NEW ARTISTS - Fresh Look, Work, View.
February 22 , 2008 – March 28th, 2008
Opening Reception: Friday, February 22nd, 5:00 – 8:30 pm
Meet the Artists: Saturday, February 23rd, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
GRAND RAPIDS –LaFontsee Galleries continues its 2008 season with “New Artists – Fresh Look, Work, View” an exhibition featuring three of the youngest and most exciting gallery artists: Renee Hartig, Andrew Near and Jennifer Pope. This exhibition presents a look into the young and emerging art scene, and appeals to a crowd of all ages. “The beauty of this exhibition is that it is truly for everyone,” says Scott LaFontsee. “The work is bright and distinguished, yet the price tag on each piece reflects the fact that the artists are still young in their career. This is the perfect exhibition for young collectors to build a strong foundation for their art collections and seasoned collectors to purchase work by artists who we will surely see much more from in the future.”
Renee Hartig is a landscape painter who parallels nature and human influence. Her lush brush strokes and brilliant colors captivate her viewer and exhibit a confident form. Inspired by the land, she often paints it interrupted by telephone poles, train stations, orchards, or houses, yet it is her ability to minimalize her compositions that reflects her capability as a painter. The combination of subtle and pronounced elements in Hartig’s landscapes expose the influence man has over nature.
Andrew Near is a talented local sculpture who uses different metals to explore different ideas. His copper vessels explore ideas of tradition and journey, drawing their inspiration from ancient artifacts that have survived the course of history. Meanwhile, Near’s silver Chinese takeout and brown bag lunch sculptures playfully juxtapose formalism and wit. His ability to play with shape and color showcases a deep understanding of composition and form and an ability to play with the perceived weight of an object. “Andrew’s vessels carry such a great visual weight, it’s shocking when you pick one up and realize just how light his work actually is,” says LaFontsee. Near’s superior craftsmanship can been seen in each precise bend and fold of his choice metal medium.
It is not immediately apparent that Jennifer Pope works in one of the most challenging and laborsome mediums. Her ability to create such defined and deliberate images is a testament to her mastery of the color reduction woodcut process. Pope is a printmaker on a mission. “It is my intension to emphasize the ambivalent attitude people often have towards the extinct animals of the world and the animals that live along side us,” says the Grand Valley State University graduate. Her color reduction woodcuts often depict endangered or invasive species and speak to the delicate balance in which humans and animals must coexist. LaFontsee says, “Jenny is such an amazingly talented printmaker, especially in her chosen medium which is nearly a lost process. Her images appear light and lively – but are they?”
The opening reception for “New Artists - Fresh Work, Look, View ” will be held Friday, February 22nd, from 5:00 – 8:30 pm, at LaFontsee Galleries, located at 820 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI. The exhibition will be on view at the gallery through March 28th, 2008.
For more information, please call LaFontsee Galleries at (616) 451-9820
Gallery hours are Mon, Wed, Thurs 9-5:30, Tues, Fri 9-7, Sat. 10-4.