First Down and Goal to Go

Published on January 27, 2012 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

The whole city of Indianapolis is buzzing with anticipation of the Super Bowl festivities. Here at the Stutz it is no different. The gallery is hung, artist’s statements and titles still to come. It’s amazing to see how different artists have taken inspiration from various ‘yards’ in the city and morphed that inspiration into works of art in their chosen mediums.

I’ve always been fascinated with archeology, loving bones and fossils and evidence of the past. In the urban setting of the Stutz Business center, there is a whole history of time passage to be found in the floors. Scuffed tiles, cut off pipes, layers of paint and even footsteps in some of the old concrete. I can  be found sketching, photographing, or just examining the floors in various parts of the building. My new exploration into encaustic painting, with it’s layering and scratching into wax, has proven to be an exciting way of responding to these wonderful floor patterns and textures.

My two pieces, ‘Urban Fossil I’ and ‘Urban Fossil II’ will be on view starting on Feb 2nd from 5-9PM, and open on First Friday during our open studios from Noon-5PM. Oh, and on First Friday, while you are wandering from studio to studio, look down at the floors!

Carol L. Myers

President Stutz Artists Association

Call for Entries: March exhibit “Market”

Published on January 26, 2012 in Call for Entry and Exhibits. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

The StutzArtSpace gallery is seeking submissions for “Market”, a group photography exhibit with an opening reception on March 2nd, 2012. The work will hang through March 30th. 

We’re looking for work that blurs the lines between commercial and fine art. The work should meet the following criteria:

- Work should be photographs or derived from photographs
- Work should be one or both of the following: 
1) created for commercial use that you’d also consider art
2) explore the nature of commerce, marketing and desire

ENTRY DEADLINE FEB 6

- Submissions are due by 5pm on February 6th. 
- Artists selected to participate will be notified by February 8th.

Accepted Works

- If accepted, there is an entry fee of $30 ($25 for Stutz Artists Association members). Artists will receive 100% of work sold.
- If your work is chosen for the show, it should be delivered to StutzArtSpace on February 27th.
- All pieces must be exhibition-ready (Dry, complete, wired and ready for hanging, and with no protruding nails or other hazards. Works should be framed if applicable, or otherwise prepared for professional presentation). 
- All work — sold or unsold — should remain in gallery for the show’s duration.

Send submissions to andy@whatandysaw.com

Thanks,

Andy Chen
StutzArtSpace Gallery Director

 

Ten Yards Opens THURSDAY February 2

Published on January 21, 2012 in Exhibits. 0 Comments

UPDATE: I mistakenly posted this story with the title ‘Ten Yards Opens Friday, February 3′ last week and must make a correction…Ten Yards will open to the public on Thursday, February 2. Unfortunately, Stutz Art Space will not be open to the public on the actual First Friday due to a private Super Bowl event. We hope you’ll join us on Thursday instead from 5-9pm for the opening. The exhibit will run through February 24. Apologies for the confusion!

 

 

In a twist on the ten yards required to gain a first down in football, Stutz artists will salute the big game with a group exhibit inspired by ten locations or “yards” around Indianapolis.

Participating artists are Faith Blackwell, Kathy Blakenheim, Linette Bledsoe, Susan Brewer, Emily Budd, Martha Carlson, Shawn Causey, Andy Chen, Joseph Crone, Bonnie Fillenwarth, Wendy Franklin, Ritch Hanna, Sarah Kercheval, Whitney Lake, Travis Little, JanettMarie, Terri McClatchie, Carol L. Myers, Adam Collier Noel, David Sloma, Kevin Smola, Mike Swolsky, Martha Vaught and Julia Zollman Wickes.

Stutz artists selected the following ten yards, which are the inspiration for 25 pieces of artwork in the exhibition.

