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April Issue 2010
Artspace in
Raleigh, NC, Features Works by James Henkel, JJ Jiang, Kathy Ammon,
Wake County School Students and Artspace Artists Association Members
Artspace in Raleigh,
NC, will present the following exhibits including: Stacks &
Spills, featuring works by James Henkel, on view in Gallery
Two from Apr. 2 through May 7, 2010; This Water, featuring
works by JJ Jiang, on view in the Artspace Lobby from Apr. 2 through
May 1, 2010; Revelations of the Heart, featuring works
by Kathy Ammon, on view in the Upfront Gallery from Apr. 2 through
May 1, 2010; High School Art Exhibition, featuring works
by Wake County school students, on view in the Education Room
from Apr. 30 through May 7, 2010; and New Works - A Juried
Exhibition of Works by Members of the Artspace Artists Association,
on view in Gallery 1 through May 1, 2010.
James Henkel
James Henkel's exhibition,
Stacks & Spills, presents three distinct series by
the Minnesota-based photographer. Through his work, Henkel's goal
is to change how we perceive and understand everyday objects,
such as vessels and books. In hiss Spills series, the artist
utilizes salt, sugar, wine, water, and milk as a drawing material
to represent the "spills." Sometimes Henkel's images
include a vessel; at other times, simply the spilled contents
suggesting the vessel. In his Water Bowls series, Henkel
once again utilizes the vessel form. Water-filled bowls are filled
with "nature," through captured reflections of sky,
clouds, tree branches, and leaves. In his Stacks series, Henkel
focuses much of his attention on the written word and books
vessels of knowledge, perhaps. Using a band saw to cut the books
into parts, Henkel balances the isolated fragments of title, image,
and color, one on top of another. The works suggest new readings
of familiar objects.
Henkel has exhibited his photographs in over one hundred national
and international venues, including St.. Petersburg, Russia; Teheran
Museum of Contemporary Art, Iran; Anji, China; The San Francisco
Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), CA; the Pace MacGill Gallery, NY;
and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MN. His work is in many
collections including, SFMOMA, The Whitney Museum of American
Art, and the Walker Art Center. Henkel has been the recipient
of numerous grants and fellowships from the National Endowment
for the Arts, Bush Foundation, McKnight Foundation, and the Minnesota
State Arts Board. The artist currently lives in Minneapolis, MN,
where he teaches at the University of Minnesota. He works out
of studios in both Minneapolis and Penland, NC.
JJ Jiang
In May 2009, JJ Jiang presented an exhibition in Artspace's Upfront Gallery entitled Venice of the East. The exhibition consisted of a series of paintings visualizing the waterways of Jiang's birthplace in Suzhou, China. This year, Jiang presents a sequel to that exhibition. This Water focuses on Jiang's newly adopted home - Oriental, NC.
When he first visited the town on Labor Day, 2005, Jiang was deeply struck by its tranquil, quaint surroundings and its vibrant fishing community, all without tourist fanfare. Since that time, Jiang has made a home in Oriental. The images in this exhibition are merely a few samples of numerous sketches and paintings he has attempted over the past few years. But the journey won't stop here for Jiang, as he continuously explores different approaches to depict what he perceives as the magic of the place - this water.
Jiang, an award winning watercolorist, was trained as an architect and architectural historian with professional degrees from both the US and China. He practiced architecture as a designer in firms in Hong Kong and the US. He also taught architectural design and history at the Overseas Chinese University.
In 2000, Jiang established JJ Illustration, combining his artistic and design talents to collaborate with architects and developers, focusing on visualizing the architectural concept through traditional watercolor medium. His profession allows him to devote time to fine art. Watercolor painting has remained one of the great passions of his life. Jiang is a signature member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina and is a member of the Artspace Artist Association in Raleigh. He currently resides both in Cary, NC and Oriental, the state he regards as full of natural wonders and inspiration.
