Jennifer Kosharek's Mail Art/FLuxus Show @ Eve N' Odd Gallery

Jennifer Kosharek and her Mail Art exhibit

Jennifer Kosharek is a Fluxus Artist [Link], [Link], who consistently puts on some of the best and most interesting art shows on either side of the Bay. She does this with a minimal budget and a tiny space.

Work in show

Although mail art reportedly began with the Futurists, it was Ray Johnson in the 1940's and the Fluxus artists who developed and popularized it by the 1960's, perhaps peaking out in the early 90's. Mail art was a perfect venue for this anti-art, anti-commercial movement, expanding the definition of what an art space is, how art is distributed, no rules, no entry fees and everything received is shown. Strangely egalitarian and radical for the art world. For a brief history of Fluxus, see here [Link]










Mailing out a large number of art works has led these artists to adopt strategies like rubber stamps, collage and photomontage, art stamps, and printing. All of these can be seen in the works at the Eve N' Odd Gallery.





Mail artists have always nucleated in networks. In the digital age, perhaps even more so. The anti-hierearchy thing notwithstanding, these networks tend to have outer and inner levels, and their membership ends up determining the quality of an exchange. It is important to realize that Fluxus goes well beyond mail art, and art in general.

Mail Art exhibit @ Eve N' Odd Gallery

Drawing the Fluxus Square

Performance is also part of Fluxus, and Ms. Kosharek, wearing a bowler hat, Peter Pan collar and black dress (which she later snipped several holes out of) performed 'aktions', as they are called, on opening night. She flashed cards, shouted anti-poetry, jumped on an orange (more symbolic than one would think) and sang softly into the ear of one lucky audience member:


"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away"









There's a huge number of artists in the show, many of them prominent mail artists. This is one of those rare instances where you don't just look at the stuff hanging on the wall, but there is a shelf with works on it, that can be picked up and looked at, up close and in your own hands.

Jennifer Kosharek levitating over orange

Fluxus means "flow" or "fusion". At Eve N' Odd gallery, both happen, and Fluxus thrives.

Congratulations to all the artists and Jennifer Kosharek for a very good show and performance.

--- Luis

Street Art: Survivor

There's live chickens free-roaming in Ybor. Downtown, in front of the Municipal Building, there's a sculpture of a chicken lording over Franklin St. This painted rooster has been around a long time. He stands about 4+ ft. tall, and survived the graffiti purge of Tampa for the Republican Convention. It is in a semi-sheltered location, done in a crude, impulsive style, full of dark energy and crowing defiantly on behalf of everything that's free.

--- Luis

Street Art: Artissin Aerosol Paints

Artissin Paints

Austin David is an entrepeneur who embodies the best qualities of American small business. His aerosol paints are top-quality, priced competitively and made in America. I recently had the pleasure of touring Artissin's headquarters at 2313 Central Ave. in St. Pete. They do graphic design and on their FB page I see that an art gallery may be on the way.

I tested one can of Artissin (can't say where!). It's beautiful color and covers well. Artissin's commitment to the aerosol artist is total, including the four exterior walls of the business, two of which are covered in street art, and a third is on the way. This is where Christian Thomas' mural recently posted here is, and where Acud Akut is putting up a new work which will be reviewed here as soon as it is finished.


Artissin can be contacted at 2313 Central Ave, (727) 204 - 9004. Their website is here. Artissin also has a FB page [Link]. 

These paints are not the same old generic product of some giant corporation, but a quality local boutique tool for street artists who want something distinctive and different. Artissin aerosol paints are a welcome addition to the community.

--- Luis

Neverne Covington in online exhibition

Neverne has been invited and included in an online show.  [Link].

Here is the work....

Titled "Night Swim"  this is an intoxicating piece, the kind you want to dream yourself into, for what it depicts, its mysterious, symbolic nature, and lush, sensuous colors. 

Congratulations to Neverne.

