Life drawing every Wednesday. Open to everyone. 6-8 p.m. $5. 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
SO, QUICKLY WE COME to the holiday season, and along with that is the Shop-ORama Extravaganza, our annual artists sale throughout the month of December. Residents at The Studio, and other local artisans, are hard at work producing reasonably-priced, hand-made, and originally-created artwork and fine crafts that, hopefully will find homes with appreciative art lovers. If you are creating good work, contact The Art Studio for a short or long term spot during the Extravaganza. On an encouraging note, purchase of locally created art work has seemed to take an upswing over the past six to eight months. I think it has something to do with the food and business trend to buy local, buy fresh, grow your own. If you are going to get a gift or treat yourselt, the preference would be to find something unique that can’t be found on a rack at a mall kiosk. Money is tight and that is reflected in finding quality art or crafts with substance and value. With a direct connection to the artist, the work has a face and a name, and thus, a substantial bond between artist and patron. The Reformations’ historic split between Catholics and Protestants com-
ISSUE Vol. 19, No. 3 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Art Studio, Inc. Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Coughlan Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tracy Danna Contributing Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Ivanova Contributing Photographers . . . . . . . . Josh Reeter 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 Rite of Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Berryman’s Editorial Cartoons . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Shop-O-Rama Call for entries . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 Western Photos at Stark Museum . . . . . . . . Page 7 Sean Wilcox Exhibition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Suspension of Belief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 Around & About. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Thoughtcrime. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13 Cover photo of Sean Wilcox by Andy Coughlan
pletely changed the role of artists. In that period, artists were fully and almost exclusively indebted to wealthy patrons, governments or churches who commissioned artists to create propaganda as historical fact through the painted image. The autonomous street vendors began creating the genre painting — small, simplethemed paintings of the artists’ choice, priced for the middle and working class. Dutch citizens were able to purchase these reasonably priced art works and they wanted art in their homes as a status symbol. You will see something completely different now if you log on to the Art Studio’s Web site. With the professional assistance of Stacey Haynes (of KVLU fame) to take over and revamp, our Web site will be more media responsive. We have Youtube connections to set up instructional vids for teachers, donations buttons and a secure server for transactions online. A smaller carbon footprint is in our future. Speaking of carbon footprints, Lamar engineering professor Tony Pereira, aka, Solar Tony, is consulting with The Studio on an environmental study. We hope to
See VIEW on page 15
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS AT THE ART STUDIO NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Sean Wilcox Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 3
Holiday Shop-O-Rama Extravaganza Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 1
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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4 • ISSUE November 2012
Volume 19, No. 3
PRINTMAKER INVITES COMMUNITY TO EXPERIENCE NEW CULTURE, IDEAS WHEN PRINTMAKER XENIA FEDORCHENKO decides to have a few friends over, they don’t just come from around the corner. In early November, Estonian printmakers Peeter Allik and Toomas Kuusing will bring their unique stylings to Southeast Texas, and Fedorchenko is inviting the community to pop by and see them. The pair will present lectures and workshops while they are in town, beginning Nov. 7, and the three-day event, “Rite of Print,” will end with a printmaking party featuring Estonian performance artists Non Grata, 7-10 p.m., Nov. 9, at The Art Studio. “Basically, it is centered around these five artists coming from Estonia, three performance artists and two printmakers,” Fedorchenko said. “One of the printmakers, Peeter Allik, will do a workshop at Lamar on relief printing. His technique is superb. He considers himself both a painter and a print-
Story by Andy Coughlan
Estonian printmaker Toomas Kuusing, an example of whose work is shown above, will give a presentation and demonstration of his work during “Rite of Print,” a threeday printmaking event organized by Lamar University art professor Xenia Fedorchenko, pictured right with a signed poster by Peeter Allik, another Estonian artist who will lecture during the event.
ISSUE photo by Andy Coughlan
maker. He is truly an international master artist.” She said that in America, printmakers and painters are more separated groups. “I think it’s the collaborative nature of the print studio, versus the solitary nature of the painter,” she said. “The painter doesn’t have to paint around other people. That’s what creates that identity of a printmaker in America, because we all have homes big enough to paint in, but we don’t have homes big enough to have a print shop in. “Whereas, where they are coming from, in eastern Europe, people don’t have homes big enough for a painting studio, so that identity dissolves away.” The other printmaker who will be here, Toomas Kuusing, will also be talking about both media. On Nov. 9, performance group Non Grata will present “!Storm Generation!” Students and faculty from other schools will come to town, to join with Lamar students who will be printing live. Artists from around the country will be invited to set up booths and sell art.
