Charlie Brouwer Studio Visit

Being invited to Mr.Brouwer’s studio was a great opportunity to gain insight into a local artist world. Community is very important to Brouwer and is shown very clearly in his work. Brouwer is part of an installation project that borrows ladders from a community and creates a sculpture.  He stressed that the ladders are not bought, kept or sold; the ladders are borrowed from the community. Much like a neighbor borrowing from another neighbor. The installation in only up for a few weeks because of the idea that it is only borrowed. 

His other works have the same love and respect that his installation have. Most of his works are wooden and have some sort of words or writing on them. This is from Brouwer’s love of the written word and his training as an English teacher.  Each one of his works has an independent message and meaning that force the view to think outside the box.

His studio in warm and inviting; with artworks coving every inch of the studio the eye has to scan the whole space multiple time.  Each works is displayed for visitors like curators, buyers, commissioners and students to have the time and space to see all the works.

His most amazing works are on his trail which spans all around his property. Some of his works is on a Urban rental plane. This is where a city or communities rents his works for  6 mounts to two years to display in around parks and other places within they community.  

His Locust wood outdoor pieces “will last 100 years”.  Brouwer’s works are amazingly life like and have every detail covered.  His first Locust wood carving of Henry David Thoreau leads to a replica of Thoreau’s house.  From there the trail passes a perfect place to loose ones troubles of the world.  This take on the gothic window is a place of peace and hope. This is also a place where Mr. Brouwer’s daughter had her wedding.   Crossing the bridge where wood fish follow the flow of the creek lead the hiker to the field of sculptures. An amazing world of creativity and aw. Finishing the trail by putting the handmade walking sticks into the beginning trail; the class says their goodbyes and wave to the sculpture that lead us into the studio. 

Beyond the Tartan: Carrie Metheny

Gallery 205 is best seen by one’s self or with a small group or two or three in the room. It is a small space meant to exhibit art and that’s it. This room is placed between a main hallway and an office space. While walking though Porterfield a view would miss it and enter a much larger lecture room. This gallery is perfect for small shows and intimate viewings of an artist’s work.

Carrie Metheny’s work was breathtaking. Her melt working skills were something to admire. Her concept of a women being a part of nature was truly seen though her work. As one finds their way in to the gallery they greeted by the main sculpture of the show. Along the wall were a small army of strong sculptures. The only problem was that the torso were placed a little higher than average eye level. This caused the view to gaze upward to the art work. This is fine for larger galleries were there are many people looking at the art work in a large space; but in this smaller gallery it would have been more appealing to keep it at eye level and just wait your turn to see the beautiful works.

As the audience traveled around the small gallery they had to be mined full of the beautifully sculpted coffee table. It made it very hard to back up to see the torsos on the walls around it. Passing very carefully by the table and torsos the view comes to a wall that is parallel to the opposite with the main show piece. This is two bicycles built totally by the Metheny herself. Above the bikes is a mathematical drawing she had to do before making the bikes. This was a gorgeous background for her works because it had no words and remained very simple. It keep the views thought on the bikes but reminded them that it took a lot of planning. Below the bikes, almost like a velvet rope to keep the viewers at a distance, were the wooden models that Matheny hand whittled. I later learned that these were how the tubes were made for the bikes basic frame.  

On the opposite wall from the torsos are simple photographs of pass work by Matheny. These were works that had been some of her favorite but had been sold. It was simple and plain, this part of the gallery could have been easily missed.  Again the coffee table was a beautiful nuisance that had made it hard to back up and see all the photos as a whole.

