Murugiah set to light up Greenwich Peninsula with dazzling new sculpture.
Murugiah set to light up Greenwich Peninsula with dazzling Rangoli Mirrored Cosmos sculpture
Butter sculpture meets a ‘green’ end in Noblehurst
LINWOOD — The New York State Fair’s butter sculpture met an unusually gooey end Tuesday afternoon at Noblehurst Farms.
Claire Nichols: empowering women through boudoir photography
Forward-thinking as it may be, mainstream media holds women to unreasonably high standards. Women in the workforce are expected to be professionally unflappable, perpetually composed in the face of adversity, all while looking as classically pretty as possible.
At this point in time, it is hardly a secret that disheveled women are overlooked, and attractive women are admired from a distance but ultimately tuned out. The worst part about the pseudo-progressive patriarchy is that it would have the perfect woman tending obsessively to her looks, arbitrarily keeping up a facade of anti-materialism.
Over 90% of commercial beauty companies are run by men, as reported by the Digital Beauty Group LLC. Companies like these tout a philosophy that would be mystical if it were not so hackneyed, promising detoxification and eternal youth in tiny plastic bottles. They rely on typically attractive women to promote their brands through advertisements. Occasionally, they introduce non-traditional models, always framing their bodies as objects deviating far from the norm, as though their otherness defines them.
A woman’s life is confusing and generally contradictory, but it is far from hopeless. If lived for one’s self, it is actually quite fun. Traditionally “girly,” surface-level self-care activities like getting one’s nails done or face made-up have the potential to empower. Erroneously discounted as shallow and male gaze-serving, methods of so-called girl maintenance are time and again opportunities for women to come together in solidarity. Cosmetic upkeep is no easy feat, after all. Why should women not support each other through spa days and salon outings?
In exercising control over their bodies, women ground themselves on a planet that spins so fast it threatens to fling them off of it. Among the various means of asserting power in this way is healthily appreciating the sensual lure of one’s body. There are several methods a woman can take to optimize the comfort she feels in her skin, an increasingly popular one being allowing herself to be artistically captured in boudoir photography.
A slightly suggestive and alluring art form, boudoir photography originated in the 1940s and has stuck around and evolved with the times. In a boudoir portrait, the muse is dressed to her level of comfort, usually though not necessarily scantily clad. A skilled boudoir photographer creates timeless images, simple yet splashy, based on the subject’s personal preferences.
Claire Nichols, born in Florence, Ala., is a local photographer offering boudoir photography shoots. Normally specializing in pictures of couples and families, Nichols has branched out, expanding her repertoire to offer tastefully provocative portraits of women.
In the past, Nichols’s preferred location for shoots of this nature has been downtown Florence’s GunRunner Boutique Hotel. Established in 2017, the GunRunner showcases its hometown’s authenticity by way of 10 luxury suites, each highlighting a different cultural facet of the Shoals area.
“[The GunRunner’s suites] are very moody. They have the best ambience for boudoir shoots. When I look for a spot, I’m looking for someplace dark and sexy. Nobody wants to be in an overly bright area when they’re posing with that sort of delicacy.”
Last year, Nichols held a session in the GunRunner’s Billy Reid Suite, named after and contributed to by Florence’s own Billy Reid, critically-adored fashion designer and national trendsetter. Slots in Nichols’ last boudoir shoot included one outfit change per client and lasted a little less than a half-hour, producing roughly 30 final photos.
Those who identify as a woman are expected to present themselves with grace, regardless of circumstances. Yet it seems evident the everyman’s definition of grace is less about aplomb than it is appearance.
In his 2005 commencement speech to Kenyon College’s graduating class, writer David Foster Wallace reminded his audience of the adage, “The mind [is] an excellent servant but a terrible master.” This cliché is tough to dispute; the mind is the source of self-doubt, of intrusive thoughts and misinterpretations. That said, to many women, the mind sometimes feels more like a captive than a captor, stuck in a body that is routinely subject to societal scrutiny. A woman’s brain can trick her into hating her body, warping her limbs into shackles, distorting her reflection. The mind’s eye is all-too-often a weapon of self-destruction. Even (if not especially) the most confident women are met by the world with vitriol, no matter the fact that they, like everyone, lack immunity to criticism.
Nichols comes from a family full of artistic talent. The photographer’s father, Gary Nichols, is a Grammy Award-winning country music singer. Her brother, Trey Nichols, writes and performs rock music in venues around the South.
