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September 26, 2004=
Staff REVIEW =
"Transitions
II" =
Through
Nov. 27. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. =
The
verdict: Though somewhat simplistic, the show is an opportunity to see a
range of work by six longtime =
To nonartists, it may appear that creativity moves in
mysterious ways. =
"Transitions,"
an exhibition of six =
In some
cases the exhibited pieces enable the viewer to perceive changes unfoldin=
g.
The selection of Don Cooper's paintings, for example, documents his
move from enigmatic narrative to imagery emblematic of Buddhism and
Asian climes to abstractions of universal symbolism of water
and the egg. All are linked by a quiet, dreamlike quality and rich,
neon-tinged palette. =
Although
there are no examples of his current work, Toby Martin's body o=
f
work shows consistency both in form and content. =
In other
cases, it's more like those before-and-after weight-loss pictures in which
the person is unrecognizable. While it is true that Carolyn Carr made a c=
lean
break when she abandoned her signature tea-stained, figurative paintings =
for
abstractions of dynamic interlocking snakes of color, the n=
ew
work didn't spring out fully realized like Venus out of the head <=
b>of
Zeus. (You can see more of these handsome paintings in her show at=
Fay
Gold Gallery.) =
In other
words, the middle ground is missing. To truly mark the transitions, it wo=
uld
have been illuminating to see some of the sketches, the experiment=
s,
the fumbles. =
The
format is more successful in capturing the sensibilities of artists
like Leslie Kneisel and Susan Loftin,
who experiment with materials, selecting those that best express their
thoughts. Loftin's gallery reveals a shift in
emphasis from the solidity of clay to airy, linear structures o=
f
steel mesh, packing tape and other man-made materials. The house forms =
Although
"Weed," her mobile of wire and fake leaves, addresses the
nature/man-made issue with appealing whimsy, the earthenware vessels rema=
in
her best work. Her sense of form, color and pattern are unerring. =
An
artist recently told me that returning to a past style was like sleeping =
with
an old boyfriend. One recent piece suggests Loftin
has not given up clay entirely. =
The
section devoted to Donald Locke exemplifies a breakthrough change. Much <=
b>of
his mature work could be described as modernism filtered through the
consciousness of a black artist -- specifically a native of=
His contact with the assemblages of Southern
self-taught artists led to the fascinating sculptures he now makes (which
would fit perfectly in "Gathering" at
Copyright 2004 The=
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