No Fay Wray? How About Jessica Lange?

Angela Rose Wilson.

A native Quad Citonian. 

Bachelors from St. Ambrose and Masters from Northern Illinois University. 

Current Adjunct at St. Ambrose and Augustana College. 

Upcoming Exhibition "King Kong or Other Lovely and Terrible Things...Drawing Installation"

Do you know her? I'm going to say if you don't then you really should. She makes good work. Really good work. The type that makes you return to it. The type that makes you want to look at it longer and harder. The type that makes you want to rub your cheek up against to it and see if it purrs. 

She's a bit of a departure for the ol' Bakery Gallery, but we're not all about tradition over here. Sure we deal with printmaking and artist's books and text art, but we also want to see works on paper. Remember Liz Wolf? Remember Adam Little? Angela is probably known as a painter, but really...what's in a title? She uses multiple media, she draws with graphite and charcoal and gouache and other drawery type things, uses substrates that are available and she does a heck (hell?) of a good job doing it to. So why not?

Let's see some baby examples. 

Juni and Tim With Civil War Rifle

Maddy X Camo Ski Mask

Red Riding Hands

Angela's Artist Statement:

As child, King Kong haunted my early childhood. The 70’s version had just aired on television, and our father reinforced my terror by vividly teasing that King Kong was on his way to our house. My fear of this creature was mixed with the agonizing sympathy for his suffering, taunted by curious onlookers, and ultimately pursued, and driven to his death.

I am intrigued by this paradox of fear and sympathy…much like Stockholm syndrome where victims identify with their kidnappers. However, I am also aware of my own complicity, in the exploitation of those, who with cruel humor, and curiosity we view as subjects of documentaries. For example, in the figure of Timothy Treadwell, whose childhood love of a stuffed bear sent him to live with real bears in Alaska where he was ultimately mauled to death...the appropriate response is maddeningly unclear.  Is he tragic, ridiculous, lovely, terrible…is this story real? Like King Kong, he seems to long for an impossible escape from alienation, an impossible love affair. 

 These drawings are references to non-duality, lack of hierarchy, nonlinear time, placed upon fragile organic materials emphasizing impermanence of point-of-view…ambiguity.

Images of fearful predicaments, iconic characters, portraits of family members, and the supernatural, all conjured from stream of consciousness are suspended in time alternating between clarity, and obscurity. These are personal icons, interchangeable, made tangible through drawing, and installed as an unfolding kind of alter piece. The meaning of specific juxtapositions does not tell a traditional narrative, nor wishes to impose moral authority. Instead, as an artist I share an individual experiences of real and fictional people/memories which both inspire, and haunt my imagination.

Running Pink

Installation

Installation Detail

Do you want the deets? (I've heard that is a hip abbreviation.) Here they are, in our usual format

The Who: Angela Rose Wilson


The What: Exhibition and Opening of King Kong or Other Lovely and Terrible Things


The When: Exhibition Opening = Friday June 1st from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm
                   Regular Gallery Hours = Tuesday through Saturday 7:00 am until 9:00 pm from May 30th until July 28th. 


The Where: The Bakery Gallery. Conveniently located at 1330 E. 12 Street, Davenport, Ia 52803. You may also find it on the corner of 12th street and Esplanade Ave. 


The Why: Because we like works on paper, because we support emerging and mid-career artists, because we shop locally, because art is important, etc...


The Added Bonus: I'll introduce you to Henry. 


I hope to see you there.

So many people! It felt like a...

One thing I don't think anyone will ever accuse me of being is prompt. This opening happened awhile ago it's true. In general I don't get images up in a timely manner, but c'mon Joseph. 

Let me say a few things about the University of Iowa's master's program opening: 1) It was by far the highest attended show in Bakery history! Clocking in at right around 100 people. It's the first time all of the food was eaten. 2) People LOVE artist's books. They may not always understand them, but they certainly love them. 3) What a great show of support from the supporters of that program. Intelligent, thoughtful, and caring. 

