One Year Old Feels Older Than It Should

Happy Birthday to the gallery. What a special day for it. We remember when it was but a mere consideration in the backend mind of three little heads.

What does it mean. I think it means onward and upward. We've had a great first year with as top notch artist as I could ever hope for. Brett Colley, Liz Wolf, Matthew Hoffman, David Johnson, B. Ingrid Olson and Jonathan Stewart. A swath of art from different areas of the country and different areas of the genre. We owe a giant debt to these artists for supporting us by agreeing to have their work shown in a small, out-of-the-way place. A place that, while we love, was VERY lucky to get the likes of them.

We want to take the briefest moment and profess the sincerest THANK YOU that we can muster. As you all well know there isn't much of anything that means a whole lot of anything without the interest and support and girders of you, the people. You're the ones with the interest, you're the one with the desire to show up every other month or to drop us a note or just to LIKE us on Facebook and I promise you each and every one of those things means as much as a fistful of gold.

So what's next...

What is next.

How about some N. Adam Beadel.

Adam recently returned to Davenport after an absence of almost a decade. We take great pride and pleasure in being able to show the work of our first local artist (of which we hope there will be many more) Here is the postcard for Adam's show "A Great New Start"

and how about a little insight about the man himself:


Team Nerd is the hand-carved linoleum, woodblock, and letterpress printing of N. Adam Beadel.  Excessively bullied as a teenager in Iowa, Beadel set out for Seattle Washington in 2001 to find his feet.  He found a home in the world of self-publishing and graffiti, which morphed into a love for letterpress and relief printmaking. At 27 years old, Beadel set out for Knoxville Tennessee, to intern at the world famous Yee-Haw Industries, the best education of his letterpressing life.  Today, he’s scheming towards the future, carving woodblocks, and acquiring equipment to start his own press in the Midwestern United States.

Check out more of his stuff at www.flickr.com/teamnerd.

We are a year old. I hope we get older. Your continued support helps us do that. We're providing these exhibitions with only a 10% commission that goes to the owner of the East Side Bakery - Nikki. We're not here to make money, only to provide the Quad Cities with a space that presents the best Printmaking, Book Arts, Textual Arts and Paper Works that we can. This is a passion project. Tell your friends, tell your enemies, tell your frenemies, but please tell.

Here's the technical info:

What: "A Great New Start" opening
Where: The Bakery Gallery at 1330 East 12th Street, Davenport Ia 52803
When: Opening is Friday December 3rd from 6-8 and the exhibition runs until February 4th. 
Why: I think you know why.
How: Shear sweat baby. 

Of note: We'll have a DJ on board for the Opening. Hear some great tunes.

Thanks again. Let us know what you think.

The Bakery Gallery.

The True Tale of a Tardy, Tawdry Trip

Hello.

This has been a long time coming. We did Mr. Stewart a wrong by not getting this up quicker, so for that we heartily apologize. That being said the Opening was great. We sold more pieces than we ever have in the past (with 90 percent of those proceeds going back to the artist and 10 percent going to the lovely East Side Bakery for allowing us to host in their establishment)

The day was comfortably warm, the response was charismatically swell and the food was quickly consumed. We did learn that the fancier the cheese the less likely it is to be eaten.

the throne: sat in by the invisible representation of Jonathan Stewart. I insisted all questions 

be directed to that chair throughout the night. 

WE LOVE BEANS!!!

Signing and looking. Dirty jobs for clean causes. 

Throughout the months we had several of the same questions pop up. The first one tended to be "Are there actual toys inside" and the second was "Did he print these on a computer" So here are the answers.

There are no toys inside. A few of them have magnets, but that is unrelated to anything that concerns anything really.

Jonathan did not print these on a computer. He screenprinted them on a flat surface and then cut them and scored them to allow the box forms to be made.

 the voyeur's view. Quit staring and come on in. 

Many artist's wept upon seeing these little boxes containing the dreaded form letter. "My work is to good for you anyway Connecticut College of Craft and Kreativity!!!" whoooaaa...

shaky bits and a baby

The east wall.

So there you have it. Our sixth show in the bag. You know what that means? We've made it one year!

Hoozah. I'd write more, but really I'm going to post something else in like a half an hour. (Months of nothing and then SHABAM... I know. ) 

Keep coming and we'll keep showing. 

It's a Behind!!!

Yes I'm late... I know. I want to show you the opening for Jonathan Stewart's show. It was awesome with sales and everything.

But I cannot find my camera. This is not the excuse for a failure to post for the last month, but it is an excuse for failing to post at this very moment. I looked everywhere. I promise.

