Sunday at the Murray Hill Art Walk

Murray Hill Art Walk
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Sunday afternoon we wandered through galleries. Most of them had actual art in them.

This one is eyecatching and colorful on a cold, gray day, though the stuff taking up the sidewalk is vintage clothing, planters, a mix of mass-manufactured outdoor tchochkes and reclaimed/repainted wooden furniture. The old tricycle is very nice. We were done by this point, and chose to admire the exterior color of this 'gallery' (gift shop, really) without stepping inside. We've been in it before, it's nice. They have a mix of handmade and not-handmade gifts, but it's not really a gallery. (I say this in the spirit of assigning descriptions, not judgements.)

One of this year's highlights was found in The Art Room in the Murray Hill School. Getting past the first collection of paintings (nice, but looked like early student work, though you knew it wasn't) brought the abundant rich rewards of a collection of seriously good artists producing an array of powerful imagery. Singly, each work was successful. Arranged in exhibit together, there is a cohesiveness that sings. I had been ready to walk out of the gallery without venturing further into the space, but that would have been my profound loss. Something inside me continues even now to respond to the powerful nature of the work I saw in that small space. One example: Eileen Roth had a series (among other paintings and prints displayed) of Astrological Spirit Houses. She created a house for each sign, wrote a bit about each symbol, wrote about the series as a whole, and it had an incredible impact on me. Each of the houses was a graphic image in black on a painterly gold background. Beautiful! But my words are a doing a puny descriptive job of something that deserves far better. Ordinarily I am not as affected by anything that uses the zodiac as a point of reference. But the juxtaposition of clean lines and painterly handling, stark black with juicy gold on canvas, and the very creative glyphs-as-houses were just too much! I was much moved. Best of all, that series was just one example of what wealth was 'hiding' in the back half of this lovely hidden gem called The Art Room! There was so much more that I found profound and lovely. Eileen, Sam, and Linda: thank you. Although you will probably never see this, I don't care; I still express my gratitude so the Universe will have record of it. (I guess I do care: I'd love for you to see positive things about your space and work.) I *really* like your work.

Non-artist: please note that when I was a student at CIA during critiques, we would be shot down immediately by our profs -- they might even go get others for reinforcements -- if we ever said "I like ____". And if we didn't qualify it, our grade would be in danger of dropping. I'm that much at a loss, I'm THAT moved by the body of work displayed at The Art Room.

Pennello Gallery on Mayfield was another good experience -- specifically, some highly sensitive and sophisticated woodcuts. Some were cityscapes, some were landscapes. I was drawn to the textures of the forest, swamp, and stormy skies. Ohhhhh, they were lush and tactile, they made me want to go to whatever they were. And they were small, with sometimes mossy, sometimes prickly, sometimes ticklish detail! Perhaps 5"x9" in some cases, and in full but soft color. They drew they eye gently but insistently in to the scene on the paper, then ever inward. I was amazed by the technical prowess, but so emotionally transported by the scenes he created. Again, I love this work.

The last one we went into was Brian Jones Gallery, and Rick was losing steam at this point. Two paintings caught my eye from the street, though, and I wanted a closer look. I didn't think we'd be in there long. Hmph. Rick perked right up and took an immediate interest, and HE was the one who had to be told this time, "I'm ready when you are..." These paintings were different from others' work that we had seen. Either acrylic on canvas, or acrylic reverse painted onto acrylic, it's all got great energy and spontaneity. The tree paintings that drew me in have a Gauguin pallette, but a Klimt sensibility (think The Beech Forest rather than the ubiquitous Kiss), yet they are truly very much their own. Very passionate.

We both left art behind that we would have preferred to bring home. In fact, we came home completely empty-handed. But in order to be able to buy art in the future, we have to get rid of the bills we have now. When that's out of the way, then and only then can we fill our house with all sorts of gorgeous local art!

I'm really looking forward to that. Maybe someone will be collecting me by then, too!