Another thing that can be said about me is that I am not a particularly "skilled" photographer...particularly when it comes to trying to capture the essence of an event or moment. I tend to go for the "I'm tall, raise the hand" type of photos, which I am well aware does not escalate the artistic integrity of said photos. Really Ms. Anna Pate needs to be working camera detail, but it was a big weekend and she had a particularly large parcel in her uterus. (hint: it's a baby) If anyone happened to take better or more enticing photos (which is really almost anyone) I'd love to post them here. 

Here's what I can provide for you. Enjoy. Imagine a lot more people and energy and sweat (wait, that may have been just me) well imagine a sweaty Lappie. (you DO NOT have to) 

Lot's of looking and gallery founder Heather blessing her child.

A "book table". So much good stuff and so little space. We had to set up a couple of 

Opening night spots to fit everything.

The formidable Kim Maher. Former SAU Book Arts student, current UI student, future big deal.

Radha Pandry, Islam Aly, and Zachary Stensen showin their stuff. 

OOoohh... we're so party, it's so fun (or) how to rock without even knowing it. 

How many people wanted to buy this Radha Pandry piece? Well, there were 4 offers and probably some silent wishes. 

The local Quad Cities Art Critic was taken aback, needed a breath. 

This time Craig Kelchen makes it into view.

So many patterns, such a nice spread, look at all of those conversations. 

Thank you for everyone who attended. 

Please consider following this blog. It's got all of the sporadic info about the Bakery Gallery that you could ever need. Let's talk about the next show - Local Flavor Angela Wilson. It's looking good. We can even chit-chat about shows after the shows. All of this is coming in the nearest of futures. When I am on, I'm on. I just suffer from long off periods. 

Take care and say "hi" to the fish for me. 

The Bakery Gallery

The Looky-Loos Are Fever Pitching

Here are several more examples of graduate student work that will either be appearing at the Bakery gallery this Friday or is representational of what is being show this Friday. 

Laura Capp "Xantippe"

Jill Kambs "Recovering the Archive" (may not be the title... I'm guessing"

Barbara Landes "Converging and Diverging"

Jill Kambs "Underground"

Did we mention the talk that is going on before the Opening this Friday? (I know we did because I looked below.) 

Regardless, we have the pleasure of having four University of Iowa Book Arts Grad students speaking about their work and times from 4 pm until 5 pm on Friday the 24th of February in Rm. 141 of the Galvin Fine Arts Building conveniently located in St. Ambrose University. 

WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES JOSEPH!!! Karen Carcia, Jill Kambs, Cody Geiselman, and Kalmia Strong

What other things would you like to know? I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability. 

A Rugged, Non-Delineation of Digital Focus

Is is a big deal? Well, sort of. This is the Bakery Gallery's first group show. That's got to mean something right? Not only is it a group show, but it is the first official Book Arts show! Truthfully something that has been a long time coming. Now we have had plenty of Artist's Books grace our presence in the past two years, but always in conjunction with something else. This go-around though...

OOOOOHHH-BOOOOOOYYYYYY!!!!

Is it going to be good. 

So what is it? 

It's an exhibition of the University of Iowa's Center for the Book graduate students and affiliates. (whoo)

The title? "A Delicate Sequence of Analog Tangents"

Let's see a couple of examples of the work that may be in the show.

Kim Maher "Crooked BedZZZzz"

Jill Kambs "Leaf Study #2"

Are you confused as to what Book Arts can be? This would be a good show to attend.

plus PLUS +++ Several of the graduate students have agreed to host a dialog before the exhibition opening detailing their work and Book Arts in general. 

That all sounds dandy dear Bakery, but lets get out the ol' tacks and hammer some info out ok? 

WHO: UI Center for the Book Graduate Students and Affiliates

WHAT: The Book Arts Exhibition "A Delicate Sequence of Analog Tangents"

WHEN: Friday, February 24th (the talk) 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm (Opening) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (Exhibition) Friday, February 24th until Saturday, April 21st. The Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7:00 am until 9:00 pm

WHERE: The talk will be in Rm. 141 of the Galvin Fine Art Center at St. Ambrose University. The exhibition and its Opening will be at the ever-loving Bakery Gallery at 1330 E. 12th Street. Davenport, Ia 52803. 

