written by STUDIO INK contributor Sarah VonKain
As one walks into The Art Studio to view The Alternative Show 2021 they are greeted with the familiar gallery walls they have come to know and love. The show, a visual depiction of what The Art Studio feels like; Home. While this sentiment might strike you as odd after having seen the show, allow me to explain. Over a hundred and eighty works were submitted by patrons ranging in age from children to senior citizens and all were granted wall space to express their individual thoughts. Hung in salon-style the works echo a fullness of a personal space, unseen to outsiders. This voyeuristic intimacy can be seen in many of the works such as Anna Myers’ Odilon on Reverse, Michelle Cate’s The Barn, Olivia Cobb’s Space pixie freak show, Christopher Troutman’s Jenny, and David Hornack’s Cabbage. The artworks, like members of a family, cannot all be approached the same. Some works such as Matthew Beshears’ No Evil or Craig Odle’s It’s Hard to Eat Crow With Your Foot in Your Mouth, offer the viewer witty intellectual humor, while others such as John Alexander’s Rutile Magic! Platter or Angie Parson’s Ostrich can be appreciated for their functionality and beauty. Overall the exhibition offers a delightful glimpse into what a family should be complex, diverse, and together.
Anna Myers – Odilon on Reverse 
Michelle Cate – The Barn 
Christopher Troutman – Jenny 
David Hornack – Cabbage 
Olivia Cobb – Space pixie freak show 
Craig Odle – It’s Hard to Eat Crow With Your Foot in Your Mouth 
Matthew Beshears – No Evil 
Angie Parson – Ostrich 
John Alexander – Rutile Magic! Platter
The Alternative Show is available to view at TASI’s main gallery at 720 Franklin St. in Beaumont, TX until June 29. It can also be viewed virtually via Facebook. Click here to see the full album. Many of the works are for sale, please contact TASI’s offices to purchase.