A is for... by Steve Hartman

A is for...

Center of Creative Arts, St. Louis 2011

As the director of one of the country’s largest multicultural arts centers, I have the privilege of watching children and adults experience the arts in a multitude of ways. At COCA in St. Louis, we treasure the process of art making and pride ourselves on the fact that some 50,000 students of all ages pass through our doors each year, seeking creative arts experiences. How fitting it is that COCA’s Millstone Gallery is the setting for A is for… —an exhibit that not only welcomes children as viewers, but recognizes children as inspiration for their artist parents. Our 26 contributors are parents, professionals and practicing artists. The intersection of those roles has intrigued me as both an arts professional and as the parent of two young children. This book is an outgrowth of that exhibit, one that I know will be cherished by families for years to come. We are grateful to these talented artists for sharing their art and their personal reflections, providing us with a brief glimpse into their private worlds.

Kelly Lamb Pollock Executive Director, COCA (Center of Creative Arts, St. Louis) June 10, 2011 4

A is for... June 10–August 16

A is for… is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the ever evolving practice of being an artist and a parent. Every artist in this exhibition has been impacted by the shifting priorities prevalent everyday in their multiple roles. A is for… presents a fun and inclusionary approach to contemplate the importance of raising children in a creative environment. Each artist was asked to consider many things: Who is the “better” artist – you or your child? How does your child describe what it means to be an artist? Do you collaborate with your child? Does your child work with you in the studio? How do you discuss your work with your child? And, the most important, does your child “like” your work? It has been humbling to unite the work of these talented artists and, at times, hysterical to read their reflections. I thank the artists for participating and opening themselves to the private moments they share with their families. They are truly an inspiration. Our kids are our future and, in the words of my father, I greatly look forward to your future. Gina Alvarez Exhibition Curator, A is for… June 10, 2011 COCA – St. Louis

< American Heritage “a” John Early Ink, transparency paper and polycarbonate sheets 2011

John Early

The making of meaning

A a

Alex loves being in the studio, but for him, the world is his studio. Every object and activity is interesting. Wildly swinging a whisk, joyfully banging cedar blocks against the coffee table, carefully scrutinizing the rubber buttons on an old remote control with his index finger, staring out the window at cars as they parallel park—all of these are ways that I delight in Alex as he delights in constructing meaning from the world around him. His seemingly boundless curiosity enables me to look anew at the things of this world and my experience in it. Alex’s posture of shameless inquisitiveness and delight in discovery is what I appreciate so much about him as he embarks upon the many “firsts” of his life. COCA – St. Louis

< B is for Books Jana Harper with Kirstin Koepnick Mixed media 2011

Jana Harper

Notions of art making

B b

Recently when we were anticipating a huge snowstorm, I brought some work home from the studio in case we got snowed in. Sure enough, school got cancelled and we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going anywhere. The girls both helped me cut hundreds of pieces of tape. We sat around the table for several mornings in a row cutting tape and talking and sharing the experience of work. They took their jobs very seriously and it was stunning how much pride they took in their contribution. COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

< Twenty four by six Ken Wood Gouache and ink on paper 2011

Ken Wood

We make art much more than we talk about it.

C c

I have two children, my step-daughter who is 6 and my son who is 7 months. What I have learned from my 6-year-old is not to sweat the small stuff. To find beauty in the happy accidents and, most importantly, that if you have a good attitude through the whole process of making something (without getting upset about things “going wrong”), you will be happier, make more work and, ultimately, make better work. COCA – St. Louis

< D Amy Firestone Rosen Mixed media on paper 2011

Amy Firestone Rosen

Some people do yoga, I print.