Anyway, prepare for a deluge of updates this week. We're up to our year anniversary, we're having a show with Team Nerd, We have some updates of previous exhibitors.

OH BOY It's going to be a week of awesomeness... assuming I can stick with it.

Thanks for following and supporting this endeavor. Please come to the Big Year Opening.

More news soon.

In the meantime.

A Tiny Droplet of Things To Come...

We're really excited to have the next Bakery artist grace are walls in October. 

Young Jonathan Stewart will be here (in art form only) throughout October and November displaying his amazing Screen Printed boxes in his solo show entitled Blockism.

Jonathan is currently located down near the Dallas / Fort Worth area finishing his Masters degree at the University of Dallas. It's a swell program with great facilities, a top notch Instructor (one Mr. Juergen Strunck) and talented candidates. Honest truth, We saw it with our own eyes!

I apologize in advance for the tiny images, but we here at the Bakery are having some minor technology glitches. Needless to say if you come over and see these suckers in person you will not be disappointed (unless you're THAT type of person in which case there is just no pleasing you.) 

                                                                                  

     

(imagine these as three dimensional objects) 

Now imagine that they are funny...

     and then you realize they are heart-wrenching.

Now don't you want to share that feeling in a large group during an Opening surrounded by Stewarts work? You better believe you do! (If you were asking for our two cents.) 

Here's a few brief words from Jonathan himself:

I am primarily concerned with how history, experiences, and emotions are packaged for consumption.  My boxes point toward a marketplace where these characteristics are bought and sold.

So by now you are saying "Enough Jibber Jabber!" and we agree. Here's the dirty details...

Where: The Bakery Gallery: 1330 E. 12th Street Davenport, Ia 52803

When: Friday, October 8th from 6 pm until 8 pm

Who: Jonathan Stewart's Blockism

Why: Because It Rocks

How: Because We Bring You The Rock

There's one last reason for you to be at this show and it is best exemplified by one of the pieces that will be on display. Why shouldn't you go? Because you have "Nowhere Else To Go" ($30.00)

Face-Planting Double-Takes Left and Right

the set-up has begun and the gauntlets been thrown

Oh man, we did it! We so did it! Push Ups, the exhibition by B. Ingrid Olson ended up to be a rousing (one may say riotous) event. * The big downer is that Ingrid herself was unable to make it. (Due to Airport type things -- you know, complicated stuff) Despite this upset the people still seemed to have a good viewing. 

It was also the first week of St. Ambrose being back in session and it was good to see some students wander back into the space. Of course, much like Billy Idol, we want more, more, more. 

One of the things we like most on these Opening Nights is seeing new people wander in. That happened. There was roughly 1/4 new faces and that, to us, is awesome. PLEASE COME BACK!

Soooo... much good food! Only three people busted a gut (from eating, another two from frivolity and laughter) 

As always the deliciousness was provided by Nikki, owner of the Eastside Bakery, and her sons. I think there are VERY few people who can walk away from the tastiness. More and more people are leaving with pizza's and such under there arms. It's an excellent way to support a small local bakery. 

doublemint

Emulation is flattery

I think Renee wanted to prove that she could be hunchy too. One of the key elements to this set of Ingrid's work is how they are hung on the wall and the interaction the paper has with it. Lots of questions and discussion sprung from this. 

The part of the night where the hosts put everyone in pairs to discuss the impact of such things

sitting on sitting on sitting

The December artist creeps into frame

Local artist Adam Beadel plans his nefarious release upon Winter. You can tell that he's up to something. (I think you can tell...can't you?)

I'm pretty sure this is a physical push-up challenge being thrown down

So many discussion in such a small place. We think things were getting serious for awhile. 

you can read this right?

The show is up through September and comes down the first week of October. We highly advise you to stop by and see for yourself the greatness that is B. Ingrid Olson. It's worth the time. Until soon (sooner and sooner)

Bereft of Singularity We Instead Seek Community

So we are going to admit we're a big fan.

Well, we're a big fan of everyone we show here at the Bakery. It's part of the deal. There's a personal and emotional relationship with the work we exhibit and our main focus is to expose the Quad Cities to work that we like. That being said...

                   We really like B. Ingrid Olson's work.

                                                       There's a good chance you will too.

A great explanation of her work from Ingrid herself. 

"Experience is realized first as feeling, then as thought and finally, language. In my drawings I use the body as a means to enter into an extralinguistic time and space. The body is reiterated in the slow movements of multiple figures; each gestural quotation becomes an interlude within the cumulative body of work. 
   
