Open Studio Spotlight: James Russell May

"Woman with Fox" by James Russell May, Oil on aluminum, 36x24in,2018, $4500.

James Russell May doesn’t only paint nude figures, and he doesn’t only paint nude female figures, but it is perhaps the imagery he is best known for. The women we see have a physicality projecting strength in form and in character. Sturdy, full-bodied, they are unapologetic in exposing their flesh, very often-staring straight at the viewer. In fact, that confrontational aspect might, as often as not, turn the tables, forcing us to reexamine our own biases about the unclothed figures. Are we puritanical, prurient, or neutral in how we receive them?

“I am intrigued by how the subject matter and themes of traditional Western art can seem at once familiar and alien to the eyes of the contemporary viewer,” states May. “This has become a primary element of my paintings. In my work I attempt to form a bridge between the present and the past, as well as the material and ethereal. I paint my figures in a heavily detailed, mannered, and realistic style requiring layers of painstaking work. This style is based upon both an observation of life and a studied awareness of how the human form has been portrayed in the art of the past. Those figures are then placed in an environment of abstracted and textural material, such as resin or metal. The intended result is balance between two competing personal aesthetics.”

We sometimes have to search for contemporary artists who use the concept of nudity so boldly without becoming vulgar or overtly political. May’s balanced blending of tradition with a point-of-view that is modern yet thoroughly rejects the Male Gaze is startling.

However, May is far from neutral in his themes. “Omphale and Hercules” revisits a story from Classical Mythology with humor and a sharp recognition of our moment. May not reverse the gender roles; Hercules was in servitude to Omphale, so her sitting on his head mat be extreme but it is not inconsistent, but all previous depictions have historically placed the man’s name in front of the woman’s, and there is a note of brutality in this Omphale’s satisfied expression, even while we detect a note of bemusement in Hercule’s countenance.

James Russell May is participating in the 2018 Open Studio Weekend, sponsored by Louisville Visual Art and University of Louisville’s Hite Art Institute. His studio, located in the Germantown neighborhood, will be open the weekend of November 3 and 4. Tickets for Open Studio Weekend will go on sale October 16. Click here for more information. 

Hometown: Savannah, Georgia
Education: BFA, Savannah College of Art & Design
Website: Jamesrussellmay.com
Facebook: James Russell May Art
Instagram: jamesrussellmay

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“Omphale and Hercules” by James Russell May, ", Oil and alkyd resin on wood, 48x48in, 2013, $6000.

"Bear II" by James Russell May, Oil on aluminum, 48x24in, $5500

"In the Garden" by James Russell May, Oil and alkyd resin on wood, 48x48in, 2007, $5000

“Banana Tree” by James Russell May, Oil on aluminum, 40x25in, 2017, $3000.

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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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Open Studio Spotlight: Samantha Ludwig

Samantha Ludwig is an artist who works comfortably in several mediums. In the work highlighted here, she draws houses in exquisitely rendered detail. They are executed in graphite, using a pencil. The richness of the mark making and modeled textures connect us to the sublime satisfaction of the most fundamental artist’s action: the simple act of drawing - observation through the eye and to the hand.

But Ludwig’s technique is far from simple, and the attention to detail is not just academic. She invests each structure with real feeling for the space they occupy, the life that has been lived with these walls. She forces such introspection by isolating the building and the yard from the environment. Stripped of that larger social context, it is surprising how much is still communicated through the immediate relationship of space and architectural form.

Ludwig also works with textiles, with a particular emphasis on flags that are variations on the United States of America “stars and stripes.”

“717 E. Ormsby” by Samantha Ludwig, Graphite on Paper, 9x14in, 201 $150

Writing on her blog, Ludwig explains: “Most people are confused and are unsure of what I mean when I say, ‘I'm making flags,’ which is understandable. It's a long process that initials a lot of math and attention. From making color samples so that you can replicate colors, to making the dye into a paste, and then taping, masking, and embroidering the material that is to be the final piece, and even all that doesn't cover it.”

