THE ARTS MAGAZINE OF THE ART STUDIO, INC.
APRIL 2019
VINCENT: HIS LIFE PAGE 8
INSIDE: TASIMJAE, JOOYOUNG CHOI AND JULES BUCK JONES AT AMSET, AND MORE
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ISSUE Vol. 25, No. 7 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Art Studio, Inc. Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Coughlan Copy Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth Gallaspy Contributing Writers . . . . . . . . . Stephan Malick, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kara Timberlake Distribution . . . . . . . Olivia Malick, Elijah Malick
A View From The Top Greg Busceme, TASI Director SPRING IS HERE! OK, so it wasn’t much of a winter. Chilly, rainy and damp, sure, but no blasting cold, freeze your pipes, where’s my long johns and gloves kind of cold. It’s slightly disappointing because we were prepared this year more than ever with new heaters and tight double-paned windows, thanks to Foundation for Southeast Texas and the Meadows Foundation, Inc. Summer is coming and, alas, there is no recourse for cooling our facility yet. We are planning a major reconstruction of the roofs of all our buildings especially the main facility. Working with David Perkins of Perkins Roofing, we are on track for major renovations in the integrity of The Studio’s badly worn roofs. In store is a high-tech roof structure with an insulation rating of R 33. This will make the painters’ studios far more habitable in the hot sum-
The Art Studio, Inc. Board of Directors Corporate President . . . . . . . . . . Greg Busceme Corporate Vice-President . . . . . Angela Scheibel Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephan Malick Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Roberts Secretary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Davis Members at Large . . . . . . Stephanie Chadwick, . . . . . . . . . Olivia Busceme, John Fulbright, . . . . . . . . . . . Allison Kainer, Jessica Prince, . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Logan Murphy, Sara Tuell, . . . . . . . . . . Sheila Busceme, John Rollins Tenant Representative. . . . . . . . . . Kailee Viator Assistant Director . . . . . . . . . Marilyn Tennissen
The Art Studio, Inc. 720 Franklin Beaumont, TX 77701 409-838-5393 www.artstudio.org info@artstudio.org The ISSUE is a monthly publication of The Art Studio, Inc. Its mission is to publicize The Art Studio and its tenants, and to promote the growth of the arts in Southeast Texas. ISSUE is also charged with informing TASI members of projects, progress, achievements and setbacks in TASI’s well-being. Further, ISSUE strives to promote and distribute the writings of local authors in its “Thoughtcrime” feature. ISSUE is provided free of charge to members of TASI and is also available, free of charge, at more than 30 locations in Southeast Texas. Regular features include local artists of note and reputation who are not currently exhibiting at TASI; artists currently or soon to be exhibiting at TASI; Instructional articles for artists; news stories regarding the state of TASI’s organization; and arts news features dealing with general philosophical issues of interest to artists.
Contents JooYoung Choi at AMSET . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Jules Buck Jones at AMSET. . . . . . . . . . Page 5 TASIMJAE 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 Van Gogh at MFAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Capsula Stellis in pictures . . . . . . . . . Page 13 Around & About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Thoughtcrime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15
APRIL
See VIEW on page 12
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS AT THE ART STUDIO MAY
TASIMJAE (The Art Studio, Inc. Members Jurored Art Exhibition) Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 6
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Lisa Reinauer — Winner TASIMJAE 2018 Opening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 4
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Cover: detail from Vincent van Gogh “Self Portrait.”
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journey to the cosmic womb 4 • ISSUE April 2019
Volume 25, No. 7
JooYoung Choi’s ‘Big Time Dreaming in the Age of Uncertainty’ is positively fun “Like a Bolt Out of the Blue, Faith Steps in and Sees You Through” by JooYoung Choi.
JOOYOUNG CHOI’S EXHIBITION “BIG Time Dreaming in the Age of Uncertainty,” on display at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas through June 2, is an absolute delight. Choi’s playful imagery, featuring giant fabric creatures in mystical landscapes, comic book-style panels and video installation is first and foremost great fun. Viewers are sure to
Story by Andy Coughlan
leave with smiles on their faces, no matter what their age. But behind the fun, Choi is addressing some deep emotional issues of loss and belonging. That she addresses these issues with an overwhelming sense of positivity is what makes the show so charming. The Cosmic World’s motto is, “Have faith for you have always been loved.”
