| Current Exhibition
Upcoming Exhibition
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Blue Gallery August Exhibition:
Robert Striffolino :: Intimate Nature
Opening reception First Friday, August 6th, 2010 6-9 pm
exhibition runs through August 30th, 2010
Robert Striffolino, Waterscape #37, oil on canvas, 40" x 40"
"I was born in New York City in 1950 and raised in Valley Stream, New York. After receiving a degree in architecture from Ohio University in 1974 I practiced architecture as well as painted. I have lived and worked in Santa Fe, New Mexico since 1978 and have devoted my full time to painting since the mid 1980’s.
The affinity I have always felt toward Nature continues to fuel my creative drive. Painting continues to intrigue and impassion me providing new ways to stretch and grow. For this I am grateful. It has been a constant companion and certainly my major mode of expression throughout the years.
Literal subject matter has become less important, acting primarily as a vehicle for what I seek in painting. The real subject is the expression of emotion (aroused in me) and the spirit (of the subject). Exploring this through paint and surface in a formal context is what the painting is about. I believe a successfully executed painting must reach further, beyond the abstract or representational, into an intimate spirituality brought about by an individual way of seeing things. In that unique expression is something that relates to the “human experience” despite the passage of time. It is why one can look at a hundred year old painting and say “yes, I know this”. This has nothing to do with trends or commercialism and everything to do with Art."
Robert Striffolino
Represented by Blue Gallery since 2000, Robert Striffolino's work is found in private and corporate collections worldwide including; US West, Hollister, Inc., Ohio State University, Trammell Crow (Shaw Park Plaza, St. Louis, MO), American National Insurance Company, Oprah Winfrey (Harpo, Inc.) and Intercontinental Hotel at the Plaza, Kansas City, MO
also featuring...
Laura Schiff Bean
Laura Schiff Bean, We Live, As We Dream, acrylic and mixed media on panel, 48" x 36"
Click to see more of Laura's work
"The empty coats and dresses of my recent work reflect on identity as both journey and construct, accumulated and fabricated from the critical moments and turning points that indelibly mark our lives. Clothing simultaneously transforms and disguises, exposes and hides; my paintings represent the subconscious in the act of transporting the past into present and future imagination.
My work is figurative, yet abstract in the sense that I see the surface as a skin, its drips, blotches, scratches and slashes suggesting the gradual accumulation of events and their corresponding traces. For me, the sense of accumulation and construction in the surface of the work creates an intriguing tension with the sense of a single captured moment - frozen, blurred, and imbued with emotional force."
Laura Schiff Bean
Xx Chromosome delves past the sociopolitical connotation of “feminism” to expose what it means to be female in our modern culture. The exhibition offers an interdisciplinary approach to the many incarnations of womanhood: anatomy, biology, psyche, world view and more. The work harnesses the female body’s dichotomy of strength and fragility as well as its immense capability to endure, to heal, to share and to give life. Artists explore how this sheath, this particular kind of body, defines a female’s world experience, shaping her inspirations, her empathies, and her insights, which become profound repercussions of nature’s simple XX chromosome combination.
The organizational purpose of Xx Chromosome is to create a community of female artists in which talent is nurtured both to and from established and emerging artists. Pushing past vulnerabilities and insecurities, the goal of this collaboration is to utilize community support so that talent does not go unseen simply because advocacy was absent. Emerging artists gain confidence from experienced artists; experienced artists discover themselves anew through the eyes of emerging artists. As a result of assembling a range of experience and an array of execution comes the gestalt of brilliantly uncommon beauty from those who share this very common set of chromosomes. Mixed Perceptions
new works by: Aileen Chong
Patricia Kochaver
and
Daniel Ochoa
Opening reception, First Friday, June 4th, 2010 6-9 pm artists will be in attendance
exhibition runs through June 28th, 2010
 Aileen Chong Llamando Verde, oil and mixed media on canvas, 48" x 48", 2010
My background as a female Chinese Peruvian growing up in Long Island, New York, has played a significant role in my body of work. The experience of these multi-cultural dichotomies and its customs and traditions with the values of American life brought a fractured sense of identity. The question of which side I identify with more has been a recurring issue. The majority of my grandparents are from China, but I identify with Peruvian customs and Spanish was the primary language spoken while growing up. Outside the household, expectations of dominant American culture built a divergent sense of self. My comfort level alters with certain situations that I am faced with and I find resolution in my work. Through my paintings, I am able to communicate a visual representation of my thoughts and feelings. Aileen Chong received her BS from Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY in 2004 and her MFA from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA in 2008. Her work is currently represented by prominent galleries nationwide.
