cultural amenity that is the visual arts on the First Thursday of every month on the Fayetteville Square from 5-8pm

Fayetteville Underground
One East Center Street
East side of the Fayetteville Square.
Fayetteville, AR
Gallery Hours W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 8-2
4 galleries: Open Studios
www.fayettevilleunderground.com

15 minutes with Jan Gosnell

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down to talk with painter Jan Gosnell about his life as an artist. We sat outside of The Vault Gallery in front of his current solo exhibition, Back from Krypton which opened the First Thursday of September and will close this Saturday, September 26th at 2:00p.m. This is his show's final week, so be sure to see it and all the other wonderful exhibitions currently on display at the Fayetteville Underground.

Jan has always been an artist; drawing and painting from a very early age. He was encouraged in his art by his geologist father (who perhaps yearned to be a painter) and his crafty homemaking mother. He remembers his father laughing and enjoying the art Jan would make and this encouraged him to remain on the artist's path for life. Jan also remembers time spent creating art in local museum classes; he was especially intrigued by an oil painting class that was going on across the way from where he was making "kids art." He wanted to take the more advanced class so badly that he went and talked with the teacher and they told him to come back when he was 11 years old. He did come back and he remembers his first oil painting was that of a still life.

Jan maintained his affinity for art through school, and once headed to college there was only one major that would do. Jan received his B.F.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, and then later he received an M.F.A from the University of Arkansas, here in Fayetteville. Jan taught art as a graduate assistant for two years while there. Currently he has been teaching at North West Arkansas Community College for the past for 4 or 5 years. Jan says he particularly enjoys the advanced courses he offers because of the one on one interaction he has with the students.

When asked to classify his style of painting, he says it is "basically pop imagery done with traditional oil painting techniques." Jan's paintings are filled with the same sardonic humor that make working with him such a joy. He says he approaches his work playfully with an openness that children have when making art.

I asked Jan if he ever experienced any of the common "artist's blocks." He mentioned that starting a painting can be a problem at times, like jumping in without warming up. He actually has a term for this issue: "The Shit Barrier." He has gone 2 months without painting as sometimes he feels it becomes too much of a commitment to get started with a new work. When this happens he turns to his drawing, as he feels this is less of a commitment. Jan also can become self conscious about a painting, and when this happens he feels the most important thing to do is just to keep on working. He knows that eventually he can make it work, but even then it doesn't mean it will be a good painting. There have been at least 2 instances where Jan has burned his paintings, whether because of moving or just making space, sometimes he has to let them go. He is not as sentimental about his work as some artists but at the same time when he looks at a body of his work up in the Underground or in his home gallery, he is always shocked, and wonders where it all came from and he is pleased with what he sees.

Jan has been enjoying working around other artists in the Fayetteville Underground. He wanted to re-establish his ties with the Fayetteville art community after feeling a bit reclusive over recent years. When I asked him if he had any advice to younger artists struggling with their art careers or passion for art, he said, "Use your ability in art: Art has a stabilizing influence in your life, you shouldn't let it slip away, just do the work and focus on the process. Whatever else comes from it, is gravy."

Jan Gosnell
"Back from Krypton"
Exhibition remains up through this Saturday September 26th at 2:00pm.

Fayetteville Underground
One East Center Street
East side of the Fayetteville Square.
Fayetteville, AR
Gallery Hours W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 8-2
4 galleries: Open Studios
www.fayettevilleunderground.com

As is common in this segment, I ask the artist to list 15 things. Jan came up with a list of 15 Diversions. So when he is not painting you will find Jan Gosnell...

Reading Science Fiction, Exercising, Practicing Martial Arts, Enjoying Ice Cream, Building things, Meditating, Spending time on the Computer, Focusing on Politics ( comes in handy when you draw award winning editorial cartoons) Watching Films, Smoking, Shopping, Researching a variety of subjects, Making conversation, People watching, Writing

Pictured above: a selection of works from "Back from Krypton"
© 2009 Jan Gosnell
Photography by Henry Turner

Krapausky, Moore, Gosnell and Wilks: First Thursday!

