*"Peony" by Julius Friedman, photography*

*Artist, Julius Friedman. Photograph by Sarah Davis.*

Once when Julius Friedman was delivering an informal lecture for Louisville Visual Art, he noted how the cover of his most recent book at the time, “Images & Ideas”, was a shot of the condensation on his shower door, and how he had once waited 2 hours for a car to move off a particularly fascinating oil and water puddle in a parking lot so he could photograph it.

Friedman’s images are characteristically so expertly constructed and expressive of a stringent graphic discipline that the randomness at the root of this anecdote seems surprising, but I think the lesson is that an artist does indeed see the world differently; at all times observing their environment on a fundamentally different level than the average citizen.

Art is communication, so if the ability to share that point-of-view is the most important measure of an artist, then Friedman must be counted as a Modern Master. His commercial work, most notably the posters that made him famous in the 1970’s, are brilliant in capturing the appeal of art in terms so vivid as to command the attention of all levels of society. In effect, he established a brand for the arts in Louisville, designing iconic images for so many important arts organizations: The Speed Museum, Louisville Visual Art, the Louisville Ballet, the Louisville Orchestra…the list goes on and on.

*"Erica de La O 1" by Julius Friedman, 20x30in, photography printed on aluminum (2010)*

He did no less in his personal work, exploring technique on an esoteric level that always translated to fun and fascination for the viewer. He photographed Louisville Ballet dancer Eric De La O exhaustively but never exhausted the subject, producing dozens of potent images over several years. He photographed flowers, a prosaic and common subject that in Friedman’s hands become an astonishing example of his own relationship with nature. The same observation applies to his Becoming Wisteria series, images of model Alli Wiles positioned among the wisteria on his 200-acre farm.

In 2016, Frazier Museum in Louisville hosted a vital retrospective of Friedman’s work, showing more than 200 posters and also incorporating The Book, a project in which he deconstructed a collection of discarded books and which was his last published work. There was also a dazzling installation of color photographs on aluminum that, in and of itself was impressive enough to represent his creative vision, but what most excited the artist was an immersive screening of his most recent film work, flowing, abstract images of water in nature.

It was just water running in a stream – or it was simply peonies, or a painter’s palette, or an old book, but Julius Friedman always made us see the commonplace in a new light.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Website: http://www.imagesol.com

*Nathan Felde, Fred DeSanto, and Julius Friedman (c.1970) outside Images studio. Photographer unknown, courtesy Tad DeSanto.*

*"Untitled #10" by Julius Friedman, 20x30in, photograph printed directly on raw aluminum (2015)*

*Book cover for "Images & Ideas" by Julius Friedman*

*"Fresh Paint" by Julius Friedman, photography*

*Artist, Julius Friedman. Photo courtesy of John Nation.*

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

Painting

Vignette: Anne Borders

Josh Jenkins · May 12, 2017

"Carcassonnee" by Anne Borders, 30x48in, Acrylic on Canvas, $2100 | BUY NOW — "Carcassonnee" by Anne Borders, 30x48in, Acrylic on Canvas, $2100 | BUY NOW

“You can’t eat it, or wear it, and it doesn’t keep you warm in the snow, but art, the creation of it, feels as necessary and elemental as sleeping and breathing.”
— Anne MacCracken Borders

Looking at Anne Borders paintings, it is evident that they are not all the same location, or even the same country. The sky in Carcasonne, France is not the same as in Louisville, Kentucky and it is this sense of the individual characteristics of ‘place’ that seem a defining characteristic of Borders’ work. Different sky means different light, and the light affects how we see everything else. We think we know those colors, but yet they prove elusive. There is a tangible reading of the environment and the atmosphere that establishes a sense of place with confidence. It may not quite be like being there, but the artist communicates enough to assure us it is not our daily experience.