“I think it’s great my family has such a rich history of creative talent,” said Nichols, “even if we’re all doing something different in the scheme of things. I get to capture a lot of the moments we share in pictures. That’s special to me.”
At age 15, Nichols was given her first camera as a Christmas gift.
“[My first camera] only had two lenses, but I used it throughout high school.” said Nichols. “I’ve since upgraded to a Sony Mirrorless Camera.”
Since then, she has been steadily advancing her career. Nichols’ first paid gig, a job taking senior portraits, was offered the year after she received the camera that sprouted her emergence as a photographer.
“Yes, I started off just taking senior portraits and family photos,” said Nichols. “That’s all I was doing. I was too scared to dive into wedding photography, and I didn’t want to be a sports photographer. I didn’t even know boudoir photography was an option. The more invested I got in my photography, the more I began to see examples of it. I thought, ‘Wow, that’s so cool! I would love to offer that.’”
Nichols now works full-time taking pictures. Her current portfolio includes wedding, maternity and boudoir portraits as well as photos of graduating seniors and parents.
“After my first three boudoir photography sessions, I really got the hang of things,” said Nichols. I’ve learned how to make people as comfortable as possible. My favorite part about boudoir photography has been building other women’s confidence. It comes down to a fun and creative way to appreciate their bodies. Women come into [a boudoir shoot] saying, ‘I’m nervous. I’m worried I’m gonna hate seeing myself this way.’ Then when I show them the finished products, they say, ‘Oh, my God. That’s me?’ They can’t believe how good they look. Honestly, everyone always looks so uniquely beautiful. No two [boudoir shoots] have been the same.”
The female form has been a focal point for artists since the invention of art. Boudoir-style photos are a particularly intimate example along this vein. Somehow simultaneously bold and private, pictures such as these are made special by the ownership women have over them. Whether they are taken with a lover in mind or simply for one’s self, boudoir photos have a common trait – the women featured in them should have complete control over who sees them.
Less intense than taking provocative pictures on one’s own, booking a boudoir shoot is a decision worth giving thought. Those interested in Nichols’s work can get in touch with her on her website, where they can view her work and get in touch with her.
Comic book artists draw on Ditko for inspiration on collaboration
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JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Neither a bird, a plane or Superman, but rather a combination of Silver Age heroics, noir detective story and 1990s-style paranormal action adventure, Captain Bottle Works is bursting onto the comics scene later this month with his first standalone story.
Longtime friends and local artists Matthew Lamb, Glenn Klimeck and K. Brandon Wilt have combined their love of superheroes, talents for drawing and a sketch idea into the first Hero Works Publishing comic: “The Legacy of Captain Bottle Works.”
The superhero started as an exercise in an art camp at Bottle Works, but in a short amount of time has become the premiere publication for the group that highlights young artists and local landmarks.
Lamb, Bottle Works’ creative director, came up with the idea during a “design your own superhero” class last year.
After reflecting on the legacy of legendary comic artist and Johnstown native Steve Ditko, he wondered why more super stories weren’t being produced from their shared hometown.
That led him to pitch the idea to Klimeck, who also works at Bottle Works, and Bent Wookee Comix owner Wilt.
“It all feels very serendipitous,” Lamb said.
The trio has spent hours together every Thursday planning, collaborating and editing what has become a 60-page book that will be released on Sept. 30 during the second Ditko Con, a celebration of Ditko’s career and pop culture influence.
However, the idea to partner – a first for the three – started at last year’s Batman Day at the State Theater, where the artists were on hand to draw, sell wares and chat with visitors.
Also there was Rhode Island playwright and creator of theatrical performance “Ditko,” Lenny Schwartz who was directing the premiere of his play “Bill Finger: Rise of the Bat.”
After chatting with the local artists, whom he has befriended since the first Ditko Con, Lamb approached Schwartz about penning a story for their joint comic, which the playwright gladly accepted.
“I am a fan of all of their work and I jumped at the chance,” Schwartz said. “I asked them what they are interested in drawing, and each had a different answer and aesthetic. So, I just tempered the script with each of the eras and their personal interests.”
All three artists were astounded by how accurate Schwartz’s story was to each of their unique interests and personalities.
“I don’t know how he did something so much in my wheelhouse,” Klimeck said.
Wilt added that the script was “spot-on.”
Schwartz based his tales on questions he asked and flipping through their work at Batman Day.
After that, he just let his imagination run wild.