--- Luis

This Dreddd Weekend, Sept. 21st-23rd.

 Invisible Elephant @ Polk Museum of Art - Theo Wujick and Kirk Ke Wang in a duo show. Polk Museum of Art. Opens Friday, Sept 21st, at 6:00 PM. 800 E. Palmetto Street, Lakeland.

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8th Annual Pot Roast @ Craftsman House - Free food, charity pottery raffle. Proceeds go to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund, an agency that helps craft artists after disasters. Saturday, Sept. 22nd at 4 PM. Craftsman House,  2955 Central Ave, St. Pete. Free admission.
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Latch and Paul: Art Brutes @ Hoffman Porges Gallery - A Duo show to benefit Moffit's Amandalee Fund for cancer research. Opens Friday, Sept 21st, 6-10 PM. At 1907 East Seventh Avenue, Ybor City. Free admission.



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Fantasy paintings by Frank Bolock @ HCC Dale Mabry - Through Dec. 12th. Free admission. At HCC Dale Mabry, 4001 W. Tampa Bay Blvd. Tampa.
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Stacy Rosende New Work @ Clayton Galleries - Opens Friday, Sept 21st, 7-9 PM. Through Oct 27th. 4105 S. Mc Dill Avenue, Tampa.
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 Platon to Lecture at FMoPA!!  

  

Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 11:00am

  

 

Platon © Norman Jean Roy

Internationally acclaimed portraitist-photographer Platon will lecture on the works in his current exhibit at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts on Saturday, Sept 22nd at 11 AM. Non members $10 admission.
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    Sitter and Subject in Nineteenth Century Photography Through September 30, 2012 at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete at 255 Beach Drive. Admission is $17.00
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Joyful Transformations @ Rob Davidson Fine Arts - Sculptures by Donna Isaac. Opens Saturday, Sept 22nd, 7-10 PM. At 1100 First Ave. South. Free admission.
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Great News from The Morean Arts Center

I received this from MAC today, and it is wonderful news. They have managed to eliminate a whopping $6.2 million dollars in debt through several actions, including acceleration of a pledge payment by Beth Ann Morean, a discount on a loan by Dale Chilhuly, another accelerated donor pledge.

This is great news, bringing much longed-for increased financial stability and a viable future for the MAC. Congratulations to everyone at the MAC for pulling off this mission impossible move.

--- Luis

Ps. The MAC is having a public meeting on Sept 20th.

Saint Paint Arts and Apparel Grand (Re) Opening

Outside Saint Paint

Inside Saint Paint

Saint Paint Arts and Apparel has moved next door to where it used to be. It was in a very small space, but now it seems twice as large. Derek Donnelly, artist and owner of Saint Paint, exhibits his own work and that of many others. It is an eclectic roster of renowned talents in the city, including Jenipher Chandley, Scott Hillis, Reid Jenkins, Christian Thomas, Clint Thomas, Wade Slater, Stoic, and many others.

Stoic and friend playing on sidewalk on opening night.

Works by Jenipher Chandley

Gone is the chain link that was on the walls in the old space, and there is now room to breathe. Derek also makes and sells T-shirts designed by some of these artists and others, indie items that are light-years away from the usual generic corporate stuff.






On opening night, Derek called in several of his friends to spray paint his car. This was a spirited, creative street art moment.

Derek painting

   Congratulations to Derek and his crew for a memorable grand opening.

--- Luis


    

Seen: Stoic turns a new Leaf

I saw this at the Spot, at 1437 Central. Sitting outside the crowded bar and grill was Stoic. We spoke for a bit, and he told me he was experimenting with drawing on leaves. Real leaves. Inside on a small wall were some of his efforts. This one stood out....

Work by Stoic

The leaf darkened, the drawing seemed lost, then it lightened and reappeared.

