Vignette: Lynn Dunbar Bayus

“Painting is my divine connection with nature” – Lynn Dunbar Bayus

"Twisting the Night Away" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus, Oil canvas paint, 20x60in, $3500

Lynn Dunbar Bayus is not alone in realizing a spiritual relationship with nature through painting. Idyllic days of painting free from the elements is a rare occasion, with wind rain, dust - temperatures too far down or to far up on the barometer. The plein air artist works quickly against the vagaries of the constantly changing light, hoping to capture the ephemeral experience of one moment in one place. A sense of place is the inarguable gold standard of any landscape artist, and finding a fresh point-of-view is the challenge.

One way in which Bayus has done that is to work from aerial photographs of the landscape along the Ohio River. Although there is charm and abundant color of her closer views of gardens, racehorses, and other subjects, there is another kind of visual power in the aerial compositions, more expansive and philosophical in their attitude. They allow a perspective nearly devoid of the footprint of humanity, one in which time and the elements played a crucial role in shaping the relationship between land, water, and sky. It is also an opportunity for us to consider for a moment the primeval aspect of the landscape and the humility we should feel in the grand scheme of things.

"Crested Butte Barn and Cows" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus,  Oil on canvas, 8x10in, POR

The more common view of buildings and livestock that we see in “Crested Butte Barn and Cows” is prosaic, falling somewhere between the majesty of the river seen from above and the grounded, eye-level scenes of horse and jockey, or visitors to the racetrack. The former captures a scene that might be from any point in the last 200 years, while latter is of a fleeting moment in the now, tied to fashion and special occasion.

In September Bayus will be part of two exhibits with Louisville Visual Art. September 23 through November 4 Louisville Artists: Carry On will be on view at the LVA building, with a reception Sunday, September 23 from 3-5pm. Then the LVA Juried Exhibit in the 2018 Portland Art & Heritage Fair will take place on Saturday, September 29. The exhibit will be available for viewing at the Marine Hospital from 11am-5pm. Jury prizes will be awarded at 2:00pm.

Bayus will be once again be participating in Open Studio Weekend (OSW), presented by LVA and the University of Louisville's Hite Institute. For 2018, OSW is scheduled for November 3 & 4 from 12-6pm. You can purchase tickets here.

Bayus’ artwork is featured on the 2018 Kentucky Derby and Oaks Posters available at Churchill Downs, and will be featured on the 2018 Holiday Edition of Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Other awards include Award of Merit 2016, Owensboro Museum of Art, Science and History, Grand Prize Portland Heritage Arts Show 2014, honorable mention at the Salon International 2013, the 2012 Purchase Prize from the Owensboro Museum of Art, and the 2011 Grand Prize from the Louisville Women's Club, and work is featured in the September 2017 Plein Air Magazine, and in American Art Review.

Memberships include Signature Status of American Impressionist Society, Indiana Plein Air Painters and Painters of the Bluegrass.

Hometown: Gary, Indiana
Education: MSSW, University of Louisville; BA in Visual Design, Purdue University
Website: http://dunbar-art.com/
Gallery Representative: Point Gallery, Prospect, Kentucky; Kentucky Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky

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"Belle and Lincoln Bridge" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus, Oil canvas paint, 18x18in, $1200

"Vine Street after Rain" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus, Oil on canvas, 5x7in, 2018, POR

"Black Eyed Susans" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus, Oil on canvas, 12x24in, 2018, POR

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved. In addition to his work at the LVA, Keith is also the Managing Editor of a website, Arts-Louisville.com, which covers local visual arts, theatre, and music in Louisville.

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Vignette: Debra Lott

"No Strings Attached" by Debra Lott, Oil on Canvas, 48x48in, 2018

Debra Lott’s most recent Artist’s Statement begins by recognizing that she, “is recognized for her figurative paintings that feature and uplift women. “ It’s a true enough statement, and the observation of her women is filled with tenderness and vulnerability. Because her human subjects are always female, one might imagine that she views these characteristics as inherent to women, yet an extended view of her work somehow expands our sense of her themes to be more universal than that.

In her most recent exhibition at Pyro Gallery, Lott places her work in the context of the current “#METOO” movement where she, “reveals pivotal moments when women break free from the culture of sexual harassment.” In these images, the artist once again makes the connection between that vulnerability and how it is the root of strength and resiliency. We grow from the recognition of our frailty.

“For me this exhibit encourages victims, gives them a voice and promotes healing and hope. The inspirations for this series are the women breaking the silence of sexual abuse. They are the community of survivors who are in the process of healing and moving forward together. “

“The subjects of these paintings represent ‘The Silence Breakers’. I’ve incorporated white ribbons and cords into the paintings as symbols of bondage –the ‘attached strings’ that have manipulated women and muffled their voices. The ribbons are unraveling; they are breaking. The paintings celebrate women standing together, leaning on and aiding one another to encourage healing.”