D d

My daughters speak of me with pride. They are supportive in all my endeavors and have opinions on everything, which they freely offer and which I readily accept. They visit me while Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m working in my studio, they attend my shows and they are as supportive as children can be. Ultimately, they keep me grounded. I tell people that I either worry myself sick about my kids or I create something! COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

< E-Painting Daniel Raedeke Acrylic on MDF 2011

Daniel Raedeke

What he sees through his eyes

E e

I am constantly inspired by the way my son organizes his drawings. I am struck by the immediacy and free nature in his drawings. Over the years, some of our best bonding times have been in the studio, drawing side by side. He is always imagining things for us to make and build. There is no doubt that he thinks that I can make anything out of any material or draw or paint anything he can think up. COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

< Form, Function, Florence John Sarra Reclaimed palettes and shipping palette, oil and enamel 2011

John Sarra

A person who makes things and shows them to other people

F f

We talk about art all the time. It is a pervasive part of our home life. One time a parent asked my daughter where her dad worked, and she said, “In the basement.” That is where my woodworking studio is located. Because the entire household organizes its time around multiple creative practices—painting, drawing, photography, gardening, cooking, woodworking, music—art is not removed, not something that only happens when you enter a special room. COCA – St. Louis

< G Dionna Raedeke Acrylic on wood 2011

Dionna Raedeke

My son doesn’t know the word “critique” yet.

G g

Becoming a parent has definitely created the challenge of trying to find a work/parent/create balance of some sort. But it has also put things in perspective—about why we create, who we are creating for, and the importance of open ideas and creativity on a larger topic. We create now in many different ways—and so many of these ways have nothing to do with time in the studio. We are not only creating art, but creating ideas to discuss, creating places to live and play, creating music and photographs, creating ever evolving relationships, creating bedtime stories...the list goes on. COCA – St. Louis

< H is for Hope Lindsay Obermeyer Cotton floss on cotton fabric 2011

Lindsay Obermeyer

I knit an inch.

H h

I remember once we were at an opening at the Milwaukee Art Museum that included a few of my works when my daughter loudly declared, “Hey, Mom! Look! You’re famous!” Everyone turning to look at us. It mortified me, but she was so proud and excited. My daughter never fails to be my greatest cheerleader. COCA – St. Louis

< Eyes of the I Jim Ibur Porcelain 2011

Jim Ibur

He is my inspiration and hero.

I i

My son and I are building a painting studio in the garage together. We built an 8’ x 8’ drywall wall on wheels that he will spray paint his street/graffiti graphic work on. He is 16 and doesn’t care much about ceramics (although both of his parents are ceramicists). I took him to Exit Through the Gift Shop, a film by Banksy, at his request and I am constantly learning about art from him. My own work is about making tangible the interaction between two or three people using vessels and tubes to “describe” the connection. Much of my work connects directly to my son. COCA – St. Louis

< J Rick Dunn Earthenware, steel 2011

Rick Dunn

Here we go.

J j

Because he is so young and our clay studio so full of hazards, our son has been there with me infrequently. We do sit together and draw, and have done some painting, too. I am always struck by what an uptight wreck I can be compared with the abandon with which he makes marks. When we made his mom a birthday painting I spent my time trying to keep him from tracking paint all over the house while he walked around giggling and pushing paint around the paper. Right now I think his studio practice is better than mine. COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

< K Matthew Jeans with Heather Oppitz (Shop facilities provided by Cannon Design) Plexiglass 2011

Matthew Jeans

She just makes it.

K k

I often discuss art with my four-year-old daughter. We find art (here used synonymously with beauty) everywhere and at every scale. We search for beauty in the middle of an asphalt parking lot in the same way that we find it in a sunset. Her perspective when seeing things for the first time gives me new insight into my own perceptions and the cultural bias that is embedded in how I process phenomena. COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

< My Two Year Old Could Paint That Ben and Lila Guffee Zero-VOC latex paint on canvas 2011

Ben Guffee

A true collaborative effort

L l

My paintings are really about appreciating the simple beauty that is constantly around us – specifically, in nature – but the lesson, the importance of not taking for granted wonderful things surrounding us every day certainly applies to family. Sometimes we have to slow down to avoid missing a beautiful image. How much more important it is to savor all the fleeting moments with our family and children. Since my wife Jill and I welcomed our first child, Lila, a year and a half ago, sharing artwork has taken on a whole new meaning to me. For one thing, exposing a child to a variety of artwork and aesthetic values is enjoyable… but actually watching your baby create her own little masterpieces is on a completely different level. The simple joy and exuberance is a good reminder about what art is really about. COCA – St. Louis

< Mazes and Moon Phases with Mina Hazel Eric Repice Mixed media with hand cast paper 2011

Eric Repice

I borrow supplies from my daughter.