More recently, Ludwig has returned to wood block prints, making prints of a size that allows a very hands-on approach to process – her press is her feet: “…me alone in the studio dancing, sliding and shuffling on them on top of the plywood.”

“It’s been wonderful to revisit it (wood cutting), because there’s something incredibly enticing about carving. I remember when I was in elementary school I dreamed of becoming a master wood whittler.

Samanth Ludwig will be participating in the 2018 Open Studio Weekend, sponsored by Louisville Visual Art and University of Louisville’s Hite Art Institute. Her studio, located in the Germantown neighborhood, will be open the weekend of November 3 and 4. Tickets for OpenStudio Weekend will go on sale October 16. Click here for more information.

Recent Exhibitions:
Quills, Introducing: Samantha Ludwig, Louisville, Kentucky.
Great Flood, 4735 Peachtree, Louisville, Kentucky.
St. James Juried Art Festival, The Work of Samantha Ludwig, Louisville, Kentucky. 

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: BFA, Painting and Fiber, Kansas City Art Institute, BHA, Concentration Western Art History
Website: samanthludwig.com

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“In Vogue We Trust” by Samantha Ludwig, Dyed cotton, 3x6ft, 2011, Private collection  

“Voyuer” by Samanth Ludwig, Ink on Paper, 23x25in, $475

“Great Garrison Flag” by Samantha Ludwig, Hand Dyed Embroidered Cotton, 6x13in, 2017, Part of the Permeant Collection of Omni Hotel, Louisville, Ky

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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.

Are you interested in being on Artebella? Click here to learn more.

Vignette: Britany Baker

"Reflection" by Britany Baker, 108x25in, charcoal on paper (2016)

For the second year, Louisville Visual Art has selected a local artist to be the Featured Artist for the annual art[squared] Anonymous 8" x 8" Art Sale: Britany Baker.

"Above the Fray" by Britany Baker, 36x36in, oil on canvas (2017), $1800

While the sale will consist of 200 original 8” x 8” pieces by artists from around the region, it will also include this new, larger painting, “Above the Fray”, created by Baker just for this event. For anyone who has seen recent work by the artist, the depiction of a bird will come as no surprise. Baker’s paintings are much sought after by collectors, and the birds are especially popular. It is not difficult to see why.

Baker is known for abstract imagery based on natural forms, as described by Curator Jessica Bennett Kincaid: “…Baker’s fluid imagery saturates the viewer with a heightened connection to their environmental surroundings. Subtly creating an emotive relationship to singular aspects of the places we inhabit, these flowing abstractions allude to the collision of the natural world and human influence.“

Yet the aviary “characters” (they are not real birds) are a highly representational contrast to such work; an exquisite study of nature nestled in feathers that seem at once realistic and a ruse. Because of its position, the creature has the feeling of being in flight, yet the forms surrounding the head also give the appearance of being grounded. Baker creates a compelling tension between the intimacy of the detailed observation of the bird and the epic visual quality of the composition, playing with the viewer’s comprehension in a way that is irresistible.

Artist, Britany Baker

Since December, Baker has worked full time as the Art Director for Red Pin Media, and is Vice-President at Art Sanctuary, a non-profit community-oriented arts collective supporting local visual, literary, and performing arts through events, promotion, and education.

art[squared]

All works donated to art[squared] will be exhibited anonymously and sold on a first-come, first-served basis at LVA's new location at 1538 Lytle Street on Friday, April 7th at 7 PM. The beauty of anonymous exhibition is viewers will be able to respond to the artwork on its merits alone, without prejudice or preference. Each 8” x 8” piece will be priced at $100. The work will also be on public display for one week leading up to the sale, and any unsold work for an additional week following the sale.

“Above the Fray”, by Britany Baker, will be sold through Silent Auction that will close out at 8:30pm on April 7, 2017. Opening Bid is $1000 and bids will be accepted in increments of $50. If you wish to make a bid before the event, email keith@louisvillevisualart.org with your name, mailing address, email, phone, and bid.