"Breaking the Ties That Bind" by Debra Lott, Oil on Canvas, 36x72in diptych, 2018

Lott’s new exhibition, #MeToo "From Silent to Resilient" - New Paintings by Debra Lott, with guest artists Meg White and Rachel Gibbs, runs September 6 through October 20, 2018, with a First Friday Reception on September 7th 6:00 - 9:00 pm, and a Sunday Afternoon Reception September 9th 1:00-4:00.

Selected Adjudicated Exhibitions:

2017 - Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, OAG 55th Juried Exhibition, Owensboro, KY, February 25-April 14, 2017 - Lexington Art League, Demographically Speaking, A Figurative Exhibition, Lexington, KY, January13-February 12, 2017
2016 - Art Comes Alive 2016, ART Design Consultants Inc. Cincinnati, OH, July 23-August 29, 2016 Figurative Artist of the Year Award
2015 - The Chautauqua National Exhibition, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY 1/26/2015-2/20/2015

Hometown: Lake Worth, Florida
Education: MAT with a concentration in painting, Florida Atlantic University, a BA in Art Education, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Gallery Representation: PYRO Gallery
Website: debralott.com/

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"Breaking Point" by Debra Lott, Oil on canvas, 20x30in, 2018

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.In addition to his work at the LVA, Keith is also the Managing Editor of a website, Arts-Louisville.com, which covers local visual arts, theatre, and music in Louisville.

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

Vignette: Catherine Bryant

"Louisville Bridges" by Catherine Bryant, Oil on canvas, 11x14in, 2018, $600

The landscape artist, in particular, the plein air painter, must venture out into the world to satisfy their creative drive. It doesn’t always mean tying down their easel to brave fierce winds or painting in polar fleece in freezing temperature; modern day artists retire to the well-heated studio and other subjects, but the ever-diminishing seasonal transitions demand their attention.

When we review the work of Catherine Bryant, one of the region’s most notable landscape painters, that desire is communicated with abundant clarity. The natural world is a living organism, changing with each passing day. We know this in our bones, but Bryant seems preternaturally in tune with it in a way that forces the rest of us to understand how much we take it for granted. And her Instagram account attests to her dedication, with images of paintings completed just three days ago.

"Peaceful Morning" by Catherine Bryant, Oil on canvas, 24x36in, 2018, $2150

In her Artist’s Statement, Bryant explains how she finds plein air painting to be crucial in developing skills for making quick decisions in, “simplifying composition, value assessment, and color acuity, all the while completing a painting within 2 / 2 ½ hours.” Skills she carries with her into the studio during the winter months, during which she turns her attention to still life and portraits.

Like most contemporary landscape painters, she also accepts humankind’s contribution, folding in architectural elements, the barns and fences of the farmland, the bridges and barge traffic on the Ohio River; our hand in altering the environment has become as meaningful as the ancient topography that is the foundation of all such compositions.

Included here are a series about the many bridges connecting Kentucky and Indiana that are woven throughout Louisville. They are a commission through Zephyr Gallery for the Kentucky International Convention Center, which just reopened after a $207 million renovation.

On September 29, Bryant will be part of the Louisville Visual Art’s Juried Exhibit in the 2018 Portland Art & Heritage Fair. The exhibit will be available for viewing at the Marine Hospital from 11am-5pm. Jury prizes will be awarded at 2:00pm.

Ms. Bryant teaches her passion for painting at Preston Arts Center on Bardstown Road, and in her private studio. 

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: BA, University of Louisville
Gallery Representative: Jane Morgan Gallery; Edenside Gallery; Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft, and Hoosier Salon (Louisville) Broad Ripple Gallery (Indianapolis)
Website: http://www.catherinebryantart.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherinebryantstudio/

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"Overlook Magic" by Catherine Bryant, Oil on canvas, 11x14in, 2018, $600

"Louisville Bridges #2 (Lincoln)" by Catherine Bryant, Oil on canvas, 30x40in, 2018, POR

"Final Resting Place" by Catherine Bryant, Oil on canvas, 11x14in, 2018, POR

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.In addition to his work at the LVA, Keith is also the Managing Editor of a website, Arts-Louisville.com, which covers local visual arts, theatre, and music in Louisville.

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

Feature: Gaela Erwin at the British National Portrait Gallery

Louisville artist Gaela Erwin was selected for the highly prestigious British National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait Award 2018 Exhibition. Erwin flew to London in June to attend the opening, and the exhibit is on display through September 23, 2018.

This was Erwin’s second consecutive entry into the BP NPG show. “They only accept oils and I had been working in pastel for three and a half years,” she explains. “During that time I was able to dabble in oils a bit to try to get my skills back. I typically will alternate the two mediums exclusively over long periods of times. I switched back to oils and put away my pastels in earnest to qualify for this competition.”