Patricia Kochaver Saggar Fired Bottle, 13.5" x 12.5", clay, 2010 This body of work has evolved over the years stemming from a fascination with form while working on the wheel. As the form emerges from the inside out the walls are stretched as far as they can go, creating volume with little weight. The opening is then pared down to accentuate the swelling of the form, sometimes creating the illusion of an inhalation. The intent is to create forms that seem to have life, to be breathing. After some experimentation I’ve found saggar firing to be the perfect way to treat the surfaces of these pieces. The markings from the smoke, copper salts, and organic materials placed in the saggar compliment the forms rather than overwhelm them. My hope is that with their quiet presence, these pieces elicit an emotional response from the viewer. Patricia Kochaver received her BFA at Graceland University, Lamoni, IA and was awarded an apprenticeship at Old Town Studio, Peuget Sound, WA.
 Daniel Ochoa Oreja, Ear, oil on canvas, 48" x 36", 2010
The experiences I had growing up in a bicultural family fuel the imagery, and emotional quality of my work. My father is an immigrant from Mexico, and my mother a white American. I struggle to define and understand who I am. My work explores the complexities of identity such as perception, and language. Contrasts between the visceral and superficial nature of people dominate the imagery. I work in layers and continually add and subtract paint to build a strong emotional quality in each painting. Ambiguity, movement and obscurity play an important role in the figures relationship with the environment. I use both English and Spanish words interchangeably to title works and each piece is a reflection of duality of my identity.Daniel Ochoa received his BA in Art from Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA in 2002, and his MFA at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA in 2008
Jhina Alvarado
Forgotten Memories Opening reception First Friday, May 7th, 2010 6-9 pm
exhibition runs through May 31st, 2010
Jhina Alvarado "Bathing Beauties" encaustic and oil on panel, 11" x 14", $650
In my series, titled "Forgotten Memories", I use oil paints to depict the untold stories from long forgotten photographs. I paint these images on wood panels using a considerable amount of white space with the images cropped out of their environment, creating a sense of unbalance and emphasizing the need to focus on the individual's memory, rather than the whole picture. White areas from the images blend with the negative spaces of the panel to create tension and abstraction of each delineated line. Since many memories are shared, the identity of the person within each memory is inconsequential. I block out the eyes so that the viewer can take part of each memory as if it were their own. The painting is then covered in encaustic wax to add an antique photo look and dream-like feel to each piece. Because many memories are unclear and somewhat "fuzzy", the wax also obscures the images as if the viewer, themselves, were trying to recall a past event, yet could not remember all of the details.
-Jhina Alvarado
Blue Gallery :: Group Exhibition
select works from gallery artists
Opening reception, First Friday, April 2nd, 2010 6-9 pm
exhibition runs through May 3rd, 2010
artists:
Rich Bowman :: Aileen Chong :: John Folsom
Laura-Harris Gascogne :: Amber George :: Nick Haney
Patricia Kochaver :: Lisa Lala :: Graham Lane
Brad Williams :: Eric Zener
Brad Williams "Danielle (Echo)" oil on canvas, 47" x 70"
Amber George "Postcard I, II and III" encaustic, mixed media on panel, 10" x 30"
Eric Zener "Transforming III" resin mixed media, 44" x 41"
Lisa Lala :: Lists
solo exhibition
special exhibit :: The List Wall
(a public art project featuring 1,400+ lists)
exhibition ends March 22nd, 2010
Lisa Lala, Sunday, oil on canvas, 60” x 80” Right now I am a list junkie. Reveling in the power of lists. Realizing the direct effects on my life, and also experiencing lists as a window into other's lives. It struck me recently that I could cross off some things, some really big things, off my lists. Lists written years ago, that seemed difficult or improbable at best...
... someday build a house with our own hands... have a view of the sun setting over water... paint.
Sensing the humor, and appreciating the mystery, that when you put it out there to the world, it often responds like an echo. Materializing out of near impossibility. Buy butter... clean the tack hut... find the right teacher... create fusion. The path of lists is often obvious, but other times complex beyond tracing. If you keep putting it out there, and it works out in ways you never considered— is it luck? devine? destiny? Perhaps it is simply the act of deciding what you want and pursuing it, or seeing it when it falls in your lap. Regardless, the fact remains:
If you really want it, write it down. --Lisa Lala
Lisa Lala also conceptualized and mediated The List Wall, a public art project comprised of 1,400+ lists collected from anyone who wanted to contribute. The List Wall will make its debut at Blue Gallery, Feb. 4th 2010.
Lisa Lala is a full-time artist who received her BFA degree from the University of Kansas in 1994. Represented by Blue Gallery since 2004, Lisa has shown in over 34 exhibitions, including 8 solo exhibitions nationwide.
ABOUT THE LIST WALL
The List Wall is a project that started out small, and grew. And grew.
Originally, it was going to be a place at the gallery where people could write their list.
And it still is. But I also began collecting lists for the wall... then set a goal of 1000... and that is where all the fun began.
Lists came in from all walks of life: business owners and employees, news reporters and government officials, students and scientists.
Statistics repeatedly show that just by writing something down we are more likely to accomplish it. So what do people want to do?
