THE ARTS MAGAZINE OF THE ART STUDIO, INC.
MEMBERS GATHER PAGE 7 INSIDE: PICASSO BLACK AND WHITE, BAYOU BAUHAUS, ACTING WORKSHOPS, ARTIST SYMPOSIUM, AND MORE
APRIL 2013
Life Drawing Wednesdays. 6-8 p.m. $5. Open to everyone. Join the facebook Figure Drawing group Become a member of The Studio — it’s worth it.
SEE MEMBERSHIP FORM ON PAGE 3.
A View From The Top Greg Busceme, TASI Director
I BREEZE THROUGH THE Studio enjoying the wonderfully temperate weather. The Studio echoes with an outbreak of participation. Radios upstairs compete with NPR in the office, and the ladies in back are earbudded — oblivious to the aural skirmish elsewhere. Banging, sawing, drilling and dialog, music to my ears. The state of The Studio is strong, its future is bright, the artists are happy (as happy as an artist can get) and all this on a sustainable budget that addresses the balance between our goals and objectives as an NPO, and our ability to remain financially viable. Since the recession, The Studio paid off the bank note on the building through the sale of another property we hoped would be an expansion to a learning center, performance space and expanded 3D studios. At the time, we didn’t have a choice. Our note was ballooning, and we were pressed to pay the note or possibly lose the building. We sold the property and saved The Studio, but later lost more of our current facilities with the hurricane trilogy. At the time, we were at 50 percent occupancy with no participation in the classes that were offered. We also had to cope with a downturn in membership. At this writing, our figure drawing and clay classes are making a comeback as participation and interest increases. We also see a jump in Studio residents. We are at 100 per-
ISSUE Vol. 19, No. 7 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Art Studio, Inc. Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Coughlan Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tracy Danna Contributing Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Ivanova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donley Minor Contributing Photographers . . . . . . Michelle Cate, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Jones Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Betty Smith The Art Studio, Inc. Board of Directors President Ex-Officio . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg Busceme Vice-President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angela Busceme Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Roberts Treasurer/Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth Gallaspy Members at Large: . . . . . . . . . . . Sheila Busceme, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth French, . . . . . . . . . . Andy Ledesma, Stephan Malick, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Butler
The Art Studio, Inc. 720 Franklin Beaumont, TX 77701 409-838-5393 www.artstudio.org artstudio@artstudio.org The ISSUE is a monthly publication of The Art Studio, Inc. Its mission is to publicize The Art Studio and its tenants, and to promote the growth of the arts in Southeast Texas. ISSUE is also charged with informing TASI members of projects, progress, achievements and setbacks in TASI’s well-being. Further, ISSUE strives to promote and distribute the writings of local authors in its “Thoughtcrime” feature. ISSUE is provided free of charge to members of TASI and is also available, free of charge, at more than 30 locations in Southeast Texas. Regular features include local artists of note and reputation who are not currently exhibiting at TASI; artists currently or soon to be exhibiting at TASI; Instructional articles for artists; news stories regarding the state of TASI’s organization; and arts news features dealing with general philosophical issues of interest to artists.
Contents Art in the Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Artist Symposium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 The Bayou Bauhaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 TASIMJAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 Picasso Black and White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Childrens Acting Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 Matthew Neil Gehring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 Big Read Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 Around & About. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Thoughtcrime. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13
See VIEW on page 15
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS AT THE ART STUDIO APRIL
M AY
TASIMJAE (The Art Studio, Inc. Member Jurored Art Exhibition) Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 6
Amy Faggard, TASIMJAE 2012 Winner Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 4
BECOME A MEMBER OF THE ART STUDIO Membership in The Art Studio, Inc., provides invitations to all exhibitions and one year of ISSUE, the monthly arts magazine of The Art Studio. It also gives free eligibility for members to enter the annual membership art exhibition (TASIMJAE) and participate in various exhibitions throughout the year.
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Cover photo by Andy Coughlan
cent occupancy and we are experiencing a resurgence in charter-school and homeschool classes taking advantage of The Studio’s residents and facility. We reduced the number of complementary invitations and newsletters we mail out, but we will mail to everyone who carries a membership. This constitutes a two-thirds reduction in the size of our mailing list, which constitutes a 50 percent reduction in mailing costs, which includes printing, sorting and postage of invitations and the ISSUE. We are actively working to repair and recover lost facilities, salt and reduction kilns, metal fabrication, metal casting and forging. Storage facilities were also lost in the hurricanes, as was much of our raw materials and surplus supplies. An 8-feet fence is surrounding our back yard for added security, as well as a new parking area with striped spaces, compliments of Eagle Scout candidate Brandon Cate, who also beautified the planter box in front of the building. With all of the upheaval and downturns of the economy and weather, one thing of many that I neglected was our IRS 990 form. It is imperative to send one to the IRS at least every three years. In 2006 legislation, a ruling was made that any NPO not fulfilling this
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Volume 19, No. 7
Art on a sunny day IT WAS ONE OF those rare spring days that seemed more like a dream; the sun, the clouds and the sense of community in Stark Park really made one do a double take. The pool reflected the pines and blue sky as live music filled the air. The 11th annual Art in the Park in Orange, March 16, featured vendors selling their artistic wares and crafts ranged from hand-thrown ceramics to artfully welded sculptures, or prints and colorful paintings.