September's First Thursday is sure to pack a punch! Don't miss these talented featured artists, as well as new work from the Studio Artists in the back vault and new work from the E street artists as well. Sure to be an wonderful night at the Fayetteville Underground. Join us Thursday Sept 3. from 5-8pm to celebrate these artists and the thriving arts district in downtown Fayetteville.

Retired © Thomas Krapausky

In the Revolver gallery we have Supremacy and Myth, an exhibition of photographs by Thomas Krapausky. The works on display explore the strains of human activity on a constantly recovering natural world.

Krapausky’s photographs emphasize the “hidden worlds” that we pass by every day, but rarely notice. His unique and sometimes abstract work has received multiple awards, has been displayed in juried exhibitions, and has been published on an international level.

Castle in the Park © Steve Moore

In the Hive gallery we have long time Fayetteville craftsman and photographer Steve Moore and his exhibition, A Panoramic Project. Moore’s photographic style is a culmination of his early film photography, influenced by Ansel Adams, and his more recent investigations of panoramic images using contemporary digital processes. His early film photography, documenting village life in Mexico, will be included in this exhibition along with his more recent documentary photographs of Fayetteville's changing landmarks over the past several years.

Moore's work is first inspired by light; illuminating from within a building or reflected off or around a structure. Whether you recall a location of Moore’s image as it once appeared or you come to it for the first time, you are left with a haunting sense of human intervention; the composition of a place and the artist's will to reveal a theatrical sense of time and light during a moment. This exhibition is curated by Leilani Law.

© Jan Gosnell

In the Vault gallery we have painter Jan Gosnell, treating us to selections of his newest paintings in his exhibition Back from Krypton. For sixty years Jan has been a compulsive picture maker. His work enjoys a conventional knowledge of drawing and painting, and its apparent sources of influence lie in both the classical and popular modes of two-dimensional expression.

He sees his work as primarily an orchestrated projection of the imagination upon a simple rectangular support. It is there that he seeks to firmly establish a visual pathway between literal consciousness and the alternate reality of the unconscious. The traveling of this pathway, with its inherent experience of the greater personality, sustains and enriches his life.

© Kelley Wilks

In the E Street Craft Gallery the featured artist will be Kelley Wilks. Kelley Wilks, a Fayetteville native, is the gallery’s second artist to hold a solo show. She’s been working primarily in clay for almost 20 years. The theme of this exhibition is Let’s Party and the works range from punch bowl sets, cake plates and platters to individual colorful cups all with a fun and festive feel since everything from Game season to the Holidays are just around the corner.

“I really enjoy creating with clay and working with it’s natural characteristics. It’s so pliable and it is possible to mold it into most any form. I love coming up with an idea, putting it on paper and then working the clay until I get what I was looking for. I like holding to the body of a cup like as in a teabowl. So, when I was making the cups for the punch bowl, I decided I did not want handles but had to come up with another way to store and present the cups with the bowl as a set. I designed this basic form for the cups and mimicked it in the bowl. The shape allows the base of the cups to be the instrument to hang the cups on the rim of the bowl there by eliminating the need for handles and making them more sleek and unique.”

Kelley will also be giving a Gallery Talk about her work and process Thursday Sept 10th from noon to 12:30ish. Bring a sack lunch and come gain some insight to the workings of an artist and her process of creating these wonderfully unique pieces.

Please join us for all this and new work by Studio artists in the back vault and open studios to tour, work in progress to see, and artists to meet. Don't forget to visit the fabulous DDP gallery as well. It is all a part of the cultural amenity that is the visual arts on the First Thursday of every month on the Fayetteville Square from 5-8pm

Fayetteville Underground
One East Center Street
East side of the Fayetteville Square.
Fayetteville, AR
Gallery Hours W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 8-2
4 galleries: Open Studios
www.fayettevilleunderground.com

15 minutes with Maggie Ivy

Maggie Ivy came into my studio with her freshly nuked lean cuisine pizza- we had an interview to do after all and she needed some fuel. Maggie sat down at one of my studio tables and we got started, our interview lasted more than fifteen minutes, but here are the best parts.