The trio and writer worked together to tweak the stories a bit, adding references to local landmarks, including the Inclined Plane and Stone Bridge, but when it was done, they all were pleased with the final product.
Schwartz said he’s looking forward to collaborating more with the three artists.
The comic starts with Lamb’s Silver Age- inspired story – a classic superhero tale in the same vein as Blue Beetle and similar characters of the time – what Ditko started out doing and Lamb has always loved.
That’s followed by Klimeck’s noir, which he said was driven by his love of 1940s private eye movies. To keep with that style, those pages will be printed in black and white.
The capstone is Wilt’s specialty of mixing supernatural with hints of horror – a style he has been passionate about for years.
“It was an awesome opportunity to showcase the type of work I do,” Wilt said.
Klimeck noted that working with the others was probably the easiest collaboration experience he’s ever had.
“We all kind of did what we felt was right for the project,” Lamb added.
Additionally, each artist created a Ditko- homage cover for their section.
Wilt and Klimeck credited Lamb for bringing this all together and taking an editor-type role to make sure it all worked and commended him for everything he has done.
Although the three stories are set in vastly different genres, Wilt said they all tie together and hinted at the students’ work being the key.
However, none of the artists would divulge anymore details preferring to keep the mystery alive until the book’s release.
“The Legacy of Captain Bottle Works” is available for pre-order on IndieGoGo, where sample pages, additional details and early-bird perks are offered.
Lamb said the comic was put there to raise some additional funds to help defray publishing costs and will also be on sale at Ditko Con.
Although this story is ready to print, the trio of artists said they are not done.
The goal of Hero Works Publishing is to feature local artists and get more comics produced from the home of Ditko.
For more information, visit www.indiegogo.com and www.bottleworks.org.
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New York State Museum Opens Exhibition: “Each One Inspired: Indigenous Art Across the Homelands”
A new exhibition, Each One Inspired: Indigenous Art Across the Homelands, is now open for the public to view at the New York State Museum, State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced today. The new exhibition which features more than 60 original creations of Indigenous artwork by artists whose homelands lie within what is now New York will be open through March 2024. This collection of contemporary art focuses on Indigenous histories, teachings, and communities and how they relate to and inspire our relationships and connections to our environment.
Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said, “Indigenous art is significant because it captures the culture, traditions, and expressions of native communities. This new exhibition will help to foster a deeper understanding of their perspectives and help to promote cultural diversity and appreciation of the identities and contributions of Indigenous people to the history of our State.”
State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said, “When experiencing this new exhibition, Museum guests will have the opportunity to make strong connections with Indigenous art, heritage, and traditions and how they relate to the profound history of New York State. Furthermore, the display of this exceptional collection helps to promote cross-cultural understanding while also sharing unique artistic expressions and the resilience of Indigenous people.”
The exhibition is organized in interrelated themes which are central to Indigenous art and culture: Lands; Ancestors and Histories; Community, Nation, and Family; and Plants and Animals.
Highlights of the exhibition include:
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G. Peter Jemison Ganondagan State Historic Site, where Peter was the site manager from 1985 to 2022, is located on what was once a Seneca village. In 1687, the French forces attacked the village. However, they were outsmarted by the Seneca who sent their women and children safely away and burned the remaining crops and longhouses before the French could destroy them. Jemison’s painting references Picasso’s Guernica (1937) to make a statement about the horrors of warfare. |
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Diane Schenandoah, Honwadiyenawa’sek (One Who Helps Them) This sculpture honors Yothihsótha (Our Grandfathers) Latihsakayu∙téhseˀ (The Thunderers). In Haudenosaunee creation narratives, the Thunderers bring the gift of rain to the Earth and all living creatures. Their presence signals the beginning of spring. |
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Wilma M. Zumpano-Cook This piece is inspired by Haudenosaunee pottery from the 1500s. This vessel is made of fabric panels and glass beads covering a glass vase that provides the form. The beadwork designs and techniques Zumpano-Cook uses were developed by beadworkers in the 19th and 20th centuries and continued to be used by Mohawk beadworkers. |
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Karen Ann Hoffman |