--- Luis

Victoria Arendt's Vision 47 Gallery Grand Opening

A new gallery has had its grand opening in the Crislip Arcade at 645 Central. Victoria Arendt, painter and recent transplant from Los Angeles, exhibited her new paintings of St. Petersburg and the Caribbean. Hers is a highly individuated, unusual romantic vision with a restricted range of tones and colors.

Victoria Arendt and her work.

On the left is a closer look at the work above. The style is Impressionist, but note the content. Victoria tells me she was influenced by the work of Richard Estes [Link]. One can see this in the content of this picture, and subtly in the compositions/angles of other of her works, though Arendt has synthesized this into her own style and colors. I like how the drinkers are isolated from each other by one empty (hopeful?) seat. There's room for the viewer. Note how the triad is echoed in the bright cooler behind the bar, the paintings at the top, and TV screens.

Victoria Arendt,"Central Ave. #3"

 
"Central Ave. #3", an enhanced giclee of the original, is a distinctly individuated vision of St. Petersburg's main drag. Not a photo-realist version, but a fusion of that and Impressionism. This is more like the way we feel about and remember things than the way we see them.

Victoria Arendt, "Built on stilts"

That palette is extended to paintings of other places. Here is a tropical dwelling or two. Note how here we have the muted colors in the water, foreground and houses, but look at the sky...there's pinks, blues, greens, magentas and more. Ms. Arendt has suprises up her sleeve.


Congratulations to Victoria Arendt/Vision 47 on her very good & well-attended grand opening.

--- Luis

Good Folk Exhibit @ Creative Clay

Creative Clay (CC) is an organization that enables local artists with developmental, physical and emotional disabilities to make, show, share and sell their art. I ran into Calan Ree at an art opening, and she invited me to come by and see CC's aptly titled Good Folk exhibit.

Work by Robert M.

Upon arriving, I was shown to a back working studio space with a series of tables connected end to end, where a dozen or more artists were absorbed in their work. Calan showed me the painting on the left, done by Robert M.








It was a group two-part show. On one side were portraits of CC artists done by local artists, and on the other wall, works by Creative Clay artists. Here are a few of the portraits of the CC artists...

Matt Deterior, "Portrait of Lindsey J."

From Matt Deterior, who recently left the Bay area, a dynamic portrait, brimming with life energies and surrounded by jiggly hearts. Matt's ability to depart from convention, his tribal, heartfelt style make for a strong portrait.

On the left is Calan Ree's ceramic sculpture "Portrait of Lawrence J". Her  work has been reviewed here several times. I met Lawrence recently and can say that this is a beautiful and insightful portrait of its subject.

The "Portrait of Steven S.", by Chad Mize, done in acrylic resin on wood, is an interesting combination of realism and somewhat pared down features, emphasizing the gesture of the subject.







On the Creative Clay artists' side...

JJ H., "Woman"

"Woman", by JJ H., at first glance looks very abstract/unreal. It is a portrait of a well-known St. Pete artist and muse. A fantastic interpretation of her, body and soul. Out of the box, over the top, and spot-on. Even the background articulates with the figure well.

Rita L. "Pale Melissa in Japan"

Rita L.'s "Pale Melissa in Japan", a figure dressed in yellow with what seems like Mt. Fuji in the background on the left, a full moon, and a cherry blossom tree in bloom. The painting has a fairy-tale quality about it.

On the left is "Self-portrait inspired by Basquiat", by Clarence. Basquiat's influence is clear, though Clarence has synthesized it into his own style. The figure seems to be wearing a crown, wielding a (flaming?) sword and a shield. Note the x-ray vision of the body.

David S. "Portrait inspired by Gauguin"

This portrait inspired by Gauguin, by David S. caught my attention because it was inspired by late Gauguin. The Van Gogh influence in Gauguin can be seen, along with the muted palette and gesture.












Congratulations to all the artists in the Good Folk show, to Creative Clay and to Calan Ree for being a perfect hostess.

