First I have to say that the October exhibition was a fabulous presentation of work, diversity and sheer volume.
Scarlett Blanchard and Anna Myers exhibited work over a year ago at The Studio and I was hooked. I thought, if they produced this work now where would they be in a year and a half?
I got my answer a few days before the opening when they brought in droves of work. We had to cull some pieces to allow for air space on the walls, but still the exhibition was everything I expected. Beautifully framed and well executed, the perfection in their craft is unbelievable, but believe it.
Do yourself huge favor and add these two artists to your collection. You will be bowled over by the incredibly low prices for works that will surely rise in status and price throughout these young women’s careers.
So let me brag on the show you will see in November. Mark Nesmith has been acclaimed throughout the United States since his exhibition here years ago, so it was to be a treat to see his work along with David McGee, a noted artist in his own right. Unfortunately, McGee had to back out of the show at the last minute (months in exhibition time), and so Mark had to fill in the blank. Fortunately, that didn’t take long as all he had to do was look to his side and see Elizabeth Pearson, his significant other for more than a few years.
Elizabeth has been involved in The Studio since she was a young tyke of 17 or so. We first met at Nederland High School where she was a student and I was a visiting artist at the behest of instructor Barbara Mitchell. During the workshop, one of the students was a tall lanky girl with big hair and a sassy attitude — enter Elizabeth. She was soon at The Studio as an apprentice and grew as a person and as an artist in her time with us. Still sassy.
So Mark had this great idea to have a loving couple show, which sounded perfect to me. There is an extra surprise to be revealed at the show, so don’t miss out. Be sure to see what transpires in this collaborative effort this month.
Now that the windows are complete and installed, and our accessible lift and door are installed, it is time for the next project. Headed up by our newest board member, Allison Kainer (aka Allykat), the roof project is underway. Our first steps are to identify the best possible roof for each of the three facilities.
The main roof on the brick facility is the most challenging as to the complexity and amount of work to be done. Allison seems undaunted in this task as she is an expert organizer and finds solutions regularly. We also have a variety of resources to work from and make the right decisions.
The other two roofs are much more direct with a complete tear off and reapplying metal with a heavy dose of insulation. We also envision solar panels to assist in improving the environment of The Studio interior. The goal is to have a progressive approach to the reconstruction, using green, ecologically friendly, safe materials. We also see a chance to improve the look of the building while adding additional safeguards to the life of the walls and the look of the exterior. The high level of insulation, high tech skylights and improved circulation should make the facility far more effective as a working environment.
We are seeking funding toward this goal and are planning for long-term improvements, not patches. We are still working on our youth educational program, Studio Art Basics: Essential Knowledge. As with all new programs there are hiccups and snags, even an occasional FUBAR. As we looked into how to approach the programs, where to put the students, how long each session should be, and how many students and classes in a year, it was apparent that this October was far too soon to offer a organized, effective and reasonable program. We put off the beginning of the program until early February so we can organize, develop a plan and be able to execute the classes properly. We want this to be a signature program that will best serve our young artists.
In the meantime, as a young person 15-ish and up there are lots of ways you can be a part of The Studio and contribute your time and energy toward helping us do a better job in serving the community. Saturdays are especially great for volunteers and as a “studio apprentice.” Studio apprentices have a long history, and many of those young people are with us as adults today. It is a long-running tradition of which you can be a part. Some work is hard, some mundane, some is boring but all of it is necessary to put on the series of events we provide year round. Interested students can come visit with their parents or guardian and see what it is all about.
The Downtown Mural Project has had a slowdown of late based on a lack of wall owners willing to allow artists to paint what they propose for the project. This is an issue of taste over content and trepidation over public reaction. It does take a bit of courage to allow original work to be put on a building or wall. Although I assure the possible patron that nothing sexual, political or controversial will be tolerated, we do ask that the owner step outside their personal taste to allow a spectrum of ideas and images to be presented on the community’s behalf. This is anything but easy. When a wall is offered, there are certain parameters set by the owner to be maintained and respected, yet, there must be some level of acceptance by the owner.
Many great public art works were regarded with caution when first presented — the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., “Winning” by David Cargill in the Beaumont Civic Center Plaza — but soon became beloved symbols of those communities.
It is important that this program provides murals that can grow on people, that gently challenge their aesthetic while raising the bar on our progressive approach to the arts. It is also noted that artists have to meet somewhere in the middle without compromising their integrity and offer something engaging and wonderful to our visitors. Again, not an easy task.
While this is worked out (and I do intend to work this out) I have proposed an option. I would like to invite the art departments of West Brook, Beaumont United and Kelly high schools to each propose a mural to go on a designated wall in downtown Beaumont. The schools can decide how they develop the proposal, and the final results will be presented for review. The work will be the standard 26 feet by 10 feet, and the students will create the work with the guidance of their instructor(s). Each school will receive $2,000 for their efforts, which will go directly to the art department for tools and supplies and any future needs. This will be a great way to showcase our future artists, the schools and the openness of our community. Everyone wins.
Art, visual or otherwise, is a barometer of the health of a society. The more the society can accept, the stronger it is. We know more about past cultures through their art than by anything else.
What do we want to be our legacy?
Greg Busceme, TASI founder and director