My first art review, great show, and great time with Rip!

[artist4perry]

My first Art review:

How small names grow big: SWOP
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock on Fri, Jan 6, 2012 at 4:47 PM

Kwees Wild World

Kwee's "Wild World"

One of the great things about the annual “Small Works on Paper” traveling exhibition sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council is the publicity it gives to artists whose names aren’t yet a household word.

Kimberly Kwee is one of those artists, though she’s surely known to students she taught at Pulaski Technical College and to Chicagoans who saw her fall show at Halfmoon Gallery there. Her work in the SWOP exhibition, “Wild World,” combines pencil and ink line drawings of squat figures on paper and overlain sheets of vellum cut into shapes that have been neatly stitched to the paper. The figures are not unlike James Tisdale’s squat ceramic folk exhibited last year at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. (The name she tagged on the website image of “Wild World” is “Beasty Bush,” surely in reference to one of the figures.)

Work by Kwee and 38 other artists is on exhibit at the William F. Laman Public Library in North Little Rock, the first stop on a year-long journey across Arkansas. Winning purchase awards were William Barksdale of Cotter; Ginger Grahn of Paragould; Neal Harrington of Russellville; Dennis McCann of Maumelle, Jason McCann of Maumelle and Mike Means of El Dorado.

All the winners were worthy, but “Swimming Hole/Buffalo National River,” a photograph by Don House of Fayetteville (who is not among the unknowns), should have gotten some kind of award (though perhaps expense figured in; the six winners shared $2,000). In this photograph, a girl in red tights stands on the rocky bank of the river facing a boy in burgundy swim trunks on a rock mid-river; he is warming himself with his arms clasped over his torso. House has emphasized the figures’ pale skin and red garb and kept the river and bluff in the background dark. Intentional or not, there are shades of Sally Mann in the posing of the subject matter; though the girl’s back is to us, she’s topless and just tall enough to be on the verge of puberty.

Paragould artist Grahn was another revelation. Her illustration “When Smelly Met Stinky” is a comic but elaborate pencil drawing of a long-nosed elf (?) patting a skunk’s head while a rabbit holds his nose. A flying squirrel and a possum watch from branches above.

Suzanne King of Fort Smith, an arts educator whose work has been selected in several SWOP exhibitions, and Dennis McCann of North Little Rock have finely-wrought pastels in the show. King’s still life “Pitcher and Bowl” is in deeply saturated blues and deep yellows; McCann’s "East 18th” street scene is in a less complicated palette, picturing a block of identical green-roofed houses with cars lined up at the curb in front.

Thank goodness for Robert Reep, I always say: Here at last is a conceptual piece in a weird medium (finely ground up leaves and dirt), which the fastidious Reep has used to form a square background topped with letters (also in leaves) that spell YARD.

In a nice break from his perfect-body nudes, Victor Chalfant’s “Matchstick Man” is an appealing digital print of a man spotlit in a forest with his head on fire. Benjamin Krain’s iphone photo “Boy v. 2.0” is a baby picture that the talented Krain has pixilated in places and otherwise fiddled with to make an engaging portrait.

Laman keeps SWOP until Jan. 29; next stop is the National Park Community College in Hot Springs.

[artist4perry]

I want to thank Rip profusely for coming to my art show in LR. We had a wonderful time!

We went to the show, I did my little boring speech for about 5 minutes, (amidst the knocking of my knees), and we went out to a lovely Italian Restaurant that Rip suggested afterwards. We talked and dined for hours and as usual time flew by before we knew it, the time was late and we had to go home. We returned back home around 2am but felt it was a fantastic night!

RIP, I wanted to say your such a great friend, Art shows can be stale as watching paint dry unless your an artist, but I so appreciate you coming, your so sweet!

I will upload the photos once I figure out how with this new camera. Probably tomorrow. I have to show you what shenanigans Dan got into at the local Walmart in LR on our way home.

W.F. Layman Library where the show was:

[artist4perry]

[artist4perry]

Dan and Rip

[artist4perry]

Rip and I

[artist4perry]

Daniel and I had to stop at Walmart after we left Rip for the night, and for being a good boy this was his reward!

What can I say, my husband keeps me laughing!

[Rick]

Daniel and I had to stop at Walmart after we left Rip for the night, and for being a good boy this was his reward!

What can I say, my husband keeps me laughing!

Congrats Ginger. Your work, especially that piece, is fantastic. Glad you two got to hang out with Rip. He's a ton of fun.

[artist4perry]

Daniel and I had to stop at Walmart after we left Rip for the night, and for being a good boy this was his reward!

What can I say, my husband keeps me laughing!

Congrats Ginger. Your work, especially that piece, is fantastic. Glad you two got to hang out with Rip. He's a ton of fun.

Thanks Rick! I am going to miss that drawing, I know that sounds stupid. I really loved that one. But I am more happy that it will tour a year, then become part of a museum piece and be enjoyed by many others to come!

[artist4perry]

I want to use Rip's likeness to create a character for one of my drawings..........that is if he does not mind. He has some wonderful facial features!

What say you Rip?

[Rip Rokken]

Hey, Ginger - had a wonderful time with both of you and I was stuffed way past capacity when we finished dinner. Thanks for the pics, too!

Sure, feel free to use my likeness if you wish. Is it going to be a clown?

[artist4perry]

Hey, Ginger - had a wonderful time with both of you and I was stuffed way past capacity when we finished dinner. Thanks for the pics, too!

Sure, feel free to use my likeness if you wish. Is it going to be a clown?