--- Luis

Street Art: Mural by Christian Thomas

This one is legal, so I can divulge its location. Get to Central and 24th st. in St. Petersburg. Turn N. on 24th and make a right into the alley at the half-way point of the block. Continue about 100 ft., you will see it on the right.

It consists of a blue man's face, apparently in meditation or some kind of contemplative state. Red smoke tendril-like fingers touch the face. There's much more here, but you willl have to stand before it and read between the lines. I followed this one from the outset, and it is good to see it finished.

Close-up of the face

On the left is a close-up of the Mexican rose in the lower right of the mural. Note the heart in the center.

Congratulations to Christian Thomas on this fine mural.

--- Luis

The Dark Side of Sunshine, by Paul Guzzo.

Underneath the beaches, culture, monuments and architecture that overtly define Tampa there lies a darker dimension. Paul Guzzo's new book, The Dark Side of Sunshine, explores the underbelly of the city and the characters who created and inhabited it.

It is a series of stories of wild, larger-than-life men, motivated by often traumatic early experiences, unbridled passion and desire, the dynamics of power, land and identity. From personal struggles arose commerce and conflict with others, sending ripples that affected not only the city and its people, but extended unto the national and even international arenas.

It is an ambitious book, covering a lot of ground, from the first encounters the Native Americans who lived here had with the first European arrivals to very recent times. A parallel narrative to the history of the city, with some very familiar names and others you've never heard of. Guzzo illuminates them, the city and its citizens, giving them form and life, rendering the initially incomprehensible or unbelievable into the understandable.

An early serial killer/arsonist, famous murder, a man who ruled Tampa when it was a wide open city, before its leading criminals learned to stay under the radar, shady deals, national attention in the form of the Kefauver Committee, some with leaders of other nations, significant details now almost lost in history, the origins of our sex industry, and much more.

Paul Guzzo guides his readers through a Tampa they thought they knew, to a place that is flawed, exciting, fully human and real. Written in a noir style, somewhat reniniscent of detective novels, this is the kind of book one reads straight through. For those who live in Tampa, The Dark Side of Sunshine squares the circle, but it's a thrilling series of stories about characters far stranger than fiction.

It is available here [Link].

--- Luis

St. Pete Robot Exchange: "Artofficial Intelligence" @ Sake Bomb

Robots hold an increasingly share of cultural attention as we get closer to the singularity [Link]. Artificial intelligence will eventually approach at least some of our own capabilities and eventually  surpass them. The singularity will be preceded by what is referred to as the uncanny valley, the point where robots get close to us, and seem creepy. As the technology continues to evolve faster than the culture's ability to deal with it, art is on the front line of this frontier. The St Pete Robot Exchange's "Artofficial Intelligence" show at the Sake Bomb bar is a good example.



 The artists included Sarah Thee Campagna, Nikki Deveraux, Derek Donnelly, Alyssa Jamison, Daniel Markovich, Brandon Marshall, Chad Mize, Renee Percoraro, JT Smalley, Frank Strunk III, and Josh Sullivan.

One of the problems with this show (and many others in this area) was the lack of clear labeling. This work was unlabeled on opening night. A silvery robot face or mask with tendrils extending into the organic, cell-like background.

Nikki Devereux, "Hal 9000"

Nikki Devereux is a fashion and portrait photographer and artist. In the mixed-media work at left, the blinking eye of HAL 9000, the archetypal disobedient psycho-computer in the Kubric movie 2001: A Space Oddyssey shines in the upper right, lording over the space in the picture. There's what seems like a poem below HAL's eye, but I couldn't make out what it says.

Work by Auralieus

Work by Auralieus

On the left is a digital composite photograph of a local skyline with a large robot looking down onto a skyscraper. Perhaps Aurelieus is commenting on cyber-tech becoming taller than the material world. There were smaller Robots by the same artist perched on the light fixtures (on right) like gargoyles.