"Above the Fray (detail)" by Britany Baker, 36x36in, oil on canvas (2017)

All proceeds benefit CFAC, which educates over 1,000 artistically talented and visually driven children annually in the Greater Louisville area. Last year, we were able to raise over $24,000 during art[squared]! This provided students with scholarships and helped offset instructor and supply costs in all 11 participating Kentuckiana counties!

“Little Bird” by Britany Baker, 8x8in, oil on canvas (2016) NFS - Sold at last years art[squared] event.

We cordially invite you to the art[squared] Artists Reception & Preview Party on Friday, April 7th at 7 PM at LVA (1538 Lytle Street). A great opportunity to snag your favorite 8" x 8" before it's gone the next morning!

Hundreds of art works - the largest number of talented local artists to be found in one location – and each piece is ONLY $100.

For tickets and more details about the event visit:
http://www.louisvillevisualart.org/artsquared2017/

Hometown: Louisville, KY
Age: 46
Education: BFA with concentration in drawing and painting, Xavier University (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Website: http://www.britanybaker.com/

Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2017 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

"Aging" by Britany Baker, 24x36in, oil on canvas (2017), $485 | BUY NOW

“Gentler” by Britany Baker, 26x26in, oil on canvas (2014), $450 | BUY NOW

“Amaryllis” by Britany Baker, 37x49in, oil on canvas (2015), NFS

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Feature: Building A Foundation At Art Sanctuary

"Branching Out" by Britany Baker, 103x23in, charcoal on paper (2016)

Photo by Sarah Katherine Davis

One of the aspects of the art community that tends to be under appreciated is how much artists, especially visual artists do for themselves; taking care of business independently, often with a scrappy, can-do attitude. It happens often out of necessity, because social infrastructure and municipal support for such projects can be hard to come by, even in a city that prides itself on generations of support for local artists, but it also has always been a part of the counter-culture identity embraced by many younger artists, one in which integrity is equated with struggle.

I’m not sure that Lisa Frye and Britany Baker had any such thoughts in mind when organizing Art Sanctuary, the artist’s studio space located at 1433 South Shelby Street in the Germantown neighborhood. The current President and Vice-President, respectively, are overflowing with war stories of the constant uphill battle to make the dream a reality. But I guess if it were easy to build a vision, everyone would be doing it.

Frye, a visual artist, founded Art Sanctuary in 2004. Her first efforts were pop-up exhibits, or ‘art soirees’, as they became know, at locations such as River Bend Winery, Felice Vineyard, Flame Run, Petrus Nightclub, Main Street Lounge, Mellwood Arts Center, and many more. “That was back when art shows in coffee shops wasn’t even a thing yet,” remembers Frye. An attempt to secure a permanent space led to collaborations with The Alley Theater when they were occupying various spaces at The Pointe on East Washington Street, but the uncertainties of that circumstance led Frye to believe that Art Sanctuary needed to follow its own path. “We applied for and were granted non-profit status in 2006, but we still found ourselves with no place to show on a regular basis.”

Artist Victoria Klotz at work. Photo Sarah Katherine Davis

It was in this period that Frye became involved with the Va Va Vixens, a neo-burlesque, vaudevillian style performance troupe who mount extravagant shows of music, dance, and acrobatics. Original founder Christiane Nicoulin moved on to other creative adventures and left Frye as Producer/Manager, writing and producing shows such as the upcoming yuletide holiday show, Va Va Festivus, at Headliners Music Hall, December 8 -10.

Frankie Steele at work. Photo by Brian Bohannon.

Enter photographer Frankie Steele, who was looking for a building to develop as a “maker space.” It’s a phrase that has gained currency in the intervening years, but Steele had managed Ice Box Co-Labs, an earlier co-working space on Main Street, long before the trend picked up steam in Louisville. He met Dennis Becker, who in 2008 had purchased the wedge-shaped building at 1433 South Shelby Street to use as a warehouse for his business, Voit Electric. Steele made a formal presentation to Becker outlining his vision for the building, and began work on the first spaces – studios for he and his wife, Baker, independently. The need for a non-profit organization to structure fundraising seemed important, and Baker reached out to her friend Lisa Frye about Art Sanctuary, which had no brick and mortar location. A union was born, and Steele and Baker joined the AS board in 2012. Scott Slusher joined shortly thereafter, and the first formal lease was signed as Art Sanctuary.

