Vignette: Clare Hirn

"Guest View Epic" by Clare Hirn, 2018

Although Clare Hirn has been a working artist pretty much her entire life, she had never been to an artist’s retreat or had a residency experience. “Raising two kids was one of the reasons,” she explains, “it always seemed so difficult to get away.”

But she has just returned from a month spent at Rancho Linda Vista near Oracle, Arizona. The retreat was established 50 years ago by artists who were teaching at the University of Arizona and Hirn found it to be a very welcoming artist community. 

Hirn's studio at Rancho Lindo Vista

Hirn was given a guest cabin with studio space in which to live and work, and describes the experience as, “so rejuvenating! It was just what I needed!”

“My stay was a mini-sabbatical that allowed me to concentrate on painting and drawing for 30 days.  Because I was “dropped” into an amazing landscape so new to me, and literally right outside my kitchen window, I allowed myself to just focus on that as subject matter.  I took paper and a few other painting supports that fit in my borrowed luggage, and ample drawing and painting supplies. I bought canvas and some other materials in Tucson, about an hour south of Oracle.”  

Hirn has a strong reputation as a landscape artist in the Ohio River Valley, and the change in terrain provided opportunity for discovery: “The distances can be deceptive. The landscape would dip and roll more than you realize. After I did a drawing, I would go walking into what I had just drawn, only to find that there were steep inclines. The ground would open up a whole other space.”

She found unexpected inspiration in in the chain fruit cholla, which grows in abundance in the area. It appears in the drawings that we see here, but it also became a part of the work itself when Hirn filtered the desert soil through the physical openings of the porous bark onto paper coated with medium. The result was "Cholla Triptych".

"Oracle Egg" by Clare Hirn, 2018

Even though the hand of an artist is evident in the marks of the drawings and paintings, Hirn’s proportion and sense of light are still realistic enough to suggest photography, but no filter would capture the same understanding of how color defines space that we detect in this work. 

Clare Hirn received a significant scholarship to attend the New York Academy of Art – Graduate School of Figurative Art, located in Manhattan. The curriculum continues to focus on strong foundational skills for working “realistically” from life and the figure.

After graduating with her masters in painting and drawing in 1990, Hirn worked for a mural design firm in NYC, learning the techniques of working large scale. Upon returning to her hometown of Louisville, KY she pursued both mural work and her personal painting, participating and receiving awards in many regional shows. Hirn’s fine art murals and paintings grace many homes, businesses, and public spaces and have appeared in numerous publications.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: BA (Individualized Major Program), Indiana University in Bloomington; MFA in painting and drawing, New York Academy of Art - Graduate School of Figurative Art.
Website: http://www.clarehirnstudio.com

 

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Clare Hirn at Rancho Linda Vista.

"Live Oak Wash" by Clare Hirn, 2018

"Oracle Postcard" by Clare Hirn, 2018

"Cholla Triptych" by Clare Hirn, 2018

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

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Vignette: Teri Dryden

"Chopsticks 1 (diptych)" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 11x14in, 2018, $1000

“Chopsticks” as a musical piece is a simple but clever composition for piano that highlights the foundation of harmony and the structure of piano technique. In two of the paintings we see here, Teri Dryden adopts the title, and it appears she is recognizing a similar idea in her painting. The abstract compositions feel immediate, spontaneous in the very active and vigorous application of medium, as if the artist almost didn’t give herself time to think. The raw emotion captured goes to the heart of Abstract Expressionism, so that the images academically capture the foundation of the movement while also being very pure visual communication.

The effectiveness of that communication is a priority for Dryden: “The more I’ve traveled and ventured out, the more I’ve come to recognize the tissue that connects us as humans no matter where we live, how we speak, what we eat and drink, how we love or what we find beautiful. I mine that rich tapestry of experience and attempt to create a universal language on canvas that can speak to everyone.”

