"A Take on Tradition" curated by Jennifer Groves, January 17-March 1, 2008

"Yellow Squash", oil on canvas, Randall Mooers














"Aung San Suu Kyi, Green and Yellow", acrylic on canvas, DNA (Delgado/Almendral)



































"Feet", charcoal on paper, Jeff Tocci


"A Take on Tradition", curated by Jennifer Groves, features 9 selected artists and their interpretations of enduring genres in representational art. The still life, the nude, and the portrait are among the themes consistently considered by contemporary artists today. Using a variety of techniques and mediums on these traditional themes, this survey includes the following artists: Renee Fineberg, DNA, Elisa Decker, Jeff Tocci, Gil Podorson, Jacques Zuccaire, Elinor Woolf, Randall Mooers, and David Schwartz.

During the period of the early nineteenth century, the still life had become a common subject among those who studied painting. Because of the sheer manipulability and utter compliance of the still-life model itself, the artist could completely control the setting. Absolutely nothing changed in the composition unless action was` taken by the artist. The likeness of the object(s) dominated, and captured a moment in space where time had seemed to stop. This is especially true in Randall Mooer’s still life paintings, whose seemingly unrelated strings, fruits, and plastic bags are so precisely displayed in the composition, there is no question that they belong with one another.

The nude in painting, sculpture, and later photography, was first presented in the iconic form of gods and goddesses. This was a depiction of figures for which the lack of clothing was the natural state. With the artist’s model, his/her nakedness is theatrically staged to imply an air of innocence. The objective is to convey the nude as being an anatomical study, rather than an erotic body. The nude studies of Renee Feinberg, through her detailed use of highlighting, concentrate on the positioning of the model’s body, the musculature in the pose, and a touch of the surrounding environment.

The painted portrait had been a favorite genre of artists of the Renaissance. Oils became the predominant painting medium, given their "workability" regarding detail, depth, brushstroke, etc. The idea of the portrait then expanded in size and subject to include group portraits and full length views. Then photography became another portrait medium that could create the illusion of reality. And 20th century Warhol “portraits” opened the door to a startling new set of criteria: arbitrary colors, flatness, abstraction, and repetition of the subject matter. DNA has successfully followed in Warhol’s footsteps with their signature portrait “characteristics”- the flatness of color(s), the black silhouette, and overall style of “design” rather than depiction. While Elisa Decker has taken the “portrait” and pushed the envelope, including photographic depictions of fruit as erotically charged subject matter!

There has always been an artist and an audience for the rendering of the nude figure, for the depiction of the portrait, for the particular arrangement of objects in still life composition. This attraction is based on the sheer beauty of such carefully created illusions!

And centuries later when these genres would become somewhat obscured, by circumstance and artists’ very natures, historical credibility would ground their appeal and continue to engage the audience.

“A Take on Tradition”
January 17th- March 1st, 2008
Franklin 54 Gallery
181 Christopher Street
New York, NY 10014
212-627-8690
www.artnet.com/franklin54.html
Thursday- Sunday 11-6pm & by appointment

HUT STUDIOS @ GRAND CENTRAL FAIR through 12/29

HUT Studios and their excellent architectural boxes will be at the Grand Central Holiday Experience/Fair through December 29th. These handcrafted boxes of New York City architecture are wonderful gifts or a great addition to your own collection. Artisans Harold Gilstein and Richard Hopper create these gems with their own drawings, photographs and collage art in rich detail. An incredibly affordable range of prices - visit them at their booth @ Grand Central Station in the Vanderbilt building on East 42nd Street.

Sharon Florin's Alwyn Court

Alwyn Court, oil on canvas by Sharon Florin









Sharon's painting has been awarded the Dr. Clifford Wheeler Mills Memorial Award for Oil and is currently on view at the National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South in the 94th Annual Exhibition of the The Allied Artists of America through December 10th; the exhibition is open to the public.
Alwyn Court is on 58th Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan and is covered in terra cotta detailing.

James LoParo in "Beyond The Surface" @ Cuyahoga Community College

James LoParo will be participating in "Beyond The Surface", a group
exhibition at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio from November 1, 2007 through January 15, 2008. In this presentation, LoParo has installed his Bas-Relief Frescoes, Archaeo Forms, Bronze Castings, and Poetry Works to demonstrate how an artists' mark can transform various mediums into a personal language.

The art gallery is located on the Tri-C Metro Campus,
2900 Community College Avenue, in downtown Cleveland.
A gallery talk is scheduled for November 28th from 1:30 to 2:30.
An opening reception is scheduled for Thursday, November 29th from 4:00 to 6:00pm.
The exhibition is curated by George Kozmon.

Mostly White

"Measuring Parallels #20", encaustic & eggshell inlay by Debra Ramsay













"Ghost Writers", acrylic on linen by Edward Evans













Sharon Bartel-Clements
Siri Berg
Elaine Defibaugh
Laura Duggan
Edward Evans
Mary Felton
Sharon Florin
Bruce Iacono
Louis Kunsch
James LoParo
Carl Posey
Elisa Pritzker
Liz Whitney Quisgard
Debra Ramsay
Ann Woodward

Franklin 54 Gallery is pleased to present “Mostly White”, a group exhibition by select gallery artists of works reflecting the season and the many aspects of “white”. This time of year brings on a multitude of feelings and emotions from loneliness and regret to happiness, friendship and giving. It can be a time of melancholy and sadness with exacerbations of depression to that of excitement and wonder. Reflecting on the past year, did we give enough to those less fortunate, were we generous and helpful in our treatment towards others, how patient were we? As always, it is a time of hope and miracles, for us to believe the best in our fellow man and steer away from selfishness and greed. White is a much needed resting place - white can be pure but it is also cold which is why we seek out the warmth of color.

