(from the Weatherspoon) Lucy Bane-known as “Mackey” to her friends-had an early interest in art, but Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (now Virginia Tech) did not offer any classes in the discipline, so she majored in science. Some years later she began studying art again, this time at Woman’s College (now UNCG). Her most influential instructor was Gregory Ivy, founder of UNCG’s art department as well as this museum. Progressive and somewhat controversial, he was known for urging his female students to seek and value freedom of expression. Ivy was Bane’s mentor throughout her student years and beyond.
Ivy (below) was painted in honor of this notable teacher and illustrates Bane’s decidedly abstract style.
#lucymcdonaldmackeybane
#mcdonaldbane
Trained as a painter, artist Jo Sandman went on to create experimental drawings, sculpture, and photography during a career that spanned seven decades. Working with dropcloths acquired from “crusty old house painters who had crusty old tarps,” she created what she called drawings or glyphs-perhaps recalling time she spent at Black Mountain College near Asheville. These stained and splattered dropcloths demonstrate her embrace of unconventional materials and desire to explore abstract shapes to express her concept of a poetically visual language. Below is from the Weatherspoon collection.
#josandman
A vital part of Jen’s current practice is the ongoing exchange between her fine art identity and her alter ego, Jenny Pennywood. Jenny began in 2008 as a practical solution, but quickly became a container for rhythm, pattern, color, and experimentation, allowing her to step sideways from the discomfort felt in the fine art space. Jen is grounded and analytical; Jenny is expansive and intuitive. Their dialogue continues to shape the work.
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#jengarrido
works in a space where intuition overrides control, embracing coincidence to reveal new possibilities through abstract collages, drawings, sculptures, and installations. She shows with 68 Prince Gallery.
#monikazarzeczna
process often involves building, covering and excavating; consecutive layers of addition and subtraction combine to create a whole where there is an ambiguity of space.
More (“found” Beth because of Raccoon Energy)
#bethfishman
was surprised to see when blogging about Helen that I hadn’t yet touched on Judy’s work (she is also in Destination Earth). There’s often recognizable… stuff in Judy’s work (here is Hyperallergic on Real and Imaginary from last Fall). Sort of like Liz and Jessica. Readers who like this sort of maximalism will also like Sarah’s work.
#judypfaff
Peninsula is showing Sacred Geometry (big surprise there would be something in it I’d like… link is pdf btw) which includes some intriguing objects by Elisabeth.
#elisabethkley
(According to Nicodim gallery) In her solo exhibition, Stay Longer, Chantal Khoury’s paintings ruminate on images of kitchen tables, dining rooms, and coffee tables, all loosely set around the act of hosting others.
Seems like abstractions (as distinct from abstraction) are having a good moment (Philip, Matthew and Jacqueline have all gotten deserved attention of late).
#chantalkhoury
Jeanette Fintz’s paintings emerge from the collision and dissection of overlapping grid systems, using a choreographic process to intuitively edit and transform geometric fragments into expressive, unstable constructs. Informed by plein air landscape painting and Islamic geometric pattern, the work evokes nature, memory, and time through the tactile interplay of gesture and structure. She is showing at 68 Prince Street Gallery.
#jeanettefintz
is in Destination Earth at Ligenza Moore Gallery (along with Don and Chris and others)
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#helenoleary
Michelle (and Distortion Society) gets a nod from Hyperallergic’s run down of things to see this summer. (Meg also gets a mention).
#michellesilver
Painting After Art is Dead 