Volume 19, No. 3
November 2012 ISSUE • 5
‘RITE OF PRINT’ SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7 Artist Lecture by Peeter Allik, 6 p.m. Dishman Art Museum Lecture Hall, Lamar University followed by a reception. THURSDAY, NOV. 8. Workshop by Peeter Allik, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., 101 Art Building, Lamar University followed by Toomas Kuusing workshop, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. FRIDAY, NOV. 9 Non Grata performance, "!Storm Generation!" featuring Anonymous Boh, Devil Girl and Travis McCoy Fuller, including an exhibition of works by Non Grata, Peeter Allik and Toomas Kuusing, live printing and art sale. The Art Studio, Inc.
“It will be a one evening, Rock ’n’ Roll party,” Fedorchenko said. While the party aspect is high on the agenda, Fedorchenko, professor of printmaking at Lamar University, said there is a serious point to the event. “I am doing this to promote art in the community, for us not to just see ourselves,” she said. “It does tend to be a comfortable world and I don’t necessarily think that new things, innovative thought, happens within a comfortable environment. And I am hoping to shake things up just a little bit where people can see different ideas or maybe encounter something they haven’t considered that they might consider in the future.” Fedorchenko organized the “Gulf Print Storm” two years ago, and the Estonian printmakers’ work was exhibited at The Art Studio as part of that event. While attending a festival in Estonia this summer that the printmakers had organized, she got to meet them and was surprised that Allik was open to visiting Southeast Texas. “I am a little bit in shock that this is actually happening — at the giving of these artists,” she said. “I mean, the cost of coming from Estonia, which no one’s covering, it’s amazing. They are doing it for the experience, to encounter America. That’s why I went to Estonia, to discover the culture and the art over there. That’s how true exchange happens. It’s not for
profit, it’s not really to achieve anything personally — it’s just to get out there.” Fedorchenko said that she hopes that people who are not in the printmaking classes at Lamar will show up for the free workshops. “Carving linoleum is not much of a science,” she said. “What these people really bring, beyond this basic relief printing technique, is the way they draw with their lines — a different approach to mark making than what is around. And that is what is really going to knock people out.” Fedorchenko said she invites anyone interested in new ideas to attend the events and get a taste of these eastern Europeans’ artistry. “I’m trying to keep it where it’s not too huge, but I want people to show up and learn, enjoy — and meet people from Estonia,” she said, laughing. “How many people from Estonia do you know?”
ISSUE photo by Andy Coughlan
Estonian artist Peeter Allik, whose print, “Sausage” is shown top, will be among the artists who will lecture during “Rite of Print,” a three-day printmaking event in November. Performance artists Non Grata, left, will present a unique show Nov. 9 at The Art Studio. Lamar student David Prado, above, works on a print in Xenia Fedorchenko’s class. Lamar students will print live at the Nov. 9 event.
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Volume 19, No. 3
Donkey, Elephant and Teddy Bear:
An Artist’s Take on Candidates and Campaigns Story by Elena Ivanova
“FROM THE BEGINNING OF the Republic it has been the duty of every free-born voter to look down upon us, and the duty of every free-born humorist to make jokes at us.” — Nicholas Longworth, Speaker of the House, 1920.
EVERY FOUR YEARS WE are caught in a frenzy of elections. Even the most apathetic among us cannot escape hearing something about the candidates running for office, due to the massive media attack. Internet has added a new dimension to our engagement in the political process by providing an unprecedented opportunity to share one’s personal opinions, whether informed or otherwise, with the whole world. But how did the voice of “the common man” become heard before the Internet? How did people get a behind-the-scenes look into the workings of political campaigning before TV or radio? The exhibit, “Running for Office,“ gives us a glimpse of the past through the witty and insightful cartoons of Clifford Berryman, the leading political cartoonist of the Washington Evening Star, who drew every presidential administration from Grover Cleveland to Harry Truman. The story of how this exhibit came to be is as exciting as the body of work it showcases. In the early 1990s, about 2,400 of Berryman’s original penand-ink drawings were discovered in the basement of the house of his late daughter, Florence Berryman Seville. This was a lucky find since Berryman’s drawings are dispersed in different collections and the whereabouts of many more of them are unknown. Thanks to The Charles Engelhard Foundation, this valuable collection found its new home at the Center of Legislative Archives of the National Archives in Washington, D.C. A selection of drawings chosen by archivists Jessie Kratz and Martha Grove was organized into a traveling exhibition, which has been on the road since 2008. On Oct. 19, “Running for Office” opened at the John E. Conner Museum on the campus of Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Here is an interview with the museum’s interim director Jonathan Plant, conducted in advance of this exciting event. Elena Ivanova: Before we talk about “Running for Office,” could you tell me about your museum? Jonathan Plant: The collection was started in 1925 by Professor John E. Conner and in 1929 the museum was established. Today, we are a general museum, with collections in the areas of natural and social history, decorative and fine arts, and material culture. Being a university museum, our audience is mainly students, but we also serve the local community and public schools. We are surrounded by many
