Alex Coon
Only through Sept 12th, in the side gallery of
Cyrus Framing on Cleveland Ave, one will find a wonderful exhibition by the
staff of the Massillon Museum. It is an extension of the show at the main museum
expanding upon the concept of artists responding to the works of others, in
particular, from the permanent collection of the MassMu. A mounted statement on the wall and a list of
the 15 participants and their positions with the museum provides details that I
don’t need to list here. You have to go “there” to appreciate the works anyway as
my words are only a hint of what awaits.
It has been way to long since I have had the time to blog
about our arts but that is changing. Despite the carpal tunnel, the almost
broken ribs (did you know dumpsters have steel projections on the sides?) and
the mysterious wings of a guardian angel that prevented me from being run over
by a car (God is suggesting you buy my work now for future investment because the
next time I might not be so lucky), I’m still up and moving (and moving) to
find hidden gems for your viewing experience.
Cyrus is open from 10-ish (gotta love honesty) to 6, M –F and
Sat 11 – 3. For the sake of equality and
efficiency, we will start inside the door to the right and move counter
clockwise around the room with the work of Scot Phillips. Based upon a 1914
photograph of a round house collapse (a round house is where train engines
would be turned around, it is not a yurt), his 5 small micro dot screen prints
are on found wood pieces. Superimposed doodles, some with dates, act as graffiti
such as that found on train cars today, but in different context of style. I
enjoy watching how he uses this signature technique in so many different ways
over the years.
Next one will encounter two photographs by intern Jamie
Woodburn, inspired by the work of American landscape artist Albert Blakelock. The two pieces are meant to be considered
together, one as a larger metaphor for the path we all travel, and another for
those small shelters we seek out when the journey gets hard and respite is
needed. Look for the little critter
captured on film while on his own slow travels.
Alex Coon shares an audio recording and in assorted jars,
collections of things that spark memories of places visited. She has the gift
of restraint… a rock or two, a shell, a piece of driftwood, a trait that will
serve her well as those munchkins grow and start gathering things of their own.
The simplicity of the presentation has a charm reminiscent of earlier times
when all one needed was a rock, not a hundred selfies to recall the blessings
of family.
Heather Bullach is such a natural talent and well known in
the local arts scene so I will only point out my favorite gem this time…how she
captured the connection between a young Nell Dorr and herself as women finding their paths and discovering who
they are. It is a brilliant resolution
to the concept.
BZTAT has a painting in the show that is dazzling in its simplicity
but complex in its rendering of a balloon man at the circus. The perspective is
from the bleachers in the eyes of child and the balloons are not round but
elongated, which adds just a bit of whimsy to the image. The compositional
bones and use of color placement is as sophisticated as any master work, as
making the “simple” work, is often harder than filling space with complex
forms. The personal memory shared in her statement will make the connection
even more endearing.
Mandy Altimus Pond made me laugh. Stan Baltry is her inspirational
superhero, pharmacist by day, photographer by night! Before all the glitz and
glamour and green-screens of today’s action figures, men were just as grand and
gallant. The depiction of her own super hero (Brian) by way of her signature
photographic techniques and historical presentation are charming as they are
personal.
Meghan Reed presents us with three brick shaped canvases
painted with small brick patterns. They reminded me of those cardboard bricks with
brick patterns that my children played with years ago. There is an innocent
spirit and message in these three forms….starting small, one piece at a time,
we can create great things, as whole cities are built by one brick at a time.
The gem in Emily Vigils work, again a well-known and very
talented area artist so I won’t dwell, can be found in her large diptych oil
painting. My eye was drawn to the red shoes of the little girl entering into
the woods. In this sea of greens and woodland browns, little red riding hood
has ditched the cape and gone all “big girl” on us and opted for red shoes. They
sparkle like Dorothy’s in this work and leave you wondering about her journey
into the future that no one can predict.
Rats, I am hitting my word limit so here is a cheat sheet synopsis:
Michelle Waalkes – the photo transfer of grid over a pathway
with unreachable light, creating multiple layers of crosses based upon the old
Mass State Hospital for mental patients…..spot on, loved it.
April Olsen – a woodcut of Christ, but oriented on an angle,
not the usual vertical, makes the presentation a layer deeper.
Chris Craft – enjoyed how his rendering of the connection
between beauty and torture for the sake of others contrasts with the same concept
by Heather Bullach. He used mixed media drawing, while she is drawing on her
own face. His inspiration is a photo of the permanent wave machine from 1928.
Margy Vogt – smaller digital photography vignettes that
capture a rusted train bridge as if an old engine itself and been repurposed as
the bridge upon which it once traveled. “Rust Belt” on bands of rust like stacked
belts…nailed it.
Demi Edwards, Diane Gibson, Samantha Lechner are also
represented in this show but I am at my 1000 word limit so time to cut this
off. Please try and stop in this week or
next and view these works by the MassMu family.
Not one red dot when I was there, we need to change that!! Some
purchases will benefit the museum fund as designated on their tags. Don’t
chide, I plan to put my money where my words are and dot one or two tags unless
someone beats me to it.
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