"Chopsticks 2 (diptych)" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 11x14in, 2018, $1000

“My work is informed by extraordinary life experiences that have shaped my aesthetic and worldview. I have an intense curiosity about places and the ways in which they connect, divide or define us. As an artist, I don’t simply “see” visual stimuli—I absorb them, and they become a part of my psyche. As a young woman, I traveled with Ringling Brothers Circus for two years, lived on a train, performed in every contiguous U.S. state, and gathered thousands of indelible impressions from garish to gorgeous that often find their way from my memory to my brush. I’ve experienced the exotic cultures of China, India and SE Asia, swum with stingrays in the Caribbean and paddled through a Mississippi swamp.”

In August and September, Dryden will be in residency in Onishi, Japan at the Shiro One Studios, which was founded with the philosophy that while most artists produce much of their work on their own, nurturing creativity through community, collaboration, and quiet reflection could enrich the development of ideas. She has received a Professional Development Scholarship from the Louisville Fund For the Arts to help fund this residency

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland
Education: Towson University
Website: http://www.teridryden.com
Gallery Representative: B.Deemer Gallery (Louisville) Brandt-Roberts Galleries (Columbus), Contemporain Gallery, (Baton Rouge) and Robert Kent Galleries (Marietta)

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"Samurai" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 34x40in , 2018, $2175

"Birds In Flight" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 34x36in, 2018, $2000

"Voices Carry" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 36x48in, 2018, $2200

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

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Vignette: Jaime Corum

It is the sport of Kings, but Jaime Corum paints horses as if they themselves are the royal subjects.

"Racing Frieze 1" by Jaime Corum, oil on wood panel

Where once a portraitist would depict a monarch in a controlled studio setting, Corum honors the horse with the same reverent approach, imbuing them with a similar lofty dignity. In these portraits, the supple but powerful forms are carefully positioned and lit, placed against deliberately artificial backdrops such as the tapestry in “Amando and Onne”. Corum cites George Stubbs as a key influence, and she has the same formality, the same thorough and complete observation of anatomy, and the same romantic point-of-view of equine nobility.

Corum also paints thoroughbreds in action, but the formal portraits are easily the more distinctive work. She sees the considerable range of expression in these animals; the contrast of mass, power, and speed against the impossible delicacy of the limbs and the graceful, fluid movement. For centuries the horse has worked for us, taken us into battle, and occupied the center of a multi-million dollar sporting industry.

The horse has also played a crucial role in culture, figuring prominently in human mythology and poetry. Symbolic of the force and beauty that are its natural attributes, it carries death, plague, pestilence - but also hope, purity, redemption in equal measure. They occupy our dreams and bear witness to our history:

"Ghost in the Darkness" by Jaime Corum, oil on wood panel

The black horse crooks his
forelegs, the hills split open,
his nostrils pour flame.
Snort, snort through miles,
O charger, through rock.

From The Black Horse Rider - by Pierre Loving

For the White Horse knew England
When there was none to know;
He saw the first oar break or bend,
He saw heaven fall and the world end,
O God, how long ago.

From The Ballad Of The White Horse - by G. K. Chesterton

Can any other animal claim as much symbolic importance in humanity’s understanding of itself? Corum, of course, is not alone in this understanding, but the manner in which her work locates a distinctly continental tradition in equine imagery exemplifies this idea without resorting to kitsch, and she shows restraint in her embrace of sentimentality. She sees the horse for what it is, and while companionship is recognized as vital, her horses resist precociousness.

Jaime Corum is based in Louisville, Kentucky. Her equine art is inspired and refined by her own experience with horses, especially her own horse Chesapeake. She is currently exhibiting in Poetry in Motion: The Equine Art of Jaime Corum and Richard Sullivan at The Brown Hotel through July 1, 2018

Photo: Leo Osborn

Hometown: Pineville, Kentucky
Education: Bellarmine University
Website: jaimecorumequineart.com
Gallery Representation: Kentucky Fine Art Gallery (Louisville), New Editions Gallery (Lexington), Tilting at Windmills Gallery (Vermont & Saratoga, NY)

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"Amando & Onne" by Jaime Corum, oil on canvas

"Her Treasures" by Jaime Corum, oil on gessoboard

"Engine" by Jaime Corum,  oil and gold enamel on wood panel.