  1. Bishop Chatard neighborhood
  2. Broad Ripple
  3. Canal
  4. Children’s Museum
  5. Eagle Creek Park
  6. Fountain Square
  7. Irvington
  8. JW Marriott
  9. Monon Trail
  10. Stutz Building

WHAT: “10 Yards” exhibition
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 2, opening reception from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Exhibition open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or by appointment through Feb. 24
WHERE: STUTZARTSPACE Gallery, 212 W. 10th St., B110 (Enter from 10th Street via Bearcat alley)
COST: Free
ADDITIONAL INFO: (317) 503-6420

For more information on the progress of and to get a sneak peek of some of the artwork for ’10 Yards’, become a fan of Stutz Art Space on Facebook.

First Friday Open Studios

Published on November 30, 2011 in Exhibits, First Friday and Stutz Artists. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Each First Friday brings with it the opportunity to visit with Stutz artists in their natural habitats – their studios. This December 2 is no different. Many of our artists will have their doors open this Friday from noon until 5pm and will be ready and able to help you with your holiday art shopping (a good source in case you missed our Holiday Show).

This month’s open studio artists are:

Second Floor:

A250 Lydia Burris

A255 Victoria Gilleron

A275 Colleen Murphy

B210 Tom Murphy

B210 Gayle Moore

B250 Caroline Tabac-Shank

B255b Emily Budd

D220 Martha Carlson

D225 Susan Hazer

D275 Jane Knight

 

Third Floor:

B335 Mike Swolsky

B375 PHP Photography &
Boudoir Studio

C330 Leigh Dunnington-Jones

D340 Sue Christensen

E340 Bonnie Fillenwarth

E342 Carol L. Myers

 

When you’re done roaming the halls, join us at StutzArtSpace on the first floor for the opening reception of ‘Small Treasures’, and exhibit focusing on smaller works by many more Stutz artists. We hope you’ll consider making original art part of your holiday gift-giving.

New Stutz Residents Announced

Published on November 21, 2011 in Residency Program. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Local artists Emily Budd and Joseph Crone have been selected as the 2011-2012 Stutz Residents, which entitles them to free studio space and utilities in the Stutz Building for one year. Valued at $6,000 per artist, the residency is one of the largest grants to an individual artist in the state.

 

 Sculpture by Emily Budd
Emily Budd, “Draco”		  

Emily Budd

A bronze sculptor who works on small-scale, interactive pieces, Emily Budd plans to use her residency as an opportunity to work on larger projects and explore new techniques, forms and mediums. While focusing on a series of life-sized abstract bust forms, Budd also will continue her nature-inspired and imaginative small-scale work and offer classes and workshops to other artists.

In addition to enjoying the opportunity to explore new creations, the Cincinnati native expects to benefit from the opportunity to be around and learn from experienced artists. Budd has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Miami University of Ohio, and has completed an apprenticeship to become a master mold maker.

 

 

Art by Joseph Crone
Joseph Crone, “Cain and Abel”

Joseph Crone

Through an intense process involving photography, illustration and layered mediums, Joseph Crone renders single-scene mini-dramas in colored pencil.

Having graduated from the Herron School of Art and Design and studied at the Ringling School of Art and Design in Florida, the native Hoosier plans to take advantage of a more focused studio setting to more deeply explore the storytelling and techniques that anchor his work. In addition, he expects to both benefit from and contribute to the community of artists and art lovers at the Stutz, and to learn about the relationship between art and business.

 

About the Stutz Residency Program

Funding for the residency program comes from proceeds from the association’s annual open house, which is April 27-28, 2012. In addition to the open house, the association hosts monthly First Friday events, including open studios from noon to 5 p.m. and Stutz Art Space exhibition openings from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Since its inaugural year in 1996, the residency program has provided in-kind contributions of more than $120,000 to 22 local artists. Previous residents include Mallory Marty, Brian Myers, Lydia Burris, Patrick Flaherty, Mark Pack, William Denton Ray, Jay Parnell, Kate Oberreich, Kevin Smola, Stephanie Robertson, Larry Endicott, Ginny Taylor Rosner, David Kleeman, Kyle Ragsdale, Susan Watt Grade, Emily Kennerk and Greg Hull.

