As The Eyes Close We Lose Sight – from Michael McCardwell’s “The Death Snake.”

"The Death Snake" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW — *"The Death Snake" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW*

Michael McCardwell’s drawings are dense in their collective linear construction yet loose enough to clearly communicate the fantastical imagery. The artist plays with our expectations by drafting forms that are highly suggestive of spaceships – science fiction forms from a bygone era in which stalwart heroes with bulbous ray guns occupied the galaxy. His forms conjoin to form larger, interconnected spaces, and at times, a long, snake-like shape. It all seems very playful.

Yet can we be absolutely certain of what McCardwell has on his mind? The use of clearly defined line and shape in virtually every square inch of the field is also a formal academic exercise in composition, and in “The Death Snake,” his statement considers mortality in stages reminiscent of Shakespeare or Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. Either way, there is an almost giddy emotional quality to these pieces, and perhaps the one certainty is that, even in the darker themes, this artist seems to find joy in his work.

"Orange Cross" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW — *"Orange Cross" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW*

Besides being a studio art and humanities teacher for 27 years at Henry County High School, McCardwell has taught art at the Kentucky Community and Technical College System campus in Shelbyville, Spalding University in Louisville, at the former Shelbyville branch of Lindsey Wilson College, and taught basic skills such as reading, math and English at the Kentucky State Reformatory in La Grange. He was twice a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow.

McCardwell has work in private collections in the United States, Europe and Japan, and has been accepted into juried shows in California, Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Hometown: Shelbyville, Kentucky
Education: BFA Murray State University, Kentucky, 1971; MA (Drawing), Morehead State University, Kentucky, 1974

"Shadow" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW — *"Shadow" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW*

"YHWA" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW — *"YHWA" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW*

"Picture" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW — *"Picture" by Michael McCardwell, 18x24in, ink and colored pencils (2017), $350 | BUY NOW*

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

Fiber

Vignette: Maria Tinnell

Josh Jenkins · September 21, 2016

*"Queen of Hearts Secret Garden" by Maria Tinnell, 6x6x7.7in, coiled linen basket (2016), $524 | BUY NOW*

Maria Tinnell is a fiber artist whose focus is on coiled basketry. She creates her work by wrapping unwaxed linen thread over a braided nylon core, stitching each coil to the next as she proceeds.

Tinnell arrived at this process after exploring a wide variety of approaches to textile art, falling in love with the linen and the surprising durability it brings to her work. The basket as a form carries expectations of functionality that makes the use of fiber materials a small surprise, but these baskets are impressive for the balance of strength and aesthetic appeal, with designs of strong color and pattern that blend traditional and contemporary sensibilities.

"Secret Garden Wearable Basket Necklace" by Maria Tinnell, 4x3.5x2.25in, coiled linen basket (2015), $84 | BUY NOW — *"Secret Garden Wearable Basket Necklace" by Maria Tinnell, 4x3.5x2.25in, coiled linen basket (2015), $84* *| BUY NOW*

“I love making coiled baskets; they are simple and natural. Stitching by hand I do not require loud machines or protective gear, just my hands, needle, thread, and maybe some beads. Historically, baskets have been both basic and decorative. They can help tell a story, record important occasions, and pass guarded messages.

In addition to stand-alone baskets, I have created wearable baskets combining beadwork to match the colors of the linen. I integrate beads and other objects within the baskets. I began experimenting with oral and leaf shaped beads to create draping coils, and I am currently working on baskets with a focus on nature's patterns. Butterfly wings, ladybug and bumble bee patterns, as well as floral and leaf patterns.”

Tinnell’s work has been featured in Arts Across Kentucky and Louisville Today magazine. She has been a Member of LAFTA since 1999 and currently has work at Craft[s] gallery on Fourth Street.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Age: 55
Education: BFA with major in textiles, University of Louisville
Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mtbaskets

"Callalilly Wearable Basket Necklace" by Maria Tinnell, 4.5x4x3in, coiled linen basket (2015), $100 | BUY NOW — *"Callalilly Wearable Basket Necklace" by Maria Tinnell, 4.5x4x3in, coiled linen basket (2015), $100* *| BUY NOW*

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

Please contact josh@louisvillevisualart.org for further information on advertising through Artebella. — *Please contact* *josh@louisvillevisualart.org* *for further information on advertising through Artebella.*

basic

Vignette: Michael McCardwell

As The Eyes Close We Lose Sight – from Michael McCardwell’s “The Death Snake.”

Vignette: Maria Tinnell