words

Photography

Vignette: Mitch Eckert


Art ,“born out of frustration,” — Mitch Eckert


Like many artists, Mitch Eckert works in several different veins. Here we examine some examples from his Translations series. Eckert explains that he has been exploring the genre of still life for 25 years, and in these images we see him emulating the lighting in Flemish paintings. At one point Eckert had sought to discard the project and placed the work prints in a recycle bin – a purging action more common than the lay person might assume, but familiar enough to working artists. Eckert explains the process in his own words:

“Still Life with Cherries and Blue Bowl” by Mitch Eckert, 30x49in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $1200 | BUY NOW

“Still Life with Cherries and Blue Bowl” by Mitch Eckert, 30x49in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $1200 | BUY NOW

“Still Life with Two Nectarines” by Mitch Eckert, 38x26in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $850 | BUY NOW

“Still Life with Two Nectarines” by Mitch Eckert, 38x26in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $850 | BUY NOW

“The Translations series was born out of frustration. I wanted to participate in a dialogue with the rich tradition of the Dutch masters of still life painting so I set out to learn compositional strategies of creating still lifes in that manner. I set up the floral arrangements (my wife made the bouquets from our garden flowers) and using natural light made probably 300 photographs of different still life. After printing them all on an inexpensive inkjet printer to pin them on my wall and contemplate, I came to the realization that perhaps they were too commercial, too pretty. As a student in the heyday of Postmodernism (1980's) I became anxious and nervous about making work that was too pretty. I didn't know how to talk about them. I didn't want to make commercial work.”

“Out of frustration I wadded up the prints and threw them into the recycle bin. After a couple weeks had gone by I was getting ready to set the crumpled photographs into the alley for the recycle to be picked up. I unraveled one of the balls of photographs and to my surprise there was an immediate visceral reaction of delight when my eyes looked at the creases, folds, and torn edges of the photographic paper. In an effort to preserve the image I scanned the crumpled still life with a flatbed scanner and then, using a large format printer, made enlargements on a wonderful printmaking paper that wonderfully complimented the aged wrinkles.”

“Still Life with June Bouquet, Cherries and Figs” by Mitch Eckert, 24x18in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $450 | BUY NOW

“Still Life with June Bouquet, Cherries and Figs” by Mitch Eckert, 24x18in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $450 | BUY NOW

The results blur the lines of the medium by removing the slick surface and detail of photography and exchanging them for a distressed visual texture. Without intending to do it, Eckert brought his images even closer to the aged and brittle tactile reality of their inspiration.

Examples of this series can currently be seen in Altered Perceptions, an LVA Photo-Biennial Exhibit at Metro Hall, which runs through January 12, 2018. Some of the images we see here are featured in that show, which also includes work from C.J. Pressma and Jenny Zeller.

The artist currently lives in Louisville, Kentucky where he is an associate professor or art in the Hite Institute at the University of Louisville. His work can be found in permanent collections of 21c Museum, Butler Institute of American Art, Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Photographic Archives at the University of Louisville, and Swope Museum of Art.

Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
Education: BFA, Photography & Sculpture, Herron School of Art; MFA, Photography, Printmaking, Art History, Ohio University
Website: http://www.mitcheckert.com

“Still Life with Hydrangea (in blue)” by Mitch Eckert, 30x28in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $750 | BUY NOW

“Still Life with Hydrangea (in blue)” by Mitch Eckert, 30x28in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $750 | BUY NOW

“Still Life with Lily and Figs” by Mitch Eckert, 24x18in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $500 | BUY NOW

“Still Life with Lily and Figs” by Mitch Eckert, 24x18in, Archival Pigment Print (2006), $500 | BUY NOW

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

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Painting

Vignette: Teresa McCarthy

"Geese Be With You" by Teresa McCarthy, 40x36in, acrylic on canvas (2016)

"Geese Be With You" by Teresa McCarthy, 40x36in, acrylic on canvas (2016)

Artist Teresa McCarthy

Artist Teresa McCarthy

Painter Teresa McCarthy has always painted landscapes and animal life, and in “Geese Be With You,” we see her developing even greater discipline in her composition and technique. The control in mark-making and balance between wildlife and environment place this work squarely in the Ray Harm school of nature paintings; seeking a pictorial harmony echoing spiritual that is expressed in the humorous play-on-words of the title.

McCarthy began by painting other people’s vacation homes in exchange for lodging - a happy merging of profession and inspiration. “I haven’t put the paintbrush down since that painting. I love painting with oil, acrylic and watercolor. Every painting I’m working on is my favorite. I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing. It is with such certainty of purpose that I paint; it is my vocation.”

McCarthy is currently represented by Kore Gallery in the Mellwood Arts and Entertainment Center. She is a Member of the Kentucky Artist Guild of Artists and Craftsmen and the Louisville Visual Arts. She has participated in the Junior League Tulips for Juleps, Highview Arts and Craft Fair, the Regeneration Fair “Plein Air” Paint Out, and the LVA/Hite Institute Open Studio Weekends.

