Julie Shapiro Wendt Gallery Laguna Beach, CA

Wendt Gallery Laguna Beach is pleased to announce the opening of their new exhibition by contemporary abstract painter Julie Shapiro. This west coast exhibition is on view in Laguna Beach from September 10th thru October 10th, 2010.

Curated by Serina Manqueros, this collection of works will feature 8 new pieces completed by the artist over a 5 year period of time. Mrs. Manqueros brings 12 years of experience as a specialist in contemporary painting to this exhibition. She has co-collaborated this exhibition with the artist to present a collection which represents the continuation of a group of developing artistic ideas and the expansion and de-expansion of certain ideas paralleling the works as a group; and over a controlled span of time.

Shapiro sums up the collection with the following statement; “As primarily a painter driven by process as my primary motivation to make my work, I felt it necessary to present my works for the viewer to experience that process and visualize what must be done over a proper evaluation and comparison of works over a controlled time period. My work cannot be evaluated properly thru one individual work or a collection of pieces in a short time space, as that does not chronicle or depict the full value of scope of my painting. That can only be achived over the duration.”

Some of the works featured draw more of an immediate parallel while other works in the collection seem idiosyncratic; often becoming the brainchild for the artist’s incoming collection of ideas. The selected works represent a congruence of individual ideas.

One of the highlights of the exhibition, Quiver, an 80 X 60 oil on canvas, is a conveyance of the naturalistic experience through color and geometry, much in the spirit of the great minimalist Agnes Martin, along with her use of repetition and variation.

Another key work featured is Obstruct, a 24 X 36 oil on canvas, which continues to convey the naturalistic experience while focusing in structuring the work through paint and surface, lending itself to the idea of opening up possibilities of work within what may first give impression of hosting strict limitations.

Smaller works, including Untitled #317, and Untitled #318, will be featured additionally and are sizes 18 X 24 and 16 X 20. Unlike the larger works which are composed on canvas, Shapiro’s smaller pieces are worked on canvas board in order to give the artist a heightened sense of control over the surface as well as create a visual quality of the paint application over the canvas. In addition to using board to achive a controlled surface quality, the artist uses rags to draw, wipe and paint off as well as sandpaper and scrape to remove and control paint on the surface; in order to achieve the desired look of the finished piece.

The exhibition continues its survey of works by the artist with Orange Crossing; a variated piece characterized by geometrically inspired lines and profound consideration of color. Identifying itself perhaps as the most idiosyncratic of the collection, it is less dependent on the strict geometry of works like Quiver. Orange Crossing demonstrates more of a wild abandon in its form and grander freedom in its demonstration, with its pervading dependence on color as the most prominent characteristic which draws the viewers attention. In the spirit of William de Kooning, the piece relies on paint application to canvas; rather than building upon the geometric design content of Quiver and other works.

The exhibition is on view Thursdays thru Mondays from 10 am to 5 pm, or by appointment.

The gallery is located near the corner of Bluebird Canyon Drive and Pacific Coast Highway, across the street from the Surf and Sand Hotel.

For more information, please email info@wendtgallery.com or phone 949-497-4292, or visit www.wendtgallery.com

Written by Serina Manqueros, curator, Contemporary Paintings.

Color System/Color Strategy

Color System/Color Strategy Exhibition

Sep 24 - Oct 23	2010-11  Season
Venue:Visual Arts Building
Ticket: Free, No tickets needed
installation Julie Shapiro Curated by Lorraine Tady, UT Dallas Faculty member. Color System, Color Strategy is a mixed media exhibition of local and national artists who explore unique strategies for color as a subject and system in a work of art. For example, we may ask, “What is red?” Red carries many meanings including danger, a Republican state, audio in cables, and a negative accounting balance. It may also describe a timbre, the light of an explosion, a flushing of the face, or a spatial intensity in a visual image. How each artist generates a code red (or any color) is an invention not to be taken for granted. For Brian Bulfer (NJ), perhaps every thought is a color icon as he engages shamanistic rituals and the cognitive science of Charles S. Peirce (1839-1914) to translate world data into geometric paintings.  The site-specific installations of James Van Arsdale (CA) interpret military zones and toy worlds (gyrating comic book yellow explosions, Popsicle grenades, groovy camouflage) creating unique opportunities to ponder rules, relationships, and consequences. Cassandra Emswiler (TX) weirdly juxtaposes the Home Depot brown linoleum aura of nature with real collections from her West Texas wilderness hikes. Karey Ellen Kessler (WA) maps blue for her “expansive sea” stream of consciousness.   Exhibiting Artists: James Van Arsdale (CA) Karey Ellen Kessler (WA) Julie Shapiro (NY) Brian Bulfer (NJ) Renuka Ektobe (TX) Cassandra Emswiler (TX)

REPEAT installation shots

REPEAT: Exploring Pattern and Texture

Ridderhof Martin Gallery

REPEAT: Exploring Pattern and Texture
September 3 - October 8

This exhibition features the work of seven artists from Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Virginia. Come see how these artists explore pattern and texture using a broad range of techniques and a variety of media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, and mixed media.

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Captions:
1. Julie Shapiro,Untitled, 2007, composite print-intaglio, 65 x 47 inches
2. Amelia Hankin, Untitled, 2009, colored pencil over silkscreen, 22 x 30 inches
3. Tom Baker, Curtain, 2007, relief-silkscreen, 7 x 7 inches
4. Lea Anderson, Frekkully, 2009, 3-d drawing construction, 10 x 10 x 10 inches
5. Eric Garner, California Interchange, 2009, acrylic,11 x 11inches
6. Liz Whitney Quisgard, Wall Hanging Series, 2000-2006, yarn on buckram, 58 x 58 inches overall
7. Jon Mahnke, Mess, pen and ink,11 x 14inches

Footprint International Print Competition

Footprint International Print Competition

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Exhibition Dates:
May 20- September 5, 2010

Juror: Ann Coffin, Founder and Director, International Print Center New York

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 Overun 4, carborundum, 18"x18", 2010