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

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The Academy at LVA 2018 Senior Spotlight: Claire Mundy

Claire Mundy took classes with LVA for about eight years with Mr. Dean Mistler at Scribner Middle School and Indiana University Southeast.

She won a second place award and scholarship at the 2018 Ivy Tech Art Competition. Claire placed in 4H competitions for two years, and this year she also placed in several events with her Academic Bowl team. With all of this and making art, Claire also is very active in her church, volunteering each month with the food pantry and Community Meal, and having participated on several work mission trips.

In the fall of 2018 Claire will be attending the University of Montana, where she has received a Leadership, Achievement, & Service scholarship for $11,000. She will be majoring in Environmental Sciences and Wildlife Biology.

“LVA classes have not only helped me become a better artist, but they made me want to be better and to push myself. Art is a huge part of my life and LVA has been with me for most of my journey as an artist. I wouldn’t be where I was today without these classes.”

Claire's work is included in The Academy at LVA Exhibition, which will be on display May 9 - 16 at Louisville Visual Art, 1538 Lytle Street in the Portland neighborhood. Gallery Hours are Monday through Thursday, 12-4pm, or by appointment. 

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Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved. 

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The Academy at LVA 2018 Senior Spotlight: River Skipworth

River Skipworth has been taking Louisville Visual Art (LVA) classes for nine years, starting in fourth grade and continuing up through his senior year. His teachers have included Annette Cable, William Duffy, Dennis Whitehouse, Claudia Hammer, Colin Lloyd, and Sunny Ra, and ranged in location from Douglass Community Center to DuPont Manuel High School, Spalding University, and the Holy Trinity/Clifton Community Center.

He has received nine Gold Keys, a Gold Key Portfolio, two Silver Keys, and Eight Honorable Mentions in the Scholastic art Awards. River also won a first, two seconds, and a third place in the KY Art Education Association All State Art Awards in the region, and a second place in the state. He was a member of Art Club at school, and participated in Studio 2000 (through Metro Parks & LVA), The Future is Now (a mentorship program through LVA), and the Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA).

River will be attending Murray State University in fall 2018. “So far I have received around $4,000 in financial aid, KEES money and academic scholarships. I plan on majoring in some art form, but I haven’t decided yet exactly which one. I have also won the John Botto Award for overall body of work in the 2018 Scholastic Art Awards that included a scholarship of $250.”

“I give Louisville Visual Art (LVA) a lot of credit over the years for helping me succeed in not only the many classes but also helping me to participate in multiple programs including: Studio 2000, The Future is Now, and GSA. I have also volunteered for a United Way daycare teaching art to kids for a week during Christmas break, and for Squallis Puppeteers on multiple occasions. The class I have enjoyed and learned from the most is Painting with Dennis Whitehouse and Sunny Ra.”

“Children’s Fine Art Classes (CFAC) and The Academy at LVA have made a huge impact on my life, I would not be the artist I am today with out the many years and mentors I have learned from. I have enjoyed learning from each and every one of these teachers and have tried to absorb as much of their knowledge and skill as possible. It saddens me to know that this constant source of help and guidance for me will soon be gone, but I hope it will continue to help and inspire young artists in Louisville like my little sister. I have recommended CFAC to many people and feel that this program is more important to our community than it has been credited. All of my teachers have been great but I feel that Mr. William Duffy has gone above and beyond for me, not only because I was with him the longest but also because I could always tell he genuinely cared for me and the other students. He is very knowledgeable in multiple techniques and is an overall kind human. Thank you.”

River's work will be included in The Academy at LVA Exhibition, which will be on display May 9 - 16 at Louisville Visual Art, 1538 Lytle Street in the Portland neighborhood. Gallery Hours are Monday through Thursday, 12-4pm, or by appointment. There will be a reception Friday, May 11, 6-8pm.

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Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved

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