Kimberly Henrikson, the executive director of The Center for Contemporary Printmaking (CCP), curated its autumn exhibition “Text Messages,” that opens on September 11 and runs through October 30. I recently spoke with Henrikson about her curatorial choices for this show and the blue chip and emerging artists that reflect today’s text-based trends including Ben Beres, April Bey, Mel Bochner, Robert Cottingham, Lesley Dill, Shepard Fairey, Glenn Ligon, Edie Overturf and Lucas Samaras. Two of the names are of past CCP Resident Artists: April Bey (2019) and Edie Overturf (2021). “I am always scouting fairs and galleries to see what’s current, who is doing what — and to bring new ideas and artists to the community at CCP,” said Henrikson, talking about the excitement of first seeing prints by Ben Beres at Satellite Print Fair in New York City in 2019. “Davidson Galleries had the … [Read more...] about TEXT MESSAGES AT CCP: A CONVERSATION ON PRINTMAKING WITH KIMBERLY HENRIKSON

Glass: utilitarian, sensuous and decorative. Glass can be blown, molded, melted, fused, cut, sanded, carved, slumped and polished. We can drink out of it, see through it, wear it — and we couldn’t live modern life without it. Have contemporary glass artists/artisans pushed glass- making technological experimentation so far that their work is no longer “glass art?” This question is raised in the brilliant small exhibit, “Innovations in Glass,” at the Sandwich Glass Museum. Wayne Strattman’s construction, a glass pillar with LED lights bolting through it, comes close to eliminating glass as the main component of his work. His glass cylinder is merely the container for the light-bolts. Strattman’s “Dream Engine” is the most extreme example of technology overpowering the sensuous qualities of glass-art. “Unbroken Hands of the Vine” is another example. In a tour de force of … [Read more...] about CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT IT: DEFINITION OF GLASS ART STRETCHED IN SANDWICH SHOW

What does it take to become a celebrated artist? One who kicks the edges, who does it their way. One who accumulates all the credentials and accolades. One who keeps growing, even in their 80s. Well, if that definition fits anyone, it undoubtedly fits the two artists who are exhibiting concurrently at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art (Ogunquit, Maine). Both are 83. Both are highly accomplished. Both are distinctly unique artists. Both are worth the trip to this beautiful backroad coastal area of Maine. But the similarities end there. We are all products of our life experiences. But I think artists tend to express those experiences more readily than other professions. Certainly, writers who write fiction (and often portray characters who reflect those they know or themselves) also do this. But visual artists oftencan do it blatantly, and it’s not always immediately discernible by … [Read more...] about DISTINCTLY UNIQUE LIVES: WALKER & MILLER STILL KICKING THE EDGES AT OGUNQUIT

The rollicking energy of “On The Edge,” an exhibition of mostly Southern California artists of the 1970s through the ‘90s from the Jack and Joan Quinn Family Collection, is only rivaled by the exuberance of its collector, Joan Agajanian Quinn. This vibrant art lover, in partnership with her now-deceased husband, the prominent Los Angeles attorney Jack Quinn, lived and entertained amongst layers and layers of art, art objects and Armenian rugs they amassed over their 56 years of marriage. Architectural critic Martin Filler called the collection, on view through November at the Armenian Museum of America in Watertown, Massachusetts, “a crash course in post-war L.A. Art.” Quinn said that people asked her if she would show the exhibition at their galleries and women’s clubs and community things. “And I said no,” she replied. “Because I thought it was so narcissistic to take your … [Read more...] about “A CRASH COURSE IN POSTWAR L.A. ART”: ON THE EDGE BRINGS QUINN COLLECTION TO ARMENIAN MUSEUM

When Edward Kingsbury III was diagnosed with severe Crohn’s Disease in 1997, he had no idea the illness would lead him to creating art that would be shown and appreciated around the world. A college student at the time, he was studying business and engaging in athletics so his limited ability to be active was a shock, and a challenge. Luckily, he was inspired by an artistic friend to consider creating art, especially abstract works. It proved to be a groundbreaking and life-saving experience. “I felt a real release and I was filled with new energy when she and other friends encouraged me,” Kingsbury recalled. “I started creating art works in an organic way that gave me a kind of positive flow and new energy and I enjoyed the visual stimulation.” Originally recognized for pen and ink abstractions as well as digital art, Kingsbury also focused on painting at the start of his artistic … [Read more...] about GROUNDED IN SPIRITUALITY, ABSTRACTLY: NEW HAMPSHIRE’S EDWARD KINGSBURY III IN BRATTLEBORO

Creating art is a puzzle. Interpreting art is also a puzzle — not a crossword type of puzzle, where one and only one word fits the squares across and another word down — art is a puzzle filled with possibilities. Should the huge flower be painted red or orange? And if Georgia O’Keeffe decides “red,” then what color could the background be? Blues and greens? Yes, red flower with blue/green background she decides. Now it is our turn to puzzle over the “meaning” of the red flower with the blue/green background. We decide; “The red flower is about sex.” “No,” says O’Keeffe, “it  is an abstract red flower.” The color red has many meanings in our Western society: anger, blood, love, Valentine’s Day, sex and more. So, when O’Keeffe chooses to paint a “red” flower she automatically teases us to answer “sex” to our interpretation of her puzzle. The puzzle becomes more complex, the … [Read more...] about A SHARED SPOTLIGHT IN NEWPORT: O’KEEFFE’S THE STAR, BUT DONNAMARIA BRUTON SHINES