Everything from "pay off parking tickets" to "start a family charitable foundation". From "stop biting my nails" to "live in the inner city". From "download better music" to "die on my own terms"
Now I am in contact with individuals in other cities about the List Wall touring.
Growing with each stop, like a snow ball, each handwritten list is a window into someone's life, but also represents a place and a time too.
What do we have in common? How are we different?
It also becomes a time capsule. What do people want in 2010? What do people want in 2013?
We will be able to compare lists across years and locations,
even reflecting on how major world event affect lists as the project travels through time.
Throughout the duration of the show, paper, pencils and tacks will be also be available so the public can continue to add to the list wall in person.
What is on your list?
AileenChong::New works
exhibition opens
Friday, January 8th, 2010 6 to 9 pm show runs through January 30th
Incendio, oil and mixed media on canvas, 84" x 72"
My background as a female Chinese Peruvian growing up in Long Island, New York, has played a significant role in my body of work. The experience of these multi-cultural dichotomies and its customs and traditions with the values of American life brought a fractured sense of identity. The question of which side I identify with more has been a recurring issue. The majority of my grandparents are from China, but I identify with Peruvian customs and Spanish was the primary language spoken while growing up. Outside the household, expectations of dominant American culture built a divergent sense of self. My comfort level alters with certain situations that I am faced with and I find resolution in my work. Through my paintings, I am able to communicate a visual representation of my thoughts and feelings.
Aileen Chong received her BS from Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY in 2004 and her MFA from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA in 2008. Her work is currently represented by prominent galleries nationwide.
SPECIAL FEATURE::Held Over One More Month
Shannon Gaines Bowman::Members Only Rich Bowman::Very Small Landscapes
(over 50 Rich Bowman paintings sizes5" x 5" - 8" x 8"prices $250 - $600)
December Exhibition: gallery artists Opens First Friday: December 4th, 2009
John Folsom,Cougar Mountain,gelatin silver print on board with oil and wax medium, 64" x 80"
SPECIAL FEATURE:
Shannon Gaines Bowman Members Only
and
Rich Bowman Very Small Landscapes
Opening reception, First Friday, Dec. 4th, 2009 6-9 pm
artists will be in attendance
exhibition runs through January 4th, 2010 (over 50 Rich Bowman paintings sizes5" x 5" - 8" x 8"prices $250 - $600)
also featuring:
Functional Textiles by Joscelyn Himes
 solo exhibition November 6, 2009
Kelly Porter - New Works
artist will be in attendance
exhibition runs through October 31st, 2009 Musical Epigenome, oil stick, conte crayon, graphite and ink on paper, 45” x 58”
Portrait Invitational Exhibition
Opening Reception
First Friday, September 4, 2009
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
show runs through October 31, 2009
|
| | Amy Abshier-Reyes
Mostof my works are painted as a mimicry of traditional portraiture, butare (as I see them) vehicles to another concept entirely. Almost all ofthem have a very tongue-in-cheek wryness about them as I explore themesranging from self-image issues to historical oddities to the dissectionof fairy tales and popular culture. They differ in emotion; some arejust silly, while others are plainly macabre, but they are all simpleillustrations to the subtle narratives underneath. AmyAbshier-Reyes was raised on the Texas Gulf Coast, in a small farmingand ranching community. She moved to Kansas City, MO to attend classesat the Kansas City Art Institute, where she received her bachelor’sdegree in fine art in 1997. She relocated to Ventura, CA in 2001 andmoved back to Kansas City in the spring of 2005.
| Myocaster Coypus, oil on canvas, 27 x 21 inches | | Cassandra Barney
About Me
Born: Provo, Utah
Art Education: BFA and MFA at BYU
SecondCareer Choice: Saucy Lounge Singer, maybe I’d be Brazilian and singFado. Third choice: a cop because I like to think about busting downdoors and that sort of thing.
Other passions: My family andmaking stuff (sewing, felting, knitting and those sorts of things) Ilove to ride my bike or my Trek Mod and I just started gardening too.
Biggest Fear: Being bored. I don’t foresee that ever happening.
Mantras:I have so many. One comes from my favorite Bob Dylan song, She Belongsto me. It says…She’s got everything she needs she’s an artist, shedon’t look back.
Next big goal: Have a book with lots of big glossy images.
Myfavorite studio music is usually moody, rip your heart out songs thatbring on the melancholy. I usually listen to books on tape though.
I’ll know I’ve made it when: Actually I think I knew I made it when I realized that that question is irrelevant.
| | | Sarah Bereza
Iam drawn to people who reveal a double personality- a mix on innocenceand a darker side. I find painting subjects of this sort a challengethat reveals as much about my own psychology as it does that of mysubjects – who happen to be my friends. As part of a generation ofpainters who came of age in New York City, my paintings explore therange of personas from innocence to subtly perverse that they employ intheir daily lives. I see my work as part of an ongoing tradition ofrevealing psychological portraiture. Using styrofoam and epoxy, I makeframes that replicate 18th century picture frame motifs in an effort tolink my work to that tradition.
