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TheMesaTribune.com |
THE MESA TRIBUNE | JANUARY 9, 2022
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Mesa photographer’s stunning work on display BY SRIANTHI PERERA Tribune Contributor
K
errick James, a Mesa photographer and travel writer known for his work locally and internationally, is featured in a show presented by Art Intersection of Gilbert. “Arizona Odyssey: Forty Years of Roaming for Beauty,” displaying 66 images, runs through March 5 in Gallery 4 at HD SOUTH, the Home of the Gilbert Historical Museum. James is the ultimate explorer. He has traveled the length and breadth of Arizona, looking for the rare and fleeting, the unusual and the iconic to photograph and introduce to the world. The photographs on display were taken between 1977 and May 2021 and the presentation is as noteworthy as the content. The photographs were printed by Ar-
tisan Colour of Scottsdale on Fuji PhotoFlex paper, then face-mounted to optically clear plexiglass acrylic and affixed to a museum mount. They seem to float off the wall. A few of the images were printed on brushed aluminum, rendering the highlights both reflective and tactile. James depicts iconic landscapes, ephemeral weather and celestial phenomena, billion-year-old rocks and medusa-like saguaros. There are cowboys and horses, Hopi
see KERRICK page 13
Kerrick James stands near his photo of a cave in Black Canyon that he called “Emerald Cave” because of the brilliant green hues. Arizona Odyssey, at HD SOUTH, celebrates the beauty of Arizona through the Mesa photographer’s lens. (Srianthi Perera/
Tribune Contirbutor)
‘Wise Women Artists’ have their own show BY ALLISON BROWN Tribune Staff Writer
T
hey say that everything gets better with age and longtime Mesa artist Susan Paige can attest to that. Through OneOhOne gallery in Mesa, she organized the “Contemporary Wise Women Artists” show to highlight women who have been influential in the art world but have gone largely unnoticed. It’s on display from through Jan. 29 at the downtown Mesa gallery, 101 W. Main St. “I just felt like these women are kind of unrecognized,” Paige said. “We’re not in the famous galleries. We’re not in a really successful Scottsdale gallery, but we still sell our art and we’re successful. I just thought of the idea of wise women and all of the Mesa artist Susan Paige felt women artists were going un- knowledge we have from all of our noticed, so she organized a show at OneOhOne gallery in life experiences kind of giving a difdowntown Mesa. (Special to the Tribune) ferent perspective in art. Everyone in
the show is over 65. Our oldest one is 79 and she does metal work.” In the show are seven women: Paige, Elvie Becker, Joni Anderson, Linda Jones, Kathy McClure, Loralee Stickel-Harris and Diane Black. The exhibition will feature mediums like metal work, mixed medium abstract pieces, oil art, watercolors, acrylics and photography. Each artist brings her own subject matter, too, from abstract to super realism, and she specifically chose them to have a variety of work. “Everybody’s just a little different. The reason I call it ‘Contemporary Wise Women,’ is you can just see that they’re very accomplished and can incorporate their personality into their art,” Paige said. “So, the more experience, the more time you spend on your art, the longer you’re with it, it brings you more wisdom in how you execute the art, so the viewer understands what you’re saying.”
If art imitates life, these women have plenty of experiences and knowledge to express in their work. Paige said the artists have been working on their craft for so long, they have found their niche and honed their skills in that area. She adds that the wisdom that comes with aging shines through their art. “Women with age bring experience, knowledge and, hopefully, good judgment,” Black said. These artists have been taking art classes for 10 or 20 years or have a degree in art. A 40-year artist, Paige earned an art degree and has managed several galleries in Phoenix and Chicago. It could be said that she’s had a successful art career, but she calls herself and the other women “silent artists.” Their pieces may not be in large galleries, but they are in homes and businesses.
see PAIGE page 13