The works in this “Mostly White” show reflect many of those emotions. Most of the show emits a cool stark feeling overall like “Hotel” a silver gelatin fiber print by Carl Posey that is sleek, desolate, stark and crisp - barren with feelings of isolation - welcomed or inevitable? James LoParo’s Bas relief “St. Anton” reflects coolness in its material and process by the hard textural surface of the fresco. Warmth and comfort comes in the pieces of Liz Whitney Quisgard, whose colorful yarn on buckrum squares are warm like the fireplace or welcoming arms. Sharon Florin’s reflection paintings remind us we cannot run away from catching a glimpse of ourselves if we stand in front of these buildings. Elisa Pritzker’s boxed construction “Eyes on the Money” speaks for itself and her piece “Witnessing” is a combination of confronting eyes cast upon us – condemning or congratulatory? Debra Ramsay’s encaustic with eggshell inlay piece “Alone Together” reminds us of broken lives put back together and the isolation one can feel during the process, her lavender “Measuring Parallels” pieces continue the calm. Laura Duggan’s “East River White” oil on canvas square combines the palest of blues and greens to transform into an immersion of whiteness – the ultimate of reflections. Her oil portrait “Kimono” is warm and friendly again adding to the mix with which we view the season. Solace, oil on canvas by Bruce Iacono is just that, a place of solitude to be alone yet welcomed into, as are Ann Woodward’s delicate collages. In contrast are Sharon Bartel-Clements paintings that are fiery, full of life and energy and give us the hope we so desperately want.


“Mostly White”
November 1st, 2007 - January 6th, 2008
Franklin 54 Gallery
181 Christopher Street
New York, NY 10014
212-627-8690
franklin541@verizon.net
www.artnet.com/franklin54.html
franklin54gallery.blogspot.com
Thursday-Sunday 11-6 & by appt

Laura Duggan: Sandra Day O'Connor portrait

Recent exhibiton @ the Smithsonian
Donald W. Reynolds Center for
American Art and Portraiture
National Portrait Gallery News

“Portraits of Sandra Day O’Connor”
In Oct. 2006, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor—the first female Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1981–2006)—sat for two three-hour sessions with artists from The Painting Group, a New York-based group of 25 artists, led by masters Aaron Shikler and David Levine, who have been meeting regularly for 40 years. The 25 resulting portraits of O’Connor included in the exhibition showcase the artists’ diverse interpretations of the same subject, illustrating that there is no one way to depict or view an individual.

Laura Duggan painted this portrait and has been with the painting group for over 20 years. Marc Pachter, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, says these portraits capture O'Connor as both a justice and a woman. "That's what I love," he said, "that when you look around we have a sense of a professional, formal presence. But then we have a sense of an intimate connection with it. I love the fact that some really didn't put her in robes at all." (Photo: CBS)

Powerful Papers through October 25th

"Swiss Tobacco Leaves"
Carl Posey, photography





For Immediate Release: September 15th, 2007

POWERFUL PAPERS

September 13th – October 25th, 2007


Franklin 54 Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of works on paper by select gallery artists. Paper is an amazing and magical surface – it can be drawn, printed or written on; shred, torn, dunked or wet into a ball of mush. It can have a rough textural or sleek surface to lend to the artist. Whatever its use or the techniques in this show, these artists greatly respect it with their process, completed visual images or the meanings behind them.

Mary Felton’s black and white charcoal drawings grab every tooth on the paper in her bold renderings and variations of the medium; “Order Up” is crisp and clear and 2 new Iris drawings are becoming more abstract with extremes of contrast. Laura Duggan’s pastel portraits grab the paper in a different warm soft way providing an easy balance. Katherine Radcliffe respects her paper in a number of ways, one being she has been an expert marbler for years creating incredibly beautiful designs that draw the viewer in deeper and deeper. These are the backdrops for her new works of acrylic paintings on her hand-marbled paper resulting in heavenly imagery.

Carl Posey’s photograph of rows and rows of tobacco leaves is worthy of any paper and his choice reveals well the folds & texture of each leaf that hangs like the lining of a membrane – a still and powerful image. James LoParo adds 2 Poetry Works “Enchantment” and “Transgression” that are a combination of his smooth flowing words embossed on heavy paper and visual constructions that are strong and honest on handsome paper that reflects the show’s title.

Louis Kunsch combines ink and watercolors on paper that transform out of his layering process into wonderful surprises; Sharon Florin’s giclee’s of Fifth Avenue Reflections and the Eldridge Street Synagogue are a print version of her skillful yet varied architectural paintings and Ann Woodward’s collage pieces are intricate incorporating various papers & drawing. Siri Berg gives us 2 of her pulp paintings that bring us back to the beginning – though made through a difficult process, they are monotone and uncomplicated in their finish – they show us the strength of the paper with little embellishment.

The exhibition will be on view through October 25th, 2007


FRANKLIN 54 GALLERY
181 Christopher Street
(between Washington & West Side Highway)
(#1 train to Christopher St/Sheridan Square)
New York, NY 10014
Gallery Hours: Thursday-Sunday 11-6
212.627.8690 franklin541@verizon.net
www.artnet.com/franklin54.html