"Portrait of Neema Tambo" by Gaela Erwin, Oil on panel, 48x36in, 2018

The accepted painting, “Portrait of Neema Tambo”, is an image of a woman who has been featured in at least one other of Erwin’s work. “Licia and Neema” which was a part of the artist’s 2016 exhibit at The Speed Museum, Reframing The Past. In contrast to the posed, costumed figures depicted against scenic backdrops that populated that show, “Portrait of Neema Tambo” is plain and straightforward, bereft of ornamental detail, Tambo stares directly at the viewer in an almost confrontational manner that holds us firmly in its thrall.

“It is quite significant that a Louisville artist has made a successful entry into this competition,” states Curator John Begley, formerly of Louisville Visual Art and the Hite Institute of Art. “Getting into this show is no small feat; there is an extensive double jury process, including shipping the actual piece to London if you make it to the second round. Its a great expense without guarantee of final success to the artists, particularly for those outside of Great Britain.”

The BP Portrait Award is generally considered to represent the very best in contemporary portrait painting. With a first prize of £35,000 ($44,500), and a total prize fund of £74,000 ($94,000), the “Award is aimed at encouraging artists to focus upon and develop portraiture in their work. Over the years this has attracted over 40,000 entries from more than 100 countries”.

The BP Portrait Award is in its thirty-ninth year at the National Portrait Gallery and twenty-ninth year of sponsorship by BP. Since its launch it has been seen for free by over 6 million people.

The exhibit is at St. Martin’s Place in London, England, before it travels to Wolverhampton Art Gallery (Oct. 13 — Dec. 2) the Scottish National Portrait Gallery (Dec. 15 — Mar. 10, 2019) in Edinburgh, and the Cartwright Hall, Bradford, England (March-June 2019).

The competition was judged from original paintings by this year’s panel:

Dr. Nicholas Cullinan, Director, National Portrait Gallery (Chair)
Dr. Caroline Bressey, Cultural and Historical Geographer, University College London
Rosie Broadley, Head of Collection Displays (Victorian to Contemporary) and Senior Curator, 20th-Century Collections, National Portrait Gallery
Glenn Brown, Artist
Rosie Millard, Journalist and Broadcaster
Des Violaris, Director, UK Arts & Culture, BP

"Licia and Neema" by Gaela Erwin, Pastel on paper, 68x48in, 2016

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

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Vignette: Andrea Alonso

Geometry has always been important in Andrea Alonso’s painting. She uses it to construct a nearly abstract cityscape of buildings crowded in upon each other. It is the urban atmosphere of Mexico, Spain, and other Spanish language societies, but it is not unlike many American cities where low-income residences have been grouped in claustrophobic proximity.

"Night Smoker" by Andrea Alonso, Oil on canvas, 31x39in, 2018, $3000

“My main focus is the visual representation of low-income cities and towns,” explains Alonso, “since in those places urban solutions are more spontaneous and less rigid. I try to recreate the feeling a spot gave me. I use vibrant and striking colors to emphasize the emotion and the space within these geometric arrangements.”

Whereas in the past those compositions have been dense arrangements of line, shape and color, of late, Alonso has pulled back her point-of-view to view smaller communities situated away from the over-populated cities. The buildings are still close, but the shift on the emotion of the color changes our perception. The bold, saturated yellow of “Sunny Town” captures the hot climate but it also imbues the image with hope and perhaps even joy, and the relationship of the buildings suggests a different, more old-fashioned sense of community: a small town in which we imagine life unfolds at an unhurried pace that might be the envy of the city dwellers.

Yellow is also the dominant color in “Green Roofs”, an example of the tighter urban images, but this group of paintings seem to capture this shift in a particularly logical, linear progression, from the deep blues of “Nightsmoker”, repeated as the composition begins to open up in “Town at Night”, then the introduction of warmer hues in “Green Roofs”. The green of those roofs then flows into the landscape of “Village in the Fields”, the former resting above the heads of the residents while the former surrounds the community with agricultural fertility.

"Sunny Town" by Andrea Alonso, Oil on wood 12x12in, 2018, $300

It is a simple, almost naive contrast of the different environments but a vivid expression of Alonso’s stated mission of blending the sensibility of abstract expressionism with an understanding of social problems.

In December 2018, Alonso will have a show at Studio Oh in Chicago. Currently Alonso is one of the many Louisville artists featured in the Alley Gallery public art program sponsored by the Louisville Downtown Partnership.

Alonso was one of the five finalists in 2017 ArtPrize Pitch Night in Louisville, and she has paintings featured in Art Yellow Book #2, by CICA Museum, South Korea.

Hometown: Monterrey, Mexico
Education: Architecture degree University of Monterrey, Mexico; MBA in Administration, Rioja University, Madrid, Spain.
Website: art-ark.com
Instagram: art_ark_

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"Green Roofs" by Andrea Alonso, Oil on canvas, 31x39in, 2018, $3000

"Village in Green Field" by Andrea Alonso, Oil on wood, 12x14in, 2018, $300

"Town at Night" by Andrea Alonso, Oil on wood, 12x12in, 2018, $300

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

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