Maggie Ivy was born in Arkansas in 1989, making her nineteen about to turn twenty at the end of September. I wanted to get a sense of her history as we began. Maggie started drawing around the ages of 4 or 5, and was encouraged under the care of her baby sitter Ellen Lewis. Ellen showed great excitement over young Maggie's abilities, and began to more seriously mentor Maggie from the ages of 5-8. Maggie learned oil painting and acrylics at this time. This initial support and interest in Maggie's artistic abilities went a long way as she had also been diagnosed with a severe language delay in speech and writing. Maggie didn't really speak until the age of 5 and when she finally did, it was in sentences. Maggie credits the "fake it till you make it" plan for helping her through school as she was still not reading or writing at grade level until around the age of 12, and even then it was a struggle. Maggie says this diagnosis along with expectations of her not doing well academically by teachers and peers kept her from trying and succeeding.

However, it was a different story when it came to her art. This talent would save her. Maggie felt her art was the only thing that was entirely her own and she excelled, won awards, and took the praise and attention she received there and ran with it. Maggie says that her art gave her a sense of identity that was missing and the rest is history...

Maggie attends the prestigious Florence Academy of Art, and at the end of September she will be heading back, this time to their sister campus in Sweden to continue her studies. Maggie looked at other schools as well, such as SCAD and Kansas City Art Institute. She chose the Florence Academy while in a Barnes and Noble with her father. They were looking through a 40 top artists under 40 article in Art Connoisseur Magazine and noticed that the many in the top 10 came from the Florence Academy and that is when she decided she wanted to apply. She and her family knew the odds weren't good, as most regard the Florence Academy as more like a graduate program and that she was much younger than the typical student at the school. She applied anyway, and a week later she received her acceptance letter. She got in!

I asked Maggie about her current exhibition So close to farewell at the Vault gallery in the Fayetteville Underground. She is very pleased with the response her work has been given, and feels it was a good showing for an early student. Six out of seventeen pieces sold from the exhibition and Maggie has sold another two pieces while showing and working at the Underground for a total of 8 paintings/drawing over the summer. Maggie praises her experience at the Fayetteville Underground, and says she has learned a lot from her studio mates as she bridged the gap between art student and professional artist. We have learned a lot from Maggie.

Just the other day I told someone that Maggie Ivy is the diamond of the Fayetteville Underground. She has given her time, attention, heart and poise to her peers and the organization and is already a consummate professional.

Don't miss So close to farewell, this is the final week for Maggie's exhibition, as it closes Saturday August 29th at 2:00pm. Her pieces are classic, elegant and unassuming yet packed with a bit of high contrast drama just like the artist herself.

Maggie Ivy
"So close to farewell"
Show remains up through this Saturday August 29th at 2:00pm.

Fayetteville Underground
One East Center Street
East side of the Fayetteville Square.
Fayetteville, AR
Gallery Hours W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 8-2
4 galleries: Open Studios
www.fayettevilleunderground.com

all art pictured above © Maggie Ivy

PS. Maggie likes snacks. Her 15 or so favorites are:
twix, reeces, chocolate chip cookies, captain crunch (crunch berry), Fruit loops, lucky charms, cookie crisps, drumstick dibs, any lean cuisine meal that contains meat and cheese, Lunchables (turkey with American cheese ONLY) sweet potato, lemonade, bagel and cream cheese, and when abroad she eats cheerios, pasta, and clementine oranges.. now you know....

David Murphree: Machines in the Ghost

Machines in the Ghost
New Paintings by David L. Murphree explore the intersection of industry and the natural world.

How can you measure the transformation of the natural landscape in the wake of American industrialism? Fayetteville artist David L. Murphree confronts that dilemma in an exhibit of contemporary oil paintings, “Machines in the Ghost,” on display July 15 – August 29 at the Fayetteville Underground's Revolver and Hive Galleries. The show features 24 new paintings that investigate the dichotomous relationship between the organic world and the scientific apprehension of it in abstract field paintings of intense color and boundless space.

Born in rural Mississippi, Murphree was raised with an abiding concern for the natural riches of the Deep South. At the same time, hours spent in the laboratory with his father, a pioneer in the field of plasma physics, stimulated the artist’s fascination with actualizing the forces of nature through the lens of physical science. Murphree is quick to point out, “These influences combined form the central theme of my painting: the land and the battles it wages with the technologies of our age.” Join us at the opening reception for David Murphree's exhibition on First Thursday, August 6 from 5-8pm.