Sarah Bereza received herBFA from the University of Michigan in 2001. She has participated innumerous exhibitions since, including Art Basel - Miami, FL, “DangerousWomen” - DFN Gallery, New York, NY, and “Venus” - Roq La Rue, Seattle,WA
| Laurel and Her Box, oil on canvas, 19.5 x 26.5 inches
| | “Escuchas” Triptych
Januaryof 2007, Serafin Vazquez Figueroa, my grandfather, lost his battle withcancer. When he passed, I realized that beyond the formal hugs andkisses, he was more of an acquaintance than a close family member.After his death I joined my family in Puerto Rico where he was to beburied. Expecting an uncomfortable and somber experience, the event wasrather one of the most enlightening times in my life, having a profoundeffect on my art and ultimately myself. Upon returning to New York, Iset out to document my experience in Puerto Rico and the search to findout more about the only part of my Grandfather that still existed, hismemory. These paintings reflect the time I spent with my great uncleGuego, the last of my grandfather's brothers and my grandfather's bestfriend. While asking him question of his and my grandfather's religiousupbringing, he told me his most vivid memory of growing up with mygrandfather was their relationship their parents. He told me that ifthey were addressed by either their mother or their father, they wereforbidden to make eye contact with them and expected to look down andfold their hands to show that they were listening. After hearing thisstory, I painted these portraits in order to reflect on thisfoundational aspect of my grandfather's life.
RaymondBonilla received his BFA from State University of New York College atFredonia, and his MFA from the Academy of Art University.
| Escuchas II, oil on canvas, 40 x 30 inches
| | Foryears I struggled to be at peace with myself and my work. I came to therealization that the detail and craft of my illustrative past weresecondary to the emotional quality and truth of my paintings today.This freedom to paint without the burden of a camera’s detail helps thelandscapes come from a place filled with emotion, a place that I knowwell, my world. Starting with only a snapshot in my mind, void ofunnecessary detail, the paintings begin. Details, instead are replacedby the emotional strokes and scrapes of my painting knife. Harmoniouscolor, non-descript locations and abstract layouts allow the viewer tofill in their own details and hopefully remind them of a space in timesilent of all distraction.
Rich Bowman received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1991.
| Completely Worthless, oil on canvas, 24 x 12 inches | Nicole Cawlfieldand Alison Saunders
NicoleCawlfield moved around various towns in Colorado before settling inKansas City, Missouri, where she currently resides. While attending theKansas City Art Institute, Nicole explored issues of the body and howit relates to the objective nature of photography. Nicole was honoredto have interned with Keith Davis in the Fine Art Programs at HallmarkCards. This internship led to a part time job in the Hallmark photostudio where she worked for six years while finishing school. Nicolehas since worked in the commercial photography and film world and witha fine art conservation team. Currently, Cawlfield is a busy littlebeaver making art, exhibiting and curating a few shows here and therewhile maintaining a full time job managing a boutique. She is stillinterested in the representation of bodies in the media, socialconstructs of gender and reinterpretations of history with a slighttwist. Nicole is happy to be part of a vibrant art community in KansasCity where she continues her ongoing series of pin up girls and boys,circus sideshow posters and Catholic saints.
| 
Pacman, mixed media photograph, 21 x 16 inches | | Chasebegan his career as a figurative artist, fully intending to be anillustrator. He studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and thenenjoyed a successful career as a portrait artist. Slowly, however, hebegan to evolve in the direction of nonobjective painting. Havingexplored every aspect of appearance, he found that he was compelled todelve into the reality behind it, to “reveal a dialogue betweeninterior perception and exterior reflection.” Once the process wasbegun, he realized that he had found his true direction, one thatoffered him a vastly greater scope of material than realistic paintinghad done.
The language of abstraction is a reduction of whatyou actually see. It fails if it has no reference to a vocabularyrelated to human experience. I like organic formulations with arelationship to the real world. What I seek to do is constructfiguration around the spiritual conditions of the being. The subtext ofhuman experience is always there.
| Self Portrait Deconstructed, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 14 inches | | I like to draw.
Actually, I love to draw.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing.
WhenI was in fourth grade, my friend Peter and I drew entire worlds thatexisted under the ground. Our teacher, Mrs. Powell, would give us aroll of paper that was eighteen inches wide and infinitely long. She’droll it out onto a really big table and we’d just draw, and draw anddraw. We filled an entire roll of those strange drawings and I canstill see them now, in my mind, so many years later.
These days,I tend to mix things up a bit. I integrate text + photography + drawing+ painting with all sorts of stuff. I collect postcards, oldphotographs, and remnants off the street; fragments from other people’slives that live on within my paintings.
