Artists Talk with LVA: August 15, 2024

Connor Stephenson & Allie Jensen joined us this week to discuss their concurrent solo exhibits at Kore Gallery. Tune in to 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

Kore Gallery is exhibiting Time is a Mother by Allie Jensen and The Table by Connor Stephenson through September 1, 2024. A closing reception will be on Saturday, August 24, from 1- 3 pm.

Allie Jensen (they/them) is a Louisville-based artist practicing meditative mark-making techniques using repetitive line-work and dot-work. Like an emotional muscle, their patience and ability to live in the moment are strengthened by their regular use of these methods.

Primarily working in ink and acrylic, Jensen stacks and layers small components such as lines, dots, and circles, to create organic masses that reflect common design elements observed across diverse

natural, technological, and social complex systems.

Jensen’s art practice highlights the universe's astounding interconnectedness and allows them to participate as a co-creator within it. 

Born in 1995 in Monterey, CA, Connor Stephenson is a self-taught artist currently working and living in Louisville, KY. 

Stephenson’s practice imaginatively explores drawing and painting while using a primitive method of mark-making and paint application. His oeuvre consists of separate works such as his cityscape drawings, dinosaur paintings, and still lifes.  

This will be the second solo exhibition of the artist’s career.

Artebella On The Radio: August 19

Geoff Crowe is a painter of what might be described as abstract expression. He works in a variety of mediums including, acrylic, watercolor, dip ink pens, charcoal, and sometimes a mix of these. 

“I began my formal training as a visual artist in Puerto Rico. My first exhibition, En Accion (2004), featured a series of paintings capturing the movement and enthusiasm of children playing soccer. The Latin influence of my early training continues in the often dramatic use of color and light.

My exploration into how to express my art began with impression-like paintings. Most recently I have begun exploring abstract expressionism.  Over the years my subjects have included figures, ballet dancers, horses, pets and other animals, cityscapes, and children’s book illustrations.

I have had the luck of painting and sculpting while living in multiple countries. I grew up in California and have lived in Indiana, Puerto Rico, Ireland, and most recently Louisville, Kentucky”.

Crowe’s new exhibit "STONE & CANVAS--In Abstract" is at Kore Gallery. The reception for this exhibit, which also features the work of sculptor Mike McCarthy will be August 21, 6-9 PM

Artebella On The Radio: November 5

Sadly, we have had to postpone Open Studio Weekend until spring 2021, but we have one more interview with some of the artists talking about their work. Robbie Mueller, Chris Hartsfield, and Dru Pilmer are our guests this week, along with LVA Executive Director Kristian Anderson. Tune in each Thursday to WXOX 97, or stream on Artxfm.com to hear Keith Waits talk with artists.

Robbie Mueller is a mixed media artist working primarily with wood, paper mache, found objects, and acrylic paints; 3-D sculpture, bas reliefs, and assemblages. “Much of my work often gets labeled folk art, because of the more traditional themes that become my subjects , but as my work has continued to evolve, more contemporary themes involving found art, & salvaged art are being incorporated. Because I am untrained, I label myself a contemporary folk artist with "outsider" tendencies.” His work can also be seen at the Kentucky Folk Art Center (Morehead State University, Morehead, KY), Gallery 104 (Lagrange, KY), Meraki & Moon (Georgetown, KY),on Facebook (Robbie Mueller: Folk Art Kentucky), on Instagram (@folkartky), and on Twitter(@ibwhittlin).

Chris Hartsfield is a self-trained watercolorist who works primarily with bright, clean colors to achieve a realistic style of painting. His technique produces a complicated yet detailed scene revealing an understanding of depth and realism. He enjoys painting a variety of subjects, including still life, landscape, street scenes, and nautical scenes. His compositions are well balanced and flowing, keeping the observer's eye engaged. Since Hartsfield began his art career in 1988, he has had paintings accepted in national and regional watercolor competitions. Including The American Watercolor Society, The National Watercolor Society, Arts For The Parks, Georgia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma Watercolor Society shows.

Dru Pilmer’s art is in private, public, and corporate collections in New York state, Chicago, Massachusetts, Los Angeles, Utah, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, South America, Canada, and Scotland. She was recently one of 46 artists in 13 states and Germany to win juried acceptance in ConTEXT III Exhibition at the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, MO.  Her painting, “9 Millimeter Flowers” won Best of Show in KORE Gallery’s 2019 Black & White Show.  