About the Stutz Artists Association

The Stutz Artists Association is one of the largest associations of working artists in Indiana. It exists to encourage its member artists and to promote their work.

The Stutz – Unclothed

Published on November 10, 2011 in Exhibits. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

The nude human figure in fine art has been both celebrated and censored, with its creation and display being influenced by academia and religion and its virtue debated by everyone.

Masochist, Ed Stewart

As part of the 2011 Spirit & Place Festival – which carries the theme “The Body” – a group show at STUTZARTSPACE will explore the question of the art nude’s place in public venues.

The exhibition includes 33 figurative pieces by 29 artists from Indianapolis and beyond.

Roughly half of the participating artists have studios at the Stutz.  They are Lydia Burris, Wendy Franklin, Jim Gerard, Travis S. Little, Karen Masbaum, Adam Noel, Polina Osherov, John Ross, Emily Schwank, Constance Scopelitis, Taylor Smith, Ed Stewart and Vicky White.

Other participants are:  Mike J. Arledge, Jr., Scott Barnes, Grace Benedict, Jim Cantrell, Dan Cooper, Matthew Davey, Mark Dillman, Sylvia Gray, Don Krajewski, Charles Letbetter , Danuta Loane, Kirsten May, Jonathan McAfee, Gary Mitchell , Tom Potter and David Winge.

Partners for the exhibition and Nov. 11 panel discussion include NUVO Newsweekly and KLF Legal. The show will be exhibited in STUTZARTSPACE gallery, which is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays through Nov. 25.

…

“Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude” Events

Opening Reception and Panel Discussion – Friday, Nov. 11, 5-9:30 p.m. (panel at 7 p.m.)
A 2011 Spirit & Place Festival event, the panel will discuss the place of the fine art nude in public venues. The moderator is Travis DiNicola, educator and co-host of WFYI’s “Art of the Matter” radio program.

Panelists will include: Tim Ayres, teaching pastor at Grace Community Church in Carmel; and Dan Cooper, chair of the IDADA Ethics and Fair Practice committee; Dan Grossman, visual arts critic at NUVO Newsweekly; Shannon Linker, director of artist services at the Arts Council of Indianapolis; Josh Schuler, director of sales and marketing at NUVO Newsweekly.

The Skin We’re In — From the Curator

Published on October 10, 2011 in Exhibits and Stutz Artists. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

Instead of gardening and enjoying the (hot) weather, I spent most of the late summer putting together a project that is very dear to my heart:  the group of women ‘of a certain age’ that make their art here, at the Stutz.  More than a year ago, I began to realize what a great asset in training and experience we, the Association, has in these talented, resourceful, and courageous women.  Ten of us came together to build an exhibition in October of last year, called Voices: Women of a Certain Age.  It was well received, so the group decided to do another in October 2011.  Early on I wanted to do something special to enhance this year’s exhibit,  which we decided should be about ‘the skin we’re in’, however that translates to us (spiritual skin, artistic skin, physical skin), but all about reaching and growing and figuring out who we are, as artists, as we accumulate years of experience. 

I had this wacky idea that we could do a calendar, since there were twelve of us—that  we could do something different from the ‘calendar girl’ thing that had been done so much. I  had a vision that we could be photographed nude (or semi), and digitally merged with our work.  The idea kept evolving as we met and planned, and, the summer was spent discussing all the issues around how we feel about our bodies, and whether that has anything to do with our art.  While I found photographers, scheduled photo shoots, the twelve of us met and discussed the many different aspects of the germ of an idea that I had over snacks and cocktails.  It was a democratic process.  For the most part we made all our decisions together.  And we had such fun!  Getting to know each other better, and struggling to get to know our selves better.  In the end we came to the conclusion that our bodies are just that…vessels that hold all that we are, but are not who we are.  The journey that we took produced twelve beautiful pieces of art that reflect our personalities– each piece became a third thing, that is neither the photograph or the original piece of work.  These new pieces compose our calendar. 

