A visit at home with artist Roi James

Tuesday, November 30, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (15) Comments

How fitting that Roi James is the steward (his word) of a 16^th c. Italian Renaissance painting from the circle of Barocci.  It was the Renaissance paintings that originally attracted Roi to painting in the first place.   He started painting seriously at the age of 28 with oils.   He had dabbled in watercolors with his mother, also a painter, at a young age and did quite a bit of drawing.   He has become one of my favorite painters of any time period or any location on the planet.  I wouldn’t mind at all if my home was a Roi James gallery.   Roi was kind enough to share his favorite pieces in his collection in his home with me today.

 

On his gallery wall in his living room, which he considers one large installation piece of his favorite things, the top piece on the left was his very first painting purchase in the early 1990s.   A friend of his was an exchange student in Russia and came home with some pieces that he later sold and Roi was a lucky purchaser.  It is by Alexander Macholov and though he felt a little traumatized spending $400 on the purchase at the time it is still one of his favorite pieces today.

 

The painting on the bottom left is by Christopher Fitzgerald.   Roi liked it so much that he commissioned him to do a larger one.   This led Fitzgerald to do a series of about 30.  Roi ended up with one of the later in the series Old Masters Palette (far right).   There is actually an artist’s palette underneath all those thick layers of paint!

 

 

 

Next from top to bottom is a plaster cast of Roi’s face when he was 36, then a Russian icon, then a small construct Roi made.   He has collected Russion icons for a while and has several more in the hallway.  This one is Christ Descending. 

The center piece is Roi’s New Language which is appropriately named.   He hasn’t done anything quite like it since but it did lead to an incredible body of abstract work which was a big departure from his landcapes and figurative work and makes him a great modern painter.

 

The next piece of map, silver leaf and iron wax (top) is by Sodalitas, a collaborative of three  that work in a wide range of media.   The four 5 x 7” pieces that comprise this were in totally parts of the room when  Roi went to the 5 x 7 show one year.   He grabbed two then went to another part of the room and grabbed two more.  Sondalitas framed them together for him.  Under the Sodalitas piece is a piece by Garcia Gasco .   Roi thinks it is from the 1950s because of the frame. 

          

 

The cubist piece, Man in Cathedral is by Roi when he was experimenting with this period.  The next piece he found at The City Wide Garage Sale.   The sellers thought it was a decal but Roi took it outside and looked at it under a loop and found it was a painting.   $100 well spent!

 

 

In the music room (yes – he plays!) is a Will Klemm and another important artist, Ralph White.   White was a professor at UT Austin and his Siftings in Oblivion from the 1970s was purchased  posthumously – Roi did meet him before he died.

 

 

 

 

The piece at the end of the hall is Journey of My Prayers so he can see his dreams and visions manifesting when gets up every morning.  The butterfly, I Am Almost, greets him at the front door.

 

Faith, Hope and Love (below) is across from his 16^th Century Renaissance painting as a mirror of sorts.  It is listed on his website and not marked with the red dot for "sold" but he is not sure he could ever part with it. 

 

 

 

Roi has pieces by Lance Letscher, David Fullton and Vincent Mariani and many more. Thank you for sharing Roi!

Kate Breakey’s “Painted Light”

Friday, November 12, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (94) Comments

 The Stephen L. Clark Gallery held a book signing for Kate Breakey’s Painted Light by University of Texas Press on Sunday night.   This is a follow up to her first book Small Deaths and is very much a retrospective from her earliest mathematical work and still lives through small deaths of flowers and birds, cacti, and memories and dreams.

 

A Kate Breakey opening at the gallery is always a fun event.   Andrea caught some fun photos of Kate meeting photographer James Evans for the first time and also Kate signing book.   Do you know anyone in this photo?

 

 

 

I am quite a fan of Kate’s work and by lucky chance own the front and back cover of her first book.  Upon opening the front leaf of Painted Light for her to personalize her signing to Steve and me – my friend and client Sondra Murray and I gasp and look at each other when we see a horse that looks like a mystical being galloping on the sand.   We have been looking for just the right horse photo for her family room.  Kate advises us that almost all of the photos in the book are on display at The Wittliff Collections at Texas State-San Marcos where they had a book signing the evening before.

 

My Photos friend, Andrea Turner, pipes in that she would love to join us if we take a trip to San Marcos.   The deal was done.   We enjoyed a lovely morning at the Wittliff Gallery.   It was an easy trip down I-35.   Andrea’s comment at the exhibit was that it gave her a whole new appreciation for Kate as an artist and for just how hard she works.   All of us felt it was a precursor to a museum show.