"Fall Together" by Teresa McCarthy, 60x40in (polyptch), oil on canvas (2016), $1400 | BUY NOW

"Fall Together" by Teresa McCarthy, 60x40in (polyptch), oil on canvas (2016), $1400 | BUY NOW

Her professional life has been in office management and real estate (she works as the Office Manager at Seiller Waterman, LLC.), but even with dual careers, McCarthy has always felt driven to make art and one of the ways she is able to share her passion is being the fine art instructor at Michael’s. Recently she was featured in the Born to Run exhibit at the Brown Hotel Gallery, along with Jamie Corum and Melanie Osborne.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Age: 56
Education: Attended St. Agnes and Durrett High School; obtained Broker’s License in 1986
Gallery Representation: Kore Gallery (Louisville)

"Canoe On Golden Pond" by Teresa McCarthy, 30x40in, oil on canvas (2016)

"Canoe On Golden Pond" by Teresa McCarthy, 30x40in, oil on canvas (2016)

"Winter Wolf with Full Moon" by Teresa McCarthy, 18x24in, oil on canvas (2016)

"Winter Wolf with Full Moon" by Teresa McCarthy, 18x24in, oil on canvas (2016)

"Raccons" by Teresa McCarthy, 17x36in, acrylic on canvas in tree frame (2016)

"Raccons" by Teresa McCarthy, 17x36in, acrylic on canvas in tree frame (2016)

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

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Mixed Media

Vignette: Caroline Waite

A photograph of Caroline Waite in her studio.

A photograph of Caroline Waite in her studio.

"One Small Planet" by Caroline Waite, 10x11x2.5in, tin, paper mache, gouache paintings, model trees, globe, chain. $950 | BUY NOW

"One Small Planet" by Caroline Waite, 10x11x2.5in, tin, paper mache, gouache paintings, model trees, globe, chain. $950 | BUY NOW

Objects are memory in Caroline Waite’s work. Trained as a Printmaker and with experience in Textiles, it should come as no surprise that, when she found herself developing three-dimensional work, the constructions would include repetition. Patterns can be discovered in the recurrence of the objects themselves, culled from her ever-expanding collection (artists were recycling long before it was fashionable or essential), or an even more fundamental echoing of motifs or design elements within the structure of a piece.

 “Things are displayed in my studio, either pinned to the wall or arranged on a surface and eventually a dialogue begins. Once I recognize the potential relationship between these objects, a narrative develops and I get to work.

I love the element of mystery surrounding old objects – the questions as to their meaning, their origin and age – in other words, their “secret lives”.”

In England, Waite taught at Northbrook College, Sussex North East Wales University Telford College, Shropshire. Since moving to the U.S. in 2001, she has lived in Texas and New Mexico but prefers her current home of Louisville, even if two house moves in two years has meant little time for involvement in exhibitions:

"Beauty Beckons" by Caroline Waite, 24x12x2in, forged steel, vintage drafting tools, Nymphenburg German porcelain hand, hand painted panel and various mixed media, $1700 | BUY NOW

"Beauty Beckons" by Caroline Waite, 24x12x2in, forged steel, vintage drafting tools, Nymphenburg German porcelain hand, hand painted panel and various mixed media, $1700 | BUY NOW

“However, new work has been in production with exciting developments including a collaboration with a metal fabricator on forged, steel pieces, allowing me to pursue an interest in wall sculptures.” In an interview on PUBLIC, Waite talked about how the intimacy of her work seems in contrast to the American taste for scale. Perhaps this burgeoning interest in developing larger work is a sign that time in the States is exerting some influence on her.

Waite is currently exhibiting with Tom Pfannerstill at Galerie Hertz in Louisville, Kentucky through December 31, 2016, and she will be participating in Strange Worlds: The Vision of Angela Carter, a major invitational exhibit at the Royal West of England Academy, Bristol, England, that opens on December 9, 2016.

Hometown: Cookham Dean, England
Age: 57
Education: BA, Honors in Fine Art, Cheltenham College of Art; Art Teaching Degree, Brighton Polytechnic
Gallery Representation: Galerie Hertz (Louisville)
Website: http://carolinewaite.com

"'Sphinx' (detail)" by Caroline Waite, 14x12x2.5in, antique doll, paper collage, wire in antique repurposed frame, $600 | BUY NOW

"'Sphinx' (detail)" by Caroline Waite, 14x12x2.5in, antique doll, paper collage, wire in antique repurposed frame, $600 | BUY NOW

"Scene Unseen" by Caroline Waite, 24x12x2.5in, forged steel, carved ivory panels, painted panels, vintage drafting tools and other mixed media, $1600 | BUY NOW

"Scene Unseen" by Caroline Waite, 24x12x2.5in, forged steel, carved ivory panels, painted panels, vintage drafting tools and other mixed media, $1600 | BUY NOW

"'Miraculous Discoveries" by Caroline Waite, 38x27x3in, large display case of hand constructed and collaged insects (sourced from detailed photographs of preserved insects), dolls eyes, card stock, wire, and magazine paper, $5500 | BUY NOW

"'Miraculous Discoveries" by Caroline Waite, 38x27x3in, large display case of hand constructed and collaged insects (sourced from detailed photographs of preserved insects), dolls eyes, card stock, wire, and magazine paper, $5500 | BUY NOW

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

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