                     

I hope that this show leads to future Book Arts group shows of the various grad schools around the country. Don't forget, we give you good food too. 

Hope to see you there. 

Born To Run, Bred to Make, Urged To Devour (sweets)

We had ourselves another successful opening at the ol' Bakery gallery one early evening in the middle of December. We were lucky enough to get Iowa City artist (and St. Ambrose studio tech/adjunct prof) Alison Filley

The night was cool, both figuratively and literally and the gallery was hot, also figuratively and literally. It was a great and inquisitive crowd, particularly for the time of year and proximity to something the student folk call "Finals". 

                             

The exhibition showcard...it says "paparazzi" for those of you who cannot read sparkles. 

Amongst the many delicious treats that Nikki and her sons provide we get Christmas tree cookies. you know...because it is December and the conifers are still around. 

Here's a little hullabaloo from Ms. Filley's Artist Statement. It'll give you some context for the next several prints. I know, right? That's what they do... fill in the bits. 

Since the origins of Hollywood and the motion picture industry in the early twentieth century, America has been fascinated with celebrities and the culture that surrounds them. In recent years society has become obsessed with these figures as their images flood headline news, magazines, tabloids, and blogs. Particular attention is focused on young female starlets and they often serve as standards of beauty, youth, and fame. My work and my research focuses on these cultural roles and the concept of a celebrity’s façade.

The façade of the celebrity is an image created through marketing, PR, television and film that we as active participants in consumer culture are bombarded with on a daily basis. The façade is an artificial glamorized identity that is unavoidably intertwined with an individual celebrity’s personal identity. I am questioning how the façade of a celebrity functions and what happens when it is glorified, deconstructed or manipulated.

A full shot of the west wall. They're tufted pieces that are really quite extraordinary. 

Screenprint on mirror. Rolling puppy is just an added bonus. 

Half of the east wall. Mirrors with googly-eye blocks. What are YOU looking at? 

The most important bit is that sweet Natalie Portman made it into the show (bottom right) That may or may not be the opinion of the curator and may or may not reflect the exhibition as a whole. (but really, a show with NP rates a 5 star in my book) 

Did I mention that this was our second-year anniversary? Yep, that's right. We've made it past the naming phase. That means we're legitimate and people can start loving us now. Loving us with their full art heart and soul. We don't make things fancy, but we do make them, and well. 

Don't forget to stop by. 

It got soooo hip in this joint that the color desaturated itself. Why? Not cool enough. 

Something intense seems to be occurring here. That's the face of making. 

My guess is that this is a lively discussion about the Natalie Portman print. 

looking at me, looking at you, looking at them

Alison's show is up through the middle of February. Then we move on to a first, a group show. What type of group show? (you surely and eagerly ask) Why, we'll be featuring the graduate student's work from the University of Iowa Book Arts Master program. 

WHAT!

yeah. 

Stay tuned for juicier details. 

There Ain't No Opening Like A Johnson Style Opening

It was a delightful evening filled with wine (not at the gallery, but in my belly), frivolity and the type of dialog we have come to expect/desire/espouse. I mean it. The Quad Cities community really invests themselves into not only the SEEING of an exhibition, but also the, often difficult, quest for elucidation. 

What I'm trying to say is this... those of you who support us rock in a hardcore sort of way and I hope that we can continue providing you with the type of exhibition you have come to expect and that you can provide us with the level of commitment you have provided!

Enough of that funny business. How about we show you a couple of images. Just for the ol S's and G's. 

The book of the night. This appears to be THE selling point...everyone loves insects

Sarojini Johnson donated a numbered edition of this piece to an Open House Joseph organized at St. Ambrose this past winter. It was the first to sell. It was also the first to sell at this opening... and the second. People love insects. They also love her drawing. They also love her skill and technique. How could you not.

I don't know exactly what that look means, but I know it means something.  

This is either a true glance of sincerity or something else. We're going to go with the first.