 

 

 

 

If you make the short trip from Austin then have lunch at Palmer’s and sit in the garden paradise as Bill Wittliff suggested to us. Congratulation to Kate for another beautiful and enduring book. You can get signed copies at the Stephen L. Clark Gallery.  Painted Light at the Wittliff Gallery runs until February 4, 2011. Thank you for the photos Andrea.

 

David Webber and Ransom Baldasari’s Art Collection

Wednesday, October 20, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (19) Comments

David and Ransom’s home was one of the favorites on  the 2009 AIA Homes Tour.    The harmony of the architecture, materials, furnishings, and art is perfection.   I came away wanting to have my own private art tour.   So when I ran into David and Ransom on the 2010 AIA Homes Tour at the Webber + Studio remodel at Chimney Corners I asked for a private tour and was greeted with an enthusiastic and immediate “yes”.

 

David Webber is on the board of AMOA and they are Webber + Studio architecture.   They started their home in  2006 and moved in 2008.   Definitely check out the professional architectural photos of their home on their website  Webber + Studio.

 

One of the most memorable vignettes in the home is the grouping of four Four Feet of Texas by Katie Maratta above the Herman Miller Nelson Bench.  Each are their own unique pieces.   The couple loved the photo transfer strips so much they picked their four favorite then hung them to make one landscape.

 

 

Ransom and David were the very first collectors of Phil Durst.   Phil is a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin and also an artist.   Ransom saw the paint chip piece that is now above their white credenza at Magnolia Café and eventually brokered the purchase with the manager.   The obsessive, relentless use of the same type of material from paint chips to candy wrappers create rhythmic quilts/fields.

 

 

Ransom really likes pieces like Durst that have a process to them.  He would also throw Gail Dawson and the Alesi’s into that category.   They purchased the Gail Dawson’s Urban Birds - Brewer’s Blackbird at a 5 x 7 UT Graduate show years ago.   She paints the image to look like a television still.   The couple has three Stella and Leon Alesi photographs.

 

 

Many of the pieces in the collection are from people they have met along the way.   The entry piece is by Sara, someone David knew from Deep Eddy.   The sculptural piece next to the credenza with the Durst piece is by their friend JP Grumble’s father.   Mr. Grumble had many random pecan turnings stacked in their barn that were decades old.  David thought they were very beautiful and JP drove out to find one of the largest to bring to the couple for a house warming gift.

 

 

The Lucille Ball image above the upstairs sofa is by John O’Connor whom Ransom was friends with in Chicago. It is the exact 40 x 40 dimension and process Warhol used as   O’Connor used to work with Warhol at The Factory in the 1980’s .

 

The drawing above the bed is by a client of Webber’s. The artist hired the architect when she was 84 years old and ended up with the Impluvian House.  Good move!   The clients home became her gallery.  The couple seems to be early adopters.   The Roi James painting in the bedroom was purchased at a silent auction and was an abstract departure from his more realistic style which is now so popular.

 

 

Two of their favorite pieces are by  Boberg and Lennie.   The Museum of Contemporary Photography calls Oliver Boberg’s work “meticulously crafted illusions”.  Webber and Baldasari have Boberg’s parking garage which is a photograph of a model made from a photograph.   The Janaki Lennie piece greets them at the front door.   Most of her graphite on paper pieces are larger but they purchased this pencil piece at a 5 x 7 red dot sale at Women & Their Work.

 

 

Other artists in their collection include Dan Sutherland, Joyce Rosner, and Paul Beck.  From Wally Workman Gallery – Angie Renfro and several Will Klemm pieces.  They started purchasing Will Klemm paintings when they were even more affordable.

 

David and Ransom have many more notable pieces and more artists that they would like to collect.   It is no surprise that the couple would like their next house to have a long art hallway with built-ins for storage so they can rotate pieces.   Webber and Baldasari’s recommendation on art purchasing is that if you like it then it doesn’t matter if an artist is well known.  Thank you David and Ransom!

The Art Collection of “Viewers Like You”

Tuesday, October 05, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (14) Comments

 

Jennifer Elsner and David Shields have probably never spent more than $250 for a piece of art in their collection and yet they have quite a collection… with stories to tell.   The couple have the design studio, Viewers Like You, and David is the Assistant Chair of Design at UT Austin and is also the primary researcher for the Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection.   The couple met and fell in love while getting their M.F.A. s from the Cranbrook Academy of Art.

 

The couple’s collection has grown by getting pieces for free, trade, and gifts.  The large print behind the sofa is by Felix Gonzalez-Torres.   Many of his installations invite the viewer to take a piece of the work with them which is how the couple ended up with this artists work.  They picked a free poster from a stack of an unlimited edition and framed it.  We should have all been so lucky to have been there for that freebie.   Felix Gonzalez-Torres really believed in the democracy of art.