Kathy Ammon
Kathy Ammon's latest
series of paintings is an exploration of the intersection of faith
with purpose. Fueled by observation and experiences of living
a more spiritual life, her vision for making the intangible visible
has become her focal point. Working on a smaller scale than typical
for Ammon, the artist is working in acrylics on birch panels.
She focuses on redefining and restructuring personal space as
visualized through the eyes of the Spirit - people gathered in
processional lines of wait and journey; huddled masses and communal
celebrations; a revival of comfort, trust, humility, and strength.
The artist is translating experiences of the faithful, and
recording and exemplifying moments of transformation and grace,
with revelations of hope.
Ammon received her formal training earning a Bachelor of Arts
in painting, with combined studies at the University of South
Carolina and the University of Texas at Dallas. Since beginning
her art career in 1988, her work has been well-received and part
of numerous private and corporate collections including Urban
Ministries, Raleigh; The Alliance for Children Everywhere - House
of Moses, Zambia, Africa; The Navigators, Colorado Springs, Co;
SAS Institute International; and Disney World International. Some
recent group and solo exhibitions include the Longview Center
in Raleigh NC; the Target Gallery, Alexandria, VA; Rosenthal Gallery,
Fayetteville State University, NC; and Brevard Art Center and
Museum, Melbourne, FL. In 2007, Ammon was a recipient of
the NC Regional Artist Project Grant to create and publish a book
of her series, Road to Damascus.
The High School Art Exhibition, was open to any 9th - 12th grade student enrolled in a Wake County public or private school that has participated in at least one Artspace8s activity or meeting since August 2009.
This exhibition is an "open hanging," meaning we will accept work until the space is full, and if necessary, artwork will be hung from the floor to ceiling! Students will be responsible for hanging their own artwork. Artspace will provide hammers and nails.
New Works is an annual juried exhibition for members of the Artspace Artists Association. The Artspace Artists Association is a professional artist membership organization. Artists are accepted into the membership through a jury process that occurs twice per year. The exhibit represents work created within the past twelve months. It is an opportunity for Artspace Artists to present their most current and innovative work. The exhibit is juried this year by Harriett Green, the Visual Arts Director of the South Carolina Arts Commission.
Green received her BA
degree in Art History from the University of South Carolina in
Columbia in 1980. From 1980-1988, she was the Registrar and in
1998 Assistant Curator at the Columbia Museum of Art. As former
Assistant Curator of the Columbia Museum of Art, and in her current
position as the Visual Arts Director since 1993 of the South Carolina
Arts Commission, Green has curated numerous exhibitions. She is
also the Curator of the South Carolina Arts Commission State Art
Collection. Green was appointed to the National Register of Peer
Professionals by the General Services Administration in Washington,
DC, for its Art-in-Architecture Program. She is a former board
member of the Alternative Museum in New York City and has served
on the Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) Art-in-Transit program
as a member of the Oversight Committee, the selection panel for
the North Carolina Freedom Monument project, fellowship panels
for the Kentucky Arts Council, and the Idaho Commission on the
Arts. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of Penland School
of Crafts, the Artist Selection Committee for CATS Art-in-Transit
project, and the 2010 Windgate Fellowship panel.
Green will be selecting work for exhibition as well as award recipients.
Artspace, a thriving
visual art center located in downtown Raleigh, brings the creative
process to life through inspiring and engaging education and community
outreach programming, a dynamic environment of over 30 professional
artists studios, and nationally acclaimed exhibitions. Approximately
95 artists hold professional memberships in the Artspace Artists
Association. Thirty-five of these artists have studios located
at Artspace. Guided tours are available. Artspace is located in
Historic City Market in Raleigh at the corner of Blount and Davie
Streets.
Artspace is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, the
United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, the Raleigh Arts
Commission, individuals, corporations, and private foundations.
For further information
check our NC Institutional Gallery listings, call the center at
919/821-2787 or visit (www.artspacenc.org).
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