Vignette: Karen Boone

“My painting reflects my minimalist, natural lifestyle.” - Karen Boone

"Red's Meadow" by Karen Boone, Watercolor on canvas, 24x18in, 2017, $450

Painter Karen Boone calls herself a “Natural Explorer,” creating environmentally friendly paintings inspired by nature and backcountry hiking adventures. Often she will hike in the wilderness for over a week, carrying only essentials in a backpack - she keeps the weight under 28 lbs, executing paintings of great immediacy; a painter’s snapshot of the environment.

"Helen Lake" by Karen Boone, pastel on paper, 4x6in, 2017, NFS

“In 2016 I backpacked in Costa Rica, below the rim of the Grand Canyon, and thru-hiked the John Muir Trail from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney. In 2017 I spent a week hiking the backcountry of Glacier National Park and a week in the Cascades. I do tiny sketches while in the field, then create larger pieces back in the studio. My paintings focus on nature’s powerful colors and energy, often with a figurative quality.”

“I try to make my art supplies as environmentally friendly as possible. I hand-mix archival natural pigments (free of fillers, additives, synthetic preservatives, toxins, petroleum-based pigments and heavy metals) with walnut oil for oil paint, or gum arabic, honey and clove oil for watercolors. I stretch my own canvases using organic cotton and plant-based gesso, (free of horse hooves or rabbit skin). I often use sticks or rocks to move paint on the canvas, a style I call ‘Wild Brushes.’ I have been painting sustainably for over 10 years when I started experimenting with Amish milk paint. My painting reflects my minimalist, natural lifestyle.”

There is admirable consistency in Boone’s sense of mission, which is both socially aware and politically astute, and, even though she speaks in such practical terms, at least of hint of spirituality in her communion with nature.

Boone currently has a show at Rainbow Blossom in the Highlands through the end of February. “It’s a symbiotic relationship because I use their essential clove oil in making my watercolors.”  All of the paintings shown here are included in that exhibit. An award-winning painter and graphic designer, Boone has been chosen three times as the Kentucky Derby Festival poster artist, most recently in 2015.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: BA, University of Louisville , MA, Basel School of Design Switzerland.
Website: www.karenboone.com
Instagram: karenboonedesign                    

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"Muir Pass" by Karen Boone, Oil on canvas, 30x20in, 2017, $1950

"Mt. Whitney" by Karen Boone, Oil on canvas, 48x24in, 2017, $2400

"Pinchot Pass" by Karen Boone, Oil on canvas, 30x20in, $750

"Wildflowers Boulder Pass" by Karen Boone, Watercolor on paper, 8x6in, 2018, NFS

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved

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Student Showcase: Emily Meredith

"Red Scarf" by Emily Meredith, Oil on canvas, 16x20in, 2016, $250

To be a college student is to be exposed to the larger world through academia; to say it is a formative experience is, of course, a gross understatement. For some, the particular details of their upbringing might provide an even more pronounced contrast in the experience, as they are suddenly exposed to elements that that dramatically expand their frame of reference.

“Growing up in a religious family,” explains Emily Meredith, “I wasn’t exposed to many worldly things. My parents were very protective and conservative so the idea of the naked body was not something discussed around the house. When I came to college, I took figure-drawing classes to study the human body and how it sat in space. I grew to love the curves and angles of the figure.”

Meredith is certainly not the first art student to fall in love with the human form, but her work still expresses that inevitable sense of wonder and discovery that comes from exploring what is essentially the truth of our own existence. One’s own body is taken for granted; the last thing we see when we look in the mirror is beauty and mystery, being mired in the daily trappings of hygiene and fashion.  Meredith’s work here is grounded in the expected but nevertheless compelling life drawing studies, but she has begun to investigate the humanity contained within the body through abstracted imagery of body parts and character illustrations.

“I am inspired by the colors and techniques of figure painters like Lucian Freud and how he captures the details and vitality of the human tones. I also try to use simplistic color shapes like that of Lena Rivo and Gideon Rubin to find form. The movement of Duchamp’s futurist paintings influences some of my other works. My artwork is focused around the experiences of my life and the emotions that I feel, and my pieces are an expression of how I perceive the world around me.”

"Beauty marks" by Emily Meredith, Mixed media, 5.5x9in each, 2016, $60 each or $350 for the series

“The Beauty Marks series is based on the idea that our body flaws make us who we are. They have stories behind them and they show us how time has passed. I wanted viewers to see their insecurities as strengths and beautiful parts of themselves.”

Meredith will be a part of the May 2018 Senior Thesis show at the 849 Gallery at Kentucky College of Art + Design at Spalding University.