"Beargrass Blooms" by Anne Borders, 24x12in, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Wood Panel , $900 | BUY NOW — *"Beargrass Blooms" by Anne Borders, 24x12in, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Wood Panel , $900 | BUY NOW*

Borders’ Artist’s Statement reads, “The uniqueness of the work lies in its intentions. It shifts the perspective of the landscape as a familiar commentary to, instead, an agent of wonder and social consciousness. The message is simple; the vastness of sky, the continuity of a stream, the ongoing pulse of nature endures, in spite of us, rather than because of us.”

So the work is another reminder that great specificity communicates universality, as Borders sees the mission of her landscapes as reaching beyond the simple prosaic tradition to something that has a nearly spiritual impact on the viewer – an intelligent compassion connecting us to the natural world.

“Or have the pattern of water laid out in a way that is madness but washes away worries with steams of color and play. Nature itself will always overpower us.” – Anne Borders

On May 18 Borders will open “The Intersection”, a solo exhibit at Lenihan Sotheby International Realty in Louisville. There is an Artist’s Open House on that date from 5:00 – 7:30pm.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Age: 42
Education: BA, Art History & Classics, University of Kentucky
Website: http://annebordersart.weebly.com

"Consequence" by Anne Borders, 20x14in, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Wood Panel, $900 | BUY NOW — *"Consequence" by Anne Borders, 20x14in, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Wood Panel, $900 | BUY NOW*

"Fading Sun" by Anne Borders, 12x12in, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Wood Panel, $690 | BUY NOW — *"Fading Sun" by Anne Borders, 12x12in, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Wood Panel, $690 | BUY NOW*

"Beargrass Reflected" by Anne Borders, 16x12in, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Wood Panel, $600 | BUY NOW — *"Beargrass Reflected" by Anne Borders, 16x12in, Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Wood Panel, $600 | BUY NOW*

Photography

Vignette: Mark Lenn Johnson

Josh Jenkins · April 11, 2017

"Lesedi" by Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies — *"Lesedi" by* *Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies*

Artist, Mark Lenn Johnson — *Artist,* *Mark Lenn Johnson*

Mark Lenn Johnson’s Fountainfalls series are photographs of drops of water impacting onto a liquid surface with startling drama and beauty. The extreme close-ups show us something we don’t see every day, and the highly reflective dispersal patterns shot through with intense color look more like glass than water. As Johnson is also a glass artist, this makes sense.

“All of my work, whether it is in glass, creative photography or abstract painting, is the physical manifestation of my intrigue, my captivation, my obsession with color,” explains the artist. “I see my glassmaking process as being much more rigid, orderly, patient and well defined while my painting, in all of its abstract audaciousness, requires a much less systematic and structured approach. My creative photography harnesses aspects from both of these processes. In its own right being systematic and methodical while, at the same time, yielding a completely random, arbitrary and ungovernable outcome. All three, however, are equally important to me and equally necessary and contribute to an all-important sense of balance in my life. Ultimately, I aspire to create art that stirs viewers to a deeply emotional response, even if it's only subconscious – a fitting acknowledgment to work that I hope is considered beautiful by everyone while at the same time being significant to the individual.”

"Cia" by Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies — *"Cia" by* *Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies*

Several images from Johnson’s Fountainfalls Creative Photography Series were added to the permanent collection of Eastern Kentucky University's Library System and placed for display at the John Grant Crabbe Main Library. He is represented in Louisville by Kore Gallery at Mellwood Art Center, where his most recent solo art exhibit, "Nothing But Color!!!" was held in December 2016.

"Masika" by Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2016), price varies — *"Masika" by* *Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2016), price varies*

Johnson is being honored by Art Tour International Magazine as one of its Top 60 Contemporary Artists of the Year, in an Award Ceremony to be held in Florence, Italy on May 27, 2017.

