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My three latest butterfly works, After Thistles, Fluttering Cosmopolitan, and Cynthesis will be on display this Saturday, October 19th from 8pm to 2am at Oranje, a contemporary art & music event. Wug Laku of Wug Laku’s Studio and Garage is representing my work at booth 17.

Wug will be displaying his drawings, digital art prints, light boxes, and furniture along with the jewelry of Nancy Lee (I’m sure she’ll be there, too!) and the mixed media of Cagney King –among others. They will be recreating the feel of his gallery in their 22′ x 24′ mega-booth for an intimate discussion with the artists. This past weekend, they were practically living there getting the space ready.

Tickets to the event are $20 and is only open to 21 and older.

Oranje
Wug Laku / Booth 17
2323 North Illinois
Indianapolis, IN 46208

I have three of my butterfly paintings in the 2009 IndyFringe Festival. Thistles, Fluttering Cosmopolitan, and Cynthesis were mentioned in my prior post, Trio of Painted Lady Butterflies. You can see thumbnails in that post. These works can be seen at Henry’s on East, 627 East Street, Friday, August 7, 5 – 9 pm.  Cafes, theaters and spaces along Mass Ave. have been transformed into art galleries for the IndyFringe Festival. Add it to your usual IDADA First Friday Art Walk on August 7th. I hope to see you there, but if you can’t make that Friday, then the work will be on display until August 30th.

You can vote

Make sure to stop by the temporary galleries to vote for your favorite piece of art to become one of those “Be Indypendent” stickers you have seen on your neighbors’ cars. Complimentary Barefoot Bubbly champagne cocktails will be served at each Fringe gallery, too.

The 2009 VisualFringe galleries are: Mass Ave Wine Shoppe, Theatre on the Square, Franklin Barry Gallery, Henry’s on East, Hoaglin To Go Café, Herron School of Art and Design at The Earth House, and the Fringe Gallery. Visit IndyFringe for more info and full gallery addresses.

Opening Quick Facts

August 7, 5 – 9 pm
Henry’s on East
627 East Street

Dean Johnson Gallery is hosting a black and white photography show during the month of July called. . . Black & White.  The opening is this upcoming Friday, July 3, 5 – 9 p.m. It will be part of the July IDADA First Friday Gallery Tour. If you are not able to make to the opening, you can stop by during gallery hours, Monday-Friday 11am-5pm.

I have three works in the show, Cyclist in Maastricht, Connemara Cottage, and Black Forest Foliage. All were taken during travel to Europe. I hope you are able to make it to the opening.

The Dean Johnson Gallery is located at 646 Massachusetts Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46204 on the first floor of the Dean Johnson Design building.

First Friday for May is quickly approaching and there are several places around town that my art work can be found.  I have one piece each in three group shows.

Wug Laku is hosting his retrospective show Eye Music in his gallery, Wug Laku’s Studio and Garage.  This show will include artists that have been featured in the gallery during the last two years.  You can see one of my first butterfly paintings in my upcoming series at this show.  I have included Wug’s poster promoting the event.

The official hours for this event are 6 – 9 p.m. on May 1 during the IDADA First Friday Gallery Tour. The following artists’ works will be on display: Bernadette Ostrozovich – Patrick Flaherty – Eric Jones – Rachel Steely -Mark Pack – Jim Gerard – Pam Fraizer – Nancy Lee – William Ray Denton – James Ratliff – Wug Laku. This gallery is located just above Massachusetts Avenue at 1125 Brookside Avenue C7.

Also, I will be showing one of my studies of Asian Lilie’s, Three Stages, in the Athenaeum ArtSpace’s “Spring” exhibit.  The Athenaeum ArtSpace is located in downtown Indianapolis on 401 East Michigan St, 2nd floor.

The Yarn Burners are “bombing” the Harrison Center for the Arts with knit graffiti on May 1,2009.  I look at my piece as a type of art instillation that I made out of yarn for one of the stairwell railings.

The Harrison Center for the Arts is having its annual color-themed holiday show, this Friday, 6 to 10pm. This year’s show is brown, so you know that I would want to participate. Gone to Pieces, (titled Eggshell in the Portfolio) has been selected for inclusion in Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String . The Harrison Gallery boasts monthly show focusing primarily on Indianapolis artists. The gallery provides an entertaining atmosphere that is welcoming to the seasoned gallery hopper and the novice alike.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String opens this Friday, December 5 and runs through December 27. The show opening corresponds with the Harrison Center’s First Friday artist reception and open studio night and with IDADA’s First Friday Gallery Tour.

The Harrison Art Gallery
1505 North Delaware
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317.238-0998
December 5, 6 to 10pm

If you are unable to view the gallery on the opening night, the gallery is open Monday-Friday 9-5pm and Saturday 12-4pm.

This was the premier of this painting series, and I was very excited about the event. I met Wug while I served on the planning committee for Elegant Funk, a group art show by members of Smaller Indiana in August. Last Friday (November 7th), as part of Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealers Association (IDADA) First Friday gallery tour, wUG LAKU’S STUDIO & gARAGE hosted the opening of my exhibit, Action, Unification: A Perfected Communion.