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Ken D. Williams Jr. Gahano, or Caroline Parker, (1826–1892) was an extraordinary beadwork artist from the Tonawanda Seneca Nation. Her brother, Ely Parker, introduced her to his friend, anthropologist Lewis H. Morgan, in the mid-1840s. With the assistance of the Parker family, Morgan donated a collection of Haudenosaunee material culture items to New York State between 1847 and 1851. Morgan commissioned a series of daguerreotypes featuring members of the Parker family, including one with Gahano that serves as the model for Williams’s portrayal of her on his beaded bag. The garments Gahano wears were made by her and are part of the State Museum’s collections. Gahano’s legacy to Haudenosaunee beadworkers continues to influence artists, including Williams, who lovingly depicts her in Swarovski crystals and vintage glass beads, surrounded by designs from the beadwork for which she is well known. |
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Brandon Lazore |
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Yaihra? tha? (Murisa Printup) and Rayekwiratkyehena:we:k (Robert D’Alimonte) Skarù:rę? (Tuscarora) Skarù:rę? Seeking Peace, 2018 White pine plaque with bas relief In August 2018, the Great Law Recital was hosted by the Tuscarora Nation. By all accounts, this was the first time this had been done since we made the migration up north in the early 1700s to join our brothers and sisters among the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. During the early 1700s, as colonists were encroaching on our land, a war broke out. We lost nearly 1,000 men, women, and children. Our ancestors headed north to seek peace among the Haudenosaunee—people we lived with about 1,300 years before. We have lived as the Sixth Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy to this day. The recital of the Great Law is an event for Haudenosaunee people. The responsibility of hosting the gathering rotates throughout the different Haudenosaunee Nations. The gathering includes leaders and knowledge keepers reciting and sharing oral histories, teachings, and philosophies in Haudenosaunee languages. Inspired by this historic event, Yaihra? tha? and Rayekwiratkyehena:we:k collaborated to create this piece. It depicts a number of key events: the Tuscarora Migration, the Tuscarora Taken-In Belt, the Great Tree of Peace, and the seven Tuscarora Clans. The Clan Mothers, each holding a gustoweh, are shown raising up their chiefs under the Tree of Peace. |
High-resolution photos of select art and artifacts in the exhibition are available here.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is free. For additional information, visit the New York State Museum website.
First Hero Works comic book features talents of area artists, landmarks
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Neither a bird, a plane or Superman, but rather a combination of Silver Age heroics, noir detective story and 1990s-style paranormal action adventure, Captain Bottle Works is bursting onto the comics scene later this month with his first standalone story.
Longtime friends and local artists Matthew Lamb, Glenn Klimeck and K. Brandon Wilt have combined their love of superheroes, talents for drawing and a sketch idea into the first Hero Works Publishing comic: “The Legacy of Captain Bottle Works.”
The superhero started as an exercise in an art camp at Bottle Works, but in a short amount of time has become the premiere publication for the group that highlights young artists and local landmarks.
Lamb, Bottle Works’ creative director, came up with the idea during a “design your own superhero” class last year.
After reflecting on the legacy of legendary comic artist and Johnstown native Steve Ditko, he wondered why more super stories weren’t being produced from their shared hometown.
That led him to pitch the idea to Klimeck, who also works at Bottle Works, and Bent Wookee Comix owner Wilt.
“It all feels very serendipitous,” Lamb said.
The trio has spent hours together every Thursday planning, collaborating and editing what has become a 60-page book that will be released on Sept. 30 during the second Ditko Con, a celebration of Ditko’s career and pop culture influence.
However, the idea to partner – a first for the three – started at last year’s Batman Day at the State Theater, where the artists were on hand to draw, sell wares and chat with visitors.
Also there was Rhode Island playwright and creator of theatrical performance “Ditko,” Lenny Schwartz who was directing the premiere of his play “Bill Finger: Rise of the Bat.”
After chatting with the local artists, whom he has befriended since the first Ditko Con, Lamb approached Schwartz about penning a story for their joint comic, which the playwright gladly accepted.
“I am a fan of all of their work and I jumped at the chance,” Schwartz said. “I asked them what they are interested in drawing, and each had a different answer and aesthetic. So, I just tempered the script with each of the eras and their personal interests.”
All three artists were astounded by how accurate Schwartz’s story was to each of their unique interests and personalities.
“I don’t know how he did something so much in my wheelhouse,” Klimeck said.
Wilt added that the script was “spot-on.”
Schwartz based his tales on questions he asked and flipping through their work at Batman Day.
After that, he just let his imagination run wild.
The trio and writer worked together to tweak the stories a bit, adding references to local landmarks, including the Inclined Plane and Stone Bridge, but when it was done, they all were pleased with the final product.