 My conception of experience, as drawn, is reinforced in the means of making and mode of display. The work, inside and out, is simultaneously stable and fragile. The drawn line is direct, though the exactness in manner becomes oxymoronic when used to describe that which is beyond words. 
    
The paper rests on the wall as a tangible object. The drawings are essentially images, but in the final work they become self-aware objects. The paper curls away from the wall, the edges are uneven, and the corners are bent.
   
 Push-ups are self-conscious attempts. Bodily bending, hunching and curling are used to depict slow movement towards an unknown and unimportant destination. These are small moments of transition between one occurrence and what comes after. This time has no name and no specificity. This time is the tremor just before something new."

Ingrid made a really smart move by making her website copy proof. We wanted to show more images of her work, but she cleverly thwarted us. So we are going to demand a little bit of action on your part dear reader and insist that you check out her website at http://www.bingridolson.com/  It'll be worth your time. 

So now that We've gotten you all hot and heavy on the idea of this show perhaps we owe you a spare

detail or two. 

We will go about this in the way we know best... through a numbering system. 

1) The show "Push Ups" opens on August 27th. For you students in the Quad City area that means the week after school starts (I don't know this as an absolute... at least for St. Ambrose. I could be wrong with the rest, but come on...should we really know all of that info) This is the perfect first art opportunity for you of the School Year. 

2) For you non-students this ain't no excuse to slack. Come on out, see some great art and support your local community. 

3) The Opening is from 6 pm until 8 pm on Friday the 27th. 

4) The Exhibition itself runs from Tuesday August 10th until October 2nd. 

4) The Bakery Gallery is located at 1330 East 12th Street. It's a little west of the Village, a little north of Bridge St. and Dead Center in our hearts. 

5) Food a'plenty is provided by Nikki at the Eastside Bakery. If you haven't tried it, well let's just say Heaven on Earth. 

6) Ingrid is flying in from SAN FRANCISCO just to talk to you. Come on... that's a pretty big deal right?

If that doesn't convince you then I can't help but to throw out the precursory "lost cause" in front of you. 

Safety in Assuredness

I think it is a pretty safe bet to say that "Books and Prints" by David Johnson is winding down. We've got to make that drive to drop everything back off in Indiana and it seems like early August is the time to do it.

What am I trying to say? The show is coming down on the 30th of July. Whooosh. I said, right there out in the open. Honestly is the best policy. The exhibition is in its last week.

So I cordially urge you to stop on by between hither and thither to see (or perhaps buy?!?!?!) some pretty amazing books and prints (as is evident based on the title)

What's coming up? What's next? Who is your new fix of contemporary art in the Quad Cities?

How about one B. Ingrid Olson.

More on her in the very near future.

Cool Night In The Hot Town

I'm not going to lie to you, this show looks fantastic! David Johnson's Books and Prints make a great addition to the (brand spanking newly painted) Bakery Gallery walls.

The artist made it to the Opening where he provided not only a sugary whit, but also 12 extra books for viewers to peruse. Make no mistake folks, these books be made for touching. (respectfully of course) We transformed the space into an Artist's Book mecca for a brief two hours.

Don't fret. While a few of the books high-tailed back to Indiana after the opening (particularly the STUNNING big books), we still have a hefty selection available through the beginning of August. Come check them out. They're engaging and cheap. Perfect for your burgeoning Artist's Book collection.

The identifier wall (along with Sarah)

The Dude himself (left) along with painter extraordinaire Robert Flory (visiting from Indiana)

stealing from the tip jar.

You may be thinking "Joseph, Anna & Heather, It seems like there were not a lot of viewers this go around. Is that possible?"

The truth is no, it is not possible. The 11th happened to be a scorching break between rainfalls. The Bakery Gallery, while equipped with three fans does not have air conditioning. You may also recall that it also acts as a functional bakery. With ovens. HOT ovens. So the temperature inside was in the upper 90's (no BS)

I sweated through two shirts. I'm not afraid to admit it.

Anyway, many of us spent a significant amount of time "cooling off" outside.

an intense discussion about the new "Twilight" film

Oh man, the gloves are coming on!

The BIG BOOK (24" x 30" (i think)) If you missed it...don't you feel bad?

and here I was worried the gloves would be too small.

What do you think of those new shelves? I think they look pretty alright.

So come on over! Please spread the news of our existence to anyone you can think of be it friend or press.

Until next time.