M m

I am a huge fan of my daughter’s cut paper pieces as well as her ability to embrace the ephemeral character of work. I had to teach her to stop and admire. We are both ambidextrous when we draw. She is way less judgmental of her work and almost always gives it away. We have made paper, prints, drawings, and paintings collaboratively. Making paper outside was epic. We talk and read about art regularly. Just call yourself an artist and you can be one. We are always asking each other “do you think this is enough?” or “too much?” My baby is always drooling over my work. COCA – St. Louis

< Ñame Fabio Rodriguez Paño 2011

Fabio Rodriguez

I teach my son Spanish through my works.

Ñ ñ

I have learned much about being an artist through being a father and an educator. My art is about creating social consciousness in order to inspire change. By becoming a parent, a teacher/mentor I have the opportunity to put my ideas into practice and influence more people than I ever could by only painting. Giving the people around me opportunities to succeed in the future is much more fulfilling than receiving any recognition as an artist. Despite the many sacrifices I make each day for the sake of my son, wife, and students, I love being a father/educator/husband/artist. I sleep with a clear conscience by knowing I am making a positive impact on the lives of people around me. COCA – St. Louis

< “O” Man, I love you Gina Alvarez Mixed media 2011

Gina Alvarez

An innate approach

O o

My son is a true minimalist. He can go through a ream of paper in a heartbeat, a singular drawn image on each page. He is also the ultimate materialist. He is happy as a clam with a roll of blue painters tape and a roll of electrical tape. He keeps it simple and revels in repetition. He works with me in the studio and has his own studio set up in his room. I love this. It is fabulous to me that through seeing how his mother works he has adopted his own practice so to speak. It spills over into everything he does. COCA – St. Louis

< A Place at the Table Ilene Berman Linen, embroidery floss 2011

Ilene Berman

My children keep me honest as an artist.

P p

They are not mystified by the idea of being an artist. They know that artists are trying to communicate ideas. They know that artists work hard and make mistakes. They also know that living a life as an artist is a privilege. They have a healthy skepticism about both my work and the work of other artists. This skepticism leads them to ask questions. As they have matured, so have their questions. They often get right to the heart of what I am trying to say and, through their knowledge of me, and their comfort with art, they push me to be clearer. This clarity makes my work stronger. COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

< ?Quid Pro Quo? Anne Treeger Huck Linoleum print 2011

Anne Treeger Huck

A pure act of love

Q q

My children remind me to treat every artwork as a gift. My daughter Delilah often wraps up her drawings for me and I receive them as I would a hug or a kiss— a pure act of love. They remind me of the simple joy in a line, that there’s no wrong way to create, how vital and healthy it is to draw everyday, to trust my artistic impulses and, finally, they remind me of what drew me to art in the first place—how creating connects us to the world in a really meaningful way, through communicating ideas and stories with pure and fearless expression, effortless soul, and an amazing amount of unbridled joy. COCA – St. Louis

< R’s Jason Hoeing Mixed media on paper 2011

Jason Hoeing

Q: Who is the bigger child? A: “You [dad] are.”

R r

When I asked my daughter what her definition of an artist is she said “Somebody who believes in everything, makes swirls, does stuff that is really cool, is creative, makes something that is not really anything (not dogs, but circles, lines, shapes, and triangles) [dad adds––abstraction], and doesn’t give up.” When asked who is a better artist you or me? She said “I [Cora] am.” COCA – St. Louis

< Swirling Shapes, Swings, Shadows Christine Amick Sarra Mixed media Christine Amick Sarra 2011 “Pink should marry green, and blue should marry purple.”