Schwartz said he’s looking forward to collaborating more with the three artists.
The comic starts with Lamb’s Silver Age- inspired story – a classic superhero tale in the same vein as Blue Beetle and similar characters of the time – what Ditko started out doing and Lamb has always loved.
That’s followed by Klimeck’s noir, which he said was driven by his love of 1940s private eye movies. To keep with that style, those pages will be printed in black and white.
The capstone is Wilt’s specialty of mixing supernatural with hints of horror – a style he has been passionate about for years.
“It was an awesome opportunity to showcase the type of work I do,” Wilt said.
Klimeck noted that working with the others was probably the easiest collaboration experience he’s ever had.
“We all kind of did what we felt was right for the project,” Lamb added.
Additionally, each artist created a Ditko- homage cover for their section.
Wilt and Klimeck credited Lamb for bringing this all together and taking an editor-type role to make sure it all worked and commended him for everything he has done.
Although the three stories are set in vastly different genres, Wilt said they all tie together and hinted at the students’ work being the key.
However, none of the artists would divulge anymore details preferring to keep the mystery alive until the book’s release.
“The Legacy of Captain Bottle Works” is available for pre-order on IndieGoGo, where sample pages, additional details and early-bird perks are offered.
Lamb said the comic was put there to raise some additional funds to help defray publishing costs and will also be on sale at Ditko Con.
Although this story is ready to print, the trio of artists said they are not done.
The goal of Hero Works Publishing is to feature local artists and get more comics produced from the home of Ditko.
For more information, visit www.indiegogo.com and www.bottleworks.org.
Joshua Byers is a reporter for The Tribune- Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5054. Follow him on Twitter @Journo_Josh.
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First Hero Works comic book features talents of area artists, landmarks (copy)
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JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Neither a bird, a plane or Superman, but rather a combination of Silver Age heroics, noir detective story and 1990s-style paranormal action adventure, Captain Bottle Works is bursting onto the comics scene later this month with his first standalone story.
Longtime friends and local artists Matthew Lamb, Glenn Klimeck and K. Brandon Wilt have combined their love of superheroes, talents for drawing and a sketch idea into the first Hero Works Publishing comic: “The Legacy of Captain Bottle Works.”
The superhero started as an exercise in an art camp at Bottle Works, but in a short amount of time has become the premiere publication for the group that highlights young artists and local landmarks.
Lamb, Bottle Works’ creative director, came up with the idea during a “design your own superhero” class last year.
After reflecting on the legacy of legendary comic artist and Johnstown native Steve Ditko, he wondered why more super stories weren’t being produced from their shared hometown.
That led him to pitch the idea to Klimeck, who also works at Bottle Works, and Bent Wookee Comix owner Wilt.
“It all feels very serendipitous,” Lamb said.
The trio has spent hours together every Thursday planning, collaborating and editing what has become a 60-page book that will be released Sept. 30 during the second Ditko Con, a celebration of Ditko’s career and pop culture influence.
However, the idea to partner – a first for the three – started at last year’s Batman Day at the State Theater, where the artists were on hand to draw, sell wares and chat with visitors.
Also there was Rhode Island playwright and creator of theatrical performance “Ditko,” Lenny Schwartz who was directing the premiere of his play “Bill Finger: Rise of the Bat.”
After chatting with the local artists, whom he has befriended since the first Ditko Con, Lamb approached Schwartz about penning a story for their joint comic, which the playwright gladly accepted.
“I am a fan of all of their work and I jumped at the chance,” Schwartz said. “I asked them what they are interested in drawing, and each had a different answer and aesthetic. So, I just tempered the script with each of the eras and their personal interests.”
All three artists were astounded by how accurate Schwartz’s story was to each of their unique interests and personalities.
“I don’t know how he did something so much in my wheelhouse,” Klimeck said.
Wilt added that the script was “spot-on.”
Schwartz based his tales on questions he asked and flipping through their work at Batman Day.
After that, he just let his imagination run wild.
The trio and writer worked together to tweak the stories a bit, adding references to local landmarks, including the Inclined Plane and Stone Bridge, but when it was done, they all were pleased with the final product.
Schwartz said he’s looking forward to collaborating more with the three artists.
The comic starts with Lamb’s Silver Age-inspired story – a classic superhero tale in the same vein as Blue Beetle and similar characters of the time – what Ditko started out doing and Lamb has always loved.