Pictured above:
Solar Wind
© David Murphree
Image Courtesy of Artist

Fayetteville Underground is located on the East side of Fayetteville's historic square at One East Square Plaza.

Fayetteville Underground
Gallery hours
W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 8am -2pm.
4 Galleries
Open studios
Join us on First Thursday Art Walk at the Fayetteville Underground on August 6th 5-8pm.
www.fayettevilleunderground.com

Maggie Ivy: So Close to Farewell

Maggie Ivy
"So Close to Farewell"
Artist Reception: Thursday August 6th 5pm-8pm.
Exhibition dates: August 5th-29th.

Native Fayetteville artist Maggie Ivy will be featured at the Fayetteville Underground from August 5th to 29th. There will be a reception for the artist on Thursday, August 6th, from 5-8 pm. For the past year and half, Maggie has been studying at The Florence Academy of Art, and is a visiting artist to the Fayetteville Underground for the summer. Maggie's exhibition "So close to Farewell" will showcase art created while working in her studio in the Underground, along with a selection of her impressive academic drawings. This exhibition will be the culmination of her experiences at the Underground before she leaves to attend The Florence Academy of Art’s sister school in Sweden this September. Please visit www.maggieivy.com for more information about the artist and her work.

Fayetteville Underground is located on the East side of Fayetteville's historic square at One East Square Plaza.

Fayetteville Underground
Gallery hours
W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 8am -2pm.
4 Galleries
Open studios
Join us on First Thursday Art Walk at the Fayetteville Underground on August 6th 5-8pm to celebrate this amazing young talent.
www.fayettevilleunderground.com

Whatever happened to Daphne
Mixed Media
11.5 x 18 inches
$225
© 2009 Maggie Ivy
image courtesy of the artist

15 minutes with Kelly Price-Colston

If you had 15 minutes with an artist you admire what would you say? What questions would you ask? This is a new feature of the Fayetteville Underground blog. I will present a short fifteen minute conversation with one of our featured Underground studio artists about their work and their life as an artist. If you have additional questions for the featured artist- just leave them in the comments.


I sat down with the prolific and talented Kelly Price-Colston outside the Vault gallery in the Fayetteville Underground, for a chat about her current exhibition, "You could have been home by now." We had a short but spirited conversation about what makes her tick, her art and her role as an artist.

Like many artists, Kelly listens to music when she creates, and she enjoys many genres. While working on her current exhibition she listened to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's, R.E.M, Fiona Apple, Tori Amos and a dash of Joni Mitchell, not to mention whatever other music that filtered through from her studio-mates' walls.

I asked Kelly if she had any expectations about her exhibition. I was surprised to find out that she doesn't. Kelly claims to have no expectations once she hangs the show; for her it is about the process of creating the work and once it is displayed, it ends for her. She is off and running and ready to move on to the next project or pieces. Kelly feels that her art is not about the crowds, the schmoozing, or money from sales. She feels that part of the art world is simply a form of pageantry.

I asked Kelly when she felt she became or claimed the title of "artist." Kelly recounted selling a piece to a documentary film director who was working for the Discovery channel several years back. He had found her work online. This was a big milestone and an important step for her. Another instance was when she was searched out by a gallery in Pittsburgh for a group exhibition with other artists that she already admired from a far. This validation was important for her and proved that people were taking an active interest in her work as an artist at home and around the country.

We then discussed her art and the stories that her work creates for the viewer. Her mixed media collage incorporates photographs, watercolor, spray paint, thread, buttons, stitching or whatever it takes to obscure and tell the story. There is the surface story of the image or photograph she uses in the piece and then the layers that are then created atop that deepen or change the meaning of the original image and a new story emerges. Kelly hopes to make a significant psychological connection with the viewer through her art. However, she finds that at times the viewer can think that the work is purely autobiographical and they may reach for connections between themselves and the artist that simply aren't there.

When I asked if there was anything that she hoped the viewer might take away from seeing her work, she mentioned her use of inexpensive, simple and recycled materials. Things that people throw away or offer at their yard sales tend to find their way into her pieces. She believes that everybody and everything can have a second life in her art; these cast away items and photographs merge together to become reborn into something new, taken out of context, obscured and embellished; thrown into a new world of her creation.