At the end of the gallery next to the door, was a little display. The display had multi-levels of works. A photo, a ring and a small sculpture. This was aesthetically pleasing, the multi-levels balanced nicely with the multi-mediums. This display showed the artist current works and a glimpse in to the working world of her employment. Over all the exhibit was very nice: beautiful work and a different medium. I look forward to seeing Carrie Matheny’s next exhibit in the future, hopefully in a larger and more open room

How I learned to stop worrying and love "useless" art: Luck Syson

Luke Syson, past curator of Renaissance art, has to attract a certain type of fan base. The audience would be filled with people that are fanatics about serious art.  They would know that the speakers was there to talk about the great masterpiece of Europe. On the other hand there must have been people that are more whimsical when it comes to art. These listener would have come because of the usual title: How I learned to stop worrying and love “useless” art. The audience was filled with art lovers of all types; from the Leos to the Andys. Syson doesn’t start off with his “useless” art but insures that the audience know that he is a serious art lover. This attract the audience that came for the Renaissance art and then goes off on the Barbie ballerina candle sticks.

The Metropolitan museum host the TEDx talks known worldwide. New York is an art scene; and a lot of artist and art lovers are attracted to the Metropolitan museum. Syson even says “here and the Metropolitan museum”, which gives you the location of the speech. It would not be hard to fill a room full of art lovers when the filers had the name of a current curator both of the Metropolitan museum and museum of Renaissance art.

Syson is trying to eliminate the bias of “useless” art and “serious” art. He is using his own story of moving form a serious Divinci exhibit to the more liberal Metropolitan museum. He is showing us that even a well-trained curator can judge art right off the back. Syson argues that that it was candle stick like this that caused the French Revolution and that the aristocrat that should get their head cut off.

By Syson bravely stating that even he would judge art by a look, gives the audience the security that he is just like them. As he speck the one can tell he is uncountable talking in at first. Syson specks very fast causing him to breathe very heavily.  His eye contact is to the ground, this is showing a nervousness. The nervousness is coupled with rapid hand movement.  Both moving is a circular motion. This changes after he reveals the “useless” art. His gaze is turn to the audience, he knew that this monstrosity would lighten the mood. After this he is more direct with the audience. Now his shortness of breath is from excitement, he is fumbling over words and using “um” or “uh” to let his brain and mouth catch up with each other. Syson is realizing by the laughter and the upbeat mood of the audience that his message is get through to them.

Luck Syson is taking his years of work with art and showing that even experts can make a bias judgment. He uses the medium of TEDx to talk educate the viewer to really look at something before judging it. He still thinks the candle stick hold was from the same idea as a Barbie ballerina but he looked passed the current state it was is now. He learned how long this took to make and magnificent the craftsmanship was. Syson looked at it with a new perspective and learned to value “useless” art. This lesson is something that ever art lover has to learn and Luck Syson was bold enough to show he makes that same judgment as t

My Thoughts on Robin Pogrebin's Saving Federal Arts Funds: Selling Culture as an Economic Force

Inspiration for this short essay came from Saving Federal Arts Funds: Selling Culture as an Economic Force

By ROBIN POGREBIN

Published: February 15, 2009  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/arts/16mone.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 

Areas are judge by other surrounding areas. They are judged by things like: tourism, employment and school ratings and its local economy. Things like museums, public galleys, theaters and art programs help an area. Having easy access to the arts support impact the education of a community. The arts create jobs for people with all types of skills and training. By creating employment for a local community, its economy is stables. Representative Slaughter points out the facts that support the economy. The arts are a justified way to spend tax dollars.

            By creating easy asses to all types of art to the general public the knowledge of the community increases. Schools and universities will have more tools to teach with. This will have student interacting with what they are studying, instead of a photos in a textbook. Increasing the funding for the arts will increase job opportunities. Not just for the artist but builders, tickets rippers, mangers, and many jobs that need filling. This increases of employment on every level will give a community a more stable economy. The stores, venders, and restaurants around the museum, theater, or art center will have a positive impact. Each will create jobs and support the local economy.

            Art in all its forms are for everyone. Art is something that everyone can see or be a part of.  It is not a luxury like the Republican of Oklahoma, Tom Coburn, thinks. Unlike casinos and golf courses, art is for all social and economist classes. Art is something can help create and benefit form. Art is not a luxury it is a part of everyday life. For the local, state and federal government to help support the arts is a way of supporting the everyday American.