Age: 21
Hometown: Crestwood, Kentucky
Education: BA candidate in Painting and Drawing with a concentration in Illustration at Kentucky College of Art + Design at Spalding University (Spring 2018).
Instagram: @emmeredith14

"Pounding" by Emily Meredith, Oil on masonite, 16x20in, 2017, NFS

Back in a Blue Chair" by Emily Meredith, Oil on canvas, 20x24in, 2016, $350

"Paper bag" by Emily Meredith, Oil on masonite, 30x40in, 2015, NFS

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

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Vignette: Ray Kleinhelter

"Big Maple" by Ray Kleinhelter, Oil on canvas, 60x72in, 2017, $9000.

Sailing up and down the Ohio River in his aptly named boat Watercolor, Ray Kleinhelter works in the open air, sketching and painting amidst the natural beauty of the Ohio River Valley. Citing 20th century artists Richard Diebenkorn and Frank Auerbach as influences, Kleinhelter’s paintings seem to be in direct lineage with theirs; creating works concerned with the materiality of paint, viewing the medium almost as a sculptural tool and vehicle for expression, rather than a simple means for literal representation.

Though one may at first view one of Kleinhelter’s riverscapes, such as “Big Maple,” as a loose interpretation of a natural scene, “loose,” may not aptly describe Kleinhelter’s compositional sensibility. Each color-shape has the sense that it has fought for space in the composition. Carving each other out through an intricately woven series of beginnings and endings, the canvas becomes a geometric battleground. These interpretations in oil, created using multiple sketches done in the open air as reference points, “recreate the sensation of light and color out on the water, bringing the life of the river indoors,” as Kleinhelter puts it.

In “River Drawings” and “Untitled Watercolors,” the viewer is afforded glimpses into the process of creating the larger compositions in oil. Through these smaller studies, done in ink and watercolor, the “bones” of the larger, more complex pieces can be seen; the planes of light striking trees along a riverbank, the formal interaction between the land and sky that creates a horizon, and how that interaction can be manipulated to make a horizon dissolve inside the composition, refuting traditional western notions of perspective.

"River Drawing 70" by Ray Kleinhelter, Ink on paper, 9.5x12in, 2017, $200.

"Untitled Watercolor 49" by Ray Kleinhelter, Watercolor on paper, 9.5x12in, 2017, $400.

While the influences of Diebenkorn and Auerbach can clearly be seen in Klienhelter’s work, the well-known paintings of Piet Mondrian also come to mind. Similarly reinterpreting the natural into abstracted geometric compositions, Mondrian simplified the cityscape into a series of rectilinear forms in primary colors. The clean lines and separation of color ideas exemplifies Mondrian’s experience inside urban spaces, and so too do the energized compositions of Kleinhelter exemplify the experience of a natural space vital to the culture of Louisville.

Now through January 2018 Kleinhelter is showing new work at Lenihan Sotheby’s International Realty at 3803 Brownsboro Road in Louisville.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: Yale School of Art Summer Painting Scholar 1982; BFA, Kansas City Art Institute 1982; MFA, Indiana University, Bloomington 1986
Gallery Representation: Galerie Hertz (Louisville)
Website:www.raykleinhelter.com

"Big Sycamore" by Ray Kleinhelter, Oil on canvas, 60x72in, 2017, $9000.

"Late Spring Flood #3" by Ray Kleinhelter, Oil on panel, 36x42in, 2017, $3600.

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Written by Aaron Storm. Entire contents copyright © 2017 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

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Vignette: Joshua Jenkins

"Two Folk Musicians In Nature" by Joshua Jenkins, Acrylic & mixed media, 60x72x1.5 in, 2017, $3000

JoshuaJenkins' human forms are distorted and at times can seem like disfigured scribbles of a body. His people previously seen at leisure in the city streets or in the public square, have now moved into the bucolic countryside of open fields and forests. His disruptive and freeform line, an influence from the Expressionist movement and the energy of street artists, illustrates humanity breaking free of the constraints of society – Jenkins’ characters are almost never working. Yet in “People in the Woods” the individuals are caught in a visual pattern of nature. This artist’s fascination with, “the raw textures that plague old cities”, seems to here be supplanted by the organic textures of nature, both welcoming and vaguely sinister.

"A Contemplation Of Nature" by Joshua Jenkins, Acrylic & mixed media, 36x24x1.5in. 2017, $1250

His Artist's Statement includes this declaration: “Art to me is the soul’s communication - a response to experience and life. This theory is what drives me to create, because I feel as though I have to so for my own wellbeing. Like many artists I use art as a source of therapy—coping with day-to-day stresses, romances, my sexuality, my childhood, and my ongoing struggle with institutional religion. However, not all inspiration comes from my life, observing the people around me also inspire me. In some regards I consider myself a voyeur of life. People intrigue me not only on a physical plane, but also on a deeper emotional level. I tend to feed inspiration to myself from the lives and emotional distresses of others. Ultimately, my work is not to create art at the expense of my own or anyone else’s miseries, but rather to shine a light on the commonalities between us all.”