Clifford Berryman. “Two Bees or Not Two Bees – That is the Question!” October 28, 1906 rural communities, whose residents don’t have access to many cultural institutions; our museum services these audiences as well. E.I.: What are the highlights of your collection? J.P.: One of the highlights of our collection is the Graves Peeler “Hall of Horns,” which features over 200 animal mounts of North American native and exotic game species. E.I.: How did you decide to show “Running for
Office” at your museum? J.P.: We bring in four to six touring exhibitions a year, including national or state touring exhibits. In regards to “Running for Office,” I stumbled into this exhibition by accident about two years ago. We are required by federal statute to recognize National Constitution Day (Sept. 17) and it’s always a chal-
See CARTOONS on page 10
Volume 19, No. 3
November 2012 ISSUE • 7
CALL TO ARTISTS HOLIDAY SHOP-O-RAMA EXTRAVAGANZA The Holiday Shop-O-Rama Extravaganza soon will be upon us and we’d love for you to participate. The Art Studio, Inc. will host its annual art sale that offers one-stop shopping for a unique, funky, artistic and inexpensive gifts created by local artisans. This event is your opportunity to present your work for sale during this holiday season. All work must be handmade and original by the presenting artist, no kits allowed and work must be constructed with quality and integrity. • Paintings, illustrations and photographs must be the work of the presenting artist and must be appropriately matted and placed in cradles or other retaining stands, as there is not enough room to hang all flat work. Limited editions of prints are accept-
able but photocopy reproduced work is not allowed. • Tables and displays are the presenting artists’ responsibility. All work must be listed on an inventory form provided by TASI. The artist will assign each work a unique number and description, with a corresponding number and your initials on the price tag on the item being sold. • The Art Studio will handle all sales and tax collection in exchange for a 25 percent donation from the artist on all sales of their work. • All contributing artists must be members in good standing with The Art Studio, Inc., and all work must remain on display for the duration of the show. New work will be accepted throughout the month. • This year’s sale will coincide with the
Merchant Soiree which will take place on the opening date, Dec. 1, during the reception from 7-10 p.m. DATES TO REMEMBER: November 24-28: Bring work and set up displays. December 1: Sale opens noon-5 p.m. Reception, 7-10 p.m. (Treat for the food table greatly appreciated) December 20-21: Unsold work to be picked up by artist. If you have questions, please call The Art Studio at 409-838-5393, or send us an email through our contact page at www.artstudio.org.
Stark Museum hosts American West photo exhibit “NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC GREATEST PHOTOGRAPHS of the American West,” a collection of iconic Western images gathered by National Geographic over a span of 125 years, is on display at the Stark Museum of Art in Orange through Jan. 26. The Stark Museum is one of ten museums to open this exhibition of photographs on the same day, creating the largest simultaneous photography exhibition ever in the nation. “Seventy-five images on display at the Stark Museum will give a gripping visual narrative that confronts the myths and realities of life in the West through an exploration of legends, encounters, boundaries and visions,” a museum release states. “Images offer visitors a better understanding of the relationship between landscape and culture, along with an illustration of the enduring identity of the American West. “We are pleased to bring ‘National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West’ to the Stark Museum,” Sarah Boehme, director of Stark Museum of Art, said. “This is the first exhibition of photography ever held at the Stark Museum of Art and we are excited to take this new direction with an exhibition that assembles great photographic imagery from historic trailblazers such as William Henry Jackson and Ansel Adams to contemporary leaders such as Sam Abell and Joel Sartore.” A companion book to the exhibition, “National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West: Capturing 125 Years of Majesty, Spirit and Adventure,” features 175 photographs, including rarely published and neverbefore-seen images capturing the real West and its enduring legacy from earliest images through contemporary issues. The book is on sale at Stark Museum of Art’s Museum Store and online from National Geographic Books. Adjacent to the National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West, the museum will have an educational exhibit that will feature a display of photographic equipment including historic cameras on loan from Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum at Lamar University in Beaumont. It will also have a timeline on the history of photography and an interactive light table, an activity suitable for children and families. The Stark Museum is located at 712 Green Avenue in Orange. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. For more information, call 409-886-ARTS (2787) or visit www.starkmuseum.org.
Courtesy photo The book, “National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West: Capturing 125 Years of Majesty, Spirit and Adventure,” is the companion to the exhibition of photographs on display at the Stark Museum of Art in Orange through Jan. 26.