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Age: 49
Education: B.S., Mathematics - University of KY, Glassmaking instructional classes with Laura Hallock (Hallock's Stained Glass, Lexington) and Brook White, Jr. (Flame Run, Louisville), Photography instructional classes with John Snell (John Snell Photography, Lexington)
Website: Marklennjohnson.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/MarkLennJohnson
Instagram: Instagram.com/MarkLennJohnson

"Dayo" by Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2016), price varies

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*

Installation, Mixed Media, Painting

Vignette: Lennon Michalski

Josh Jenkins · February 3, 2017

*"Ghost Bike" Installation by Lennon Michalski (2016)*

In a body of work entitled Ghost Bike, Lennon Michalski explores the relationship between man and machine, expressing a complex array of themes, most importantly, the tyranny of technology and the fragility of the human form.

“Ghost Bike takes a specific look at Motorcycles, considering the uniqueness that describes the machine, the man that chooses to indulge in that machine, and the nature of their relationship,” says Michalski. “The imagery in the series considers motorcycle accidents to represent their dangerous cultural association. I specifically chose the motorcycle, the imagery, and popular icons to reflect my personal engagement with this idea. My grandfather was killed on a motorcycle, and this has largely inspired these pieces in the hopes of bringing attention to the motorcycle to provide an understanding of their own distinctive culture.”

"Wrecked Bike" by Lennon Michalski, 36 x 48 x 84 in, Honda Motorcycle and paint (2016) | Photograph by Brian Campbell — *"Wrecked Bike"* *by Lennon Michalski, 36 x 48 x 84 in, Honda Motorcycle and paint (2016) | Photograph by Brian Campbell*

*Michalski in his studio | Photograph by Adam Brester*

“Even when these tragedies strike, society often places blame on the cyclist, for they, have willingly put them selves in harm’s way. Motorcycles are largely considered unsafe and rebellious in the eyes of the public because of the sense of vulnerability and danger associated with motorcycles. In an effort to define the broad spectrum of this machine’s interaction with the human condition, I sought to understand why so many individuals crave to connect with it. I realized that engagement with motorcycles cultivated an undeniable sense of community. Motorcyclists feel passionately about their investment in this machine, creating a strong bond between, not only the machine and its owner, but also everyone who rides. In order to incorporate this idea of community, I created works that also represent this aspect of motorcycle culture. I examine the documentation of a group of cyclists traveling cross-country to pay tribute to the fallen. Rather than viewing the death of the biker as a careless rebel, he is considered a fallen hero, who deserves the greatest of respect. Within the motorcycle community there is boundless devotion, which allows for the machine to act as a tool in eliciting genuine human interaction.”

*"Wreck" by Lennon Michalski, 72 x 108 in, water based pigment and mixed medium on canvas (2016)*

In his paintings, Michalski often uses his hands directly in applying the medium, building transparent layers that evoke a passage of time. “My paintings are not objects assembled by machines or other individuals; I develop a bond and communicate through the development of each work. This technique is based on a physical language; by pushing the paint with my hands, I am infusing my energy into the gestures. I learn something new from each piece allowing my process to open doors I would have never thought to walk through. Through the creation of digital work, paintings, and sculpture, I hope to bring attention to the motorcyclist so that the sense of community motorcycle culture creates can continue to thrive. The motorcycle acts as a metaphor to represent the motorcyclist himself, with the engine acting as the heart of the individual, and the community. While many have fallen victim to the unpredictability of this machine, it uniquely acts as a tool to cultivate relationships, activate commitment, and instill a sense of community.”

Michalski also just self published a children's book called "How Penguins Save Television," a story that explores what it means for society as it attempts to evolve with the aid of science and innovation. The book engages children with the natural world around them through technological modifications, such as the jetpack.

Since 2008 Michalski has been an Instructor of Digital Media, Drawing, and 2D Design at the University of Kentucky.

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Age: 36
Education: BFA in Painting, Eastern Kentucky University 2004; MFA in Painting and Digital Media, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2006
Website: http://www.lennonmichalski.com

*"Stoplights" by Lennon Michalski, 72 x 108 in, water based pigment and mix medium on canvas (2016)*

*"Heart" by Lennon Michalski, 72 x 108 in, water based pigment and mixed medium on canvas (2016)*

water

Vignette: Julius Friedman (1943-2017)