            It is risky whenever a system of government gets involved. It must walk the line between helping the arts and controlling the arts. The federal government should be involved in the funding and support of all art forms and their out lets but they should not have the power to control what the main stream public see in everyday life. A state government should take be able to say safety of the building or venue that art is going to be seen at or in. This is the power to keep the viewers, artist and workers safe. The local government knows its own citizens better than the federal government and should be able to make good choices on what the people can do or be a part of.  The Local government in Radford, VA is much different than the local government in New York, New York.  Each knows what type of art that would bring the most views and have a good idea of what sells. The local governments should have that type of power as long as is in the people best interest.

Lunch and Exhibition

Synergies Exhibition and Opening Reception

Radford University Art Museum at the Covington Center
Opening Reception today: Thursday, Jan. 30 at 5:00 p.m.

I honestly think that when something cool is happening at my University they plan the event when I'm working. Having an exhibition opening at 5:00pm my not seem odd to most people but it is the worst time when I have to work 2:30pm to 10:00pm dishing out salads. This being an "adult" college student thing is a lot hard than I thought it would be. Like a grown-up adult I thought my 30 minutes lunch break very carefully. I would eat while walking to the Art Museum and give myself 25-ish minutes to enjoy at the exhibit......But like a working college student I didn't factor in the wait-in line time, making the food time, or the walk time to my 30 minute lunch break. So I run to the Art Museum; no joke I ran to the front door of the building. Out of breath and red faced from both running and the 11 degree weather I enter the Exhibition.

Entering the building was simple but once in there I had no idea were to go. I thought I missed the Opening because I didn't see one sign or arrow pointing me to the art work. When I saw a scavenged table that I assumed was for the reception I knew I was in the the right place. Free food is always a good idea when opening an exhibit; later I observed that there was more food then art. Running out of time to look myself I asked a lovely women with a Radford polo on with a name tag just over her heart. 

Pointed in to the right door I was consumed with a lot of white. The first thing I spotted was a desk flooding with papers and booklets and catalogs. Sitting at the desk was a young man too consumed  with his computer to realize that I had entered. Confused what side of the desk to start on I shyly graded a booklet that had a "free catalog" sign beside it and went to the right.

The first wall had four works of art: 3 on pistols and 1 on the wall. The artists ,James and Umut Demirgüç Thurman had amazing works. They looked to be created from atlas and carved to look like tectonic plates. Two of the works were straight form the the book but the framed piece looked from afar to be painted but up close to be words from a book. As I traveled to the next group of work I had trouble following a path.

Should I keep to the walls or go to the piece standing alone in the middle? I kept to the wall. I believe I had chosen well because the works related very beautifully. A necklace made from map pages led me into walls of hand made jewelry. Each group was framed in a clear shadow box with a white background. This made it easy for a me to look beside or behind the jewelry to see it closely with out every being in contact with it. 
      
 The next group of work gave a more fun and whimsical feel than the jewelry. The only problem was I had no idea how to approach the artwork. When I found the front of the work and went to look over to the next work, it was the back. I felt like a squirrel weaving in and out, back and forth, to and fro, and having no idea which way to turn next. I do applaud the simple idea of placing a mirror under the smaller works of art, like the USB drive, buttons, and martini glasses. This gave the small space depth that if alone the art would of been over looked. 

This exhibit felt more like a store than a gallery for enjoyment. Each work of art had a price and had nothing around to distract the viewer from it. At the far end of the room was a informational gallery of long paragraphs with small font on them. I found myself getting bored and snapping a photo for later reading. The art was simple and so was how the exhibit that displayed it. Great for buyers but not for pure enjoyment. The art was beautiful and the style was nothing I had seen before. 

With only 5 minutes left in a lunch break, I rushed to the exit, signed the guest book, and said thank you to the young man engrossed in other things. As I rushed I saw someone that I assumed was one of the artists and kicked myself for not saying "hello" or "wow this is amazing" or "how did you do this".  Thus ending my countdown on this exhibition. To quote the museum viewer survey: 3 words I would describe this exhibition to a friend is, 1. Simple 2.Detailed and 3.Shiny. Too bad I forgot to hand in my survey at the front desk.