Picture story by Michelle Cate
The Stark Museum of Art and Stark House Museum were both open to the public, as was the historic First Presbyterian Church with its mindboggling stained glass. I can hardly remember the last time I felt as encouraged by the culture in a place. Orange might be a small town, but it has the soul that is older and wiser than some may give it credit for. Living in the Golden Triangle can sometimes leave a person feeling a bit jaded... but spring and the charm of people who live here can still inspire. The event was as colorful and as perfect as the flaming azalea bushes that framed the City Hall.
Volume 19, No. 7
BAL
April 2013 ISSUE • 5
TO HOST
THE ARTISTS SYMPOSIUM, A new series of panel discussions, will begin April 5 at the Beaumont Art League. The symposiums will be held from 7-9 p.m., on the first Friday on every month, and are free. “The Artist Symposium is a wonderful opportunity for the community to engage in artistic dialogue with local artists who are either just beginning or who have been creating work for decades,” Sarah Hamilton, BAL gallery director, said. “This new event strengthens the BAL’s mission of providing art education to Southeast Texans and we look forward to the stimulating topics that this program will cultivate.” Artist Abigail McLaurin is the driving force behind the symposium. “I think it is important,” she said. “When I moved to Beaumont, I thought it needed a place where artists can get together and talk about work, and have an intellectual discussion about art. “In college, we would have guest speakers and talk about a particular topic. It was really just to create a dialogue, not just between artists and student, but between artists and the community.” McLaurin said that the panel discussions will offer members of the community a chance to find out how artists work through ideas and get an understanding of process. “When you walk into a gallery, you only see the final work,” she said. “For the artist, it is all about the process and not the artifact. So this is an opportunity to see how the process changes for these artists. These are mature, professional artists who have been through a lot of change within their work.” Story by Andy Coughlan
ARTIST SYMPOSIUM Each symposium will have a theme, the first being “Within the Studio,” and will feature ceramicist Linnis Blanton, printmaker Xenia Fedorchenko and sculptor David Cargill. McLaurin, a tenant at The Art Studio, said that the program is a great chance to bring area artists together. “I hope it will help the league get more members and have a community involvement in the arts,” she said. “It is also a way of uniting artists. There seems to be a disconnect between artists and the different
SERIES
organizations in the area.” McLaurin said that community members will be intrigued by how each artist explores their medium, and how detailed the journey is through each work. “It’s always about the obsessive process,” she said. “Chasing the monster in the dark — seeking perfection in the work and never being able to capture it.” The Beaumont Art League is located at 4175 Gulf in Beaumont. For more information, call 409-833-4179, or visit the Artist Symposium Facebook page.
ISSUE Andy Coughlan
ISSUE Andy Coughlan
ISSUE William Jones
Xenia Fedorchenko, top, shown teaching a printmaking class at Lamar University, Linnis Blanton, above, and David Cargill will be on the panel of the first Artist Symposium at the Beaumont Art League, April 5.
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Volume 19, No. 7
BAYOU BAUHUAS SETAC WEBSITE OFFERS ONLINE MARKETPLACE BAYOUS ARE KNOWN FOR creatures like alligators, crawfish and catfish. But The Bayou Bauhaus isn’t the usual swamp that Southeast Texans are accustomed to. The Southeast Texas Arts Council is hosting the online art gallery that offers portraits, furniture, jewelry, sculptures, ceramics and clothing by local artists. The Bauhaus was a school of design in Weimar, Germany in the 1930s that changed the landscape of design. “The idea behind (The Bauhaus) was to have a place where new architecture could be encouraged, taught and practiced, but it ultimately housed a variety of art forms,” Sue Bard, SETAC executive director, said. “I liked the idea of it being the Bauhaus house — house meaning a place where art happens. “Ultimately, what we wanted wasn’t just paintings and sculpture. We wanted furniture, people who design and create jewelry, people who design and create clothing. “To me, it is all just creativity, all art, and we felt
Story by Donley Minor
that there is a market for these one-of-a-kind things, instead of the mass-produced stuff that you get if you visit a department store.” Bard said that everybody wants to decorate their home and wants paintings on the wall. “We wanted a place where people would shop for art and be loyal to the region,” she said. Bard said that she noticed a lack of galleries in the area. “As far as I can tell, there are no retail galleries,” she said. “If an artist wants an opportunity to show their work, they’re going to get involved.” The Bayou Bauhaus provides artists with an opportunity to focus on creating new works. “Many of them don’t want to get around to the paperwork that’s required, the administration of it, or even marketing,” Bard said. “They want to make the art, and they want it to be seen.” Bard said that there is currently a 50 percent discount for membership, which normally runs at $40 for the year. Bayou Bauhaus takes a 25 percent commission on all sales through the gallery. All sales of work represented on the site must go through The Bauhaus. “We handle things the way an art gallery would,” she said.
