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.

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“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

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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.

Stutz Members Curate New Show

Published on July 1, 2011 in Exhibits. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

This month, StutzArtSpace celebrates the Color of Music, an exhibit of artwork influenced by song. It was curated by Stutz Artist Association members Vicky Shaffer White and Martha Carlson and opens tonight from 5-9pm as part of IDADA’s First Friday.

Vicky and I were at a gallery meeting discussing ideas for new shows. When she mentioned doing one associated with music, I jumped on it as that has always been an idea in the back of my mind, but life happens and sometimes ideas get shelved.

She is exciting to work with. Very fresh ideas and very professional. Andy (StutzArtSpace Gallery Director Andy Chen) was sensitive to the colors and sizes of pieces we received. Since it is thirteen artists using different techniques, it’s a challenge to place pieces next to each other using color, size, content, and image to strengthen the show.

'Unfinished Life' (detail) by Martha Carlson

I really wanted to add a piece to the show I did in honor of Ryan Hartman. He was my son’s best friend and was to be in his wedding but passed away two weeks before the event. He played the piano his whole life and while it wasn’t his profession I was constantly amazed how he could just sit down and play any piece you asked him to.

The other pieces in the show are amazing and I hope everyone enjoys the rhythm this show brings.

-Martha Carlson


The Color of Music

Published on June 29, 2011 in Exhibits. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

What does music look like?

See the song, hear the art: StutzArtSpace presents The Color of Music.

It’s not so far from our eyes to our ears. In July, the StutzArtSpace will travel that short distance by featuring works of art inspired by music.

Opening July 1, The Color of Music will link the songs in our ears to the images in our minds.

 

Windy Evening by Vicky Shaffer White (inspired by Kansas' 'Dust in the Wind')

Local artists Susan Brewer, Martha Carlson, Shawn Causey, Wendy Franklin, JanettMarie, Jane Knight, Laura Liotti, Terrie McClatchie, Carol L. Myers, Kevin Smola, Mike Swolsky, Vicky Shaffer White, and Julia Wickes have created pieces inspired by musical compositions.

 

Lennon by Michael Swolsky (inspired by John Lennon's 'Imagine')

An opening reception for the show is set for 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 1, in conjunction with the Indianapolis Downtown Artists & Dealers Association’s (IDADA) monthly First Friday gallery tour.

The reception will feature music by The Hollanders, an acoustic duo. The show continues through July 29, and the gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays or by appointment.

Decisions, decisions – How a Stutz Studio Resident is Selected

Published on June 28, 2011 in Residency Program and Stutz Artists. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

As the deadline for the 2011 Stutz Studio Residency looms, I’ve been asked more than once about how we decide on the finalists and then the winners. Truth is, it’s a difficult process involving an experienced selection committee.

The Selection Committee is made up of eight to ten Stutz Artists each year. A few are past Residents themselves, others have significant experience with the Stutz, some are Stutz Artists Association Board members, others are chosen because they offer a differing point of view. The idea is to have a well-rounded group whose members are willing to speak up, debate and if need be fight for an applicant.

So how does this process work, anyway? What follows is a rundown of how selections are made in chronological order. There are a few “fun facts” along the way, too:

1. First Impressions - Your Application: Upon receipt, I review your application to be sure that you meet all our eligibility requirements. Each requirement is important for various reasons, for example, you must be 18 years or older to apply. Why? We make you sign a contract if selected. In Indiana you can’t do this as a minor. We’re making this agreement for a year with you, not your mom, not your dad.

Fun Fact: In addition to making sure you meet all the requirements, I test your CD of images AND give you the opportunity to re-submit the CD should it not work, even after the submission deadline. The rest of your application must be complete though.

 Deadlines are important! I cannot stress this enough. While it’s true that given a Friday deadline, we may not start looking over anything until Monday, your ability to have your application in on time tells us a lot about you. Before even opening your envelope of information, we’ve already started to form an opinion about the kind of Resident you’d be.

2. The Selection Committee Meet-up: The Selection Committee meets up in mid-late July and pulls what resembles a college all-nighter (there’s usually pizza involved).  

We often review your images first, we are visual people after all. This is where good image quality is important. We’re looking for current artwork that expresses where you’re headed artistically. Themes are fine, but range is good too. Don’t go too far in either direction, only showing us one or the other. While skill is a good thing to see, it’s not the only thing.

 We ask you for a brief bio and artist statement to learn more about you and your work. We don’t consider them interchangeable. Both should be well written – good spelling, grammar, etc and easy to read. Overly flowery jargon will not serve you well with this group. Oh, and please keep it short. In reviewing so many applications, it turns into a long night for the committee.