Did I ever say I was a photographer? Plus those lights in the Bakery are brutal. 

What a layout! The pieces themselves are even better!!

Do I need to mention the word beauteous again because I will, and loudly.

We're printmakers and bookbinders here at the Bakery Gallery. We hope to one day be able to approach the process in a way that Sarojini does. We're not being saccharin or overly complementary, just right out honest.

We're not big on bold statements, but come on! That's a nice looking spread and only part of it. 

If you're not going to come for the art, what about the food? Nikki and Justin and Quentin make THE BEST opening night food fair in the cities. We'll say it and stick to it. Handmade, homemade, delicious, decadent and altogether awesome.

That book...we covet it. It's newly minted and smells of sweet success. Buy all of her stuff now!!!

I could easily write a post just on the shear awesomeness of that book. It was recently completed and made its debut at the Bakery Gallery. It's about invasive species. It's etched. It. Is. Amazing. 

I wish we had better pictures, but know this...we've never lied to you. Not once. Wait until she has an edition of this and then buy the daylights out of it. 

See you soon. 

Etched Deep

Let's try to not make TOO big of a deal about this, but have you ever seen Sarojini Jha Johnson's artwork before? Are you familiar with the word stupendous? Or perhaps the phrase "technically jaw-dropping? Do you like narratives or color or prints or food?

You need to be at this Opening. Really you do. I say that about all of them (because they're all pretty great) but you REALLY need to be at this one. You know what else? She's doing a free lecture earlier in the afternoon at St. Ambrose that you should attend. You won't regret it. 

Here's the info: 

Who:             Sarojini Jha Johnson

What:           Prints and Books: An exhibition of etchings and books by the Indiana artist.

When and Where:         a) The Opening is Friday, October 28^th  6:00 pm until 8 pm at the Bakery   Gallery conveniently located at 1330 E. 12^th street Davenport, Ia 52803. The show runs from the 28th until December 3rd. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 7:00 am - 9:00 pm

Sarojini will also be doing a (what will surely be EXTRAORDINARY)  free and open to the public lecture earlier in the day from 4:00 until 5:00 at St. Ambrose University’s Galvin Fine Art Center (Rm. 141) 

(Fox and Datura) 

A brief statement from the artist: 

My family came to the United States from India many years ago. My prints reflect my preoccupation with the knowledge of India as I experienced it through my journeys there and through stories told by my parents. Certain objects and images are persistent in my mind and emblematic or evocative of many things, from mundane to sublime. Some of these objects are plants such as datura and images of my favorite deities such as Ganesha and Lakshmi. Uprooted people often experience a longing for things that remind the of their former home. This sort of nostalgia or yearning for familiar things, especially food, has been a part of my family’s experience for as long as I can remember. My octogenarian father grows exotic vegetables with names I do not even know in English. This amuses and amazes me. I believe that the dialog about culture and nationality is vital and that the visual arts are an important forum for communication of the subtleties and variations of individual viewpoints.

Threatened and Endangered Creature Charms

The Biography:

Sarojini Jha Johnson has taught printmaking and foundations at Ball State University since 1985. She grew up in Ohio and earned undergraduate degrees in French and drawing from the University of Cincinnati. She received an MFA in printmaking from Miami University where she began working with animal and plant forms in her prints. Her work places natural forms in a fictional context. An essential theme expressed is the human desire to make time stand still in order to experience a particular moment in time. Her main medium is color intaglio printmaking, a medium that allows for great creativity and invention in terms of surface and color. Recently, she has been exploring memories and impressions of India, her country of origin. Animal images such as fish and birds still emerge in this work. 

As a side note Sarojini teaches at the school where two of us received our BFA's and was highly influential (even though I never took one of her classes) at the time. The work ethic, production and quality of the printmakers at Ball State was something to behold (and I think it still is) This is in largely due to Sarojini and her partner-in-crime David (who faithful attendees will remember from the June 2010 Bakery exhibition...see the archives) 

We're very proud to have her show at the gallery. We hope you will be too.