S s

Soon after having my daughter, I began what many parents do, artist or not: documenting my child through photographs. This was essential since we live away from family and they could then participate in her growth through snapshots. But it was also obsessive since it used a medium with which I was familiar. I soon learned that it was impractical to make works of art using my heavy professional camera when we were on the go, so I began to work with my digital point and shoot. What developed was a series of family portraits that were depicted through cast shadows and their interplay with the places where the shadows were cast. As my daughter has grown older, she has occasionally collaborated with me on the shadow photos. She already owns her own camera and has learned to take her own pictures—collections of objects in her playroom, our cats, leaves and flowers at the park. I also loved to sneak in and shoot photos of her sleeping. COCA – St. Louis

< Making the World a Bigger Place Robert Longyear and Tru Longyear Enamel and vinyl on panel 2011

Robert Longyear

Yes, there will be enough room.

T t

My daughter Tru has a way of bringing 26 letters together into the loveliest sort of mix. I remember being out and about with her at one opening or another; looking, talking, hand in hand. The evening was drawing to a close and we had paused for a quiet moment alone. Every parent has been where I was about to go at that moment; it’s a place where your heart grows full, and you’re left absolutely breathless. As we sat, Tru climbed up onto my lap and said to me, “Daddy, we’re making the world a bigger place.” I was left dumbfounded and forever hopeful, knowing that as she grows from little “t” to big “T” she’ll be making the world a bigger place for herself and those around her. COCA – St. Louis

< U-Store John Parker Acrylic on canvas 2011

John Parker

Whatever the subject

U u

One of my fondest memories as a child is of my mom. She was working on her art history Ph.D. at Rutgers and she would sometimes bring me to her classes. Whatever the subject, she would always put in one slide of an animal just for me. As a father, I try to create significant moments for my son just as my mother did for me. He loves to do what I am doing. I have set up a table for him to work in my studio when I work. Like most children his age, he has an enviable appreciation for raw materials. It is difficult at times to work with him in the studio because he inevitably wants what I am working with. I tried to ask him to define an artist for me (please take into consideration – he is 3) and he said something about Spiderman and the Big Bad Wolf. It is amazing—I never knew that I could love another person as much as I love him. COCA – St. Louis

< Sgraffito Violets and Necklace Jennifer and Katharine Walker Sterling silver, fine silver, copper, vitreous enamel, gold leaf 2011

Jennifer Walker

I remember loving the smells.

V v

When I was around two years old, my mother went back to college to get a B.A. in art education and my fondest memories are from that time. Her work filled our apartment, reflected our life together, and inspired me to be an artist when I grew up. She let me use all her best papers, paints, inks and brushes without worrying if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ruin them. I remember loving the smells of the different studios, the piney painting studio, the acrid photography department, but mostly I loved being part of her exciting world of making things and I want to do the same with my daughter Katharine. COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

< W is for Window Brendan, Sarah and Eleanor Bayless Glass, glass enamel, wood 2011

Brendan and Sarah Bayless

In addition to our artistic careers

W w

Because our children are still very young, they are just beginning to understand the art world and take part in what we do. Our daughter is a budding artist herself and has blown us away with her drawing and painting abilities. Because we value art in our lives we spend time talking to her about her artwork, showing her our artwork, and exposing her to as much creativity as possible. All in all, it is very important to us to nurture our childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creativity in the same way it was nurtured in us at an early age. COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

< Tat D-Sine for a Fried Father Tom Huck Linoleum print 2011

Tom Huck

They blow me away.

X x

Sometimes my daughter blows me away with her depiction of the human form. Once she used ladders for the bodies! I secretly wished I had thought of that. It is amazing to me to see that they notice details that I have forgotten about. They always see the good in the work instead of the bad. There is an honesty to their approach that is humbling. Once I took my daughter to SLAM to see my work – I pointed and said “hey look that’s daddy’s work”, she then looked up and asked if we could go look at something else. I guess she sees my stuff all the time! COCA – St. Louis

< Y? Amy Alton Bautz Oil on canvas 2011

Amy Alton Bautz

Cool in a lot of ways

Y y

When my kids were young I was worried that my artwork was too weird or scary for them. But then, once they started joining me in the studio with markers and paper, my kids started making their own weird and scary art! I was so relieved. The first new weird artwork that I made was actually about my kids; I portrayed them as Cyclops worms. I showed the work to them and asked them what they thought. They liked the worms, but they thought that the eyes were the mouths and that the worms were singing. COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