We decided to do some other things we’d never done before–besides take off our clothes.  We scheduled a couple of events during the month of October, all centered around women and art and our ‘skin’.  I found two authors who had written about historic Indiana women artists, and engaged them to give a talk in the gallery about their book ‘Skirting the Issue’.  They are also going to facilitate a panel discussion with today’s  women artists.  We’re trying something else new:  a closing reception, with an interesting program about the amazing engineering that has gone into re-sculpting the female figure for the past hundred and fifty years or so.  It seems society has been unsatisfied with our natural shape for some time.  We picked Pink Ribbon Connection to benefit with our calendar sales.  That choice also dovetailed into our theme.
All in all it has been a grand experiment that I am proud of, and most proud of US— The little group of  only 13 WACA’s, short for Women a Certain Age.  Long may we continue to work together!  No telling what we might do next year!  
If you’d like to see a slideshow of the WACA’s at work, click here.

– Leigh Dunnington Jones

Beyond the Basics: ‘Unclothed’ entry deadline this Friday

Published on September 20, 2011 in Exhibits and Stutz Artists. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Beyond the basics of a “Call for Submission” statement and providing the times and places and participants, I wanted to reach out to artists with the essence of what our “Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude — A Spirit & Place Event“, was all about, and why we are so passionate about the program.  I want to not just explain what it is, but why is it important.

There are two important parts of this event — the StutzArtSpace gallery show featuring works of art nude from regional artists of all media and styles, and also a panel discussion open to the public to discuss the issues facing artists and businesses when promoting work containing artistic expression of the human form, provocative or otherwise.  For this entry, however, I wish to focus on the gallery events and explain why your participation is so valuable to our program and also to the art community as a whole.

Our gallery event is intended to showcase work from artists who are from areas where there is commonly hesitation is displaying, or resistance in their ability to show, work that is seen as “too provocative”, or runs counter to “community standards”.  We are reaching out to provide and promote the art nude as a respected and honored subject in fine art, and to bring the voice and passion of these artists, or perhaps you, to the public forum.

As a figurative artist myself, I understand the challenges that I and others like me face doing paintings or photography of the human figure.  My portfolio has a certain liability attached to it when patrons or organizations are making decisions about my participation in their fairs or projects, or the risks of being associated with an artist that is not conservative in their entire body of work.  I have been declined opportunities to show my work or use certain images to promote shows or my career.  I have, many times, found a lack of support by other artists and arts organizations in defending my right to expression or protecting my ability to provide my work on equal terms with other artists to the public sphere.  These experiences in my own life as a working artist, and the differences in this market versus other more liberal or art-strong locations, have fueled my passion to give voice and place to those who also have these same or similar ordeals in their art lives.

The purpose of this gallery show is multifaceted.  We want to provide a venue that highlights the best of figurative art nude work in sculpture, paintings, photography, mixed-media, multimedia, and performance.  We want to advertise and promote this to everyone from the avid supporters of this subject in art, to the curious, to the doubtful, and even to the critics.  We want those that collect fine art nude works to know this is THE PLACE in Indianapolis where they might see and purchase work that appeals to them, or at the very least provide encouragement and networking with the artists who create it.

One of the most important missions of this show, and all of the associated elements of this Spirit & Place event, is education and promoting the open discussion on the value of art nude work, and showing that it deserves “equal shelf space” with the still life, the landscape, and all other subject matter.  It is a call to rally and show support, but also to ask our patrons and our neighbors to accept that our subject of choice is a matter of taste like most any other subject, but not to be feared or reviled.  We want to present the work in a positive and sophisticated way, rather than a confrontational approach.

Furthermore, we are also reaching out to other galleries in November to participate with us and show at least one art nude work, and providing them work and contacts if they do not have internally represented artists to fill the request.  These cross-promotional partnerships will be provided through our entries for the show, and part of our overall promotion of the several events that are part of this.