That’s followed by Klimeck’s noir, which he said was driven by his love of 1940s private eye movies. To keep with that style, those pages will be printed in black and white.
The capstone is Wilt’s specialty of mixing supernatural with hints of horror – a style he has been passionate about for years.
“It was an awesome opportunity to showcase the type of work I do,” Wilt said.
Klimeck noted that working with the others was probably the easiest collaboration experience he’s ever had.
“We all kind of did what we felt was right for the project,” Lamb added.
Additionally, each artist created a Ditko-homage cover for their section.
Wilt and Klimeck credited Lamb for bringing this all together and taking a editor-type role to make sure it all worked and commended him for everything he has done.
Although the three stories are set in vastly different genres, Wilt said they all tie together and hinted at the students’ work being the key.
However, none of the artists would divulge anymore details preferring to keep the mystery alive until the book’s release.
“The Legacy of Captain Bottle Works” is available for pre-order on IndieGoGo where sample pages, additional details and early-bird perks are offered.
Lamb said the comic was put there to raise some additional funds to help defray publishing costs and will also be on sale at Ditko Con.
Although this story is ready to print, the trio of artists said they are not done.
The goal of Hero Works Publishing is to feature local artists and get more comics produced from the home of Ditko.
For more information, visit www.indiegogo.com and www.bottleworks.org.
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Beloved photographer, Linda Gregory, remembered for her generosity
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Linda Gregory was covering a Northwest High School football game on Monday evening when players were accidentally pushed into her, causing her to hit her head. She had been on life support with minimal brain function when her husband, Mel Gregory, and her family met with the organ donation team, deciding to honor her final wish.
She had a passion for photography and used it to help tell the story of sporting events, music, and everyday life for many years.
Linda and Mel joined League 42 Youth Baseball when it started in 2013. League Director Bob Lutz says she was always volunteering to take photos.
“She provided us with a visual history of our league, and think we’re all just in kind of a state of shock. Linda poured so much into not only what we do but Northwest High School Football and so many other things. She never stopped giving,” said Lutz.
Travis Heying, a long-time visual journalist in the Wichita area, met Linda while covering local games. He says she became the biggest supporter of the band he is a drummer for sometimes on Sunday. Heying said she shot every show, never asking for anything in return.
“Man, all I can do is one day hope someone talks about me that way. It’s just like, maybe I need to be as generous as Linda was,” said Heying.
Sometimes, on Sunday honored Linda, showing their gratitude. They hope it will help her husband through the grieving process.
“We thanked her in the liner notes of our CD that we just sent off on Monday, the day this happened, so we’re hopeful that music helps Mel move forward,” said Heying.
For family-friend Joanna Chadwick, Linda and Mel became like a third set of grandparents to her sons. She said that one night, while working a game at Maize High School, she didn’t have anyone else to watch her son. Linda volunteered, showing him how to take pictures and even buying him a snow cone.
“Frankly, I think we all need to have a Linda in us. We all need to be that person that does something good for nothing in return,” said Chadwick.
On Wednesday, Mel said that she was one of a kind. He said they will honor her wish to have her organs donated, calling it her final act of generosity.
Los Altos artist Lonnie Zarem sets a scene in wax at Pacific Art League
The Pacific Art League is offering a wide range of classes this fall in traditional media like painting, photography, watercolor and pastels. But there is a medium you may have never heard of: encaustic monotype. A relatively new process that involves the use of heat and beeswax-infused pigments, encaustic monotype will be a major focus at the venerable art center with workshops, a class and a solo exhibition of work by Los Altos artist Lonnie Zarem.
The exhibition, entitled “Footprints of the Ephemeral,” is on view from Sept. 9 through. 26 throughout the PAL building, located on Ramona Street in Palo Alto. The show will feature 20 new prints by Zarem, many of them large-scale. During an interview with the artist at her home studio, it became apparent that both the technique and size of her work are pretty groundbreaking — and that she is passionate about sharing her love of the medium.
Although she always loved to draw and “make things with my hands,” Zarem became an artist fairly recently. She laughingly described how she would have a crafts table always on hand for her three sons and would wait until they were in bed to create herself. Her early career as owner of a technology marketing company in southern California made use of her undergraduate degree in Economics from UC Irvine. In 2002, she decided to pursue her love of art by getting another undergraduate degree from San Jose State University. Since then, she has been working steadily, participating in group shows and also teaching at the Pacific Art League.