She was a featured artist in March 2019 Today’s Woman Magazine, exhibited in Mariott and Hyatt boutique hotels, and executed numerous watercolor and acrylic commissions throughout the U.S.

LVA Executive Director Kristian Anderson has 15 years’ experience in the arts and culture sector, most recently as Senior Policy Advisor to the Mayor of Salt Lake City. In that role, he oversaw a variety of community, operational and political projects encompassing arts and culture as well as land use, urban design, economic development and more. Prior to his mayoral appointment, Kristian was for four years the Executive Director of the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art and Executive Director for the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries in Seattle.

Artebella on The Radio: January 2, 2020

Katherine Martin

Jack Wallen

None of these talented thespians will be there, but the man who created these images, photographer Bill Brymer, was Keith's first guest of 2020 talking about his current exhibit at Kore Gallery. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM, or stream on ARTXFM.COM every Thursday at 10:00am to hear Keith Waits talk with artists.

INSPIRED LOUISVILLE: ACTORS is a photography exhibition in celebration of Louisville’s theatrical community. The show opens at Louisville’s KORE Gallery (942 E. Kentucky Street, Louisville, KY 40204) January 2 and runs through February 2, 2020. Photographer Bill Brymer asked 40 local actors and artistic directors to sit for portraits in either the role that most inspired them to become actors, or in the role they’d most like to play some day. The actors also provided brief commentary illuminating their choices.

Meg Caudill

There will be an Artist’s Reception at KORE Gallery Saturday, January 4, from 6:00-8:30 pm.

Bill Brymer has been photographing local performing arts groups since 2009: his photographs have appeared in The New York Times, The Courier-Journal, American Theatre, Opera News, LEO Weekly, Arts-Louisville and elsewhere. Bill lives in Louisville, KY with his wife Sarah and daughter Ruby.

Vignette: Patricia Brock

“#6356” by Patricia Brock, Photography on Green Edge Acrylic, 20x20in, 2018, $550

The pastoral experience can play a role even in the formation of abstract art. In point of fact, it might be fair to say that most abstract work draws from nature. Photographer Patricia Brock describes a recent moment of inspiration:

“One morning this spring, after finishing some garden work, I sat in our swing on the deck to relax. Glancing around the yard I suddenly became hypnotized by the glass orb ornament slowly spinning at the edge of the garden. Sunlight fractured by the orb was scattering bright shards of reflected light and creating shadows within the orb. Bright vivid colors emerged from the glass shining through the prism the orb created. The longer I watched I began to see various shapes come alive.”

Inspired by this discovery Brock named her new photo series, Brightly Through the Glass.

“#6363” by Patricia Brock, Photography on Green Edge Acrylic, 20x20in, 2018, $550

Brock is a natural and available light photographer but she uses various materials such as archival photo paper, metallic papers, canvas, acrylic, and brushed aluminum to achieve her highly structured abstract images. The play of lights, shadows, and colors is organic, yet filtered through one artist’s sensibility.

“Naturally curious and observant,” is how the artist describes herself. “Consciously and subconsciously, my mind stays alert to discover images to photograph. Flickers of light and shadows, quick movements and intense colors catch my attention.”

Brock will be having a Solo Show at KORE Gallery in the Mellwood Art & Entertainment Center, December 2 through 30, 2018

Recent Exhibits: 

2018

Art Comes Alive, Purchase Award, Art Design Consultants, Cincinnati, OH,
Kentucky Visions at the Capitol Exhibit, Frankfort, KY 

2017
Artists in Our Midst, Kaviar Forge & Gallery, Louisville, KY,
Line, Form, Color, KORE Gallery, Solo Exhibit, Louisville, KY
Ways of Seeing Kentucky Arts Council Traveling Exhibition

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: BS,Education. Eastern Kentucky University; MA, Education, Eastern Kentucky University
Website: PatriciaBrockPhotography.com
Gallery Representation: KORE Gallery (Louisville)

Scroll down for more images

“#6349” by Patricia Brock, Photography on Green Edge Acrylic, 20x20in, 2018, $550

“#6373” by Patricia Brock, Photography on Green Edge Acrylic, 20x20in, 2018, $550

“#6297” by Patricia Brock, Photography on Green Edge Acrylic, 20x20in, 2018, $550

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved. In addition to his work at the LVA, Keith is also the Managing Editor of a website, Arts-Louisville.com, which covers local visual arts, theatre, and music in Louisville.

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