Korean Dynasty

pictured above from the left: C. Erdal, Melissa Burgess, Tom Papa, Amie Oliver,
Kathryn Henry-Choisser and Bong Soo Lee. In front center - our fearless leader HeeJa Sung.

I ran across this photo today nestled in the Oliver/Kollatz archive. It was a beautiful afternoon in South Korea in February of 2002. Artifacts were on view in the mound behind us. Charming tourist traps were out front for Americans to fall into. We were riding a wave of new friends and bobbing under when the seas were too rough or the tourists too flashy. Our Papason (the artist Bong Soo Lee, a native of Korea who speaks no English but has proven to be the most patient man I've ever met) is dressed in the western style sport coat and slacks and no, it isn't a rental like ours. He's probably wondering why he's in the photo next to a bunch of goofy Americans.

Mutual goofiness is what I really, really love discovering in a new terrain. On the way back to Daegu that night Bong Soo played a special CD for us in his van. It consisted of numerous renditions of the song Danny Boy. All styles and orchestrations. I dunno if the vocalists are all famous in the east but those of us from the west were amused, charmed and flabbergasted to hear such a collection of recordings while riding through the Korean night. Does the song have special significance here? Do Koreans think the song has special significance for all of us? Or, is it meant to be a joke and they are waiting for us to laugh? The unsolved mysteries of traveling in a foreign land with gracious hosts and guests who each speak different tongues are endless.

There is a collection of artwork by Virginians on view in Korea at the moment. It has traveled from Daegu to Seoul to Chine and is now somewhere in between. I am very happy to have work included in the show and just wish I could be traveling with it. If you recognize any of the artists in the photo above you have very good facial recognition. We were jetlagged, younger and, well, the photo is a little fuzzy like us. We were the first group of artists to be part of Artificum of Humanitas. Heeja invited us to participate in this cultural exchange to celebrate the 2oth anniversary of a similar collective she was part of in Daegu. It was challenging and incredible. I hope to be able to fly over again one day since I loved the food, the people, the landscape, the culture... I could go on and on... and the Korean paper was beautiful and very cheap!

TRANSFORMER

Transformer, curated by Amy Moorfield, is one of the best summer shows I've seen at the Anderson since Steven High ran the gallery. It rocks! Feast is a collective of six collaborative artists: Terral Bolton, Terry Brown, Sherry Griffin, Stephanie Lundy, C.J. Hawn and Chris Norris. "Feast Hearts Mexico" is as much fun to look at as it probably was to create. The Mariachi band documented in the photographs makes me want to salsa. If Cindy Shermans's photos were this much fun to create I'd probably enjoy them more.

I wish Mark Newport were really a superheroe who happens to knit his own leotards. Richmond's obessive knitters and comic book collectors would likely find inspiration here. I did. Transformer also includes installations by McCallum & Tarry and Annie Schap and will be up through August 11.

Walking the Line

I don't know why it feels more appropro to lend my work the lyric of a Johnny Cash song than a line from Shakespeare - but somehow it does. Always in search of the authentic experience or expression, it doesn't matter to me where the truth lies - on the high or low end of the "critical brow."

All in all, this concern is less critical than the fact that the jpg posted here is blue and it should fall into a sepia range. I was planning on uploading the digital file for the print work very soon - like today - and now I wonder what is up with my file.

The image on the left is a drawing on panel and the file with text is built over a digital photograph of the drawing. It looks like I may need to do some more testing before I place my order. Maybe my muse is building in lag time so I'll reconsider the title? Hmmmm.

a PREVIEW of Exposition of Self

Harry Kollatz and David Bruce discuss art, light and urban planning
mid-installation in Plant Zero's Project Space Gallery.

Harry and I spent some time at 220 Hull St yesterday viewing the proposed Master Plans for the city of Richmond. If only making these ideas manifest were as easy as taking a marker to paper...

Still - it was exciting to see so many passionate proposals put forth by the citizens of Richmond. Richard Bland was there with an ancient map of the city. His proposal includes a light rail system that would run the length of Grace Street between the two VCU campuses. It could be a great solution to the growing problems of urban transit.