“It has become apparent to me that my approach to art is to try and give a fresh voice to the Fine Arts, pulling influences from past movements and acknowledging trends that are in today’s culture. I must conclude that my art is always evolving and will also stay true to my original drive for creating, which comes from my soul—the inner voice that I have learned over time to never question.”           

Jenkins currently has a "Holiday Pop-Up Art Show" at Mellwood Art Center in conjunction with KORE Gallery. The show features some recent works from his one-person exhibit at Lenihan Sotheby’s  Summertime along with other works I have done over the years including a few new pieces done over the past couple of months. Jenkins himself will be available in the gallery on weekends. Otherwise people can get access through KORE Gallery during the week. 

Mellwood Art Center
#187 (entry off the courtyard)

Tuesday through Friday: 11 AM to 5 PM
(get access through KORE Gallery)

Weekdend Hours:
Saturday, 12 to 4 PM, Sunday, 12 to 4 PM

Hometown: Poughkeepsie, NY
Education: BA in Digital Media with a Minor in Studio Art, Marist College (Poughkeepsie, New York)
Website: http://www.joshjenkins.com
Instagram: joshuajenkinsart/
Gallery Representative: Joshua is self-represented locally, but have works at Revelry  & KORE Gallery, New Editions Gallery (Lexington), CAZA Sikes (Cincinnati).

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"People in the Woods" by Joshua Jenkins, Acrylic & mixed media, 48 x 36 x 1.5 in, 2017, $2200

"Untitled Drawing" by Joshua Jenkins, Pastel, Charcoal, and Graphite, 24x18in, 2017 $350

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

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Vignette: Alexandra Kenitzer

"Chocolate Delight" by Alexandra Kenitzer, Oil on Canvas, 20x20in, 2017 $400

"Piña Colada" by Alexandra Kenitzer,  Oil on wood, 38x38in, 2013, $500  

Visual art can be an incredibly powerful vehicle for tackling many serious issues of the times, calling attention to the horrors of war or bigotry, or gender and class discrepancies. As an incredibly powerful vehicle, it is also versatile, as capable of glorifying some of the most drool-worthy beauty of this world we all share. Emerging artist and painter Alexandra Kenitzer, self-described as “fixated on pretty and complex objects,” has been leaning towards the latter lately, creating a series inspired by a lovely-looking thing that some use to deal with some ugly things.

“I am intrigued by the craft of cocktails and the celebration that goes along with the consumption of the beverage. I see cocktails as a way of celebrating in any sort of occasion,” Kenitzer said. “I find that they are indulgent because they are so beautifully put together and have such a presence.”

The native of Owensboro sees creative possibilities in and out of her studio, whether inspiration arrives from fashion, pastries or her recent series. “I favor creative mixtures … they have a demure quality and we recognize them because they are timeless.”

A process-oriented artist, Kenitzer likes a large canvas, laboriously executing minute details that communicate the finer qualities of her images. She lovingly lavishes color on both her objects of desire and their backdrops, mixing oils to get the color combinations just right. She cites Kehinde Wiley as one to “obsess over,” specifically how he uses patterns in his coveted portraits.

Her “Martini” has a multi-dimensional effect, eagerly jumping in front of the viewer to create a chaotic space where a cocktail and the wallpaper behind it fuse to suggest a zebra. Yet her “Bloody Mary” and “Pina Colada” use calmer, far more open spaces like a veteran jazz bassist to highlight their few, very important details. Meanwhile, her self-assured donuts stand out against contrasting backgrounds.

Kenitzer paints by hand in a consistent style, varying only when a certain piece requires more – or less – impact. She spends most of her time focused on backgrounds, noting, “Being as close to perfect or perfect is what the pattern painting is about. It becomes more about the complexity of how fine the lines are.”    

"Sprinkled Pink" by Alexandra Kenitzer, Oil on Canvas, 20x20in, 2017, $400

Hometown: Owensboro Kentucky
Education: BFA, Oil Painting, University of Louisville Hite Art Institute
Website: www.alexandrakenitzer.com
Instagram: @alexandrakenitzerart

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"Bloody Mary" by Alexandra Kenitzer, Oil on Wood Panel, 30x50in, 2013, $800

"Martini" by Alexandra Kenitzer, Oil on Wood Panel, 25x32in, 2013, $1200

"Lemon Lover" by Alexandra Kenitzer, Oil on canvas, 20x20in, 2017, $400

Written by Peter Berkowitz. Entire contents copyright © 2017 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

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