Being an online gallery is convenient, Bard said. The website has been open since October and is always adding new artists and features. The gallery currently features six artists and Bard said she is looking to build the gallery slowly. Painter Albert Faggard is one of the featured artists on the site. “I think it is a great thing,” he said. “I do not know of any other website that is exclusive for artists in the Southeast Texas area.” Faggard said the original Bauhaus was open to all kinds of art forms. “It didn’t single out realism or abstraction, collage or theater — it just set the tone for the artist in general, and I think that is important,” he said. “Collectively, as a group, (the website) is open to anyone that wants to participate and I think it is a great thing.” Bard said that many online galleries feature portraits of celebrities and other “accessible” images. However, The Bayou Bauhaus aims to feature a diverse collection of creative artists making original work in the area. For information, visit www.thebayoubauhaus .com.
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TASIMJAE THE ART STUDIO, INC. MEMBERS JURORED ART EXHIBITION
Show highlighting variety of members’ work to open April 6 IT’S TIME ONCE AGAIN for the unpronounceable exhibition that aims to showcase the diverse works of The Art Studio’s membership. TASIMJAE (The Art Studio, Inc. Members Jurored Art Exhibition) will be on display through April 27, beginning with a free reception April 6, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. TASI director Greg Busceme said the show is an important part of The Studio’s mission. “It’s two-fold,” he said. “We get people to show work they haven’t shown before, and we are also interested in getting new memberships.” Entry to the show is free with TASI membership. “We just encourage people to come in and get a membership, and turn in two pieces,” Busceme said. “You can join when you drop off the work. Just come in and we’ll take care of you.” Busceme said that the community arts organizations in the area share a vision to encourage artists of all ages, skill levels and experience to show their art. “It gives us a nice cross section of the artwork that’s going on in the region right now,” he said. “I think the Beaumont Art League and Texas Artists Museum also serve that purpose.” This year’s juror is Megan Young, director of the Dishman Art Museum on the Lamar University campus. Busceme said that TASIMJAE offers area artists a chance to get some feedback. TASIMJAE is a jurored show, which means some work will not be accepted. “It kind of goes against the idea of ‘everybody gets a medal,’” Busceme said. “But life isn’t like that. Not everybody gets a trophy. It’s important for young artists to learn that rejection is not a terrible thing — it’s a growing thing. “I say this every year. You might get a piece rejected from one show and have the same piece get a first prize at the next. It’s all up to the jurors and their different tastes.” Busceme said The Studio always tries to bring in jurors from different areas and from different fields, so that each year’s show is an open field. Jurors have come from as far afield as Houston, Galveston and Lake Charles. “We have a variety — that way, nobody gets bumped every time,” he said. The artwork is judged blind, meaning the juror doesn’t see names until after the completing his selection. “We’ve had very young people place in our show, which I think is phenomenal,” Busceme said.
A sizeable crowd turned out for TASIMJAE 2012. The exhibition, which features art created by members of The Art Studio, is always an eclectic collection, which showcases a diversity of the artists’ works.
“It’s interesting to see what the jurors respond to and who they pick, especially as they don’t know who’s out there.” Busceme said that he encourages artists of all ages to enter shows. “A piece of art that is not shown is worthless,” he said. “You have to present it. You can’t write a poem and not give it to someone to read. You need to share your art, or it’s just a waste of that energy.” Busceme said that people should not see rejection from a show as a rejection of the value of the work.
“It’s great for the ego when it doesn’t get massaged,” Busceme said with a laugh. “It makes you work harder and appreciate the new artists who are coming up.” The winner of TASIMJAE receives $100 and a solo show at The Studio in May 2014. Cash prizes are also awarded for second and third place. Last year’s winner was Amy Faggard. Look for a feature on her upcoming show in next month’s ISSUE. For more information, contact TASI at 409-8385393, or visit www.artstudio.org.
Volume 19, No. 7
THE WORLD
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PICASSO EXHIBITION AT MFAH HIGHLIGHTS MONOCHROMATIC CAREER “Color weakens.” — Picasso IN 1904, YOUNG PABLO Picasso arrived in Paris to pursue his dream of becoming a great artist. It was not his first trip. He briefly stayed there in 1900 and then in 1901-1902, but things did not work out. The result was an embarrassing return to Spain, with the train ticket paid by his parents. Two years later, undaunted, 22-year old Pablo was in Paris again. He found lodgings at Bateau-Lavoir, a run-down tenement building in Montmartre. Named for its resemblance to a laundry barge, the place was popular among penniless artists because of its low rent. Who cared that there was no light, gas or electric, no running water and no heat? In winter, the coffee left at the bottom of the cup at night turned into ice by the morning. In summer, the little apartment turned into an inferno compelling Pablo to paint naked. Notwithstanding his young age, Picasso already had an original vision of the world. His world was monochromatic. His early works were done in blue palette. These works are typically Story by Elena Ivanova