We were also able to try out the newest version of the Plant Zero Cafe and we ran into a number of people we don't see as frequently during the summer. People we know are either buried in their studios are away on holiday. Andrew Havenhand was there and announced that he and Lucinda will both be teaching in Syracuse next year! It's that time of year. Everyone is gearing up for the new season.

We also met David Bruce who is finishing up an ambitious installation in the Project Space at Plant Zero. David also has experience as an urban planner and his installation is certainly the best use of space I've witnessed in the Project Space. His talent and vision are evident here. It is unfortunate he couldn't participate more fully in the master plan meetings next door since he has the voice of experience. His use of light and space of this industrial structure is elegant and succinct. It will be interesting viewing the work in artificial light on Friday when there will also be live music and the energy of a Friday night.

"Exposition of Self"* will open on Friday, July 27 from 6-9pm in the Project Space Gallery of Plant Zero. Located at 4 E. Fourth St., off Hull St in the Manchester District of Richmond. The installation runs through August 21 and is open daily. For more info one can visit any of the links above.

*We are both a little baffled by the title of this installation but as we've both been struggling with matters of public and private art and self of late - perhaps it's just us...

The Spoils of Summer at ADA

Jason Coates, Leigh Anne Chambers, Lauren Clay, Heather Deyling and Sandra Luckett are showing recent work at ADA through August 30. Several of the works here were on view in Chelsea last month at Kim Foster and the Denise Bibro Galleries. Other pieces, such as Luckett's "Mermaid" window installation, were created specifically for ADA. Her use of blueboard styrofoam as the base of this installation was an interesting choice since it references the aquamarine of sandy beaches and is also a material that finds its way to many beaches after serving time on someone's boat or holiday adventure. I loved it.

Others have commented on Coates' popular "Corn" painting and it seems to make everyone smile. It reminds me of summers in Ohio with those flying Dekalb signs floating over so many cornfields and the locals happy to leave the grey skies and salted roadways of winter behind. ADA always puts together a summer show that is worth a second viewing. I look forward to stopping by the next time I need a Lift from next door.

"Constructs" on View at the LCVA

Constructs, an exhibition of assemblage style paintings is on view at the Longwood Center for Visual Arts through August 31. Paintings by Mid-Atlantic artists Sally Bowring, Don Crow, Steven Cushner, Reni Gower, Chris Gregson, Steve Griffin, Ron Johnson, Ray Kass, Paul Ryan, Javier Tapia and Dan Treado are included in this luscious exhibition of color and form.

This collection of paintings is one of the most beautiful installations I've seen in the LCVA since it moved to its Main Street location in the early 90's. According to the curators it is also one of the best installations on the tour. There aren't any weak passes here. Each artist offers a distinctive approach when considering the concept behind Constructs. Ray Kass never ceases to amaze me. Nothing slows him down and his work in this show is exceptional in its strength and subtlety. Dan Treado's sequential frames are new to me and lush in their cool depth and persistence.

The LCVA is located at 129 N. Main Street in Farmville, VA and is open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 5pm. African Art from the LCVA's permanent collection is on view in the adjacent gallery and it makes an excellent counterpoint to Constructs.

Madame Jacque

On Friday I was fortunate to be able to ride into Farmville with a couple of artist/curators who had business at the LCVA. It was the perfect opportunity to pay my respect to a dear friend and mentor, the sculptor Jackie Wall.

Jackie's story would be a good read and is the result of strong convictions and passion for the world around her. She's an advocate for art, culture, nature conservation, human relations, much less race relations! She has exhibited her sculpture throughout the mid Atlantic and been a force for change during the past 40 years or so in central Virginia.

Late one morning I was pulling into my studio parking lot and was shocked to hear Jackie's voice on NPR! She was interviewed as part of "Separate But Unequal, How a Student-Led Protest Helped Change the Nation." She is the voice of reason and promise in this interview that honored the 50th anniversary of Brown vs the Board of Education. If you visit this link and listen to the second part of the interview series you'll hear Jackie talking about her experiences during that era and the promise of the future.