Maura Cluthe received her BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1993.
| Family Portrait, mixed media on canvas, 30 x 30 inches | | JOSEPHLORUSSO was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1966 and received his formaltraining at the American Academy of Art. He went on to receive hisB.F.A. degree from the Kansas City Art Institute. Born of Italiandescent, Lorusso was exposed to art at an early age. Through severalearly trips to Italy, his parents introduced him to the works of theItalian Masters. Lorusso would look to these influences throughout hisearly artistic development and they are still evident in his work today.
SaysLorusso, “I believe truly great art serves as a trigger into somethingdeeper within all of us”. The mood and emotion conveyed in Lorusso’spaintings evokes a deep sense of beauty found in the quiet times ofdaily living. His people are mysterious, lonely, romantic and yetfamiliar, placed in settings we often see ourselves. Lorusso’spaintings have gained notoriety by their ability to connect with theviewer, resonating in a way that is intimate and personal.
Lorusso’swork has been shown internationally and has won numerous awards andhonors. He has been featured in American Artist magazine, SouthwestArt, U.S. Art, and Art News.
| Natalie I, oil on panel, 18.5 x 18.5 inches |
Alyssa’spaintings are of a representational narrative genre. She portrays aspecific place and time with simultaneous empathy and detachment.
Monksis part of the Continuing Education Faculty at the New York Academy ofArt, where she teaches Flesh Painting. She currently is also aninstructor at the Montclair State University.
She earned her BAfrom Boston College and an MFA in painting from the New York Academy ofArt, Graduate School of Figurative Art. At the New York Academy of Art,Alyssa studied with Vincent Desiderio, Jenny Saville, Wade Schuman,Brenda Zlamany, John Jacobsmeyer, Harvey Citron, Deane Keller, EdwardSchmidt, Steven Assael, and Lisa Bartolozzi. She additionally studiedat Montclair State College, the New School, and Lorenzo de’Medici inFlorence. She completed an artist in residency at Fullerton College.
Alyssahas been awarded the Grant for Painting from the Elizabeth GreensheildsFoundation three times and has had recent solo shows in New York andAnaheim, California.
| 
Mom, oil on linen, 48 x 34 inches Click to view more of Alyssa's work | | Theexperiences I had growing up in a bicultural family fuel the imagery,and emotional quality of my work. My father is an immigrant fromMexico, and my mother a white American. I struggle to define andunderstand who I am. My work explores the complexities of identity suchas perception, and language. Contrasts between the visceral andsuperficial nature of people dominate the imagery. I work in layers andcontinually add and subtract paint to build a strong emotional qualityin each painting. Ambiguity, movement and obscurity play an importantrole in the figures relationship with the environment. I use bothEnglish and Spanish words interchangeably to title works and each pieceis a reflection of duality of my identity.
Daniel Ochoareceived his BA in Art from Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA in 2002,and his MFA at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA in 2008 | | | Acommon theme in my artwork is relationships, the interaction betweenlovers, family, friends, women to women, men to men, the age oldbattles between the sexes and etc...sometimes the struggle for power.Eyes and hands have special significance to me, and they are oftenemphasized or altered. In a series within the body of work I have usedthe image of the Mona Lisa to symbolize the traditional role of women.Poor Mona has been trapped in that landscape for centuries. I havetried to give her new freedoms, new ways to express herself. The redcross that appears in the Mona Series pieces represents independenceand freedom. In a way, Mona Lisa’s emanicipation parallels my own; thefreedoms I have discovered in my new form of expression.
| The Rival, mixed media on panel, 10 x 8 inches | | Inmy work, I use portraiture as a vehicle for creating a series ofpersonal vignettes. Always formal, and often theatrical, each portraitserves as an assertion of a state of being. They are artificialmoments, certainly, but are invented in support of very realsentiments. I am constantly examining human relationships through thesedevised images; assigning roles, removing context, arranging objects,and offering it all up for reinterpretation. By employing metaphor andmy own sense of visual symbolism, I develop a “poetic description” ofthe kind of presence I wish to convey. Rather than set out to reveal acomplete narrative, which demands a literal translation, I suggest amood--something that can be understood on different levels by differentpeople. Thus my concept is distilled and the work speaks not only to myown, but to the human experience.
Ann Piper received her BFAin 1993, from Maryland Institute, College of Art. And her MFA in 1998,from New Mexico State University.
| He Loves Me, She Loves Me Not 1, oil on canvas, 30 x 30 inches | | Iwas raised in Oklahoma City with my older brother, by my Nigerianfather and my African-American mother. I have studied and loved artsince I was a child but chose a career in science and received aBachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Notre Dame andthen a Master of Arts in Teaching. I taught math and science in bothmiddle and high school for eight years before making the permanentchange to full time artist in San Francisco. I received my MFA infigurative painting from the Academy of Art University in the summer of2009. My time in the art field has been short but art has always been aconsistent part of my life.