Artists Lisa Frye and Britany Baker. Photo by Frankie Steele.

It is where Art Sanctuary now makes its home. The 26,000 square foot space seemed well suited to the two-fold mission to house individual artist’s studios and rehearsal/performance space. It came equipped mostly with potential, and multiple loading doors into a wide, high-ceilinged space and a second floor. The group started with just a few spaces, but it wasn’t long before landlord Becker opened up more space for them, until, in stages, they had a lease on the entire building. “Dennis has been terrific,” remarks Frye. “It really feels like he is on our side, and wants us to succeed.”

Baker estimates that Steele has personally been responsible for about 90% of the work that has been accomplished: “He envisioned the space as what it has become, built the stage, installed the fire-rated doors, designed and built the rolling gallery walls. He fixed everything that needed fixing, found deals on what we were missing, did all the heavy lifting - literally.” Frye concurs wholeheartedly: “Without Frankie, we would not be a fraction of what we are today.” Now the board numbers seven, with approximately sixty visual and performing artists involved.

The current entrance is from McHenry Street, on the southeast side, and this half of the building is devoted to visual art, with a spare gallery space and photography studio for rent by the hour on the first floor, and individual studio spaces upstairs. Many of the occupants are painters: Rita Cameron, Sabra Crockett, Victoria Klotz, Brittni Pullen, Kelly Rains, Shahn Rigsby, Nancy Ann Sturdevant, and Charlotte Pollock to name a few, mixed media artists Michael Braaksma, and Kate Mattingly, ceramicist Sarabeth Post, photographers Frankie Steele and Tony Dixon, can also be found there, and even one playwright and free-lance journalist who also works the arts and culture beat, Eli Keel. 

"March 30, 2016 1pm" by Charlotte Pollock, 16x20in, oil on canvas (2016), $350 | BUY NOW

On the Shelby Street side, a high and wide space that aches to be performed in stands idle while various permit issues wait to be resolved. The entry doors open into a suitable little box office nook, which spills into an ample lobby where Frye and Baker see a permanent gallery space. Beyond that stands an ample proscenium stage and floor that could likely accommodate several hundred seats. It will someday make a perfect home for Va Va Vixens, but for now it settles for prep space for multi-media artists like Ryan Daly, who is working on the upcoming Louisville Ballet production of Swan Lake. 

Photo by Sarah Katherine Davis

How long it will take to fully realize Art Sanctuary’s potential in this facility is difficult to estimate. One of the challenges in adapting such an old building with so much history, and repurposing it for multiple uses, is that the past is revealed layer by layer, excavating a crazy-quilt legacy of zoning and renovations that did, or didn’t follow, regulations. “I can’t believe we’ve gotten this far,” exclaims Frye. Baker is slightly more philosophical about this moment for Art Sanctuary: “ It also feels healthy. It's like how you can intentionally stress a plant, by picking off the earliest buds or breaking branches to encourage a stronger, more stable foundation, then it flowers more beautifully than you ever thought it would.”

Art Sanctuary will once again be participating in Open Studio Weekend, November 5 and 6, sponsored by Louisville Visual Art and the University of Louisville’s Hite Institute. Participating Artists will include Britany Baker, Michael Braaksma, Rita Cameron, Sabra Crockett, Jada Lynn Dixon, Victoria Klotz, Samantha Ludwig, Kate Mattingly, Brittni Pullen, Shahn Rigsby, Frankie Steele, & Joseph Welsh. Three artists who have moved in since the original deadline for the event will also be working in their studios during those times. They are Nancy Ann Sturdevant, Charlotte Pollock, and Sarabeth Post.

"Through A Veil" by SaraBeth Post, 9x5.25in, lathe carved blown glass (2016), $500 | BUY NOW

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This Feature article was written by Keith Waits.
In addition to his work at the LVA, Keith is also the Managing Editor of a website, www.Arts-Louisville.com, which covers local visual arts, theatre, and music in Louisville.

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2016 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

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