Video: A Visit to Black Cloud Gallery

I hope that alumni will stay in touch with me, and let me know what they are up to. Recently, one of our alums in Chicago, who is involved with a gallery called Black Cloud Gallery, told me about it. He told me about the area of Chicago where the gallery is located. He told me about the kind of revitalization that's going on there. And, as a result, I had an opportunity to go and visit.

I found it fascinating. And it's fascinating for several reasons. For one, it is a way in which a person is following a career path that involves the arts. But secondly, it involves the way in which young artists are connecting with the community and enriching the place in which they live. Black Cloud Gallery was a real find. And I know that many alumni are involved in a variety of other interesting projects. I hope they will let me know about them.

- Oliver

Observing ArtPrize

Illustration - Greg Oberle

On Wednesday, September 28th, and Thursday, September 29th, I plan to visit each work in ArtPrize that has a Kendall connection, starting with the work by outside artists who are exhibiting at Kendall itself. Most of the time, however, will be spent observing work—and when possible, visiting with artists—who are associated with Kendall, either by being current students, staff, faculty, alumni, including artists associated with Kendall through the Continuing Studies Program.

I will be touring ArtPrize because, on the simplest level, I love the excitement and diversity of ArtPrize—so many people looking at so much creative work. And I want to recognize and celebrate the Kendall people who are participating in ArtPrize. There are too many of them to try to hold a reception or a similar event—and besides, such an event asks busy and committed artists to come to me, whereas I would rather go to them.

I will be publishing an itinerary of the tour early next week. I will also announce when I am heading to a given venue or to the work of a given artist on Twitter and Facebook.

What if I don’t see my venue on the itinerary?  

Send an email to hello@oliverhevans.com and let me know. You will be immediately added.

My hope is that some artists will meet me at their work so we can talk about their work and about ArtPrize itself.

If I meet you, what are you likely to ask me?

In addition to celebrating the quality of your work and simply discussing it, I am interested in how an artist decides to participate in ArtPrize, how much advance planning went into that decision, what was the process that led you to submit the work you chose, what expectations/hopes do you have of the audience for your work? And we might talk a little about ArtPrize and the democratization of art. ArtPrize is absolutely right when it says that the important thing is the conversation about art. So what I really seek is a brief conversation—preferably videoed with you and probably lasting fifteen to twenty minutes.

Last Wednesday, for example, I had the chance to start this kind of conversation with Jonathan Brilliant, who is showing in the Kendall Gallery. Tuesday was his last night in Grand Rapids; and his answers to my questions, his perceptions of ArtPrize, and his interest in being part of ArtPrize were intriguing and illuminating. I look forward to sharing them next week when the tour itself will appear in video, images, and text here on my Blog.

I am intrigued by the questions I just outlined and by the kind of conversation those questions can trigger.  So I look forward to Observing ArtPrize in a very special way the middle of next week.

Follow my tour via Facebook or Twitter.

- Oliver

Running Artist Makes Great Strides

One evening last week, I happened on a very busy brewery. Perhaps the summer heat brought on a neighborhood-wide craving for craft beer, because Brewery Vivant was alive with traffic.

Housed in what was once a neighborhood funeral home chapel, I noticed dinner parties, after-work socialites, young couples on dates, old couples on dates, and a most helpful staff - all enjoying the ambiance, the drinks, the menu, and the artwork of a recent KCAD alum, Jacob Zars.

The work, titled "Fun With Electrocution," will be exhibited on the walls of Brewery Vivant throughout the summer, adding as much beauty as it does curiosity to the venue's experience and overall aesthetic - which still lightly alludes to the dead and nearly buried. Jacob’s exhibit consists of 8 monotypes that toy with, and welcome the idea of death through a series of electrifying scenarios. I felt the work most effective, given the nature of the space. It requires the amount of intimacy and appeal offered by the venue to really capture the element of danger.