She had used encaustic materials in her abstract paintings but was looking for something else to inspire her. When she heard of the encaustic monotype process, she knew it was something she had to try. “I liked it right away,” she said. “It has so many elements that I like: it is like painting in layers, there is a full range of magnificent colors and I like to draw.”
The process is, however, dependent upon having the right equipment, mainly the 16-by-32-inch hot box that is used to melt the pigment sticks. Zarem was happy to demonstrate exactly how the process works.
The hot boxes rely upon simple light bulbs to create the heat (around 175 degrees) under the anodized aluminum plate surface. Pigmented wax blocks are rubbed on the hot surface, melting and creating pools of color. Rice paper is then applied onto the surface, where, after gentle pressure from the hand, it absorbs the colors. The paper is pulled off and the result is a unique print. Zarem explained that, because she is so experienced in the process, she can plan an image in advance but, “The beauty is you always get a little surprise when you pull off the paper.”
Zarem soon began to experiment with different pigments and papers and decided she wanted to work on a larger scale. She found someone who could build a very large box (the size of six standard boxes put together) in order to pull prints that reflect her memories of a recent trip to Iceland.
Capturing the fleeting moments of beauty found in nature is a continuous theme in Zarem’s work, and Iceland provided nonstop inspiration. “People live their days by what the sky looks like,” she said. The vastness and variability are expressed in layers of cool pastel tones in “Iceland Sky.” In “Waterfall,” undulating vertical strokes of blue and yellow form the downward rush of water. “There are millions of waterfalls in Iceland,” she said, “I wanted to capture a sense of it being all over you, with colors underneath it.” And in “Low Tide,” she employed corpuscular daubs of translucent blue and bold shades of scarlet to portray the red seaweed that is particular to this region. “It was so beautiful and refreshing,” she recalled.
She also finds inspiration close to home. “Tomato Starts” reflects the emerging fruit found in her own backyard garden. “Blue Thistle” resulted after a hike in Hollister at dawn and makes the common weed appear gloriously blue against a golden background. In this print and in others, Zarem is able to express herself in a more representational way by using graphite wax or charcoal to draw clearly defined lines. In “Rare Bloom,” the leaves and stems of a potted plant are limned with realistic detail. The red flower, Zarem explained, appeared very unexpectedly one day after years of never blooming. “I had to capture the magenta blue in this flower.”
Zarem is most animated when she talks about sharing her love of encaustic monotype with others. “It’s a great medium for teaching because people get great satisfaction right away.” She has taught numerous classes and workshops both at PAL and in her home studio but has always wanted a dedicated place for instruction. Thanks to a grant from the International Encaustic Artists Project and funding from PAL, she will inaugurate the first encaustic center on the West Coast this fall. Ten hot boxes will be available for student use and the first six- week class at the art league, scheduled to begin Oct. 18, is already completely filled.
PAL Executive Director Aly Gould said, “Our decision to establish this center stems from the increasing popularity of this unique art form in various parts of the country. We noticed that many of our artists were traveling outside of the area to attend workshops focused on encaustic monotype printing, and we saw an opportunity to bring this center to PAL as a way to cater to their needs and to attract new artists to this exciting medium. It is a true honor to have Lonnie Zarem, a nationally esteemed encaustic monotype artist, help us launch this endeavor.”
Zarem predicts that students will find the process “quite addictive.” “It brings out the creativity in people without them knowing it.” Zarem said that her approach is to focus on the basic technique at first but then let students experiment with color, line and form. “I think the process in this medium can really work for so many people and add a lot of joy to their lives.”
The growing interest in encaustic monotypes clearly pleases Zarem. “I am having the time of my life in my studio,” she said. She frequently offers salons in her home and has a growing number of collectors of her work. And she continues to find inspiration in the quotidian. When asked to explain the title of her exhibition, she said, “I look for that one little moment when something is going on in the world that I might never see again. Beautiful things: that one sunset, the sky in Iceland. A moment there and gone. I find that in my fingertips and share it.”
“Footprints of the Ephemeral” is on view Sept. 9-26 at the Pacific Art League, 668 Ramona St., Palo Alto. For more information about the exhibition or classes, visit pacificartleague.org.
‘Sculptures for the people’
As you head into Detroit from the John C. Lodge Freeway, a giant Black fist confronts you. This sculpture, depicting the late boxer Joe Louis’ fist hanging from a tripod, has an attitude that seems to say, “I’m Detroit. I’m tough. I’m resilient. Don’t mess with me.”