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Volume 19, No. 3
ARTIST WILCOX FINDS OUTLET FOR UNIQUE PHOTO CHEMICAL PAINTINGS SEAN WILCOX SITS IN the covered porch of his Beaumont house, a few cats dozing on the chair, his blond hair bright in the evening sun. He is thoughtful as he answers questions about his paintings. But bring up photo chemicals — specifically his photo chemical paintings — and he becomes almost evangelical in his effusive promotion of the art form. “When it comes to the photo chemicals, there is a philosophy and there is motivation on my part,” he said. “We’ve seen the (photographic film) industry crumble — Kodak no longer makes silver gelatin, black and white — chemicals are hard to find. “With the photo chemical paintings, I would like to see a rebirth of that industry. We’ll never be able to fight digital, but the part that I think is ironic and beautiful at the same time, is that when Picasso (started) painting, photography had just started to come out and everybody said, ‘We can’t paint the perfect painting anymore. What’s the point?’ That’s how a lot of the art evolved, they weren’t stigmatized by that any more. That was taken away. Now we are free to go off and do whatever the heck, you know? “In the same sense that digital has come along, there is no comparison to film. What someone can do (in minutes) on a laptop used to take me hours in the dark room. It’s opened up the world for photography. But, ironically, the thing that took away the people’s desire to paint an almost photo-realistic painting has become the painting.” Wilcox will exhibit his photo chemical images, as well as his complex oil paintings, in the exhibition, “And Now For Something Completely Different,” at The Art Studio, Nov. 3-25. The show will open with a free reception, 7-10 p.m., Nov. 3. The Montana native said he was an Air Force brat and right after he was born his family moved to Okinawa, Japan for five years. After that, they spent time in Spain, England and the Phillipines. His father is from Beaumont and his mother was from Kettering, England, and the family settled in Beaumont when Sean was 10. He said his nomadic early life is represented in his work. “You can see it in the Samurai paintings” he said. “I think a lot of the inspiration of travels, history — I had a good opportunity to see lots of museums growing up. My mom really loved art and kind of pushed it. My brother was a basketball player so she kind of sheltered me in that sense.” In third grade, Wilcox won an award for a small drawing and was hooked from then on. After high school, he joined the army as a mechanic,
Story and photos by Andy Coughlan
Sean Wilcox shows off one of his photo chemical paintings in his Beaumont home.
Volume 19, No. 3
November 2012 ISSUE • 9
Sean Wilcox stands surrounded by his artwork, left, in his Beaumont home. The “bunny” image, far left, is an example of his pioneering photo chemical painting technique. OMEGA II, below, is an oil on canvas.
serving in the Desert Storm conflict. “It was a very on-edge kind of thing — but with a lot of laughter,” he said. “War is the most boring thing imaginable. You just sit around waiting for a few minutes to happen and that’s it.” Before he joined the army, he was an avid photographer, winning several awards. “But when I was (in Iraq), I took photos of some of the most horrible things I could ever see, and I found myself composing it,” he said. “So I put the camera down. I just quit taking photographs. Something about it triggered something. I probably should have used it o my advantage, but at the time I was thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing?’” When he left the service he planned to use his money for college to study painting, but the military refused to allow him to go into the liberal arts, saying that Wilcox could only use the money for something
tangible that would allow him to go into the workforce, he said. So he never went to college, choosing instead to use his mechanical and photographic skills by working for photo labs. “That led to the photo-chemical paintings, which was a complete accident,” he said. He would see the chemicals on the paper in trash cans when he turned the lights on, and that is how he discovered the photo paintings. “I found that I didn’t need a camera to use the aspects of photography — the chemicals, the paper,” he said. Despite being unable to study formally, Wilcox did pick up painting again as soon as he returned from the Gulf. “I was living with my parents and I had hardly any money, and it was really something to do,” he said. “I can honestly say, I’m 44 now, that I have been dedicatedly painting for 25 years.” Wilcox said he is self-taught through books and trial and error. He also met local artist Marty Arredondo, another “key player” when he got back. “We used to go to shows and hang out and
Demonstration slated for Oct. 18 Artist Sean Wilcox will host a gallery talk and demonstration of his “photo painting” technique, 7 to 8 p.m., Nov. 15, in conjunction with the exhibition “And Now For Something Completely Different.” “Sean has developed a really interesting process people will want to explore,” Andy Coughlan, Art Studio tenant, said. The event is free and refreshments will be available.
