Two Postcards

Untitled Study (Chicago Mountain Lion), Ink, Graphite, Colored Pencil on Paper, 4x6"

Untitled, Ink, Graphite, Colored Pencil on Paper, 4x6"

I made a couple of small drawings for the Postcard Show at Artlink in Fort Wayne. They will be on display there and for sale with all proceeds benefiting Artlink's exhibitions. The postcards will be up during the Fort Wayne Photographers exhibit, December 12, 2008 – January 14, 2009. Artlink is the first gallery I showed at and has been exhibiting the occasional piece of mine since I was a teenager - I'm happy to support them and all that they have done for the small art scene there in Fort Wayne.

Alumni Interview

University of St. Francis, BroadStrokes Vol. IX, Issue I.

Everything you never knew you cared to know about me. Ha ha.

Trilliums

If you are reading this in Indiana, right now is the perfect time of year to take a stroll in the woods. The trilliums are in full bloom and are blanketing the forest floors. I took these photos a couple of days ago in Shoaff Park:


seen here: Dutchman's Breeches (on the left) and a Trillium on the right. The Marsh Marigolds are really beautiful right now and if you're lucky you may even spot a Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Check here for a list of Spring-time Indiana wildflowers. Go ahead and download one of these two images and change your desktop background for Spring.

Eric Tarr

Great work by a good friend from Indiana, Eric Tarr. I've been a fan of his work for years, and can't speak highly enough about it. His works are constantly evolving and he has impeccable craftsmanship, drafting, design and conceptual skills. These works are from a recent exhibit at Fort Wayne's own SOMA gallery.

Indiana Winter Landscapes

Photos by Lorna Cochrane and/or Ben Abels Copyright 2007.

These photos weren't actually taken by me - but I like to think that I acted as art director. My hands were glued to the wheel while driving down Interstate 69 towards Indianapolis under very gusty winds. I'm glad I insisted on the other passengers using my camera to snap some photos of the landscape around us. Although the overcast winters of Indiana become tiresome after awhile, there is a strange beauty to the landscape. It almost looks like a black and white movie or as if I had altered the appearance of these photos, but I assure you that these came directly off the camera and straight onto the blog. Those of you in Indiana or from there will know and perhaps miss these surroundings. The Indiana landscape has a sense of mystery this time of year - I've forgotton how much I love it. There are a few more photos on my flickr site - but these are the best ones. I think it is time for you to change your computer background again and these photos would be perfect.

Six Untitled Triptychs by Jason Stopa

Acrylic and Mixed Media on Panel(s) by Jason Stopa, 2007

Guest Blogger: Dan Swartz

Dan Swartz, "I'm So Good Looking"
Mixed media on bristol paper, 2007

My guest today is Dan Swartz, a artist, curator, and fellow
Fort Wayne, IN area native. Dan has recently moved back to Fort Wayne
from New York, where he will be making our great hometown into the next
Marfa, Texas with the help of the boys at Soma - the newest artist-run
contemporary space there.  You can read Dan's recent editorial on the
promise of a "thriving art community" in Northern Indiana here.

Dan's shortlist for influential and monumental visual artists includes:


1) Marcel Duchamp:  He should always be at the top of the list. Wit,
Materiality, and Alchemy. No one gets better.


2) Bas Jan Ader: Questioning the intent behind an action is always
very important to me.


3) Felix-Gonzalez-Torres: Beauty, Relationships, Subversion.


4) Judy Pfaff: Freedom, Charity (to the viewer), and Sensuality in use
of materials.


5) Rachel Foullon: I am slightly hesitant to put her on my fav's list,
because I know and worked for her for a bit, but I cannot deny my
endless fascination with her work and process.

As for Music:

-Michael Jackson: The Duchamp of 20th century music? He
pioneered most of the trends that we value currently, and
most of his music has only ripened with age. Perhaps he was
just a bit ahead of his time?

-Madonna: Close second. For all reasons.

