M|L INSIDER
July 2013
Summer Spectacular featuring Reid Richardson
Also inside • New works by Steven DaLuz and Alvin Gill-Tapia • The Great Food Truck Caravan
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Marshall | LeKAE Gallery of Fine Art www.marshall-lekaegallery.com
M|L INSIDER
Summer Spectacular ArtWalk July 11, 2013 | 7-9 p.m. • Join us at The Marshall | LeKAE Gallery of Fine Art for a painting demonstration with Reid Richardson. • “Life’s a Beach” artist reception at Bonner David Gallery • Andrea Peterson painting demonstration at Wilde Meyer Gallery as part of its new exhibition, “The Local Scene.” • Legacy Gallery presents its annual group show “Legacy Of The Southwest.” • Stephanie Paige painting demonstration at Calvin Charles Gallery • Artist demos at On the Edge Art Gallery • A live portrait demonstration at Amery Bohling Fine Art • Live music on the streets
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Marshall | LeKAE Gallery of Fine art
July 2013
An Interview with Reid Richardson Reid Richardson, a graduate of Arizona State University’s painting program, pursues a fulfilling career as a contemporary landscape painter and professional print maker. Living and working in Phoenix his work has been exhibited in galleries both locally and internationally for more ten years.
M|L Gallery: Why trees and clouds? Reid Richardson: Why paint clouds? Clouds have always come naturally to me. I like that they can be any shape, and they are completely organic. Clouds form on a painting like the next note in a jazz session. It’s about improvisation; each brush stroke is laid down as a reaction to the previous stroke. Trees started to appear over time in my work. I was looking for something to use as the basis for adding metaphors to my paintings. Trees provided just that. They, in my opinion, directly personify our existence. M|L Gallery: Tell us about the surreal feel of your paintings. Reid Richardson: The surreal nature of my work is not an accident. I’ve always been attracted to artists like Max Ernst, René Magritte and Dalí. Surrealism allows for a painting to feel a bit ambiguous, which in turn will give the viewer a chance to interpret
interview continued on next page
7106 East Main Street Scottsdale | AZ 85251 www.marshall-lekaegallery.com | 480-970-3111
the meaning using their own experience. As much as each piece has meaning to me I like that someone else might have their own perspective. M|L Gallery: Tell us about your process Reid Richardson: I recently started working “subtractively”. First, I add the background colors and then remove some paint with turpentine soaked rags, cotton balls and Q-tips. The soft nature of these materials helps add to the softness of my skies. Once my sky is the way I want, I work additively with brushes to shade and structure my clouds and add the rest of the painting’s subject matter. I find this process both effective and fun. M|L Gallery: What has been the most amazing experience with your art? Reid Richardson: When I was 21 and showing at Art One, they announced that my work would be part of a show titled “Art in America” at their sister gallery in Switzerland. Not only that, but I was also one of two painters to travel with the show to Zurich. It was both my first time to Europe and first time to exhibit work outside the States. It also helped that I sold every one of my paintings on opening night. Read the full interview on our website.
July 2013
The Great Food Truck Caravan by Kevin, gallery marketing and logistics
Delicious food and local music on a pleasant Saturday night is what I found with the Food Truck Caravan in Old Town Scottsdale. A recent addition to Scottsdale’s nightlife, the Caravan offers about a dozen food trucks to choose from ranging from trucks specializing in pho and grilled cheese to farm-fresh options and soul food. Let’s just say there’s something for everyone. I tried deliciously satisfying fresh, fried chicken with mac ‘n cheese and coleslaw from Buzznbeez Food Truck, which will soon be featured on Food Network. So satisfied I went back for more of their gooey five-cheese sidedish. For dessert, I enjoyed delectable, fresh white chocolate raspberry ice cream from Udder Delight. Those who purchase food as part of the “Ate on 5th” program will receive a card for discounts or special offers from local Scottsdale businesses including galleries, restaurants, and salons. (See the concierge tent for more information.) Next time you find yourself asking what to do on a Saturday night in Scottsdale, head over to 5th and Goldwater to enjoy the Food Truck Caravan, there every week from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. There’s also a rumor the Caravan will be on Marshall Way Thursdays during ArtWalk beginning July 11.
7106 East Main Street Scottsdale | AZ 85251 www.marshall-lekaegallery.com | 480-970-3111
M|L INSIDER Mimicry is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
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Artist Steven DaLuz gives insight into why he chose to do his own version of Arnold Böcklin’s infamous painting.
“The painting, ‘Isle of the Dead’, by Swiss painter, Arnold Böcklin, is one of those paintings that stuck with me since the time I was a boy. Something about its mysterious, quiet stillness always appealed to me. I knew I would never own such a work, but thought to myself, ‘Maybe one day I will paint this.’ That was long before I knew anything about symbolism, surrealism, or romanticism. Decades went by, and I again ran across the old Böcklin painting. I then decided to read more about it - turns out that Böcklin painted 5 versions of this piece between 1880 and 1886. I found myself most attracted to the 3rd version, which he painted in 1883. Apparently, there is a cemetery in Florence, Italy, where Böcklin’s infant daughter, Maria, is buried. The English Cemetery is not far from his studio, where he painted the 1st 3 versions of this piece. Böcklin did not originally title the work, ‘Isle of the Dead’ ... he felt it was more of a ‘place of dreams’ ... which is how I felt about the work. Still, it is clear that this work is rife with symbolism and Romanticism. He influenced The
Marshall | LeKAE Gallery of Fine art
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July 2013 Isle (After Bocklin) | 42 x 77 | Oil, Metal Leaf & Chemical Patina on Panel | 2013
some surrealists like Dalí and Max Ernst. Even Munch was taken with the work of Böcklin. Some composers also were motivated to write compositions inspired by the work. When I learned that the infamous 20th Century art critic, Clement Greenberg, panned the work as representing everything that is wrong with 19th Century painting, I was determined to paint the work myself, as a kind of homage to Böcklin! It wasn’t until later that I learned Dalí had done such homage, as did Giger, and several other acclaimed artists. I also learned that Adolph Hitler purchased version #3, in 1933! Regardless, I was always taken with the ethereal quality of the work, and decided to paint it in my own palette using metal leaf, chemically-induced patinas, and oil on panel. The end result is based on version #3, and I have titled it, ‘Isle (After Bocklin)’. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of painting it, and I hope others will enjoy the finished work.” 7106 East Main Street Scottsdale | AZ 85251 www.marshall-lekaegallery.com | 480-970-3111
Mission at la Puebla | 48 x 48 | Acrylic & Silver Leaf | Alvin Gill-Tapia
“Ooh, something shiny!” - We’ve noticed a trend in metallics recently. Not necessarily in metal art, but in metal leafs and metallic paints being used by artists to add luster and depth to their work. Do you enjoy art with a metallic note? Let us know on Facebook. www.facebook.com/TheMarshallLeKAE