paint,” Wilcox said, adding that he also shared a studio with photographer and acrylic artist Rodney Navarre. “They were good influences,” Wilcox said. “And I always went to the shows.” For the past four years he has entered The Art Studio’s Alternative Show, and he placed in the 2011 TASIMJAE, The Art Studio’s membership show. It was then that he was offered the chance to show his latest work. “And Now For Something Completely Different” will feature a cross section of Wilcox’s work over the past few years, including some works on loan from collections. Wilcox said that when he is working on an oil painting, he dedicates himself to one piece at a time. A large blue painting sits on an easel in his living room, one that he said took six months to complete. “It’s a lengthy process, because with oils they have to build up, build up, build up,” he said. “I try to capture and use the ridges in the paint, but it’s on there very, very light — it’s not a thick impasto. So it is a horrible experience of just building up. I don’t paint the canvas one solid color and then start. I go from raw, following my lines, and then start building up from there.” Wilcox said he works from fully-realized drawings in his ever-present sketchbook. “Of course, the paintings evolve themselves, but they do start out as little tiny thumbnails,” he said. Some of the sketches will be framed to show the viewer how the pieces evolve, he said. Most of the work he does is abstract portraiture, Wilcox said. “I like to paint people, but not necessarily realistic,” he said. Wilcox said that he doesn’t have a specific philosophy in his work. “I like samurais, so I paint samurais,” he said. “I think it is beautiful, the whole honor and pageantry,
See WILCOX on page 14
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CARTOONS from page 6
lenge to find an appropriate show. I was very happy to find this one and succeeded in reserving it. E.I.: What would you like visitors to take away from this show? J.P.: Even though these cartoons were made before 1948, the themes they portray resonate today. The exhibition is organized in several sections, which correspond to different stages in the political campaign; from the time the candidate declares his interest in pursuing an elected office, to planning a political strategy, to engaging voters, and finally to the aftermath when the election results are announced. Today, candidates go through the same process and often act in a similar way. I think that our public, caught in the election spirit, will find it refreshing to see how politicians of the past grappled with the same issues. I also expect that this exhibit will help students of political and social sciences recognize the importance of political satire as a historical document. E.I.: I enjoyed looking at Berryman’s drawings in the catalog. What strikes me most is that his cartoons, while hilariously funny and insightful, are always good-natured and characters never look grotesque. What a difference from today’s candidates’ messages disseminated by public media in which the opponent is typically demonized. J.P.: Yes, this is very true of Berryman’ cartoons. Berryman was never derogative. His characters are cartoonish, but their features are remarkably accurate — not much is exaggerated. These drawings remind us of the lost era in political lampooning when there was no hatred or bias in cartooning.
Volume 19, No. 3 important animal character which became an American cultural icon? J.P.: Yes, the character of Teddy Bear, named so after Teddy Roosevelt. According to the story, Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot an old bear while hunting in Mississippi. Berryman portrayed this episode in his cartoon “Drawing the Line in Mississippi,” from Nov. 16, 1902. Under his pen, the old bear was transformed into an adorable, wide-eyed bear cub. Teddy Bear became a reappearing character in Berryman’s cartoons during the Roosevelt era and later was appropriated by the artist as his alter ego — we can see a little bear in the background of many of his drawings. It reflects the artist’s sense of wonderment. E.I.: So the popular children’s toy owes its existence to Berryman? J.P.: This kind of toy existed before, but it was not called Teddy Bear till Berryman’s cartoons. Its popularity skyrocketed after Morris Michtom, the founder of Ideal Toy Company, started marketing toy bears that looked like Berryman’s cartoons. E.I.: In the end, what is the enduring legacy of Berryman’s cartoons? J.P.: He covered hard times in the country’s history — World War I, Depression, World War II, and the beginning of the Cold War. He was at the center of the political scene working for Washington Evening Star. But despite all this hard struggle, his cartoons
were constant, amiable and thought-provoking. His works are held in high esteem by the United States Senate. It is not an accident that this collection is now preserved at the National Archives, together with such documents as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the official correspondence of the government of the United States. E.I.: Thank you for your interview. I hope that this exhibition will travel to southeast Texas so we can fully appreciate the humor and the draftsmanship of Clifford Berryman. “Running for Office: Candidates, Campaigns, and the Cartoons of Clifford Berryman” was created by the National Archives with the support of the Foundation for the National Archives and organized for travel by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This traveling exhibition is on view at the John E. Conner Museum through Nov. 30. The John E. Conner Museum is located on the campus of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 905 W. Santa Gertrudis Avenue, 700 University Blvd., Kingsville. The museum is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free; donations are accepted. For information, call 361-593-2810 or email kacfv00@tamuk.edu.