Louise Bourgeois (1911 - May 31st, 2010)

98 years due to a heart attack

Sigmar Polke (1941 - June 10, 2010)

69 years due to cancer

Uh Oh, Here Comes Trouble

This Friday come on over to the ol' Gallery and see what the new show is all about.

The Who and the What: David Johnson's exhibition "Books and Prints"

The When: 6:00 - 8:00

The Where: The Bakery Gallery - 1330 E. 12th Street in D'port

The How: Lots of driving, mounting shelves and sweating...an unusual amount of sweating

The Why: Come on, really?

David will be there to answer all of your questions. Maybe there will even be a baby or two for you to poke. (don't poke the babies please)

Or come on out to see the newly spackled and painted walls (did I mention the sweating...that's what caused it)

Lets end this pre-show with Johnson's Artist Statement for the Exhibition. It'll get you revved up in all the right places.

I make woodcuts, linocuts and etchings; otherwise known as Relief and Intaglio prints. I make Relief prints because they are the most primitive and therefore easiest: I can make them at home with a gouge and print them with a roller and a wooden spoon. A Relief print or woodcut transforms my drawing into something unforeseen with increased impact from the cut marks and resulting shapes. I discovered Intaglio prints or etchings at college in the mid 70’s when Iowa was the Printmaking capital of the world with an emphasis on Intaglio. When I think of Intaglio I recall what Mrs. Olsen used to say about Folger’s Coffee, “It’s the richest kind”.

I am very interested in Drawing and how when we draw we unconsciously select and emphasize aspects or elements of nature. The world is an immensely interesting and fascinating place at its best. To draw from nature or life is a way of studying and appreciating nature and life.

Prints are a way for me to select the most successful drawings from my sketchbooks and extend them. They seem to increase in richness and impact when I develop them as prints. When I combine things from different drawings into one composition the associations create additional implications; what do these two people have to do with each other? Why is this fellow jaywalking? Is this the student ghetto? Is this a dodgy part of town? When images are combined in books there are immense possibilities for association. And with books there are innumerable elements of consideration; drawing, printing, writing, type, binding, and paper just to name a few. I have come somewhat late to books; I have only made them for about fifteen years. I feel like a kindergartener in the realm of books, that is I am still a primitive; I have only begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities.

See you on Friday. Bring your friends

OK, SO NOW WHAT?

The Bakery Gallery (and Eastside Bakery) on an early March morn.

So I finally managed to get the pictures up from the Matthew Hoffman Show at the Bakery Gallery. I appreciate the intense patience that you all have as I am fairly certain that you have been chomping at the bit to see these.

ahem...

Anyway, let's get started. So it all begins with

As you may recall the idea behind the gallery is to provide a space in the Quad Cities that showcases Artists who specialize in printmaking, works on paper, textual art and book arts.

Well Matthew has partaken in all of the above. While he doesn't do what one would traditionally call "print works" he does provide art as multiple (one of the leading purposes of printmaking) through his "It's OK" limited edition of one million.

The Bling Variation of the "Its Ok" Series

While the link below is a couple of years old, I thought it would be good to show you the level of determination (insanity) Matthew has regarding this endeavor.

http://itsok24hrs.blogspot.com/

This is also the site where you can purchase them for your own positive self-confirmation.

http://store.multipolarprojects.com/

Another piece that is currently at the Gallery is his edition of 2000 "Over and Over" sheets.

It's sitting there in the middle. The white pillar thing... yep you got it.

There was much hootin' and hollerin' about this piece as a) it was free to take and b) it seemed to spark the idea of stencil work throughout the city. I haven't seen any yet, so as of now it is just chatter, but who knows... one day soon you may see an Over and Over on your brisk walk along the Muddy Miss.

Despite what Anna believes this is NOT a shorter, more muscular clone of myself.

The evening was beautiful and all of the trees were in bloom. Unfortunately, as you may attest, it can be difficult to make it to a place inside when the outside is so beautiful.

The Opening was lighter than we had in the past, but it was great to see many repeat viewers and just as exciting to see at least a dozen or so new faces. (and even some from across that ol' River)

Notice how he's on one side and EVERYONE else is on the other? It was in his contract.

By far the most talked about piece of the evening was large installation of cut text placed onto gravestones hanging on the west wall. These phrases provided many a laugh, a few guffaws and some introspection from nearly every person who took the time to decipher the font.

The show "Ok, So Now What" stays open until the end of the month. I highly encourage you (although I suppose that is my calling) to make it over and see this exhibit. It looks good in the space and is a type of show I don't think we see here, in the Quad Cities, all that often.

and to end it,

Ahhhhh! Look at all of those folded arms.