She's the real deal. At 81, she's still a force of nature.

Catch the Loose Marbles rolling through Washington Square

Most weekends you'd find them at the corner of St. Louis and Royal Streets in the French Quarter. New Yorkers can taste the fruits of NOLA's street life this summer without enduring the its heat. This large collective of young old tyme musicians will be playing on each end of Washington Square simultaneously during a summer long excursion, New Yorkers should listen while they can because no two performances are collectives from the group are quite the same.

If you are interested in learning more about the Loose Marbles you can read about them in this New Yorker article.

Beginnings and Endings

"Seven Messengers" featured Craig Pleasants wall relief on the left, Todd Murphy sculpture in the middle and a Kate Woodliff installation in the corner. This mixed media exhibition of seven Virginia artists was on view at 1708 Gallery in Richmond, VA during the summer of 2003.

No, no, no. I don't plan on posting the final word on this show or blog or the here or now anytime soon. I've been struggling with words more than usual these days in an attempt to summarize or direct attention to this thing I've dedicated my life to: Art - not my cats or my husband- though they are in the top three. Maybe I think too much and take my work too seriously? I remember Laura Mauger, a former Richmond gallerist and dedicated artist reminding me to "lighten up!" - so many years ago that I had yet to reach 30! In the meantime I continue to stumble over words and land on ideas that come close to what I strive to express - but don't.

There is a show. For the first time "ever" I haven't been able to come up with a title that is the right fit. The image above is from a show I curated in 2003 or so called "Seven Messengers." I had no trouble coming up with a title for it!

I recently read several posts here about mindfulness, the past, present and future. Ernie isn't a Buddha but he always has something interesting to say. Why do we see the solutions to other people's problems more readily than our own? The weather has been a tad cruel for studio work but I don't think I can blame it entirely. Maybe I just need to read the book.

In the meantime we'll be spending some time with Shakespeare and Stoppard tonite.

True Richmond

Richmond may seem like a city of Republican shoes, self-promoting lawyers, churches in every size, color and architectural style and NASCAR politics... but please consider your source before you form an opinion of this quirky Southern city.

We all shudder to remember the editorials that have been written in the local daily and we've basked in the glow of our nation's media spotlight via our domestic and cultural controversies. An opinion based on this information would be lopsided! To know the real Richmond, well, the one that captured my heart, you might want to read the Flashback column of Richmond Magazine each month. If you aren't a regular reader and pick it up on occasion before you have your teeth cleaned or cavities searched you'll have the chance to own a collection of the most memorable columns by their celebrated author, Harry Kollatz, Jr.*

This image above is a draft of the cover sent to the author by The History Press. It depicts the pyramid that is a cornerstone monument of our beloved Hollywood Cemetery. I've toured cemeteries all over Europe and the United States and Hollywood Cemetery ranks up there with some of the best with its views of the James River rapids, haunting monuments, Victorian details, lush landscaping and topography. Please don't let my enthusiasm for the cover art and its locale mislead you: True Richmond Stories is not a tourist guide or a history book. It is a collection of portraits of the profound, eccentric, backward and heroic people and places that, in summary, equal why Richmond is and always has been such a colorful place to live.

True Richmond Stories has gone to press and will be available in many bookstores in mid September. Until then you can order it here or subscribe to Harry's official blog and get a free copy!

*Harry Kollatz, Jr is my spouse and partner in art and life...

LINEAGE

"The Under Estimation" by Andras Bality


"Lineage" is a group show "of working relationships" opening at the Sol Cooper Gallery located at 306 N. Sycamore St. in Petersburg, VA on Friday, July 13 from 7-9pm.

Artists exhibiting work in the show are Ron Walton, Terry Ammons, Andras Bality, Angela Orrell, Maruta Racenis, Liz McCormack, Dolly Holmes, Bobby Lynch, Mark Pehanich, Aimee Joyaux, Patrick Gregory, Tom McCormack and Barry Roebuck.

