2024 10 That Map Of Bone And Opened Valves

It is time to think about creating samples for the class I will be teaching at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI, next September 5th to the 7th. The class is called A Hollow That Needs to Be Filled.

Here is the course description so far: "Our goal in this workshop is to fill the voids created by the objects we select to work with over three days. No matter what the source of the hollow or niche, we will consider what best fills the empty space that it contains. We will also work with layers, combining multiple hollows into a complex work of art. Participants can bring their own sources of hollows or niches from home but many samples will be provided to fill the weekend with opportunities. 

A hollow or niche can be anything with an empty space that needs to be filled. Some examples are reversed cradled boards, hollowed objects or bowls/cups. Virtually anything with some depth can make a mysterious story come to life as other objects, images or text are used to fill the voids. Feel free to bring from home any of the suggested niches in the student supply list.

We will be mounting the niches on assembled substrates of our choice. Feel free to bring from home any of the suggested substrates in the student supply list.

Gary will be teaching the basics of assemblage construction and mixed media techniques so that you will be able to create a work of art with an hollow as the central subject. Gary will be providing all the tools, mediums and lots of objects to help grow your art project. There will be time to share ideas and learn from fellow participants. Three days, free crap, cool art, and lots of fun."

With that in mind, I selected these three objects to get started, two of which had hollows that needed to be filled. 

The first hollow I filled

Unusual for me but I am leaving this alone

The second hollow I filled

Thus we have That Map of Bone and Open Valves. The title is the title of a poem by Ilya Kaminsky. It is 13"H X 6"W X 4"D. It consists of a General Mills Steam Ironing Rest, Metal Frame, Round Metal, Cabinet Card, Earring, Metal Heart, Transparency, Resin and Paint.

2024 10 Four New Works of Art From the Portrait Assemblage Workshop

 I used the optional evening sessions and the three day open studio time at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI, while I was teaching Portrait Assemblage to start four projects of my own. When I got home I spent two days finishing these pieces and here they are.

THE FIREMAN'S NET

I encourage my participants to have a story for the Portrait Assemblages they built. The story behind this piece is that the little girl's father was a fireman...but he did not survive a fire where he had to jump into a fireman's net. Sad, huh? The whole story came about when I decided to use the hoop and sewed the "fire" onto the net with some waxed thread.

It consists of a Cradled Board, Hoop, Wood Circle, Cabinet Card, Metal Remnant, Napkin, Tissue Paper, Waxed Thread, Nails (16), and Paint. It is10"H X 10"W X 2"D.

AND MADE MORE NOISE

The story for this piece came when I found the text. This just might have been an era when these two firecrackers were told they could be more lady-like if they made less noise. My story is that only meant they made more.

It consists of a Metal Drawer, Lamp Crystal, Photograph, Frame, Spoon, Checker, Plastic Gear, Lace, Paper and Paint. It is 7"H X 4"W X 3"D.

DON'T STAND THERE GAWKING AT ME!

This piece came about also when I found the text. I chose to place the text across the girl's eyes and then bury her behind her cage. Viewers of this piece will have to get real close to see the real story. 

It consists of two Wood Handles, Oven Burner, Wood Posts (6), Photograph, Metal Shape, Transfer and Paint. It is 18"H X 12"W X 4"W.

NOTES HIS FALSE APPEARANCE AS STRONG AND HEALTHY

I wanted to do a simple collage to relax. I decided to try to create it on an exploded cigar box to give me a cross like shape. The theme comes from the title: I am so sick of having to listen to lies everyday. Its the modern plague.

It consists of an El Producto Cigar Box, Erector Set Parts (2), Lamp Crystal, Paper and Paint. It is 20"H X 12"W X 1"D.

2024 09 Green Lantern Studios Exhibition Portrait Assemblage and Assemblage Mixed Media Studio Workshops at Shake Rag Alley

Now it is time for me to teach my annual assemblage class at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI. This year I have selected the subject Portrait Assemblage. Here is the course description:

"Our goal in this workshop is to combine the art of portraiture with assemblage. You want to use images that capture a person in a particular moment of time, building a stage for the meaning, emotions and characteristics. Bring images that focus on a special likeness, personality or expression that seeks exploration. We will be mounting the images on assembled objects of your choice. Special challenge: Bring an image of yourself that you want to use to reveal your own story. Gary will be teaching the basics of photo transfers, assemblage construction and mixed media techniques and will be providing all the tools, mediums and lots of objects to help grow your art project! Three days, free crap, cool art, and lots of fun."

Denice and I drove out to Mineral Point with a van full of supplies and tools on Wednesday, September 25th. We just wanted to unload the van and set up the next day but the flow got going and we did maybe 75% of the set up a day early. 

The north end of the Lind Pavilion is my classroom, tool area and supply depot.

We cover the tables so that the participants do not get junk drunk before we even start.

The south end of the Lind is for the 21 students to work. They each get their own table.

Dinner this night was going to be a new restaurant for us--The Hi Point Supper in Ridgeway, WI. We had a special guest sitting with his back to us all night at the next table--former Wisconsin Badger football coach and Athletic Administrator Barry Alvarez. 

We used Thursday to refine out set up of the workshop. As the day progressed, participants started to show up to set up their own tables in the workshop. We ended up going back to the Hi Point this night with Katherine Engen, Pam Rogalski and Gail Willert.

By 9:00 a.m. on Friday the participants have moved onto the workshop tables

Class samples by Lynn Ovenden, Andrea Matus deMeng, Karla Fuller and Michael deMeng

The class gathers for the opening lecture

After the lecture in the morning the participants were free to roam all the junk I brought to combine with the junk they brought into their projects.

Gail Willert helped out with a momigami workshop and some physical warmups to keep us loose

Photo by Denice

Here are some photos of the participants and the work that they did over three days:

Cris made a necklace with a little toy plane

Cris's photo assemblages

Barbara

Amy

Lynn

Katherine

Pam

Jean

Karen

Gail

Theresa

Sarah

Mara

Marcia

Kristine

Chris

Kathy

Lynn

Stefan

Christy (far left)

Karen

I want to thank all the participants in the Portrait Assemblage workshop for their artful efforts. Thanks also go to Shake Rag Alley and all the staff who make teaching at Shake Rag a pure joy.

Due to an unfortunate illness to the instructor, the next class at Shake Rag (that was supposed to start the night mine closed) was cancelled. Through a number of suggestions, Shake Rag created a three day Assemblage Mixed Media Studio that I was to lead. This meant that participants can choose to either hear the Portrait Assemblage workshop blah-blah again or go their own way in an open studio.

Another idea popped up: maybe some of the Portrait Assemblage participants would like to stay. Some did. On Monday we had 11 people in the Lind Pavilion working in various directions. 

Here is the work done by those who choose to sign up for the full three days:

Beth

This sweet little piece by Beth went home with Denice and I

Bruce

Diane

Lynn

Both sessions of the workshops had the opportunity to visit my Portrait Assemblage exhibition at the Green Lantern Studios which was coming to an end. Here are some pictures from the exhibition space taken by Denice. 

I want to thank all the art patrons who purchased art from this exhibition. I am very happy to say that 14 pieces sold. I want to thank Carol and Richard at Green Lantern Studios for their support of the art community.