E.I.: Do you have a favorite cartoon in the exhibition? J.P.: There are several. One is titled “The Fishin’ Season,” from June 7, 1919. It shows the Democratic Donkey and the Republican Elephant sitting back to back on a tree log and fishing in the same pool for campaign issues. This is so typical of today’s politics as well. Candidates go beating the bushes to find issues that would grab the public attention and win them the election. Ironically, only three weeks after this cartoon was published, World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles and a big political issue — who will dominate the postwar world — came up. Another one is “Post-Season Parade,” from March 5, 1915. We see a stream of lame ducks — congressional members who did not get re-elected — departing Capitol Hill and heading towards the White House in hope to secure political appointments from President Woodrow Wilson. Again, political ambitions today are still the same. E.I.: The Democratic Donkey and the Republican Elephant characters were not invented by Berryman, were they? J.P.: No, they first appeared in the drawings of Thomas Nast, the same artist who is responsible for the popular image of Santa Claus as a jolly pot-bellied fellow. However, Nast showed the Democratic Donkey and Republican Elephant as animals while Berryman anthropomorphized them. In his cartoons, they always are wearing clothes and act as people. E.I.: But Berryman has the honor of creating a very
Clifford Berryman. “The Fishin’Season” June 7, 1919
Volume 19, No. 3
November 2012 ISSUE • 11
Hanging Out Photos by Josh Reeter
WHEN THE “IMMERSED IN INK” tattoo convention came to the Beaumont Civic Center, Oct. 19-21, the masters of the needle were not the only attraction. Suspension were also an attraction. Kasey Burnham, from Austin, decided to avail herself of a hook up. Suspension involves metal hooks piercing the skin and the participant is lift-
ed off the ground. Burnham said she initially got into suspension because of curiosity and to overcome a fear. It provides an endorphin rush, she said. Steve Bennett, owner of 313 Suspension from Chicago, tours with “Immersed In Ink” and conducts the suspensions.
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Volume 19, No. 3
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 51ST ANNUAL NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION, May 1 through 31, 2013. The deadline to submit digital entries is Feb. 14. The artists whose pieces are selected by a panel of jurists will be notified by letter after March 1. The show’s prospectus is available for download on the League’s Web site at www.beaumontart league.org. ______________ Lamar University’s DISHMAN ART MUSEUM is hosting an exhibition by QUILT NATIONAL through Nov. 16. Megan Young, director of the Dishman Art Museum, said the exhibit is a traveling collection of 20 contemporary quilts. “We are only getting a small selection of the quilts,” she said. “There are more than 100. But they break the collection down into sections so it can travel to more places and expose a wider audience.” Young said the quilts in the Quilt National exhibit are not your grandmother’s quilts. Many of the artists incorporate traditional, as well as modern techniques to create their own unique work. “They are using traditional hand-quilting techniques, but they are also integrating new technologies,” she said. “Some of them use digital printing and new machines that hook up to the computer — it is really a meshing of old and new technologies.” The Quilt National exhibition is aimed at highlighting quilt making as a fine art, Young said. “I really hope this exhibition can show how vibrant the art of quilt making is today,” she said. The Dishman will also host a hands-on quilting workshop Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. The Blockheads Bee of the Golden Triangle Quilt Guild will lead the workshop, and will familiarize participants with various quilting styles and techniques. Young said the celebration of quilt making is an attempt to speak about the visual arts in a variety of ways. For information, call Young at 409-880-7794. ______________ The ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS presents ESPOUSED, a vibrant group exhibition on view through Jan. 6, featuring 36 contemporary Texas artists who are partners either in marriage, as significant others or as a collaborative team. “Espoused” comprises more than 40 works in a variety of media and highlights these diverse pairs of artists working together in various ways through inspiration, creativity, encouragement, studio space and techniques. These couples further examine how their works are or are not influenced by one another. The artists whose work will be featured include: Shannon and William Cannings, Jerolyn BahmColombik and Roger Colombik, Elizabeth Akamatsu and Piero Fenci, Suzanne Bloom and Ed Hill (MANUAL), Linda Ridgway and Harry Geffert, Letitia and Sedrick Huckaby, Janet Chaffee and Benito Huerta, Carter Ernst and Paul Kittelson, Corinne and Charles Jones, Cathy Cunningham-Little and Ken