Kelly does not find any real special significance in being an artist, she simply thinks of herself as a laborer. This is her work; a job that she must do. She feels that the vibe and energy of the Fayetteville Underground enables her to fulfill this position. She enjoys the process of getting to know herself just by the act of showing up for the job.

And that is what she does; she shows up. After our talk, she was right back at work- behind a wall of music, sitting at her studio desk creating new worlds for old images again, creating new worlds for us again. Creating places to find ourselves, places to question, and places to get lost.

Don't miss this exhibition:
Kelly Price-Colston
"You could have been home by now"
Show remains up through Saturday August 1st.

Fayetteville Underground
One East Center Street
East side of the Fayetteville Square.
Fayetteville, AR
Gallery Hours W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 8-2
4 galleries: Open Studios
www.fayettevilleunderground.com

Sample 15 songs that Kelly listens to when she creates her work:

All images © 2009 Kelly Price-Colston

Kelly Price-Colston : Opening Thursday July 2nd!

Kelly Price-Colston

New Works

"You Could Have Been Home By Now"

Artist Reception: Thursday July 2 at 5pm-8pm.
Show runs through July 30, 2009

Kelly Price-Colston is an award winning collage artist residing in the ozark mountains. Her work is characterized by the energetic splats, drips and grime that accompany a diverse cast of vintage black and white photographs. Her use of sewing and graffiti collage on paper has been recognized by art collectors and galleries across the country, and internationally.

Come and see these amazing works in person and meet the artist only at the Fayetteville Underground. You do not want to miss this exhibition!

For more information about this exciting and prolific artist please visit http://paperballet.com and www.fayettevilleunderground.com

Fayetteville Underground
Gallery hours
W-F 12-7pm
Saturday 8am -2pm.
4 Galleries
Open studios

Pictured Above:
Letting Go
Mixed Media 11x14"
© 2009 Kelly Price-Colston
Image courtesy of the artist

Blurring Boundaries and more...

The Fayetteville Underground is buzzing with new activity. We are fortunate to have three visiting artists with us this month. Marianne Wilson, Jennifer Henbest de Calvillo, and Nann Nann (who is visiting from Myanmar) have created an exhibition packed with color, design, form; along with cultural diversity and significance. Blurring Boundaries is a striking exhibition, showing June 17 – July 11 in both Hive and Revolver galleries. Don't miss it! Also currently showing in The Vault gallery are Dana Idlet and Greg Moore in the front section, with a selection of works by our talented resident Underground artists in the newly renovated back Vault. As always, the E Street Gallery of Fine Crafts, has a wonderful assortment of jewelry, decorative and functional ceramics and sculpture, with new pieces being added all the time.

Underground Gallery hours are Wednesday-Friday 12-7pm and Saturday 8-2
Don't forget First Thursday Art Night from 5-8pm
Join us the first Thursday of each month for great art and open studios. Mix and mingle with the artists, peek in on their spaces and process. It is a fun night for the whole family.

Visit the Fayetteville Underground's Website for more information.
http://www.fayettevilleunderground.com/

Current Artists of the Fayetteville Underground...

I just want to take a minute to let you know the impressive roster of artists that now have working studios within the Fayetteville Underground. These artists work in a variety of styles and mediums and come with a wealth of experience in their fields.

Megan Chapman
Kelly Price-Colston
Basil Seymour-Davies
William Mayes Flanagan
Duane Gardner
Robert Glick
Jan Gosnell
Dana Idlet
Maggie Ivy
Leilani Law
Greggory Moore

There will be more talented artists coming soon as we fill the last 4 remaining studio spots in the Underground.This is such an exciting time for the Fayetteville art scene. Please visit the website for more information about the Fayetteville Underground and upcoming events. Remember to come and bring your friends and family to the first Thursday Art walk of each month from 5-8pm. 4 art galleries along with open studios and artists to meet and mingle within a festive atmosphere. We hope to see you there!
Regular underground gallery hours are
W-F 12-7pm and Sat 8-2pm

Fayetteville comes alive underground...

As more artists move their studios into the underground, it is sure to become an energetic and exciting destination. The public will be able to visit artists working in their studios and learn about their art as well as see first rate exhibitions in our four galleries that are a part of the underground.

Stay tuned as things evolve...