Sarah Thee Campagna of Cybercraft Robots, whom I often refer to as Queen of the Robots, showed "Roach Bros. Martian Rover Salvage". A roach-like robot tows one of our Rovers with a cable. Sarah's sense of humor extends into the advertising, saying the business is open 24.6 hrs/day, 669 days/yr. Martian time. The pair looks like a human walking a dog.

While I was looking at this piece, another artist remarked that Frank Strunk III was "getting too big for St. Pete".  This work certainly gives that impression. A series of metal skulls inset into a metal box. On one side there's a metal handle. Rotate it and several of the skulls silently laugh at you, their jaws clacking lightly. A human-powered Naturae Morte. The robots (if not death) will outlive us.

This faceted silvery head by Derek Donnelly with its stern, intense countenance and subtle coloring is more cyborg than either man or machine. Beautiful, too.






Congratulations to all the artists for a good show and to the Sake Bomb for hosting it.

--- Luis

James Oleson Horse Sculpture @ Dazzio Art Experience

A large iron sculpture of a horse, made by James Oleson (who has been featured here many times) has been installed on the sidewalk in front of the Dazzio Art Experience storefront [Link] about the middle of the 600 block in St. Pete. I was told at Dazzio that it took two years to get the OK from the city to do this.



It is a classic Oleson stressed metal sculpture, with a dreadlock-like mane made of chains, as is the tail, on long, spindly tubular legs.

Congratulations to Dazzio and James Oleson for this welcome addition to the 600 Block.

--- Luis

This Good Time Weekend, Sept. 14th-16th

Is that a hint of Fall in the air this morning? Yesterday I saw a little tree beginning to turn at a local park. What a beautiful sight it was...

 


The Truth is Too Convoluted: Kim Anderson and Caui Lofgren at C. Emerson Fine Arts - The elusiveness of truth is the theme for this duo show. Opens Friday, Sept. 14th, 6-9 PM. All at 909 Central Ave. St. Pete. Free admission.






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"Put a lid on it" @ Florida Craftsmen Gallery - Opens Friday, Sept 14th, at 501 Central Ave. St Petersburg. Free Admission. Through Oct 26th.





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{Reduceds] @ Tempus Projects -  George Anderson, Jessica Barber, Julie Weitz, Ariel Barton-Robbins, Daniel Veintimilla, John David Allen, Ryann Slauson, Leslie Elsasser, Vince Kral, Becky Flanders, Gigi Lage, Elizabeth Plakidas, David Allen, and others. Mostly B&W works priced under $500. Free admission. Tempus Projects, 5132 N. Florida Ave. Tampa.
 
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Antimatter: Abstract Paintings by Laine Nixon @ Centre Gallery/USF - Opens Friday, Sept 14th, 7-9 PM. At the Centre Gallery, Phyllis Marshall Center, USF Tampa. Free admission, $5 parking.  Through Sept 21st.


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Box: 3 - The third show or this new Ybor arts venue. This time they're exhibiting George Anderton, Zesch Fallon, and Anthony Record. Opens Saturday, Sept 15th, 7:30-10:00 PM. All at 18th St. & 5th Ave. in Ybor. Mitzi Gordon's Bluebird Bus will be on hand with cherry-picked book selections. Free admission.


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Down and Dirty Printmaking Collective - Sept. 17 - 20th, closing reception on Friday, Sept 21st 7-9 PM. William and Nancy Oliver Galery/Fine Art Studio, Tampa (no address).
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Jerry and Steve Show - Students of Steve Holm and Jerry Meatyard at HCC Ybor Gallery. Includes work by Matthew Burge, James Michaels, Kurt Piazza, JS Boggs, Richard Sorrentino, Tom Kattner, Lori Ballard, Judy Tampa, Roddy Reed, Alex Torres, Kurt Holyoke, Jason Fondren, Mic Knight, RObert Wegman, Dee Hood, Rocky Kester, Joe Griffith, Bruce Ferguson, and others. Through Sept 27th, when there will be a closing reception. HCC Ybor. Free admission.


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A gala event by the Morean Art Center...