Little, Liza and Lee Littlefield, Joan Batson and Bert L. Long Jr., Beverly Penn and Marc McDaniel, Susan Budge and Jesús Moroles, Sharon Engelstein and Aaron Parazette, Charmaine Locke and James Surls, Ann Stautberg and Frank X. Tolbert 2, and Marianne Green and Randy Twaddle. Many of these artists have gained national and international attention and are represented by major galleries and in museum collections across the country. AMSET also has exhibited individually or owns work by several of the featured artists. “We are pleased to present ‘Espoused’ to the Southeast Texas community,” Caitlin Williams, AMSET curator of exhibitions and collections, said. “This is an exciting exhibition teeming with a variety of subjects, media, styles, and personalities.” “Espoused” is organized by AMSET and funded in part by the Southeast Texas Arts Council, Edith Fuller Chambers Charitable Foundation, the late Dorothy Anne Conn, City of Beaumont and the Texas Commission on the Arts. AMSET is located at 500 Main in downtown Beaumont. For more information, visit www.amset.org. ______________ The MENIL COLLECTION hosts DEAR JOHN & DOMINIQUE : LETTERS AND DRAWINGS FROM THE MENIL ARCHIVES through Jan. 6. This exhibition commemorates the Menil’s 25th anniversary. It celebrates the founders of the Menil Collection, John and Dominique de Menil, through the words and images in the letters and drawings sent to them by their friends: artists, curators, museum directors, architects, family members and intellectuals. In gratitude, awe and delight the assembled exchanges penned in the collected correspondence from the Menil Archives provides a unique and intimate look at the pioneering ideas that helped form
the museum long before the building opened in 1987. The exhibited letters will be displayed in the gallery turned into an archival reading room. Here, museum guests will be able to comfortably spend time with the letters, which will be augmented by a selection of photographs and ephemera also pulled from the archive. Together, the materials reveal the complexity and pleasure of the swirling art world the de Menil’s inhabited, as well as the profundity and conviction of their project, and the magnitude of their patronage of living artists. This is expressed in the simple eloquence of a letter from Robert Rauschenberg to Dominique de Menil from 1996 that will be included in the exhibition. It reads: “Dear Dominique, I personally, and the world specifically, will and do celebrate your devotions, dedication and accomplishments. I am grateful that your acceptance of my artwork — marking your unique contributions — can be a contract to our future services to continue our unveering care. Let’s get on with our joyous work. We are needed as never before — again. Thank you from the depths of my mind, body and heart. Robert Rauschenberg.” As a component of the exhibition, the Menil Collection will launch an interactive cell-phone tour of the Menil campus, compiled of rare audio recordings from the Menil archives, including the voices of John and Dominique de Menil. It will also feature the perspective of those who have impacted — and are continuing to impact — the formation of the museum and the neighborhood. “Dear John and Dominique: Letters and Drawings from the Menil Archives” is organized by Michelle White, curator, with Geraldine Aramanda, Menil Collection archivist. The Menil Collection is located at 1515 Sul Ross in Houston. For more, visit www.menil.org.
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Volume 19, No. 3
November 2012 ISSUE • 13
Thoughtcrime
The Shaver This morning, when I shaved, I cut my face away. It was in the way, so I removed it. The sleek remaining cheeks will serve me better and not betray how felt I am. No longer will those finky brows and flappy eyes say what I do not want to when I do not want to say anything. No nose will smile its nostrils at a roast, or honeysuckle, or panties. No longer will I clip the corners of my mouth because I’ve peeled off both my lips. Now, I’ll never need to grin, or pout, or bare my teeth, or whistle when I’m bored, or keep the upper one stiff, or get fever blisters, or use Chapstick again. I’ve sliced off my receding chin. Why, I’ve even lopped those ears that used to hold my glasses on. Those ears would fill with blood-red blood when I got embarrassed. Now, I don’t need double-edged, double-trac, Teflon coats, or hot-lather machines anymore. Now, I just use water and a straightedge razor that my father used (in the family for years). A bald face Lies much better. Jesse Doiron
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.