Choi was born in South Korea and moved to Concord, New Hampshire, in 1983 after being adopted. She says she used her imagination to fill in the gaps of self-knowledge, such as where she came from and what it meant to Asian. As an adult, she reconnected with
See COSMIC on page 11
EVOLUTION-EXTINCTION
April 2019 ISSUE • 5
Volume 25, No. 7
Past, present, future serve as backdrops for ‘Future Fossils’
Story by Kara Timberlake Photos by Andy Coughlan
ENTERING THE LEFT BACK gallery of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, you come face to face — quite literally — with a colossal 36-foot mosasaur skeleton sculpture suspended from the ceiling. Walking underneath the skeleton, you suddenly feel very small — both because of the piece’s size and also because of the history that it represents.
The sculpture, titled “Invisible and Absolute,” aptly and dramatically introduces you to Austin-based artist Jules Buck Jones’ exhibition, “Future Fossils,” on display through June 2. Finding inspiration from the natural world, Jones’ works center on the themes of evolution and extinction.
A 36-foot foam mosasaur skeleton is the centerpiece of Jules Buck Jones’ “Future Fosils,” on display at AMSET through June 2.
See JONES on page 6
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JONES from page 5 “This animal was here, now it is not here, but its fossils are here,” Jones said at the opening reception, March 22. “Now, it’s here in a whole other form. You still have this thing that exists here, but is it a mosasaur or is it just a rock shaped like a mosasaur?” Surrounded by the wrap-around diorama that includes paintings and drawings, the viewer is immersed in a nature-fueled experience. Listen closely, and you hear birds chirping, forest noises being emitted from that which is almost extinct — CD players. Incorporating a sound element with recordings of him mimicking various animal calls, Jones truly transforms the space. Peripheral vision is taken over by the art-covered walls, and then the viewer is also audibly influenced, making it a multi-sensory journey. “One of the reasons for the black-and-white backdrops is to give the paintings themselves a bit of stability,” Jones said. “The other reason, too, is that I wanted to give that feeling of a natural history museum. I knew I was going to be installing this large skeleton, so these four paintings, these ecosystems, are all telling small narratives of peril. “These works on paper are dense scenes of peril and tension. Over here, ‘The Storm’ — you have a mass exodus of animals, Gulf Coast animals all leaving the scene, all heading a singular direction, which you know is a bad sign. You have this ominous threatening wave in the background.” Adjacent to the aforementioned piece, made with ink, watercolor and pastel on paper, “Wrong Wind” leaps from the gallery wall, its color a stark contrast to the black-and-white wrap-around diorama. A mass flight of animals is fleeing, and the bison silhouette moves in the opposite direction producing directional tension. Large, oversized mammal heads lurk from atop the diorama, looking at you through the black-and-white ink forest, giving a feel of being decapitated and mounted. Meanwhile, birds of America also perch from their sitting points, staring down at viewers as if being encroached upon in their natural habitat. Tired of the typical frame job, Jones saw this exhibition as an opportunity to do something different. “I decided to make drawings and surround (the art),” he said. “I wanted to push the boundary between paintings and how they are mounted and installed. I made a list of linear objects, starting with a stick. I used things that are both dead and alive — bones, fish.” In the adjoining gallery space, mixed-media framed works are on display, continuing the themes of extinction and evolution, while some pieces also allude to mythology. “This room shows a collection of older-ish pieces
that touch on some of these themes [of extinction and evolution],” he said. “Another constant theme amongst the work is — while researching some of the natural sciences - ecology, biology — you bump against mythology. “I find the similarities between the natural sciences and mythology — there’s so many interesting parallels there. They’re both sort of tools that people use to explain the mysteries of the world.” The works are fantastical and full of vibrant color with the animal kingdom serving as a vehicle to drive a narrative influenced by larger ecological and biological concerns. Flora, fauna and hybridized animal forms are embodied on the walls, telling foreboding tales. Jones chose the exhibition title as a reflection of the past and the future, hinting at the cyclical nature of life, which is embodied in each of his pieces in some way. “Future Fossils” leaves you with a haunting sense of wonder at what was and what will one day no longer be. “I tried to balance themes of hopefulness, but there’s also peril — that’s life I guess,” he said. “Future Fossils,” along with JooYoung Choi’s “Big Time Dreaming in the Age of Uncertainty,” is on display through June 2 at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, 500 Main St. in downtown Beaumont. For more information, visit www.amset.org.
Jules Buck Jones, top, talks about his work during the opening reception for “Future Fossils” at AMSET, March 22. The show includes “A Chicxulub Minute,” above.