The close relationship between Jacob's work and the venue is, according to Jacob, all by design. He saw an opportunity in Vivant, where the collection could live and breathe along with the space and its visitors. He said of the relationship, "I was trying to tell stories on each wall. The art has to feel comfortable in its place." He added, "the work enhances the venue and the venue enhances the work." I believe his curating instinct is accurate, as each piece curiously contemplates an idea of darkness that I find wild with the notion of life or the living - just as the word Vivant, itself, suggests "to be alive" or "lively."

After discussing Jacob’s process of curating his work within the venue, we discussed his process of the work itself; which may suggest why he was so careful and thoughtful about where it was to be shown throughout the summer. He shared that each print took approximately thirty hours to create. Each transparency was carefully and directionally brushed with mainly black ink (one of the works includes some color) before it met paper. He explained his use of watercolors, cardboard, ink, and paper with great detail and passion. Jacob also included that the work was part of a larger, 24-image collection he created more than a year ago as part of his senior project. Jacob said the eight pieces used at the brewery "chose themselves" for the show.

I'd like to point out that Jacob made a big decision to pursue art verses the many athletic offers from other institutions. He said of his choice to study art, "it just doesn't compare." Fortunately, Jacob was able to demonstrate his love of sports while at KCAD. He helped start the Kendall Soccer Team and KCAD Club Tennis. He continues his love of distance running and still works part-time at Gazelle Sports, assisting other athletes.

Jacob said he would like to pursue an interest curating work for local venues in Grand Rapids. He also expressed that he will continue to create art in his studio space and at area events such as UICA Live Coverage or the Art Battle For Community at Sazerac Lounge - where, last year, Jacob won first place.

Jacob’s Twitter | His twitter handle, @RunningArtist, is a username that I find fitting (and revealing) of his passion for both athletics and art.

Jacob's

Linkedin

KCAD Alumni Board President Presents Beautiful Decay

Terry Frixen - Photo by Ryan P. Photo

I am pleased to share with you this post about KCAD alum, Terry Frixen; partly because I have always found it gratifying when graduates such as Terry have the ability to continue onto successful careers while managing the passion and inspiration to create fine art of their own.I also wanted to write about Terry, who currently serves as President of KCAD’s Alumni Board, because of his many roles within the community.

Terry, a Fine Art Photography graduate, has sustained a balance between his career with Meijer and his personal portfolio; including his latest show titled "Beautiful Decay," which was on display at Pub 43, a local venue in Grand Rapids.While Terry was a student at Kendall, he held a job at Meijer. When he graduated, the company awarded Terry a series of promotions. Three years ago, he had proven himself enough to the company that he secured a position in the corporate office. What's more remarkable is that Terry remained committed to the art community and to various non-profit organizations as he climbed the corporate ladder.

Terry volunteers for the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA) visual arts committee, the Kids Food Basket, and soon plans to start training at the GRAM, where he wishes to help out. Terry is also the Artist Relations Coordinator of the SiTE:LAB team. He says of his volunteerism: "I feel that by volunteering with the groups that I am, I will meet great people, make great connections, and learn a lot. This is starting to prove true." I should probably note that SiTE:LAB, co-founded by KCAD adjunct sculpture professor Paul Amenta, is a non-profit group of artist and art enthusiasts - one of which I hope to write about in the future.

"Beautiful Decay" was shown throughout the month of June. For those of you who hadn't the chance to see his collection hung elegantly along the north wall of the venue, Terry has graciously included two pieces of work from the show as part of this blog post.

He explains "Beautiful Decay" as a collection of three different series that express his recent fascination with rust, warped or rotted wood, and chipped or peeled paint. He says of his work: "I look at all the images I have right now and I feel that it truly shows the beauty in what could be considered ugly."

Terry has managed to pursue his love of photography, his career at Meijer, and his volunteer activities in the community, including the KCAD Alumni board, where he currently serves as the board president.

Terry’s Twitter: @tgf1980