Fun Fact: In past years, the Committee has received applications that are illustrated, scented, attached to gifts, and folded like origami. Please don’t do this. Scented apps set off allergies in some, gifts don’t get you further in the process and origami is annoying to have to unfold to get at the informaiton.

Aside from images, your narrative is probably the most important part. This is where we get to see what your made of, and in all selfishness, what you can contribute to the Stutz community.

What are we looking for anyway? This is a tough one. We often just know it when we see it. I think it comes down to what we can get of your personality from the application. Be you, be honest in what you want. Don’t try to guess what we want and be that.

3. The Interviews: After the committee review session (or sessions, depending on the number of applicants) we pick six finalists. Those six are the strongest of the group. It in no way means that others were bad, just not quite right for the Residency.

Fact is, the winners of this Residency essencially live with us for a year, becoming part of the community. Think of it as how you might interview a new roommate. Each finalist meets with the committee to help us get to know you better. We ask a few questions, have you bring in a couple pieces of work for us to see in person and basically let you tell us more about yourself. That’s it.

Fun Fact: We pick alternate finalists! We require the finalists to RSVP to the interview session. It they’re unable to come or don’t respond, we go to an alternate to take their place. Why do we stick to one interview date? Do you know how hard it is to get ten artists together at the same time in one place?! It’s like herding cats.

4. The Vote: After the interviews are complete is the only time in the process when it comes down to a vote. Before this moment it’s all discussion based. Each applicant is scored on a series of qualification questions on a scale of one to five.  To keep applicants from trying to cater to what they think we want to hear, these questions are never released. The scores are added up and the two finalists with the highest scores are our winners. 

That’s it! It comes down to a great portfolio of images and personality. It’s cliche to say, but be yourself about who you are and what you want to get out of this Residency is the best advice I can offer to anyone considering applying.

Have more questions? Please comment! I’m happy to help!

I’d also like to mention that if you need help with your artist statement, I strongly recommend attending the ProDev Workshop: Writing an Effective Artist Statement Workshop, presented by the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Primary Colours tomorrow night, June 29 from 6-8pm at the Wheeler Arts Community (1035 Sanders St., in Fountain Square). The panel will include myself, Julia Muney Moore and Cindy Dunston Quirk.

The deadline for the 2011 Stutz Studio Residency is this Friday, July 1 at 5pm. For complete requirements, rules, and application please visit www.stutzartists.org/residency.htm.

All the best,

Kate Oberreich

Stutz Studio Residency Selection Committee Chair

Where Does Art Belong?

Published on June 16, 2011 in Exhibits. 0 Comments

Before I started hanging out with artists, everything on my walls was mass produced and purchased at a department store. That was my idea of art for the common person. If I wanted to see “higher” art, I’d goto a museum or visit a gallery. But, that was a whole different world. Art from those places were for learning not for living, right? What makes something art and something decoration?

Here are some pictures from the current exhibit, The Couch Show. It’s kind of strange to walk into the gallery and see a bunch of furniture. Although, I’m going to miss it when the exhibit ends. The show continues through June 24, and the gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays or by appointment. For more info please visit, www.stutzartists.com.

P.S. This show took a good amount of coordination. Thanks to designers Brandy Ketterer, Lesley Weidenbener and Keith Hochstetler for being so great to work with, and the artists for providing such appropriate work. And, a special bit of trivia. The show promo features a photograph of a couch in the Kellar Mahaney Gallery. Kudos to a gallery that is already couch worthy.

Andy Chen

Stutz as backdrop

Published on June 7, 2011 in Stutz Artists. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

STUTZ ARTIST PROFILE: Emily Schwank

The Stutz Business Center houses the studios of more than 90 artists. For many of us the former car factory is home away from home where hours upon hours are spent creating paintings, sculpture, jewelry, glass and so much more.

For one artist, photographer Emily Schwank, who is new to the Stutz this year, the winding halls, elevators and stairways have become an industrial backdrop for her family, portrait and event photos.

“I chose the Stutz for a lot of reasons…but mostly because the quality of of the artist community and Association,” says Schwank, artist-owner of Raincliffs Photography. Many of Emily’s recent family shoots have taken place at the Stutz Building (among other locales), “The beautiful old building, the brick, the well cared for but still original windows and doors and exterior… the overall feel urban yet classic-ness of the building is what draws me to shoot there.”

For more information on booking a session for yourself, your event or family with Emily or to see more of her work, visit her blog at www.raincliffsphotography.blogspot.com.

–KJO