 

The two “Just Say No” posters above the console were acquired at a James Victore lecture when he was giving out free posters.   They each took one then had them framed with one upside down.   Brilliant!

 

 

 

 

 

Their Cranbrook friends Mary Magsamen and Stephan Hillerbrand did a trade for a poster for the two stills of bubble blowing from the video Air Hunger.  Jennifer and David later purchased pieces from Coffee And Milk.   Just below the bubble blowing are the Indonesian wedding couple that David bought to bless their marriage and home when they were newlyweds.   Sweet!!!  

 

Jennifer and David designed and commissioned the presentation bar for the posters in the bedroom.   The newest addition is the "Save Our Gulf” poster from a benefit from the San Jose Hotel in Austin.   It is a signed, limited edition print and probably cost less than $200. 

 

 

The couple have a few paintings by Tim Crowder.   If you live in Austin you have probably seen his work at the kids/mens entrance to Nordstrom’s.   David worked with him in Memphis.   The large painting in the kitchen is one that Crowder’s gallery rejected so the couple was the lucky recipient.  

 

With David’s passion for type and printing, it’s no surprise they have a Jim Sherraden, artist, printer and curator of the renowned Hatch Show Project.  "Hatch" is a letterpress poster print shop in downtown Nashville that has been producing show posters for famous acts since 1879. This was a special gift for David from Jennifer.
 

They have many other wonderful pieces to hightlight  --- prints from Denise Prince in the bathroom, a print from the Hamilton Wood Type Museum  that is hung with a simple binder clip (below).   One of my favorite is the curious almost Mona Lisa like expression of the woman’s portrait over the door from the living room to the kitchen.   It is one of two portraits of Jennifer’s sister.   It was the last piece that they hung after a major remodel of their home.   I love how it is aligned with the left edge of the door frame next to the library shelves as though she is the oracle for the books.

 

 

It was a real pleasure to meet and visit with Jennifer about their collection.   She recommends visiting exhibits, festivals, and shows to find pieces and buying more prints and posters than paintings to keep costs down and...gift art on special occasions to your loved ones.   Thank you Jennifer and David and  Chelsea Fullerton for many of the photographs..   There will be more from them in the future.   

Manuel Bravo at The Blanton Museum

Wednesday, September 15, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (34) Comments

Coming up on October 2 at The Blanton is "Turner to Monet:  Masters from the Walters Art Museum".   When you go -- take a short trip upstairs to the Manuel Bravo exhibit.   I went with two photography friends, Andrea Turner and Ashley Unbehagen and had a lovely afternoon.   The show features Manuel Bravo and some of his contemporaries such as Bresson and Kertesz who are two of my all time favorites.   We took our time taking in each photograph.   Then went back and each picked out our top five and why.   The gentleman at the left made all of our lists. 

On display in the center of first room was the book The Family of Man by Carl Sandburg and Edward Steichen.  It documented an exhibition curated by Edward Steichen in 1955 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.   It included 503 photos by 273 photographers in 68 countries.   Somehow I had never run across this book before.   Ashley commented that her parents had given it to her for a Christmas gift many years ago.   I just added it to my birthday list for my folks.

 

Visit the museum cafe next time you go to the Blanton.  The portobello sandwich is delicious.   A nice little getaway afternoon is just a few minutes away.

 

Hellen Pennell’s Alexander Gorlizski

Monday, June 14, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (14) Comments

It is so fun to meet people that value and get inspiration and energy from art.   Hellen Pennell is just one of those people.   I mentioned her in an earlier post when I met her at a fundraiser Progressive Dinner for our childrens’ school.   She came to my house first and noticed the Kate Breakey photographs and she also owns Keith Carter’s Garlic.  We connected.  The last stop on the dinner was Hellen’s newly and beautifully remodeled home by architect Kevin Alter/Alter Studio.   Great light.   Great art.   Great people.

 

Hellen shows me her Alexander Gorlizski Introvert #2  in the living room.   Wow!  It will be the inspiration for the large living area that is currently the container for the leftovers from the home.  Hellen sheepishly covers her eyes when she says that she saw the Golizski piece in the December ’07 Elle Décor magazine and tracked down the gallery on the Internet. She said for her that buying art is usually a more personal experience but she contacted the international gallery about the piece and purchased it.   After the purchase she wrote Gorlizski and since received a correspondence from the artist as well which made it the personal experience she enjoys.