a convenience of love an audacity from you
pretend we saw through the same eyes I know you're listening
halfway
hour to hour time after time look after look drink after drink shy between shy moment against, moment
it glows the same correct it vanishes exact no less it means it hopes, more strangers that drink too much friends who don't drink enough I can close my eyes and never fall asleep face to face palm to palm back to back lust, to lust was I to assume you existed right here without sound was I meant to chase you have we met before do I seem the same do I remind you of someone, still power to power light to light dust to dust might to might stop telling me shit I already know don't believe you existed before make believe we came at the same time
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 ones you tell I didn't ask to know but how could you forget did you not call are you not available did I not mention am I not sincere I am afraid we have no end I'm sorry I can't see anything else, blind after you brutal
call with no answer dream out of reach tears by any other name face upon my face skin upon my skin, deliverance
perhaps then you are present depended on sorry shit I lean on coward piece of man I wait on i love you, words i hang on or did i imagine
I want so listen so yet still cannot hear hollow tipped and broken numb fallen and wide awake sleepless I can see the sun break through my curtains the panes I inherited
wholly fully complete did i dream it make you up to run from myself do you know do you not see the lies the ones you tell I didn't ask to know
is it not a truth elastic and forgiving do you not
then tell me something real see the lies
Can you set me up with adjudication? I haven’t been practicing my multiplication Don’t pump me full of medication Or harass me with implications
Or get pushed into evacuations For deprivation of mental stimulation leads to brain masturbation If you don’t agree then you must be on a different station And you too will develop random infatuations But living your life is still an obligation It matters not the position of your location
Every time they lie they use lubrication So my brain becomes pitter-pattered with complication Someone take away this intoxication And fill me up with will and sophistication
Only that you are free of suffocation Breathe! Clean the warehouse! Liquidation! I will no longer accept others’ intimidations Or listen close and ponder words of degradation
Don’t make me work for telecommunications For I will never have the dedication I will analyze my spirit and make modifications So my story will have more qualifications
Instead I shall give myself a commendation For getting so good at investigation I’ll fill my days with jubilation And be comfortable with isolation
I’ve already been through the ramifications And had others decide my classification I just want more justification and specification To narrow down and understand my identification
Until one day I randomly receive a revelation And will no longer accept any stipulations I’ll take a giant inhalation Of affirmation and information
I’m going to take my life and turn it into an abbreviation So I won’t have to take part in silly initiations
I will be there. This is my confirmation I’m now committed to a reformation
Action
Send typed works to:
solo
All those thoughts of transformation Are no longer in hibernation HEAR ME NOW! THIS IS MY DECLARATION! I’ve found the combination for my destination And no, I’m not having a hallucination And I don’t need an examination I just have a great imagination A massive sphere of determination I have realized my emancipation And I buzz in E major with my intonation Bang! BOOM! Detonation! You know that you hold a secret fascination For the days when everyone starts showing participation Dancing and singing in liberation with decoration So everything is good in moderation And although we are the laziest generation We still believe in celebration And there is no limitation Ryan Gist
14 • ISSUE November 2012
Volume 19, No. 3
WILCOX from page 9 the whole idea. “Not necessarily am I trying to make someone sit there and have a political statement or a life-altering consciousness from looking at my paintings. I’m trying to make beauty. That’s my philosophy — trying to add beauty to the world.” Wilcox will demonstrate his photo painting process during the gallery talk on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m., at The Art Studio. He said it is not something he can trademark and sell, but while he has heard of other artists who pour chemicals on the paper, he doesn’t know of people who use a brush and “paint” the chemicals in the controlled manner he has developed. Where these images fall in the nomenclature of the art world is open for debate. Wilcox has been told that
his photo paintings are not photographs, because there is no negative. He has also been told that they are not paintings because he is not actually applying color to the surface. “So I just sort of got ditched by both sides,” he said. Wilcox continues to make his photo paintings, and has even experimented with making the chemicals in stick form to draw on the paper. This show is a cleaning of the slate, he said, “I don’t know what to expect from the future, but I will be starting a lot of new stuff,” he said. He plans to really promote the photo-chemical techniques, maybe writing a how-to book. He said he would like to get with the manufacturers and see if there is any way to make it a viable product. If things go to plan, we may all be playing with our chemical crayons and photo painter, the cheap pack we picked up at the local art supply store. If that happens, Sean Wilcox will be a happy man.
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.
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. DISENCHANTED, oil on canvas, by Sean Wilcox. 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
Volume 19, No. 3
November 2012 ISSUE • 15
VIEW from page 3 reduce the inside temperature of The Studio to a reasonable working temperature through a variety of green processes, such as a green roof, growing grass, or a garden to insulate our solid concrete roof. from the intense heat. Our liason to Tony is Mike Clannahan who has a background in scientific studies and can translate what I’m saying so Tony understands and vice versa. We are in the early planning stages of this project, so it’s not too late for you to get involved. Our first task is to put together a proposal to submit to Tony and let him take it from there. The work of Sean Wilcox is on display in November. I’ve watched Sean develop as a musician, a father, and of course, an artist over the past 20 years or more. He has always been one of those “path least taken” kind of guys in his art, and he comes through with rich work that is new and fascinating. His work is an honest interpretation of his own vision of the world, and that is worth seeing.
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
WE WANT YOU FOR BAND NITE Hear original music by local musicians at For upcoming gigs, visit the studio’s facebook page
$5
admission
All ages welcome • 21 and up BYOB and have your ID.
720 Franklin, Beaumont, Texas 77701
Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Permit #135 Beaumont, TX
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
INSIDE • ‘SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT’ BY SEAN WILCOX • THOUGHTCRIME: MUSINGS FROM AREA POETS • BERRYMAN’S CARTOON SATIRE • ‘RITE OF PRINT’
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
JOIN US FOR ART OPENINGS ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH THIS MONTH:
NOVEMBER 3 GALLERY RECEPTION IS 7-10 P.M.
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