So, I am personally calling on each of you in the arts to either make a new work on the theme, or provide one you have already made, and put your best foot forward, and submit and participate with us.  We want men and women and all age groups and perspectives and backgrounds to submit work for selection, and want the showing to be broad across demographics and geographies.  We want your stories of why you have created beautiful nudes, and want to hear your experiences and of your support as an artist — both good and bad — to include in our presentation.  We want your voice and your artistic heart, and to show and to sell your work, and to celebrate the spirit that makes us create and express ourselves, and doing so regardless of market acceptance or current community standards and tastes.

I sincerely hope that each of you will take the time to read and submit work, and I look forward to your work being part of this presentation.

 

Be well,

Travis S. Little

Curator, “Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude”

IDADA Artist Representative*

 

*This is not an IDADA sponsored event.

 

Important Information:

Call For Entries

http://www.stutzartists.com/unclothedCFE.html

Entry Deadline: Friday, September 23, 2011 by 5pm EST

 

“Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude”

StutzArtSpace, Indianapolis, IN

November 4th through 23rd

Open Monday-Friday, 11a-2p

 

Special Art Preview Show

Friday, November 4th (IDADA First Friday Event), 5:30p-9p

StutzArtSpace, Indianapolis, IN

Includes special presentations and performances

 

Spirit & Place Event and Panel Discussion and Open Gallery

Stutz Artists Association, presented in partnerships with KLF Legal and NUVO Newsweekly

Stutz Business Center

Friday, November 11th, 6p-9:30p

Panel Discussion hosted by Travis DiNicola from 7-8:30

An artist’s perspective on September 11, 2001

Published on September 9, 2011 in Stutz Artists. 0 Comments

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was just getting to my studio space in the senior painting room at Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana, when I received a phone call from my husband. He said he had just had a call from our daughter, Katie, who lived and worked in Manhattan.

She said that a plane had just hit one of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and that she was okay. Katie’s office was 14 blocks from the WTC.

At that point, we had heard nothing about this incident. I called her immediately and her words to me were, “Mom, Mom, go home. Turn on the TV. Mom, this is big. Mom, people are running through the streets.”

There was a TV in someone’s studio so we all gathered around and were unable to leave the spot. The teacher came by and told us to turn off the TV and get back to work. (I always wondered if she realized what she did that morning–but who could have known….). Students started leaving and I headed to the bookstore downstairs where there was another TV. By now, the second plane had hit. It was beginning to dawn on me that this was an attack on our wonderful city and our people and that my daughter was so close to this tragedy. (By this time, she had left her office and run all the way to her apartment in midtown from lower Manhattan).

A numbness had settled in and upon returning to my studio, I prepared to leave for home. I spotted a gessoed piece of paper tacked to the wall and in about 10 minutes I put down all my emotions of what I had witnessed on TV and on the phone with Katie and made the above painting. We were among the lucky parents who heard from their child before we heard the news ourselves and she was okay. I have thought so much about those parents and spouses who heard the news and couldn’t get through, who had someone trapped in the building, or who never heard at all.

– Julia Zollman Wickes

…

Artist Julia Zollman Wickes is a painter of imaginative and expressive portraits, landscapes, and illustrations. Inspired by the narrative of daily life, Julia Zollman Wickes searches for subjects wherever she goes – all over the world. She lives, paints and teaches art classes in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. For more on Julia, please visit her website at www.juliawickes.com and her blog at http://jzwickes.blogspot.com.

Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude Call for Entries

Published on August 16, 2011 in Exhibits. 0 Comments

The STUTZARTSPACE Gallery is seeking entries for its November exhibit, Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude, a Spirit and Place Festival Event.

What place does the art nude have in the public venue? The STUTZARTSPACE gallery examines this question with Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude, a 2011 Spirit and Place Festival exhibit and panel discussion. Unclothed explores this years Spirit and Place Festival theme, the Body. The nude human figure in fine art has been both celebrated and censored, with display and creation influenced by academia and religion, and virtue debated by everyone.

The exhibit, featuring regional artists displaying works of the human form, is on display from November 4th through November 25th. The gallery will host a public panel discussion on the place of the fine art nude on Friday, November 11th.

Entry Deadline: Friday, September 23, 2011 by 5pm EST

For more info, view the full Call for Entries.