Photography and thoughts

I would like to thank my friends and family for coming to my show as well as the gallery-walk regulars and not-so-regulars. Two aspects seemed to surprise visitors who had seen my work only via the website.  They were surprised at the size and texture of my work.  The paintings were larger than some had imagined.  Also, most of the paintings are done on wood panels where the texture of the wood comes through into the painting to complement the implied texture of the bones.

Below, two visitors discuss the work while glancing through the program created by the gallery owner, Wug Laku. The program was a collection of series statements and artwork thumbnails.

Special thanks to Wug for hosting my artwork, creating the program, and for the great lighting!

If you missed the opening and would be interested in viewing my artwork you can schedule a private appointment by emailing Wug or calling 317-270-8258 (email preferred). Wug’s studio is just east of the interstate and Massachusetts Avenue near 10th Street and is open on IDADA First Fridays or by appointment.

wUG LAKU’S STUDIO & gARAGE
1125 Brookside Ave, Suite C7
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Photography and quote submission

If you would like to submit photography of this event or reflections on this event, please contact Stephen.

Up until now you have probably only seen two or four of this series in person. This is the entire series. That’s 12 paintings! I am excited about being the featured 2-D artist at this show. If you are coming, please reply below or confirm on the Facebook event page.

On November 7, 2008, from 6-10 pm, as part of Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealers Association (IDADA) First Friday gallery tour, wUG LAKU’S STUDIO & gARAGE will host the opening of the exhibit, Action, Unification: A Perfected Communion. Wug’s studio is just east of the interstate and Massachusetts Avenue near 10th Street and is open on IDADA First Fridays or by appointment. For more information or to schedule an appointment contact Rachel or call Wug at 317-270-8258.

If one could see the remnants of the past fade as the present took place, how would this be composed? . . . I have created this imaginary experience with bone joints that are juxtaposed in order to capture action and unification. . . In the ideal joint, there is a true freedom for its members. . . Due to this infinite uniqueness of action, a perfected communion arises between its members.

-excerpts from series statement

Friday, November 7th
6:00-10:00pm
wUG LAKU’S STUDIO & gARAGE in the Circle Center Industrial Complex
1125 Brookside Ave, Suite C7
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Twenty-four artists from Smaller Indiana joined for the first (and hopefully annual) Elegant Funk art show. You can read more about ElegantFunk in a previous post.

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Thanks to Zack Legend for making the video about ElegantFunk.

Below are the two paintings, I displayed at ElegantFunk, Affiliating and Adjoining.

After the show, some of the organizers discuss the event.

Thank you to all who came. It was an overwhelming success! No one officially tallied the number of visitors, but we agreed afterward that it was several hundred.

I will be showing a piece in VisualFringe 2008 at The Kuaba Gallery. The Kuaba Gallery is in the last strip of shops on Massachusetts Avenue going away from Downtown. The opening reception is August 1, 2008. Yes, that’s the same night as SmallerIndiana’s Elegant Funk, but Wug Laku’s gallery is just few blocks up the street. Voting for “viewers choice” will be conducted August 1st and 2nd. Patrons’ favorite artwork will be designated as one of the six new Be Indypendent stickers to be used throughout the campaign. I would appreciate your vote. If you are unable to make it on August 1st, my piece, Appearing, will be on display until August 30th.

Kuaba Gallery
876 Massachusetts Avenue
Indianapolis IN 46204

VisualFringe has partnered with the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the Cultural Development Commission to support the Be Indypendent movement. Be Indypendent encourages people to support what is unique to Indianapolis, including local art.

I will be showing two of my recent “moving joint of bone” paintings on August 1st at Elegant Funk. These pieces are the climax of my current series. I will be shifting soon to new subject matter. The group show featuring 20 to 30 artists from Central Indiana will be a part of IDADA’s monthly First Friday gallery hop. The event will be from 5 to 9 pm at wUG LAKU’S STUDIO & gARAGE, 1125 Brookside Ave. Suite C7 in the Circle Center Industrial Complex. It’s just east of the interstate from Massachusetts Avenue. Work showing will include a variety of two and three-dimensional work. The quality of the submissions greatly impressed me and the rest of the organizing committee. I am anxious to see them in person. Most pieces will be for sale. Food, wine, music and local businesses will also be on hand, too.

This show is unique in that the artists have come to together via a local online social network, SmallerIndiana.com. Read more from the Indianapolis Star, and view the online discussion and progress in the events section of SmallerIndiana.

I am so glad that I have been able to be part of the organizing committee. I’d like to thank Andy Ball (and Lorraine), Nancy Digman, Eric Deckers, John Essex, Pam Frazier, James Keuster, Kate Oberreich, Janice Smith and Wug Laku for their contributions to Elegant Funk. I look forward to working with you in the future.

If you plan to be there, please contact me or reply below so that I can keep an eye out for you.

ELEGANT FUNK
Friday, August 1st
5:00-9:00pm
wUG LAKU’S STUDIO & gARAGE
1125 Brookside Ave, Suite C7
Indianapolis, IN 46202

This event is sponsored by NUVO, IDADA, and VisionDirect.

UPDATE: Friday night was great! View my post with photos and a video from ElegantFunk for more.