< Reliquary of Z Ruth Reese Earthenware, decals, paint and polymer 2011

Ruth Reese

Artwork/Together

Z z

Truly, I’ve been humbled by my daughter’s mark-making abilities. It seems that I have a lot to learn from her about delighting in the motion of making and not trying to “draw” in pursuit of the “perfect” result. Of late, we have started this little drawing game. In it, I make a solid dot and then she creates a scribble over that dot. Each dot is like a town on a map with a cloud hovering above it. Whenever we make these compositions, it’s like a loose cluster of cells each floating in a little puffy aura; they seem like a swarm of strange pink fireflies COCA – St. Louis

Artist Biographies

A is for... June 10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;august 16

Gina Alvarez (page 33 ) has exhibited her work extensively in St. Louis as well as Chicago, Washington State, New York, Washington DC and South Carolina and is the Gallery and Education Director at the St. Louis Artists’ Guild and Galleries in Clayton, MO. She was born in Racine, Wisconsin and received her Bachelor of Arts from the College of Charleston where she focused her attention on printmaking and costume design. Alvarez completed her master’s degree in printmaking and drawing at Washington University in 2002. Since graduation, she has pursued her interests in the arts both as an artist and an arts administrator. You can see images of Gina’s work at www.ginatalvarez.com Amy Alton Bautz (page 53) regularly exhibits her work nationally and internationally, including solo exhibits in Berlin and in Athens, Georgia. Professor Bautz teaches computer art at Saint Louis University and is an artist working in new media. Trained initially as a photojournalist at the University of Texas at Austin, she received her Master of Fine Arts at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Studio Art with a focus in painting, photography and computer art. Since early 2009, she has been working regularly as a computer artist on an animation team.

Brendan and Sarah Bayless (page 49) creates hand-blown functional vases, bowls, bottles, drinking glasses and pendants through his company Bayless Glassworks. He also is the Director of Education at Third Degree Glass Factory. Sarah Bayless teaches elementary art and runs a stained glass studio. Both graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Brendan Bayless holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Glass; Sarah Bayless holds a Bachelor of Science in Art Education. They were married in 2006 and have two children—Eleanor, born in 2008, and Rowan, born in 2010. Ilene Berman (page 35) has exhibited her sculpture and ceramics throughout Missouri, Maryland, Illinois and Wisconsin. She teaches visual arts at COCA, including outreach residencies at Jefferson Elementary and Adams Elementary in St. Louis. Berman encourages students to think beyond art by paying attention to detail, meaning and its relationships to life. She incorporates storytelling in the ceramics residencies and has spent the past few years creating collaborative murals with the schools. She has also taught at Temple Beth Israel in Madison, Wisconsin and Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis. Berman received her Bachelor of Arts and elementary teacher certification from Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut.

COCA – St. Louis

Rick Dunn (page 23) was born and raised in Kansas City. He received a Bachelor’s degree from College of the Ozarks in 1998. Since completing a Master of Fine Arts degree in 2002 from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, he has taught in the St. Louis Community College system, exhibited and lectured both nationally and locally, and traveled around the country selling his work. He currently juggles making art, classes, renovation and fatherhood with his beautiful wife Kirsten, son Samuel and their dog, Tess, in a renovated home/studio in South St. Louis City. John Early (page 5) has exhibited his drawings, sculptures, and installations regionally and nationally at spaces including the Orange County Center for Contemporary Arts (Santa Ana, CA), SCA Project Gallery (Pomona, CA), BS Gallery (Iowa City), Kingston Gallery (Boston), and the Covenant College Art Gallery (Lookout Mountain, Georgia). His work has been included at White Flag Projects, the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Snowflake, the Des Lee Gallery, and the St. Louis Artists’ Guild. Early also teaches drawing and design at Maryville University and St. Louis Community College at Meramec. Born in Virginia, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from the University of Virginia before moving to St. Louis and earning a Master of Arts in Education at Covenant Theological Seminary, 60

A is for... June 10–august 16

followed by a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art at Washington University. Ben Guffee (page 27) has been working to establish himself in the St. Louis art scene since 2005, participating in and receiving awards in multiple events and art fairs. His work combines a lifelong love for nature with a careful study of American, European and Asian art. His paintings capture some of the energy and movement in nature while imparting an overall feeling of serenity to the viewer. Born and raised on the East Coast, he moved to central Mexico at the age of 21 and began pursuing a career as a painter. After several years in Guanajuato Mexico, Guffee settled in St. Louis with his family. Jana Harper (page 7) is a visual artist who works both collaboratively and individually on themes related to quietude, connection, authenticity, and environment. She teaches in the Kranzberg Illustrated Book Studio at Washington University in St. Louis and is the curator of the Urban Books Collection of artists’ books at Olin Library. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking and Book Arts from Arizona State University and was in the Core Student Fellowship Program at the Penland School of Crafts.

Jason Hoeing (page 39) frequently exhibits his work in the St. Louis region at venues such as Art St. Louis, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Sheldon Art Galleries, Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts, Hoffman Lachance Contemporary, PHD Gallery, Foundry Art Centre, and the Ethical Society. He has also exhibited nationally at Western Illinois University Art Gallery, Macomb, IL; Clara M. Eagle Gallery, Murray State University, Murray, KY; Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Mt. Vernon, IL; Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL; and South Cobb Arts Alliance, Mableton, GA. Hoeing teaches art at Kirkwood High School and has taught since 1995 at the middle school, high school and university levels. He earned a Master of Fine Arts from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, a Bachelor of Fine Arts and K-12 Missouri Art Teaching Certificate from Fontbonne University, and an Associate degree from East Central College, Union, Missouri. Hoeing lives in the St. Louis area with his wife, daughter, and son. Anne Treeger Huck (page 37) has been teaching art in the Saint Louis area for more than 20 years. She creates her own work out of a variety of media and frequently donates it to raise funds for charitable causes. Currently, she has an illustration in the Missouri Coalition for the Environment cookbook, with proceeds to support the organization. After

stints at Craft Alliance, COCA, and the Saint Louis Art Museum, Huck found a lovely home teaching junior high and high school students at Crossroads College Preparatory School. She is the proud mama of miraculous daughters Delilah and Clementine, and is an avid reader. This exhibition is especially close to her heart, merging what brings her the most bliss in life: her daughters, art and letters. Tom Huck (page 51) (born 1971) is a visual artist best known for his large scale satirical woodcuts. He lives and works in St. Louis, Missouri where he runs his own press, Evil Prints. He is a regular contributor to BLAB! of Fantagraphics and was the illustrator of The Roots’ Phrenology album art in 2003. His work draws heavily upon the influence of Albrecht Dürer, Jose Guadalupe Posada, R. Crumb, and Honoré Daumier. Huck’s woodcut prints are included in numerous public and private collections, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, Spencer Museum of Art, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Saint Louis Art Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Fogg Art Museum, and New York Public Library. Tom Huck is represented by Baer Ridgway Exhibitions in San Francisco. Jim Ibur (page 21) is a potter, sculptor, tile maker, musician and Associate Professor at St. Louis Community College where he is Coordinator of Ceramics COCA – St. Louis

in the Art Department. He has exhibited locally, regionally and nationally and is doing new work in the realm of public art. Most recently, he finished a 3000-pound, 20 foot by 20 foot ceramic relief mural entitled “Tikkun Olam” (Healing the World) for the new St. Louis Jewish Community Center’s indoor pool area. His recent work focuses on everyday objects “reclaimed” from the ocean and the impact that that erosion and attachment might have had on those objects. Matthew Jeans (page 25) is an architect who investigates the delivery of high design via panelization and prefabrication. One of his main objectives is to avoid the high cost and environmental impact of standard construction. Jeans also maintains a standard architectural practice. His buildings are scattered from Dallas to Porto, Portugal to Webster Groves, Missouri and points in between. Jeans has worked in studios from Chicago to St Louis. Robert Longyear (page 43) is an artist whose practice alters the integrity of built structures as a way to compromise and transform. He’s drawn to buildings as metaphor for system breakdowns – and as opportunities to learn more about how humans interface with the world through architecture. Using neglected 62

A is for... June 10–august 16

structures as raw material, he is able to reveal their hidden construction, provide new ways of perceiving space, and create metaphors for the human condition. He is the Community Outreach Manager and Metals Studio Chair at Craft Alliance in St. Louis. Longyear received his Master of Fine Arts from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Kansas. Lindsay Obermeyer (page 19) employs the history and metaphors surrounding textile practices to study issues as diverse as environmentalism, medical ethics, nanotechnology and gender. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States and internationally at venues including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Milwaukee Art Museum, Museum of Arts and Design (New York), and Centro Colombo Americano (Columbia). She created the community art piece, The Red Thread Project®, which has involved the participation of thousands of knitters to date. Books and mass media coverage featuring her work include PBS, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, American Craft, and The Culture of Knitting. Her work is in collections of the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Jewish Health Foundation (Pennsylvania), and the Swedish Art Council, in addition to many private collections. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Master of Fine Arts in fiber art, and a Master of Arts in Teaching in elementary education. Born in St. Louis, she currently resides in Chicago.

John Parker (page 45) is a painter and has shown work in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. He has taught drawing and painting at COCA, Webster University and Savannah College of Art and Design. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting at University of Kansas and his Master of Fine Arts in painting from Savannah College of Art and Design. Daniel Raedeke (page 13), currently living and working in St. Louis, he has been included in numerous solo and group exhibitions in both Chicago and St. Louis. Among his shows was the well-received solo exhibition “Always Almost New” at Laumeier Sculpture Park in 2004. In his work, Raedeke combines his remarkable range of skills in painting, design, animation and fabrication, by painstakingly creating handmade objects from his digital sources. His work explores the synergy between contemporary art and commercial culture, offering commentary and critique on each. He works in a wide array of formats that result in a colorful showroom of images and objects. Raedeke’s tongue-in-cheek slogan is “painting a better future for you,” with his new work as an inventive continuation of his investigations into the ever-expanding possibilities of painting.

Dionna Raedeke (page 17) is the co-founder of ART E.A.S.T. (Edwardsville Alton Studio Tour) and the Edwardsville Arts Center, and serves on the Creve Coeur Public Art Task Force. Raedeke has been a constant in the not-for-profit art scene on both sides of the Mississippi. Balancing her career as an art director in the St. Louis design world and a mother to her five-year-old son, Raedeke continues making art at her home studio, finding inspiration in all things music, dance, product design—anything that takes her back to feeling like a kiddo all over again. Raedeke was born and raised in Edwardsville, Illinois and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics and Printmaking from Southern Illinois University in 1999. Ruth Reese (page 55) works primarily with clay and her work is an expression of the richness of the medium. Her pieces are layered with drawings and reliefs, giving them a dreamy and wistful atmosphere. Whether creating functional pots or sculptural works, she combines engobes, majolicas, slips and decals into narratives that float across the surface. In creating her ceramic forms and graphic illustrations, Reese takes true satisfaction in her work that seeks to be both challenging and beautiful. A teacher at Maryville University and St. Louis Community College, she started off her study in sculpture, and has located herself in the medium of ceramics. Her work has shown locally and nationally at exhibits such as Red Heat, Visions in Clay, and Potters as Sculptors and Sculptors COCA – St. Louis

as Potters. Reese’s work is published in Mourning the Unborn Dead: A Buddhist Ritual Comes to America, 500 Raku: Bold Explorations of a Dynamic Ceramics Technique and 500 Plates & Chargers: Innovative Expressions of Function & Style. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture (2002) from Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts (1997) from Loyola University. Eric Repice (page 29) lives in St. Louis City with his wife Michelle, daughter Mina Hazel (age 4), and son Felix (age 1). In recent experiments with video (Knot Just Boys’ Fun), he began with the realization that the knots he had learned as an Eagle Scout have unexpected and diverse uses. Repice’s collaborative, public, and community projects include the production of a 150’ public mural on Cherokee Street in St. Louis, a one-mile stencil trail in Columbia, MO, and the marking and mapping of his surroundings during a week in which he avoided motorized vehicles while keeping his routine schedule. As an interdisciplinary artist, Repice pursues projects that cross boundaries between traditional media and disciplines (art, anthropology, and economy) by using digital methods, mapping, and video in combination with printmaking, drawing, and painting. Amy Firestone Rosen (page 11) has shown throughout St. Louis and Chicago. Her work is in the University of Missouri, St. Louis Collection and the Aronson 64

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Collection. She has worked for design and marketing firms, universities and large companies and began AFR Design in 1991 after the birth of the older of her two daughters. Rosen attended the University of Kansas where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1980 with an emphasis in graphic design. In 2003, she began studying painting and printmaking and began exhibiting her work. She is represented by PHD Gallery in St. Louis. Fabio Rodriguez (page 31) is an art and Spanish teacher at DeSoto High School, DeSoto Missouri, and has won several awards and recognitions for his work that is exhibited at a national and international level. Born in Richmond, Virginia to Dominican parents, he moved to the Dominican Republic in 1979 where he remained until the age of 15. In 1992, he returned to the United States with his family and settled in Columbia, Missouri. Rodriguez attended University of Missouri, then Columbia College where, under the instruction of Sidney Larson, his talent flourished. He received numerous awards for academics and artistic ability, including the first Sidney Larson Student Award. He graduated cum laude in 2001 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in painting and drawing. Before locating in St. Louis with his wife and young son, Rodriguez returned to the Dominican Republic where he worked as an art teacher and spent time traveling and painting commissions.

Christine Amick Sarra (page 41) takes a documentary-style approach to art-making, but infuses the apparent objectivity of the photograph with playful and expressive mixtures of media. Besides her work as an artist, wife, and mother, Sarra is an avid gardener. She teaches drawing and painting at Villa Duchesne High School in St. Louis. Sarra received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from James Madison University (1995) and her Master of Fine Arts (1997) from Washington University. John Sarra (page 15) is a Senior Lecturer in Painting at Washington University in St. Louis. His artwork investigates the interlacing of material form, spiritual content, and metaphorical potential. Sarra was born in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1972, and grew up along the southern and eastern coasts of the United States. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art (1994) from the College of Charleston, and his Master of Fine Arts in Painting (1997) from Washington University. Jennifer Walker (page 47) has exhibited work nationally at juried craft shows and boutiques and galleries. Selected shows include Open Door Gallery, Maplewood, Missouri (2009);

Denise Bibro Fine Art, New York (2002); Cedarhurst Center of the Arts, Mt Vernon, Illinois; P.S. Gallery, Columbia, Missouri.; and Adam Foster Fine Jewelry, Clayton, Missouri. After two years studying Product Design at Parsons School of Design in New York, Walker received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Metalsmithing/Jewelry Making from Maine College of Art. In 1997, Walker joined Plumbers Local Union No. One in Brooklyn, New York and completed a five-year apprenticeship, while working as a journeyman plumber for nearly a decade. She was born on a military base in Heidelberg, Germany in 1974 and raised in southern coastal Maine and Yonkers, New York. She lives and works in St. Louis. Ken Wood (page 9) has exhibited his paintings, drawings and prints in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri, Mississippi and in Italy, and shows his work at the Philip Slein Gallery in St. Louis. He is an Assistant Professor of Art at St. Louis Community College Meramec, and recently began conducting Artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Workshops at the Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis. Wood has taught drawing and design at the Rhode Island School of Design, Wesleyan University, Temple University in Rome, Virginia Tech, and Washington University. He has a professional degree in Architecture from Rice University in Houston, and a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking from Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia/Rome.

COCA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Louis

Thank you. Cover Design & Letterpress Printing: Eric Woods, The Firecracker Press Book Design: Steve Hartman, Falk Harrison Photography: Mike Speckhard, Speckhard Photography Book Printing: Murray Print Shop

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