I recognize that there is thiscommonality of family and multi-ethnicity to everyone, so I am delvingeven deeper into this idea by painting and incorporating other peopleinto the universality and poetry of family and multi-ethnicity and byusing modern photos in this same style. I continue to explore bothrepresentational and semi-abstract methods to show these relationships. | I Remember Her, oil on canvas, 60 x 48 inches | | Rachel Stuart-Haas
Thisseries of paintings portray my intuition towards the obvious and theethereal. To me, both worlds are very real but cannot be perceived byeveryone. I like to imagine that each of these pieces captures bothreality and mystery via the subject’s ability to exist in both worldsat once.
These paintings were created spontaneously and I onlyplanned the pose of each girl. I tried to use a watercolor effect andlet the paint run in order to create a sense of dreaminess. I alsoplayed around with layering trees, vines and flowers to represent themerger of the two aforementioned worlds. Please enjoy!
Rachel Stuart-Haas received her BFA in Design from the Kansas City Art Institute.
| Spirit Releasing Her, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 inches | | Inmy recent work, I have been focusing on images of myself and thosearound me. Utilizing both drawing and painting media, my primaryconcern is exploring ways in which color and form interact. My beliefis that the image resulting from a drawing or painting underscores thatwhich is portrayed. The image making process works to emphasize theartist’s perception of the world around him or her. The paintingscurrently in progress are not only a study of color and form, but alsoa way to inform ideas of individuality as well as visual interaction.
Brad Williams received his BFA from Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO 2009.
| Alison (shift), oil on canvas, 35 x 38 inches | | Eric Zener
Self-taughtas an artist, Eric Zener earned his bachelor’s degree in psychologyfrom the University of California at Santa Barbara. His backgroundlends analytical but unpretentious underpinnings to the narrative ofthe artist’s work.
The subjects in my paintings are voyagersand seekers of truth. Often alone or in a dream, they vulnerablyexplore their inner self and their quest for meaning.
Although Iam cautious to ‘explain’ the meaning or purpose behind my work, as Ibelieve that ‘meaning is in the eye of the beholder’, I will say thatmost of my work is an observation of the human condition of modern manand woman. Orphaned from the sanctuary of childhood we are faced withlife’s challenges and the consequences of our choices. I use ourrelationship with water, nature and each other as a metaphor forpersonal transformation, refuge and renewal.
Zener has hadsolo exhibitions coast to coast. His work has been featured in variouspublications including Artworks, The New York Magazine, Art News,American Art Collector and The Times - London. His work is found innumerous private and public collections including the Walt DisneyCompany in Burbank, CA, W Hotel, New York, NY, and Alfabia Museum,Sumoto, Japan.
|  I just need 20 more minutes, oil on panel, 16 x 20 inches |
First Friday July 3, 2009 Doug Smith
Nick Haney and Stephen Dinsmore
new works Opening reception July 3, 2009, 6 – 9
exhibition runs through August 29, 2009
Doug Smith
The Old Family Farm, acrylic on canvas, 48" x 48"
Doug Smith's prices range from $1,050 to $6,000
“I have studied and explored many different styles and mediums along my artistic journey,” says Smith. “I have always been fascinated with the patterns in nature.” In his youth, Smith and his family often traveled throughout the Western states by car, providing him endless hours of absorbing the rural landscapes. As an adult, Smith still studies the agrarian textures and patterns of the earth, but now from a plane. “It is natural to connect the dots between the aerial views and the vivid childhood memories,” says Smith. “Together they have inspired this current body of work. My images reflect America’s fertile farmlands.
Painting with acrylic on canvas, Smith combines a contemporary style with a touch of realism. The mood and emotion conveyed in his art evoke timelessness, nostalgia, and a sense of vast distance and space. Some of his paintings are specific American locales, but most are a composite created from memories of rural farmland scenes that he experienced. “My art celebrates the beauty and the poignancy of the American farm,” says Smith. A few years ago, Smith was intrigued by this anonymous quote: “Man, despite his sophistication and his many accomplishments, owes his existence to a six inch layer of top soil and the fact that it rains.”
Doug Smith studied at the San Francisco Art Academy, the Art Center College, and the California Art Institute.
Nick Haney
Baroque Composition #1, ceramic, 18" x 15" x 14"
“I have a strong interest in building and fabricating things. This ranges from the everyday building materials found in hardware stores, to specific mediums like clay, wood, and plaster. I learn by doing first; concepts and planning are often second. That is to say, I learn by taking things apart, putting them back together, constantly tinkering and rearranging things often with no clear idea about how it is going to work in the end. I am the kind of person who is guilty of not reading the directions in the box. I have found that making my work is about being open to opportunities and that if I am committed to a plan, then I can’t be open to the choices that a piece might reveal while I am making it. Sometimes the choices I have when building my pieces are obvious, other times my decisions are made on gut instinct. I see my work as a series of constantly evolving forms that I work and rework every time I make a new piece.”
Nick Haney received his MFA in Ceramics from Tyler School of Art, at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and his BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, in Richmond, VA.