What caught Hellen’s attention  was the elephant representing a wise, intelligent creature but the colors on this elephant are quietly flamboyant like a parrot.    It’s as though his insides are coloring his outsides.

 

Gorlizski is a fan of Indian miniatures paintings and works in collaboration with one of the artisan shop Riyaz Design to render his pieces.   In Jaipur alone, there are nearly 3000 painters replicating old paintings with traditional themes.   Gorlizski comes up with a more contemporary take on the traditional design.    See……

 

“That might be the best art wall I’ve ever seen!”

Monday, May 03, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (40) Comments

 

I ran in to Stephen Clark at the Lance Letscher opening and he said the hottest thing at AIPAD, The Association of International Art Dealers, in New York were Kate Breakey’s photograms. They were hung salon style and stopped people in their tracks. The Photograms were also presented salon style at the Stephen L. Clark Gallery in Austin last summer. Steve told his assistant Amber “that might be the best art wall I’ve ever seen” and encouraged her to sign the wall.

Shortly after Steve’s accolades to Amber, a collector couple from Houston with a large photography and painting collection walked in to the gallery and the woman turned to her husband and said “Honey – that may be the best art wall I’ve ever seen.”

 

Photograms were invented in the 1700s. No camera is involved in the process. The object is laid upon a photosensitive material (silver gelatin in this case). The light source (enlarger) is turned on and the image is rendered on the paper. All of the animals and plants Kate uses are found objects.

 

According to Time Magazine, Anne Tucker is the foremost curator in the world. She is the curator of Photography at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. Steve and Anne were discussing Houston’s Foto Fest at AIPAD in New York. Steve asked why no one has emerged from Foto Fest since Keith Carter? Ann pointed to the wall of media invented in the 1700s and said “Nobody is this fresh”.

 

The Coyote is an edition of 3. The others are editions of 10. Even though they are editions, each is unique. All of the smaller pieces are presented in vintage frames.

 

Kate Beakey has a new book titled Painted Light that will be out in October. In 2012, an entire Photogram book will be published.

 

The studio hanging of the Photograms are still available for viewing.  The gallery is located at the corner of 6th and Baylor, hours are Tues –Saturday 10-4 and by appointment.

 

Lance Letscher Opening

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (14) Comments

 

Check out Lance Letscher at the d berman gallery. We went for night on the town with Cori (owner of Wildflower Organics ), Marla Henderson (Marla Henderson Design), and Teva (special gal). We started at happy hour at Botticelli's. Marla, Georgian girl that she is, recommended the spicy shrimp on polenta from their $5 happy hour menu. They also have a $5 wine and specialty cocktail menu. Fantastic! Their outdoor patio is fabulous this time of year.

We then headed to the d berman gallery for the Lance Letscher Perfect Machine opening. He uses book pages, scribbles, old magazines and record covers to create collages and collaged objects. You'll notice a commissioned Lance Letscher piece above the fireplace at the River Road house in my portfolio. Several of my favorite pieces from the show are already sold, but I highly recommend commissioned pieces with him. I don't think you would be disappointed.

He has a newly published children's book, The Perfect Machine. Don't miss the book signing, Saturday, April 24 at 1pm at d berman gallery.

We ran into another of my favorite painters, Roi James (more to come about him later) and Stephen L. Clark at the opening. Then headed back down to Congress Avenue to Jo's for the Amy Cook's CD release, but I think we missed it?

 

  

Creative Process

Wednesday, April 07, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (17) Comments

 

I believe in the creative process and creative spirit and believe all homes should have at least one piece of original art. I believe in falling in love too. And each time I buy a piece of art, I feel that "falling in love" feeling. When I help clients purchase something, when I get the tingle up my spine I know we have found the right piece.

I remember buying my first significant piece from the Stephen L. Clark Gallery many years ago. "Chicken Feathers" by Keith Carter just would not leave me alone. I would see the sparklers shining, the childrens' costumes and chicken feathers on the ground when trying to fall to sleep at night. It was the last one available in the edition which is not necessarily when you want to purchase because it is the most expensive. However, it is still hanging on my wall and has a companion piece "Garlic" by Keith Carter. Yes, I have that in common with three other people -- Garlic that is......Stephen L. Clark, Andrea Turner (a great friend since we were 16) and President Barack Obama.

 

Generally when purchasing photographs, it's great to go to the first show and purchase. An artist will decide the number of prints they will make, then set the prices. The first five might be $1200 then the next $1800 etc until they have reached the end of the edition. An edition for a print might be 8 or it could be 50 (or more). It's up to the artist.

Here is Keith Carter on the making of Chicken Feathers: