Lucy Azubuike is showing with Cheryl Chapman at Galerie Hertz this weekend and this Thursday we will be speaking with her live. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM/Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10 am to hear Artists Talk with LVA.

Born in 1972, Lucy Azubuike's creative work was primarily influenced by the 1980s. The 1980s were an era of increasing global capitalism, political upheaval, worldwide mass media, wealth discrepancies, and distinctive music and fashion, characterized by hip-hop and electronic pop music.

This greatly impacted the generation of artists growing up during this era. The fall of the Berlin Wall at the end of the 1980s marked the end of the Cold War, yet the African Famine also marked the period. During this time influential art movements included Neo Geo, The Pictures Generation, and Neo-Expressionism, which took a stronghold in Germany, France, and Italy. Artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Jörg Immendorf, Enzo Cucchi, Francesco Clemente, and Julian Schnabel were key artists working during this period, alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Kenny Scharf, who established the street art and graffiti movements, which quickly gained recognition.

Nature Inspired, works by Lucy Azubuike and Cheryl Chapman, opens at Galerie Hertz on Saturday, July 29 with a reception 1- 4 pm

Painting

Vignette: Gretchen Treitz

Josh Jenkins · July 11, 2017

“Trees for me are a symbol of strength, a metaphor of hope.” – Gretchen Treitz

*"Sycamore" by Gretchen Treitz, 8x8in, watercolor, silverleaf (2016)*

Trees are important in the work of Gretchen Treitz, the form providing compositional structure while also expressing a highly spiritual theme. Everyone has heard of druids, but Treitz is following a longer, more complicated tradition of using the tree as a religious symbol; their endless cycle of renewal allows an easy metaphor for life, and the evergreen has often represented the eternal or divine for precisely its lack of a cycle of change. No death or renewal, but constant and unending life.

“I am amazed how trees seem to personify a perfect being in adversity. My current series of trees is an attempt to explore a reality beyond appearances. Like many artists from the past, I use nature, light, and celestial luminosity to search for the divine. Painting trees with silver leaf not only highlights their shape but also calls forth the universal tension between matter and spirit. I engage trees to approach the spiritual realms of the wilderness, the cosmos, and the mysteries of the soul. Trees for me are a symbol of strength, a metaphor of hope. Silver leaf, white gold leaf, and aluminum leaf emulate a kind of ethereal light. I utilize these materials to represent the delicate vulnerability of sky, wind, atmosphere, and other environmental factors. Other times I manipulate these metal leaves and watercolor to embody the wonder of the life energy of a tree’s progression against these forces.”

*"Light on Broken Places II" by Gretchen Treitz, 15x15in, watercolor, silverleaf (2017)*

Treitz was just a part of Painting Exhibition #1 at Galerie Hertz in Louisville, and in 2016 participated in Aqueous, Kentucky Watercolor Society, Actor’s Theater, Louisville, and in Horizon: Contemporary Landscape, Community Arts Center, Danville, KY.

Permanent Collections:
The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn New York
National Westminster Bank, New York, New York
Hilliard-Lyons Collection, Louisville, KY
Holcomb Farm Permanent Collection, Granby, CT
Private Collections in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Michigan

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: BFA, Stephens College, Columbia, MO; MFA, Brooklyn College, City University of New York
Website: http://www.gretchentreitz.com/

*"Kentucky's State Champion Swamp Chestnut Oak" by Gretchen Treitz, 14x14in, watercolor, silverleaf (2016)*

"Good Fruit II" by Gretchen Treitz, 25x25in, watercolor, silverleaf (2016), $2000 | BUY NOW — *"Good Fruit II" by Gretchen Treitz, 25x25in, watercolor, silverleaf (2016), $2000 | BUY NOW*

*"Rose on Gerardia" by Gretchen Treitz, 10x12in, watercolor, silverleaf (2015)*

*"Study for In the Shadows" by Gretchen Treitz, 8x10in, watercolor, silverleaf (2015)*

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

Photography

Vignette: Ed Lawrence

Josh Jenkins · February 8, 2017

“There’s something magical about creeks for me.” — Ed Lawrence

The cold, slate gray form of dead branch isolated against the warm green tones of trees reflected in a creek; the deceptively abstract quality we find In a close up point-of-view of minnows swimming in the shallow water of a creek bed; the organic cathedral formation of trees lining both sides of a woodland stream. These are but three Ed Lawrence images that make him the epitome of a fine nature photographer. His work captures both the grandeur and the intimacy of the Kentucky landscape in a context that borders on sacred.

Lawrence has worked in various mediums, but he returned to his early love of photography after retiring, shooting alongside his oldest son, who had discovered one of his father’s old film single lens reflex cameras. The two of them traveled together shooting, the son on film and the father digitally, and Lawrence’s passion was renewed. He considers himself less of a technician, saying: “I could care less about the world of apertures, f-stops, ISOs and metering.” Ed Lawrence just uses a camera to paint what he sees.

"Beals Run, Woodford County, KY" by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2016) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW — *"Beals Run, Woodford County, KY"* *by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2016) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW*

“There’s something magical about creeks for me,” he explains. “When I am in a creek, I feel like I am in a world of my own with meandering paths of water and rock protected by canopies of trees. Surrounded by the beauty of wildflowers along the bank, the wonder of birds, fish and fascinating creeping crawling things and the dappling light make creeks my place of reflection both literally and figuratively.”

“All seasons appeal to me. The brilliant colors of autumn leaves falling and sinking beneath the water, the ice and snow formations of winter and the pinks and blues and greens of spring growth transform the same site on the same creek into a very different place. My favorite sensation is the coolness of the air drifting downstream when the summer heat is otherwise unbearable.”

"Benson Creek, Franklin County, KY" by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2016) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW — *"Benson Creek, Franklin County, KY"* *by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2016) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW*

Lawrence will be one of the photographers in a group show at the City Gallery at the Downtown Arts Center, Lexington Kentucky Creeks - paintings and photographs by four Kentucky artists, which will run February 10 through April 2, 2017. He also has published book of photographs, “Kentucky 120” A county-by-county portrait of Kentucky, published by Zedz Press.

Hometown: Frankfort, Kentucky
Age: 67
Education: Studied fine art at the University of South Florida and Communications at the University of Kentucky but do not have a degree. My photography is for the most part self-taught.
Website: www.edlawrencephotography.com

"Hal Bryan's Creek, Franklin County, KY" by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2016) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW — *"Hal Bryan's Creek, Franklin County, KY" by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2016) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW*

"Brighton Branch, Franklin County, KY" by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2014) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW — *"Brighton Branch, Franklin County, KY" by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2014) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW*

"Elkhorn Creek, Woodford County, KY" by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2016) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW — *"Elkhorn Creek, Woodford County, KY" by Ed Lawrence, 19 x 13 in, inkjet print on archival matte paper (2016) $200 / $300 framed (limited edition of 10) | BUY NOW*

Photography

Vignette: Probus

Josh Jenkins · January 4, 2017

"Cherokee Park Tree Study #2" by Probus, 11x14in, silver gelatin print (2016) | BUY NOW — *"Cherokee Park Tree Study #2" by Probus, 11x14in, silver gelatin print (2016) | BUY NOW*

Once photography fought for legitimacy in the art world, but we have long ago come to understand that its heightened realism allows the viewer to see the world with better eyes. The sensory experience of nature, the light and sound, are uniquely captured in the deep and complex range of silvery tones in these images from Probus. Drained of color, the textures and tone are pronounced. Whether the bleakness of winter trees in the woods, a somber row of headstones, or the bucolic aspect still present in the sun-drenched creek, somehow we witness them anew.

“I have always been fascinated by the passage of time and movement in a medium which does not allow either,” states Probus. “Initially I found rural abandoned homes as the perfect venue to explore this premise with self-portraiture. In the last 10 years, I have chosen to alternatively use both view cameras and pinhole. Lately I have found that the pinhole cameras provide an avenue to my previous explorations.”

"Cherokee Park Tree Study #1" by Probus, 11x11in, silver gelatin print (2016), $300 | BUY NOW — *"Cherokee Park Tree Study #1" by Probus, 11x11in, silver gelatin print (2016), $300 | BUY NOW*

The artist’s concern with the passage of time eluding the static, ‘frozen’ aspect of photography may be misplaced, for surely time is a measurable element in these images. The astonishing depth in these, with their far horizons, limitless forest, and dramatic point-of-view, suggest the expanse of landscape that developed over millions of years, the change of the seasons that, in part, determine the perception of existence, and the graves that remind us of our mortality - our finite time.

Permanent Collections:
Cathedral Heritage Foundation, Louisville, KY
Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville, KY
Jefferson County Medical Society, Louisville, KY

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Age: 56
Education: BA with Honors, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 1988; The Fine Print, John Sexton Photographic Workshops, 1997
Website: http://www.probusphotos.com

"Destin Harbor, Destin FLA" by Probus, 11x14in, silver gelatin print (2016), $300 | BUY NOW — *"Destin Harbor, Destin FLA" by Probus, 11x14in, silver gelatin print (2016), $300 | BUY NOW*

"Kentucky River, UZ, KY" by Probus, 11x11in, silver gelatin print (2016), $300 | BUY NOW — *"Kentucky River, UZ, KY" by Probus, 11x11in, silver gelatin print (2016), $300 | BUY NOW*

"Veterans Day at Cavehill Cemetery" by Probus, 11x11in, silver gelatin print (2016), $300 | BUY NOW — *"Veterans Day at Cavehill Cemetery" by Probus, 11x11in, silver gelatin print (2016), $300 | BUY NOW*

Painting

Vignette: Elsie Harris

Josh Jenkins · December 5, 2016

*Elsie Harris in her studio. Photo by Ayla Christman.*

People born and raised in Appalachia often speak of a connection with the land that sounds unique to that experience. Certainly they have no monopoly on such appreciation for nature, and the pastoral figures in the biographies of a wide variety of artists, but the eastern region that stretch from the Southern Tier of New York to northern Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia has a cultural identification with environment that sets it apart from other areas.

Elsie Harris is one such artist. Claiming a life-long connection to the land: “As a child I would wander into the woods and sit on a hilltop to innately be a part of it…mountains, rocks, creeks and hillside ridges. It is where I find both joy and serenity,” she sketches areas that attract her attention, and translates those studies onto canvas, using heightened color to capture the experience of being on the site. This emphasis on subjective emotion places her firmly in the expressionist camp, yet there remains some degree of attachment to the realism, and a sense of place.

"Radiance" by Elsie Harris, 32x40in, acrylic on canvas, $1100 | BUY NOW — *"Radiance" by Elsie Harris, 32x40in, acrylic on canvas, $1100 | BUY NOW*

“My intention then was to push the edges, processes and limits of realism with color, configuration and composition while still being faithful to an original image. For me it is a magical intimacy – a spiritual consciousness – one with nature – that is the message in my work.”

You can currently find Harris’s work in two Kentucky galleries: CRAFT(s) Gallery, 572 South Fourth Street, Louisville, and Art of Danville Gallery, 413 West Main Street, Danville.

Harris' work is seen in many corporate acquisitions and personal collections both here and abroad. Her paintings have also been included in various juried and invitational exhibits across the nation, and she has been commissioned to produce paintings and graphics for numerous organizations. She has worked as a graphic artist with Kentucky Educational Television, and has been involved in an administration capability with many arts organizations and agencies in Kentucky.

"Falling Tree" by Elsie Harris, 30x32in, acrylic on canvas, $760 | BUY NOW — *"Falling Tree" by Elsie Harris, 30x32in, acrylic on canvas, $760 | BUY NOW*

Exhibits - Invitational:
Hunt Morgan House: Art Connects, Lexington, KY, 2016
KY Crafted: Breeders Cup Exhibition, Lexington, KY, 2015
Coop; Sale: Group Exhibit and sale, 2015
Grid: Creativity by the Square Foot, New Editions Gallery, Lexington, KY, 2015
Gallery on Main, Richmond, KY, 2014
KY Guild of Artist/Craftsmen, Berea, KY, 2014
LexArts, ArtsPlace Gallery, Lexington, KY, 2014

Recent Exhibits:
At the Rivers Bend, Evansville Museum, 2016
OH + 5 2016, Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, OH, 2016
Visions at the Capital Fifty/50, 2016
2016 Horizon: Contemporary Landscape exhibition, 2016
Appalachian Artist Guild National Juried Show, Blue Ridge, GA, 2011, 2014
OH+5, Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, OH, 2013, 2015

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Education: BA, Fine Art, University of Kentucky; AA, Fine Art, Sullins Junior College
Website: http://www.elsieharris.com

"Whispering Hills" by Elsie Harris, 30x32in, acrylic on canvas, $850 | BUY NOW — *"Whispering Hills" by Elsie Harris, 30x32in, acrylic on canvas, $850 | BUY NOW*

"Sunshine In" by Elsie Harris, 30x40in, acrylic on canvas, $1050 | BUY NOW — *"Sunshine In" by Elsie Harris, 30x40in, acrylic on canvas, $1050 | BUY NOW*

trees

Artists Talk with LVA: July 27, 2023