Stephen Dinsmore
Still Life, Yellow Vase, Two Birds, oil on canvas, 36" x 36"
Dinsmore, a Nebraska-born artist, presents paintings that testify to the vitality of representational art as a means of communicating visual poetry. His paintings may border on the abstract being a synthesis from several sources; in other instances they may convey a more specific sense of place and time.
“For me painting means being always on the lookout for an image/idea that excites. Sounds straightforward but it’s nothing like a straight line. So many things count: the creamy light of late afternoon on landscape; the abstract beauty of marks on the side of a train car; new snow that reshapes all it touches; an interior filled with color and reverie; the riveting beauty of a vase of flowers; a fly fisherman in shadow; a disregarded corner of town; a found image... I try to make a painting that has in it at least something of the magic and mystery of the thing; the alchemy; the thing that excites.”
Stephen Dinsmore received his BFA in 1974 from University of Nebraska - Lincoln. His paintings can be found in public and private collections both nationally and internationally.
In Conjunction with the 2009 International Surface Design Conference
Teresa Cole
Full Circle
Daniella Woolf
Away with Words
special gallery hours for this exhibition:
friday, may 29, opening reception 6 – 9
saturday, may 30, 10 – 5:30
sunday, may 31, 4 – 7
show runs through june 22, 2009
"The worlds of Fiber and Printmaking are intrinsically linked particularly in the area of surface design. Pattern is the catalyst merging these realms. By utilizing both paper and fabric, the exhibition includes hand-carved relief-printed works which expose pattern as language —informed by the process of both traditions."–Teresa Cole
"I am using thousands of bits of information transformed into compositions embedded in encaustic."–Daniella Woolf
Blue Gallery Group Exhibition Introducing New Artists Brad WilliamsandDaniel Ochoa
First Friday, May 1, 2009
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
show runs through May 25th, 2009
Brad Williams
Danielle (Virginia is for Lovers), oil and spray enamel on canvas, 36" x 27"
"In my recent work, I have been focusing on images of myself and those around me. Utilizing both drawing and painting media, my primary concern is exploring ways in which color and form interact. My belief is that the image resulting from a drawing or painting underscores that which is portrayed. The image making process works to emphasize the artist's perception of the world around him or her. The paintings currently in progress are not only a study of color and form, but also a way to inform ideas of individuality as well as visual interaction. "
Brad Williams received his BFA from Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO 2009.
Daniel Ochoa
I know este cuarto study, oil on canvas, 17.5" x 12.5" fr.
"The experiences I had growing up in a bicultural family fuel the imagery, and emotional quality of my work. My father is an immigrant from Mexico, and my mother a white American. I struggle to define and understand who I am. My work explores the complexities of identity such as perception, and language. Contrasts between the visceral and superficial nature of people dominate the imagery. I work in layers and continually add and subtract paint to build a strong emotional quality in each painting. Ambiguity, movement and obscurity play an important role in the figures relationship with the environment. I use both English and Spanish words interchangeably to title works and each piece is a reflection of duality of my identity."
Daniel Ochoa received his MFA from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA in 2008. He has shown in numerous exhibitions and received various awards and honors. His paintings were recently seen inArworks Magazine, Spring 2009.
 Abstract Exhibition featuring works by: Stacie Chappell Dale Jarrett Bernal Koehrsen James Leonard Nancy Ortenstone Kelly Porter William Rainey R. Sawan White Opening Reception Friday, February 6th, 2009 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. show runs through March 3rd, 2009
100th Consecutive First Friday - Group Exhibition
Friday, December 5th, 2008 6-9 p.m.
William Rainey "The Late Show at The Folly Burlesque 1962" a/c 67" x 56"
John McGarity,Rachel Stuart-Haas and Peter Warren
opening reception
First Friday, November 7, 2008, 6-9 pm
artists will be in attendance
show runs thru December 2, 2008
Rich Bowman
Infinite Sky
Opening reception, Friday, September 26, 6 – 9 pm Artist talk begins at 7 pm | Show runs through November 3
The breathtaking sky-scapes of Rich Bowman are likely to linger in your conscious much longer than the actual clouds in the sky. There is a distinct beauty and familiarity about his work that strikes a chord with the viewers no matter where they’ve grown up or where they live.
American Art Collector Magazine, March 2007
Represented by Blue Gallery since 2000, Rich Bowman has shown in over 20 exhibitions including 9 solo exhibitions nationwide after receiving his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1991. Bowman’s paintings have been featured in numerous publications including Southern Living, American Art Collector Magazine and Southwest Art Magazine, and can be seen in private and corporate collections worldwide. Rich Bowman is a full-time painter who currently resides in Kansas City. Summer Group Show Amy Abshier-Reyes,Laura-HarrisGascogneandBernal Koehrsen opening reception
Friday, June 27th, 6-9 pm
artists will be in attendance
May, 2008
Lisa LalaandSheryl Pierson
May, 2008
Group Exhibition till May 30.  Friday, December 7, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Dale Jarrett
R. Sawan White
Friday, September 7, 2007 
Friday, August 31, 2007
William Rainey
Solo Show
August 31 - September 25, 2007
Reception for the Artist
Friday, August 31, 2007, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Artist Remarks 7:00 p.m.