interpreted as an expression of the young artist’s angst, caused by the harsh realities of his life and especially by the suicide of his friend, Carlos Casagemas. However, years passed and the circumstances of Picasso’s life changed, yet he continued to paint monochromatic compositions. The “Blue Period” was succeeded by the “Rose Period” and then he found his true calling — black and white painting, which he pursued until the end of his life. The exhibition “Picasso Black and White,” at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, showcases the artist’s work from public and private collections in the United States and Europe. The sheer scale of this presentation is astounding: nearly 100 works, created between 1904 and 1970. No less impressive is the diversity of formats: sketches and drawings are shown side-by-side with large-scale paintings, while sculptures range from life-size heads to monumental figures. Monumental in size, also, is the tapestry of the famous painting “Guernica,”1 which welcomes visitors to the exhibition. Commissioned by Picasso from French weavers at the suggestion of Nelson Rockefeller in 1955, this exquisite work has been on view for more than two decades at the United Nations Building in New York.2 The exhibition provides a unique opportuni-
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WHITE IN BLACK &W ty to trace Picasso’s everlasting passion for black and white compositions from its beginning to the last years of his life. One of the earliest works of this kind, “Head of a Man” (1908), is an ink and charcoal drawing of a figure with black irregular shapes covering the areas from the eyebrows to the chin. This rarely seen work, which may be Picasso’s selfportrait, provides an insight into the artist’s creative process. It suggests that the initial impulse for the black and white palette might have come from the artist’s fascination with African sculpture. Picasso was already experimenting with African-art-inspired shapes and planes, which eventually led him to the creation of Cubism. As he searched for ways of translating sculpture into the language of twodimensional art, he started using black and white to convey negative and positive shapes. During the following two decades, Picasso extensively used black and white palette, with occasional inclusion of ochre shades, for Cubist compositions. In the 1920s, he went through the phase of Neoclassical painting, which coincided with his marriage to Russian dancer Olga Khokhlova. It is tempting to assume that Olga’s classical beauty was responsible for Picasso’s a short-lived romance with classical art. As his love for Olga started to fade, the artist turned his attention to Cubism again. He also found a new muse: 17year-old Marie-Thérèse Walter. The exhibition features many intimate portraits of Marie-Thérèse. Rendered in simplified shapes and delicate lines, they project an image of a demure, fragile woman. They also attest to Picasso’s incessant exploration of the expressive potential of Cubist shapes and black and white palette. Some portraits are created with one undulating line which traces the face and the body, resulting in a peaceful and serene image. In other cases, the figure is composed of bold, juxtaposing forms which create a sense of movement and three-dimensionality. Picasso’s first large-scale black and white painting is “The Milliner’s Workshop” (1926). The actual workshop in the painting was located on the same street as Picasso’s apartment. The artist could see the activity inside the shop through the open door every time he passed by. In the painting, the door is also open, but it is no more than a prop. Viewers are offered a frontal view of the place, as if they were in the shop or looking at it through a large, floor-to-ceiling window. Viewers may have different opinions on what the interior looks like or what is going on in the shop. However, everyone probably would agree with one thing: there is a frenzy of activity. The space is populated with black, gray and white shapes which seem to intermittently come forward and recede, creating a sense of movement. The impression is akin to the feeling one may experience by walking into a somber environment from a sunlit street. While the eyes are still adjusting to the dim light, the objects’ shapes keep shifting and transforming before everything comes into focus. Works from the 1930s demonstrate how long Picasso was developing his signature style and iconography which came to a full realization in “Guernica,” painted at the commission of the Spanish Republican government in exile for the 1937 International Exposition in Paris. The
Main image: Pablo Picasso, THE CHARNEL HOUSE, Paris, 1945, oil and charcoal on canvas, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Mrs. Sam A. Lewisohn Bequest (by exchange), and Mrs. Marya Bernad Fund in memory of her husband Dr. Bernard Bernard, and anonymous funds, 1971. © 2013 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
See PICASSO on page 14
Far left: Pablo Picasso, MARIE-THÉRÈSE, FACE AND PROFILE, Paris, 1931, oil and charcoal on canvas, Private Collection. © 2013 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Top: Pablo Picasso, THE MAIDS OF HONOR (LAS MENINAS, AFTER VELÁZQUEZ), LA CALIFORNIE, AUGUST 17, 1957, oil on canvas, Museu Picasso, Barcelona, gift of the artist, 1968. © 2013 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Above: Pablo Picasso, THE MILLINER’S WORKSHOP, RUE LA BOÉTE, PARIS, January 1926, oil on canvas, Musée national d’art modern / Centre de creation industrielle, Centre Pompidou, Paris. © 2013 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
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Volume 19, No. 7
Hollywood acting coach Chambers Stevens to conduct Beaumont children’s workshops ACTING COACH AND AUTHOR Chambers Stevens will bring his Hollywood expertise to Beaumont in April with a pair of workshops for aspiring young actors. The workshops, hosted by Outside the Box Productions, are scheduled for Saturday, April 27, 9 a.m.-noon for 3rd through 6th grade, and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. for 7th though 12th grade. The workshops will be held in the Assembly Hall at All Saints Episcopal School, 4108 Delaware in Beaumont. Cost is $125 for each workshop. Advance reservations are required. To reserve a spot call 409-543-4915 or go to www.facebook.com/outsidetheboxbeaumont. “Chambers has a gift with children and teenagers,” coordinator Ramona Young said. “When he is coaching them on auditioning and different acting styles that are currently en vogue in Hollywood, he is super high energy. His energy reminds me of early Jerry Lewis. He’s fun, he does voices, he connects on their level — he’s just hilarious. Kids love him.” Stevens, an established coach and the author of seven books of monologues, scenes and commercials for young actors, will offer an overview of what it is like to audition for television or a movie, and how to behave with a casting director, as well as how the basic audition works. “Because of the tax breaks that Texas now has in place a lot of my clients are auditioning for films and television shows that are being shot in the state,” Stevens said. “I have a number of young actors from California who have been flown in to work on shows in Texas. These Californians are not better ‘actors’ than the kids in Beaumont. But they are better auditioners. “So that is what we will focus on — making them fantastic auditioners. Also because my wife is an executive producer at The Disney Channel, I have a lot of knowledge about what Disney is looking for.” Young said that participants will learn about all facets of the audition and acting process. “Chambers will instruct them on what skills they need to work on to be an effective auditioner,” she said. “There’ll be some techniques on memorization and how to make your audition stand out. There will also be scene and monologue work. “A lot of the stuff will be effective not only for auditioning on the professional level, but also for kids who are planning to audition for college acting programs or even local theater.” Stevens said he enjoys working with young actors. “Kids are the best,” Stevens said. “They are so full of creativity and energy. Their imaginations are powerful so they can throw themselves in to any scene. Plus they are so hungry for help from someone who knows what they are doing.” This is Stevens’ fourth trip to Southeast Texas. Young, who teaches drama at All Saints school, said she invited Stevens to conduct workshops after meeting him five years ago at an event for actors and agents. “About six years ago, I had a student actor who was fantastically talented and wanted to go to the next level,” she said. “He went to a professional scouting event where they have managers and agents from L.A., New York, Dallas and Miami. While he was there he met Chambers. Later, when the student went to L.A., he Story by Andy Coughlan
CHAMBERS STEVENS used Chambers as his coach. On a visit home, he raved about how wonderful Chambers was.” “I did a little research to check him out and soon realized that the reason his name sounded so familiar was because I had been using his books in my classroom for several years.” Among Stevens coaching clients are Jae Head, who played S.J. in “The Blind Side,” Kiernan Shipka, who plays Sally Draper on “Mad Men” and Riley Griffiths, who plays Charles Kaznyk in “Super 8.” “Chambers is the one who prepared Riley for his audition for J.J. Abrams on ‘Super 8,’” Young said.
Courtesy photo
“Another one of his long-time clients, Bridger Zadina, will be in ‘Iron Man 3’ this spring.” Breaking into show business can be hard, but it never hurts to make a contact or two. Stevens knows how the business works. “Last time I was in Beaumont, I got a kid an audition for a Broadway show — so no telling what will happen.” For more information or to book a spot, visit the Outside the Box Facebook page. For more information on Chambers Stevens, visit www.chambersstevens.com.
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Dishman to host ‘Brilliant Corners’ LAMAR UNIVERSITY’S DISHMAN ART Museum will present “Matthew Neil Gehring: Brilliant Corners,” beginning April 2. Taking inspiration from a combination of High Modernism and the jazz sounds of Thelonious Monk, Gehring, a New York painter, brilliantly combines minimalist austerity with expressionist color and technique, a release states. His works are a lovely combination of planar investigation and the relationships between music, literature, mathematics and art. Gehring earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern Indiana and his MFA at the University of Delaware. He relocated to Northern California in 2001 after completion of his degrees where he lived for two years, making and exhibiting artwork while teaching sculpture at Humboldt State University. In 2003, he accepted a full-time faculty position in the art department at Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY, where he lived and worked for the next four years. In 2007, he relocated, to Brooklyn, NY, where he has been for the last six years, maintaining an active studio practice and exhibition schedule. He has exhibited in numerous group exhibitions and 7 solo exhibitions, including an upcoming solo show of recent painting and sculpture at the Dishman Art Museum at Lamar University in Beaumont. His work has been featured in Art Journal and Art Review, and reviewed in ArtWeek. He is currently the head of the art department at SUNY Suffolk and the director of the Flecker Gallery at the same institution. This is Gehring’s first solo museum exhibition, and the Dishman Art Museum is thrilled to partner with him in this endeavor. The artist will give a talk about his work on April 5, at 6 p.m., as part of the opening reception festivities. An artist talk and light refreshments will be
UNTITLED by Matthew Neil Gehring will be on display at the Dishman Art Museum as part of the exhibition “Brilliant Corners.” served at the opening reception from 6 -9 p.m. April 5. The exhibition will run through May 2. Admission to the reception and the exhibition is free. The Dishman Art Museum is open from 8 a.m. to
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is located at 1030 East Lavaca in Beaumont. Free museum-dedicated parking is available in front of the Dishman during museum hours.
‘Big Read’ events to celebrate ‘Bless Me, Ultima’ “The Big Read,” an annual event sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, will be commemorated with a series of free events around Southeast Texas in April and May. HISTORY AND CULTURES OF NEW MEXICAN AMERICANS AND TEXAS AMERICANS April 4, 7 p.m., in Gray Library on the Lamar University campus in Beaumont. Jim Sanderson, chair of English and Modern Languages at Lamar University, will discuss the historical and geographical backgrounds of Mexico, New Mexico and Texas. His lecture will focus on the traditions and cultures of three groups — Native Americans, Anglos and Hispanics — and the conflicts between them. FILM SCREENING: BLESS ME, ULTIMA (2013), PG-13 April 18, 6:30 p.m., in the Lutcher Theater, 707 Main Avenue in Orange. Based on the novel of the same title by
Rudolfo Anaya, this film is set in New Mexico during World War II. The story is centered on the relationship between a 10-year old boy and an elderly medicine woman who helps him contend with the battle between good and evil that rages in his village.
Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. Today, Chávez is the director of The Border Book Festival, a major national and regional book festival based at Casa Camino Real, a multicultural bookstore, art gallery and resource center in Las Cruces.
ULTIMA: A HEALER FOR OUR TIMES A presentation by Denise Chávez April 25 at 6:30 p.m., in the Lutcher Theater. A reception and book signing at Stark Museum of Art will follow the presentation Award-winning novelist, playwright, teacher and performer Denise Chávez will talk about Rudolfo Anaya’s novel “Bless Me, Ultima” and the relevance of its message in the modern world. Chávez is one of the leading authors documenting the unique culture of the MexicanAmerican border. Like Rudolfo Anaya, she draws on the traditions of storytelling and folk dramas in the Hispanic Southwest. For many years, she has taught at the department of English at New
FIESTA FAMILY DAY May 4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in the Stark Museum of Art. Enjoy fun art activities for all ages, a scavenger hunt, refreshments and more. BOOK DISCUSSION OF BLESS ME, ULTIMA: IN THE MUSEUM SETTING May 18, 2 p.m., in the Stark Museum of Art. Discuss Rudolfo Anaya’s novel while looking at the paintings featuring New Mexico by Southwestern artists in the special exhibition “Wild Beauty: The New Mexico Setting.” Stark Museum chief educator Elena Ivanova will lead the discussion. The event is an observance of International Museum Day.
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Around & About If you come across any interesting exhibitions, museums or other places on your travels, share them with us. Call 409-838-5393, or contact us through our web site at www.artstudio.org. Be sure to include the location and dates of the subject, as well as any costs.
The BEAUMONT ART LEAGUE will host the NECHES RIVER FESTIVAL EXHIBITION, April 327. A reception is scheduled for 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., April 21. The Beaumont Art League is located at 2675 Gulf St. For information, visit www.beaumontart league.org. ______________
theory of the collective unconscious, Bess began to understand painting not as an end in itself, but rather as a means to an end. By meticulously recording and studying the dream symbols captured in his artwork, Bess hoped to uncover their universal meaning. “To aid in his search, Bess looked to a variety of fields — medicine, psychology, anthropology, philosophy — combing their literature for clues. He eventually formulated a theory, which he referred to as his ‘thesis,’ that the unification of male and female within one’s body could produce immortality. “Forrest Bess: Seeing Things Invisible will present a selection of approximately 40 paintings, along with rare works on paper and selected letters by this important but under-recognized artist.” The Menil Collection is located at 1515 Sul Ross in Houston. For information, visit www.menil.org. ______________ The ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS will exhibit a pair of shows in April. SALLY CHANDLER: THE LOST WORLD, and DAVID EVERETT: THE TIES THAT BIND will open with a
RECENT ART STUDIO NEW OR RENEWING MEMBERS
free reception April 20. The exhibitions will be on display through June 30. “Sally Chandler: The Lost World” explores a time with 18th-19th century French sensibilities: horse drawn carriages, decorated walls and sumptuous colors. Chandler’s work has a gestural quality and playfulness emphasized by her delicate colored palette. The loose application of paint and palette are juxtaposed with the content of Chandler’s work. She illustrates a world that she believes to have been lost; the slower pace of the past, the style and the ornaments, as well as the animals that have since disappeared. “David Everett: The Ties That Bind” depicts the familiar creatures that inhabit the Texas landscape in sculpture, drawing and woodcuts. The rich hues used in his drawings and sculpture emphasize a playfulness and quirkiness. Each sculpture begins with a sketch and laminated hardwood as the material. Using a traditional mallet and wood gouges, Everett removes material slowly revealing the rough forms of animals. As the process progresses, he draws directly on the wood to assist in visualizing the form he wants to achieve. Once the carving is complete, he paints the wood forms with oils with his unmistakable palette of vibrant hues. AMSET is located at 500 Main St. in downtown Beaumont. For information, visit www.amset.org
INDIAN DISH FRIDAYS
Forrest Bess, UNTITLED, 1947. Oil on canvas. The Menil Collection, Houston, gift of the artist. Photo: Paul Hester The MENIL COLLECTION will host FORREST BESS: SEEING THINGS INVISIBLE. April-19 to Aug. 18. “Self-described ‘visionary’ artist Forrest Bess (1911–77) is a unique figure in the history of American art,” a museum release states. “For most of his career, Bess lived an isolated existence in a fishing camp outside of Bay City, eking out a meager living by selling bait and fishing. By night and during the off-season, however, he read, wrote, and painted prolifically, creating an extraordinary body of mostly small-scale canvases rich with enigmatic symbolism. Despite his isolation, Bess was known to a number of other artists, and in 1949, he met the prominent artist and dealer Betty Parsons. Between 1949 and 1967, Parsons organized six solo exhibitions of his work at her gallery in New York. “Bess taught himself to paint by copying the stilllives and landscapes of artists he admired, such as Vincent van Gogh and Albert Pinkham Ryder. Beginning in early childhood, Bess experienced intense hallucinations that both frightened and intrigued him; in 1946, he began to incorporate images from these visions into his paintings. After discovering Carl Jung’s
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Volume 19, No. 7
April 2013 ISSUE • 13
De-stress The music blasts loud. Paint hits the canvas, I laugh Like a manic.
Thoughtcrime Submission Guidelines and Disclaimer ISSUE solicits and publishes the work of local authors. Poetry, short fiction, scholarly works and opinion pieces may be submitted for review. All works must be typed or submitted on a disk (using approved word processing software), or may be sent to TASI by e-mail. All works are subject for review by our editor, and may be rejected or edited on the basis of grammar, spelling or content. The opinions expressed in “Thoughtcrime” do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TASI, its Board of Directors, ISSUE’s editorial staff, or donors to TASI.
Andy Coughlan
Vanity Revisited A moment briefly conquered In the mind is but a thread Which tends to wind about A fleshy, spinning spool and Along a curving space from Withered hands to milky face. Like the acquiescence Of a sigh, that in its time Would choose to lie within The womb of larger breaths, Until a catalyst should find The catalexis to unwind A fleshy, spinning spool of Age, en masse, a knotted Mat of leaves of grass, until The waxing hubris lights The denouemential blaze, and Nothing marks the moment razed. Chance Henson
Send typed works to: ISSUE 720 Franklin, Beaumont, TX 77701 or e-mail: artstudio@artstudio.org Authors must submit a daytime telephone number along with all submissions. Pen names are acceptable, but authors must supply real names for verification. All submitted works become property of TASI, and whether rejected or accepted, are not returned to the author. ISSUE does not notify of rejection by mail or telephone.
The Moment We've been Waiting For
To see you walk through my door send chills down my spine Watching you undress makes my lotus flower throb Knowing all of that “love” is mine blows the hell out of my mind. You’re teasing me, taking your time because you know I'm ready, Ready to be loved through my body when we intertwine I can’t take it anymore so I jump on your chocolate “stick” and let it fill Me all up like a steak lunch, up to the middle of my stomach. I'm about to “explode” OMG, but I turn my head To see another set of eyes lusting to be an addition to this love party Those curves swaying with every step closer like a ribbon in the sky As we switch to make room for you to enter inside you drop down to your knees ready to please Feeling your tongue swish back and forth OMG!, I almost died I want you to more than the first time but patience is a virtue we've all come to learn. He flips me over on my back as you slide forward. As we transition I wonder am I dreaming, this can’t be real. All of us synchronize like we were made for each other No selfishness just love making as three becomes one. Myoshi Price
Alternative Show a first-come, first-served, free-for-all art exhibition Look for entry details in the May ISSUE
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Mission Statement Founded in 1983, The Art Studio, Inc. is devoted to: providing opportunities for interaction between the public and the Southeast Texas community of artists; furnishing affordable studio space to originating artists of every medium; promoting cultural growth and diversity of all art forms in Southeast Texas; and providing art educational opportunities to everyone, of every age, regardless of income level, race, national origin, sex or religion. Pablo Picasso, MOTHER WITH DEAD CHILD II, POSTSCRIPT TO GUERNICA, Paris, September 26 (?), 1937, oil on canvas, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid. © 2013 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
PICASSO from page 9 exhibition at MFAH features studies for this monumental painting, as well as a number of works painted before “Guernica” was conceived. In particular, the image of a mother crying out in despair over the dead child appears in earlier works, such as a mythological scene from 1934, as well as in the works painted as a postscript to “Guernica.” Similarly, the bull, the horse and the lamp seem to be recurrent themes in Picasso’s work around the same time. Picasso turned to the powerful iconography of “Guernica” once again to express the sense of devastation, anguish and rage over the mass murder and genocide perpetrated by the Nazis during World War II. “The Charnel House” (1945) is a large-scale painting featuring a blood-curdling scene of a family murdered in their home. As our eyes follow the intricate pattern of black, gray and white shapes, we start to discern the mangled bodies and realize the tragedy that has just happened. Maybe the most poignant image is that of the mother and child, both dead. She is still covering the baby with her body, and the blood is pouring out of her wounded breast into his mouth, as a gruesome twist on the universal symbol of motherhood. As the time went on, the aging artist started thinking of his legacy, which inevitably led him to comparing himself to artists of the past, in particular, to such colossal figures in Spanish art as Goya and Velázquez. “Las Meninas, after Velázquez” (1957) is a playful, yet thoughtful, “conversation” between Picasso and his famous predecessor. Picasso’s tribute is slightly smaller in size (76 x 100 in.) than Velázquez’s original (125.2 x 108.7 in.), however, there is nothing humble or obsequious in the manner with which Picasso presents his interpretation of the epic painting. While preserving the composition of Velázquez’s work, Picasso completely reconfigures the characters according to the Cubist vocabulary. They become geometricized, collagelike cutouts; some look like sinister harpies, some appear to be amiable. The friendliest of them all is Picasso’s dog, a Dachsund by the name of Lump, that replaced the well-
groomed Spanish mastiff in the original painting. Unlike typical Cubist compositions, this painting has depth which is implied by the arrangement of gradually diminishing shapes with a silhouette of a man standing in a white doorway as a vanishing point. In Picasso’s version of the painting, it is Velázquez, not Infanta Margaret Theresa, that is the major figure. Standing by the easel with the tools of his trade, the artist looks like a giant in the company of the Pygmies. He also seems too big for this picture — his head is almost pushing through the upper edge of the canvas. Picasso’s statement about the place of the artist in history is unmistakable and refers as much to himself as to Velázquez. The latest works in the exhibition attest to Picasso’s undiminished fascination with black and white painting. Most of them are portraits of the last woman in his life, his second wife Jacqueline. Picasso’s style oscillates between straightforward Cubism, exemplified in “Seated Woman (Jacqueline )” (1962) and a more representational manner which incorporates elements of Cubism, as demonstrated in “The Kiss” (1969). These paintings, which celebrate love and art, serve a powerful finale to Picasso’s long life. The exhibition “Picasso Black and White” is on view through May 27. This is the first major exhibition to focus on the artist’s lifelong exploration of a black and white palette. The exhibition has been organized by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York, in the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities, and is sponsored by Bank of America. For more information, visit www.mfah.org. 1 “Guernica” (1937) is in the collection of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid. 2 The”Guernica” tapestry was displayed at the UN Building from 1985 to 2009; it was moved to London in advance of extensive renovations at UN Headquarters; as of 2012, it is on temporary loan to the San Antonio Museum of Art in San Antonio.
PURPOSE The purpose of The Art Studio, Inc. is to (1) provide educational opportunities between the general public and the community of artists and (2) to offer sustained support for the artist by operating a non-profit cooperative to provide studio space and exhibition space to working artists and crafts people, and to provide an area for group work sessions for those artists and crafts people to jointly offer their labor, ideas, and enthusiasm to each other.
GOALS 1. 2. 3. 4.
To present public exhibitions To provide educational opportunities To provide accessible equipment for artists To provide peer feedback through association with other artists and crafts people
OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
To present 10 art exhibitions per year To maintain equipment for artists in a safe working environment To provide better access to artists for the public To offer regularly scheduled adult and children’s classes To develop and maintain public activities with all sectors of the community To develop and maintain equipment to aid artists in their work To provide a display retail outlet for artists To expand programming and activities with increased facility space
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April 2013 ISSUE • 15
VIEW from page 3 requirement would have their 501(c)(3) put on hold until such information is delivered. This is a humongus, 30-page, detailed audit that needs to be in the hands of experts. We are lucky to have such a person in Lauren Brooks, CPA. She pulled us from the inferno of the tax office and saved our NPO by finishing the form that will reinstate The Studio’s status. With Lauren’s help, we will never have to deal with this issue again. Lastly, I want you to know that The Studio will always be here. Thirty years of the toughest political and economic periods any group has ever endured, assures we are right for this region and serve a need that transcends socio-economic conditions. We are a community of diversity and I think The Studio reflects that diversity. We survived all misfortunes and are coming back stronger. So have all the other organizations of the visual arts. Here’s the difference. A ridiculously small percentage of our income is through grants, and the percentage of our budget that is covered by a public or private entity on an annual basis is ZERO. We support The Studio through earned income, concessions, door tickets, clay sales, studio space rental, event rentals and a percentage of class fees. The Art Studio is the only visual arts organization that can function autonomous from any continuous or contracted outside assistance. Every arts organization has its unique purpose and each has merits the others don’t, but The Art Studio stands alone. Your generous memberships and donations go to expansion projects and additional activities that can’t be covered by our budget. We are locally driven to support visual and performing arts, through presentation of the young people with the will to add to the cultural diversity of an amazingly diverse community. We want to spend the next 30 years seeing what comes next. P.S. Save the date of November 16, 2013 for The Studio’s anniversary gala party.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED The Art Studio is looking for energetic people who have a few hours a month to help us in the following areas:
OFFICE SUPPORT BUILDINGS & GROUNDS SPECIAL EVENTS • MAILOUTS If you are interested in one or more of these opportunities or if you know of anyone who might be, give us a call at 409-838-5393
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When you support The Art Studio with your membership, you receive ISSUE, Southeast Texas’ and Southwest Louisiana’s alternative press as well as class schedules, invitations to opening receptions and various Studio functions.
Volunteers These people are the life blood of our organization. WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU! To volunteer, drop by The Art Studio, Inc., or call 409-838-5393. Elizabeth Fontenot Bryan Castino Heather & Adam Butler Andy Ledesma Rhonda Rodman Sue Wright Cyndi Grimes Rhonda McNally Andy Coughlan Ben Jennings Beth Gallaspy John Roberts Beau Dumesnil Karen Dumesnil Sheila Busceme Kailee Viator Haley Bruyn Bryan LaVergne Gabe Sellers Ian Grice Abby McLaurin Samantha Wheeler Scott & John Alexander Heather Adams Terri Fox April Falgout B.J. Bourg Michelle Falgout Dana Dorman Reagan Havens Anna Buchele Nick Wilcox Stacey Haynes
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