I was thinking a magician, knight, or mystic.

I am leaning towards a mystic. A conjuror. Surrounded with owls, mystical background, and other woodland things.

Before you ask what a mystic is:

A mystic is a champion of chosen causes. They use both sword and magic alike. They cast both divine and arcane spells chosen from spell domains.

[artist4perry]

I also want to draw Andrew as a creature, but I want him to let me know what he sees himself as.

[DrFU]

I also want to draw Andrew as a creature, but I want him to let me know what he sees himself as.

Duh...

Something about an armored butt they turn to the world ...

[artist4perry]

I also want to draw Andrew as a creature, but I want him to let me know what he sees himself as.

Duh...

Something about an armored butt they turn to the world ...

An armadillo? LOL!

[artist4perry]

Lately I have been looking at features of folks I know for inspiration for my work. I laugh sometimes at the hesitation when I ask them if I can use their image to draw a character........after all......I think they fear what I would envision them as! LOL Actually for people I know I try to be kind, I promise not to make you have 10 hands, or make you relative to a sloth creature.

[Arianddu]

Congratulations on the show, GingerGirl - sure to be the first of many. I wish I could have been there to see it.

Here's to a long, productive and succesfull art career!

[bluejeangirl76]

Congrats Miss Ginger, that's wonderful! I would absolutely love to see one of these art shows, boring or otherwise (it wouldn't be boring to me, I love that kind of stuff), just wish I lived closer... we talked about traveling down to Arkansas, actually, and maybe even this summer, so at the very least maybe we could meet up.

That piece is GREAT by the way. Are you available to be commissioned? LOL! I'd love an original Grahn to hang up!

[artist4perry]

Thank you ARI!


Also thank you bluejeangirl.........I accept commissions, but this is Andrew's site, and I am not talking shop on his dime. LOL!

I would love to meet you too! If you head my way, I live in the NE section. But I could try and go to LR or anywhere that might be more convenient? Summer's are always better, I have more time off!

Thank you both again, your sweet friends. I am glad someone likes my stuff. I know it is not everyone's cup of tea, but what art is everyone's cup of tea?

[Moon Beam]

Great to see this Ginger!
Congrats on the art show and the attention your work is getting.

[Rip Rokken]

Also thank you bluejeangirl......... I would love to meet you too! If you head my way, I live in the NE section. But I could try and go to LR or anywhere that might be more convenient? Summer's are always better, I have more time off!

There is no way in Hades that she's coming down this way and Rip doesn't get to see her too. It would be a nice get together with all of us there.

[bluejeangirl76]

Also thank you bluejeangirl......... I would love to meet you too! If you head my way, I live in the NE section. But I could try and go to LR or anywhere that might be more convenient? Summer's are always better, I have more time off!

There is no way in Hades that she's coming down this way and Rip doesn't get to see her too. It would be a nice get together with all of us there.

Well of course Rip!! Goes without saying!

[artist4perry]

Also thank you bluejeangirl......... I would love to meet you too! If you head my way, I live in the NE section. But I could try and go to LR or anywhere that might be more convenient? Summer's are always better, I have more time off!

There is no way in Hades that she's coming down this way and Rip doesn't get to see her too. It would be a nice get together with all of us there.

Well of course Rip!! Goes without saying!

Awesome! That would be a lot of fun! Just let us know when your coming to the Natural state. Lord knows it is no longer the "Land of Opportunity". The latter was the state motto when I was a kid.........now it is "the Natural State".

[artist4perry]

Julian Lennon just gave me permission to draw him from one of his promo photos! I am in heaven! I asked him, and he actually replied. Woot!

Ginger
Jules, I am asking again, because I know you probably don't look in all that often and because these threads drop out so fast. I am an artist and I would like your permission to use the image of you on the left with your eyes veering left. I want to draw you as one of my characters in an artwork. You have just the right eyes and nose for the part I want. The photo of my artwork is titled: Madam Mugwump's Hollow Tree. You will be a much more handsome character I assure you! Even if you don't want to, let me know so I won't keep asking. I won't be offended either way. http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr15 ... wTree1.jpg

His reply:


Julian Lennon Go ahead Ginger! x

[donnaplease]

That's freakin' AWESOME!!! Great job, and congrats!!!

[artist4perry]

Thank you Donna!

[Duncan]

I've never understood the title of the picture. Why is the guy with the long nose assumed to be smelly? Nothing in the picture suggests that either "Smelly" or indeed "Stinky" have any problem with personal hygene. In fact the opposite would appear to be the case.

[artist4perry]

I've never understood the title of the picture. Why is the guy with the long nose assumed to be smelly? Nothing in the picture suggests that either "Smelly" or indeed "Stinky" have any problem with personal hygene. In fact the opposite would appear to be the case.

He has a long nose, thus he can smell more.........thus the nickname Smelly. Stinky refers to the skunk. They have a big odor. So one who is intrigued by big smells meets a creature who smells a great deal. Friendship struck.

Funny, no one else had a problem seeing it. Maybe this explanation will help. If not, what can I say, I just know your one of my biggest fans.

Bored tonight Duncan?

By the way, my 21 year old son accidentally stepped on a crochet hook.......a fine needled one, and broke it off in his foot. We just spent about an hour waiting for the doctor to cut it out. Weird day. He isn't feeling too much pain right now. I felt so bad for him. He jammed it deep and it migrated up in his foot. His doc is the best!

Have a nice night Duncan.

[artist4perry]

Great to see this Ginger!
Congrats on the art show and the attention your work is getting.

Thanks Moonbeam!