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| | Friday, June 01, 2007
Rhythm featuring recent work by:
Susan Lordi Marker & Pauline Verbeek-Cowart
Opening reception 5:00-9:00 pm
| | Friday, May 04, 2007
First Friday
| | Friday, October 27, 2006
Rich Bowman
Patient Waters
New Works
Reception for the Artist
Friday 27 October 2006, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Artist Remarks 7:00 p.m.
Show runs through 28 November 2006
"At the bottom of my canvas and in the back of my mind, it's always beenthere. Quietly waiting my acknowledgement. I pass
it daily and live offits generosity. I've shared fond and fearful moments on its banks, inits shallows and within its swells.
The rivers, lakes and streams of myhome have always inspired me and helped shape my work. This body ofwork
acknowledges that ongoing influence and its symbolism in my life."-Rich Bowman
| | Friday, October 06, 2006
First Friday
| | Friday, September 29, 2006
Kelly Porter
New Works
Reception for the Artist
Friday 29 September 2006, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Artist Remarks 7:00 p.m.
Show runs through 24 October 2006
"Each painting represents a formal and aesthetic challenge, as well as anintriguing adventure into the subject of
microscopic life and theblendingof cellular and botanical life. My process is formalinnature, and uses 18th Century
philosophical ideas of the sublime andthe beautiful to investigate the similarity of these different forms of life." -Kelly Porter
Kelly Porter voted
Best Visual Artist in Kansas City, 2006 by the readers of KC Magazine
| | Friday, September 01, 2006
First Friday
| | Friday, August 25, 2006
Saints & Sirens
invitational
Reception for the Artists
Friday 25 August 2006, 6 to 9 p.m.
Show runs through 26 September 2006
Amy Abshier-Reyes | Cassandra Barney | Sarah Bereza
Rachel Bess | Nicole Cawlfield | Jamie Chase
Joseph Lorusso | Ann Piper | Adam Smith
Rachel Stuart-Haas | Steven Yazzie
| | Friday, August 04, 2006
First Friday
| | Friday, May 05, 2006
First Friday
| | Friday, April 28, 2006
Jennie Becker
John Folsom
New Works
28 April through 29 May 2006
Reception for the Artists Friday 28 April 2006, 6 to 9 p.m.
Artists Remarks 7:00 p.m.
| | Friday, November 04, 2005
Steven Yazzie
New Paintings
4 November through 29 November
Reception for the Artist, Friday 4 November 6 to 9
| | Saturday, October 01, 2005
Blue Gallery 5th Year Anniversary Exhibition
October 7 - 31
| | Friday, August 26, 2005
William Rainey
CarnivalSolo Exhibition
August 26th - September 26th 2005
Artist's Reception Friday, August 26th 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Artist's Remarks 7:00 p.m.
Prices range from $475-$9,100
| | Friday, August 05, 2005
First Friday
| | Friday, July 01, 2005
First Friday
| | Friday, June 03, 2005
First Friday
| | Friday, February 04, 2005
Lisa Lala
New works
Each Day
Preview and Artist’s Discussion
Thursday, February 3rd 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Opening Reception
Friday, February 4th 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Show will continue through Feb. 28th
| | Friday, October 29, 2004
Joseph Lorusso
One Man Exhibition
Moments
| | Friday, September 17, 2004
Rich Bowman
one man exhibition
"A Place in Mind"
Show runs through Oct 23rd
| | Friday, June 04, 2004
Simply Red
new works on canvas by
James Leonard
Artist's Reception
Friday, June 4th, 2004
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
show runs through July 6th, 2004
| | Friday, May 07, 2004
Flourish
Porcelain works by Jennie Becker
and
Prints and Paintings by Kelly Porter Engel
Artists‚ Reception
Friday, May 7th, 2004
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
show runs through June 1st, 2004
Friday, October 3rd, 2003
Personal Universe
New Works by Bernal Koehrsenand Rachel Stuart Haas
Friday, November 1st, 2002
Anonymous Landscape
New Works by Rich Bowmanand John Folsom
Friday, November 2nd, 2001
Altered Arcadia
New Works byJohn Folsom 
Friday, October 5th, 2001
Landscapes for the Muse
New Works byNancy OrtenstoneandDebra Fritts 
Friday, September 7th, 2001
Surfacing
New Works by Jason Michael Hackenwerth, Kelly Porter, Bernal Koehrsen and Maura Cluthe
Friday, December 1st, 2000
Paintings from the Land of Oz
New Works byWilliam Rainey
Friday, October 6th, 2000
Grand Opening Group Show
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