I am familiar and admire the work of maybe half the artists in this show so it should be worth the trip to P'burg! Harry and I spent some time in P'burg awhile ago. He was writing an article on the burgeoning art scene and I considered investing in a studio there. There is a wonderful can-do energy in this small village as well as the promise of cheap real estate! Ignatius of Ignatius Hats left Carytown for Petersburg a long time ago! Sol Cooper Gallery is the result of this wave of art energy and promises to bring a high level of art and dialogue to the current scene.

Andras Bality, whose work is pictured above, produced a memorable show for Page Bond Gallery earlier this season. I thought it was his best show ever with large, playful, ambitious images from his new life as a husband and father. A young, talented painter I know thought the show was ripe with sentimentality and dissed it completely. Perhaps it could be seen as sentimental - which is a big no no... maybe that's why I love the show - because he was adressing a giant no-no? Either way, it was splendid work and I am sure whatever Andy shows at Sol Cooper will be worth a look.

Below: Earlier this year Andy answered questions about his paintings on view at the Page Bond Gallery.

Independence Day

I didn't take this photo but it is very much like many photos I've taken during summer excursions to Scotland and England. I borrowed this image from a fellow hillwalker whose link I've lost... but that's another post.

We really aren't much for tradition in our family so the July 4 holiday has varied from year to year, some more memorable than others. Harry read the Declaration of Independence wearing wool in the middle of the hot afternoon for many summers. I took the time to attend once and I worried someone there would suffer heat stroke - including me! I once spent every other summer for about ten years touring Scotland with art students. It was the best teaching experience of my career and it had a profound effect on my art and life.

Harry and I were married in near Oban on the Isle of Lismore, a site I discovered after one of my teaching stints. That summer Harry left Scotland the day after my students arrived. We spent a week or so in Arbroath working on the grounds at Hospitalfiend House and spent more than a night or two at the Foundry Bar.

July 4 happened to be the open mike night which was really more like karoke with a live old timey band instead of a machine. One of my students had his own band back home and after several sing-a-ongs and even more pints he declared his patriotism by standing up and walking to the stage and asking the band of they could play the Star Spangled Banner. He proceeded to sing with inspiration until he realized he couldn't remember the words(!) We were horrified since not a one of us knew the lyrics, but then amazed, stunned, actually - that an entire pub of Scots with pints in their fists knew our National Anthem word for word and broke in to save our well intentioned American boy. The Scots were so proud of us at the time... Clinton was in office and they adored him - even with Monicagate on his shirt tails... Bill was their hero. The Scots that filled the Foundry Bar that night were mine. I should have bought a round for the entire pub but the dollar doesn't go very far in Britain - even then.

summer survival skills

New Orleans Cold Drip Coffee

(a variation of a recently published recipe in the NYT based on time and experience drinking gallons of cold drip coffee in NOLA, Paris and Richmond )

The ingredients listed here are based on my first cup of authentic cold drip coffee purchased at PJ's in uptown NOLA in `84. This concoction will result in eight cups of coffee concentrate:

1 pound dark roast coffee and chicory, medium ground
10 cups cold water
Ice (coffee ice cubes are even better!)
French Vanilla Extract
Organic milk or Half and Half

1. Put coffee in a glass or nonreactive container, (stainless-steel). Add 2 cups water, stirring gently to wet the grounds, then slowly add remaining 8 cups water. Cover and let steep at room temperature for 12 hours. (a link for purchasing a chicory coffee or a toddy kit is posted below)

2. Strain coffee concentrate through a medium sieve, then again through a fine-mesh sieve.

3. To make iced coffee, fill a glass with ice, add ¼ cup coffee concentrate, 1/4 filtered water and 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk, a 1/2 tsp of french vanilla extract, then stir or shake.

Concentrate will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Note: Coffee with chicory or a Coffee Toddy Kit may be ordered through French Market or Blue Bottle.

When the heat is raging and the humidity even worse it will get you through a dog day afternoon. Of course there is no health substitute for drinking plenty of cool filtered water but the rewards of such good behavior surely merit a dip in salt water followed by a New Orleans style iced coffee chaser.