-Destiny's Child "Writing On The Wall" Album:
The best in guilty pleasures.

-John Frusciante: Apart from Red Hot Chili Peppers,
he is an amazing artist in his own right.

-Kanye West: after doing everything but claiming to be
the second coming of Christ, then succeeding in staying
relevant for more than another couple of months, I think
Kanye is pretty great.  I expect people to lighten up on
him and give more kudos in the future...hopefully that won't
spoil the quality of his music.

TV:

-The only good things on TV right now are
Charlie Rose on PBS and Conan O'Brien.

-Film

-6 degrees of Seperation
-Spanglish
-Dangerous Liaisons
-Contact
-Closer

Upcoming Exhibitions to Look Forward To

Mark your calendars - because October is an action packed art month. This week is what's left of Denver Arts Week and there are great shows opening this weekend in Fort Wayne, IN and Carrboro, NC (see below). Next weekend, everyone should be at Limited Addiction on Santa Fe Dr. in Denver for the opening of the new Josh Keyes exhibit. I've mentioned the work of Josh Keyes previously, and I'm really looking forward to that show. Also next week is the opening for the artist in residence at Platte Forum. Here's the outlook:

Kat Rohrbacher, "Chair" Oil on Paper, 11x8"

"Regional Winners"
October 12 - November 21, 2007
Three winners from last year's Regional Exhibition include Dianna Huxhold - clay, Audrey Riley - mixed media, and Kat Rohrbacher - oil painting.
Arlink Gallery, 437 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802

"Let's Rebuild", New Works by Ryan Helsel - Opening October 12, 6-9 pm at Nested, 118b E. Main St., Carrboro, NC 27510

Ryan Helsel

Ryan Helsel

Rory Golden

Rory Golden
Exhibition opens:
October 18, 5:30 – 8pm; continues through November 2, 2007
Platte Forum, 1610 Little Raven Street, Suite 135 | Denver, Colorado 80202

Josh Keyes, and Oliver Vernon at Limited Addiction Gallery. Opening October 20
Limited Addition Gallery - 825 Santa Fe Drive • Denver, CO 80204

Josh Keyes, "The Long Afternoon #2", 2006, 12"x9", pencil and gouache on bristol

Josh Keyes, "Treadmill", 14"x17", acrylic and pencil on bristol

Art of Alan Kitchen

I had the great pleasure of attending undergrad with a very talented artist named Alan Kitchen. While in Yellowstone this last week I took the above photo which reminded me of his work and thought I should highlight his art.


Alan made a small drawing last year in which he delicately drew a roadside memorial cross in pale graphite (the kind that are often put up at the scene of a fatal accident). He told me that he had driven by that memorial several times and never stopped to acknowledge it - and the drawing served as his stopping or stillness in that place. I think this act sums up a lot of what I find to be moving in his work - stillness, reflection, and emotional weight. I say 'emotional weight' with hesitation though because I don't mean to imply that the emotion behind all of his work is heavy or difficult - I would compare it more to a quiet Nick Drake song. His drawings and paintings often originate from memory rather than photographic references so they have a different quality than more literal representations might produce. Alan's works also utilize fall/winter Midwestern landscapes that I'll probably always have a soft spot for - here are a couple of his recent works;

Alan Kitchen, "Fairy Tale Moment"
2007

Alan Kitchen, "Are you still there?"
2007 Graphite, gouache on Japanese paper



Keep an eye out for future exhibitions of his in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area.

In-Quarry

I took this photo from the plane on the way back from Savannah.

One of my favorite places in and around Fort Wayne was the quarry off of Ardmore St. on the outside of town. Above are two pictures I took from the look-out they placed there.

Rock of Ages No. 7,
Active Granite Section, Wells-Lamson Quarry, Barre, Vermont 1991

Rock of Ages No. 15,
Active Section, E.L. Smith Quarry, Barre, Vermont 1992

These are two amazing photographs by Edward Burtynsky from a series of quarry pictures.