TASIMJAE
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Volume 25, No. 7
THE ART STUDIO, INC. MEMBERS JURORED ART EXHIBITION
Annual exhibition shines spotlight on diverse works of members It’s time once again for the unpronounceable exhibition that aims to showcase the diverse works of The Art Studio’s membership. TASIMJAE (The Art Studio, Inc. Members Jurored Art Exhibition) will be on display through April 26, beginning with a free reception April 6, from 7-10 p.m. TASI director Greg Busceme said the show is an important part of The Studio’s mission. “It’s two-fold,” he said. “We get people to show work they haven’t shown before, and we are also interested in getting new memberships.” Submitting works for the show is free with TASI membership. “We just encourage people to come in and get a membership and turn in two pieces,” Busceme said. “You can join when you drop off the work. Just come in, and we’ll take care of you.” Busceme said that community arts organizations in the area share a vision to encourage artists of all ages, skill levels and experience to show their art. “It gives us a nice cross section of the artwork that’s going on in the region right now,” he said. This year’s juror is Caitlin Clay, registrar at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. Busceme said that TASIMJAE offers area artists a chance to get some feedback. TASIMJAE is a jurored show, which means some work will not be accepted. “It kind of goes against the idea of ‘everybody gets a medal,’” Busceme said. “But life isn’t like that. Not everybody gets a trophy. It’s important for young artists to learn that rejection is not a terrible thing — it’s a growing thing. “I say this every year. You might get a piece rejected from one show and have the same piece get a first prize at the next. It’s all up to the jurors and their different tastes.” Busceme said The Studio always tries to bring in jurors from different areas and from different fields, so that each year’s show is an open field. “We have a variety — that way, nobody gets bumped
TASIMJAE 2018 winner Lisa Reinauer with her first-place oil painting “Vortex.” every time,” he said. The artwork is judged blind, meaning the juror doesn’t see names until after completing selections. “We’ve had very young people place in our show, which I think is phenomenal,” Busceme said. “It’s interesting to see what the jurors respond to and who they pick, especially as they don’t know who’s out there.” Busceme said that he encourages artists of all ages to enter shows. “A piece of art that is not shown is worthless,” he said. “You have to present it. You can’t write a poem and not give it to someone to read. You need to share your art, or it’s just a waste of that energy.” Busceme said that people should not see rejection from a show as a rejection of the value of the work.
“It’s great for the ego when it doesn’t get massaged,” Busceme said with a laugh. “It makes you work harder and appreciate the new artists who are coming up. “We have a great many creative people in our membership. From professionals to people who make work for themselves, this show displays the wide range of media and ideas of our members. It’s quite something to see the amazing talent affiliated with TASI.” First prize is $500 plus an exhibition of the artist’s work in May 2020. Prizes are also awarded for second and third places. Last year’s winner was Lisa Reinauer, who will be featured in a solo exhibition in May. For more information, contact TASI at 409-8385393, or visit www.artstudio.org.
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Discovering Vincent
LeSSer-kNOWN VaN GOGH WOrkS HiGHLiGHT OF MFaH exHiBiTiON
HOUSTON — ViNceNT VaN GOGH is among the art world’s biggest stars. everyone seems to know his name, even if it’s just from the song “Vincent” or that “Doctor Who” episode (which always makes me cry). if asked to name one painting, “Starry Night” would probably be the first one the average person would come up with. But the cult of celebrity with its coffee cups and posters are superficial art appreciation. Van Gogh is much more than just “that crazy guy who cut his ear off for a girl.” He was a profound thinker, a masterful technician, a prolific artist — and, yes, the epitome of tortured genius. “Vincent van Gogh: His Life in art,” at the Museum of Fine artsHouston though June 2,
Review by Andy Coughlan
is a terrific introduction to his career, as well as offering deeper insights for those who are well versed in the Dutchman’s life and artistic career — which spanned a mere 10 years, from age 27 to his suicide at 37. curator David Bomford has arranged the galleries like chapters in the artist’s biography. The opening room serves as prologue. The walls are adorned with reproductions of van Gogh’s works and a handy timeline to introduce the viewer to the themes explored in the galleries proper. The show comprises 50 pieces rarely seen outside europe, added to a few from private collections in the U.S. in any given year, there are three or four major exhibitions of van Gogh’s work worldwide. With that in mind, many of the pieces in “a Life in art” are lesser known, but that doesn’t mean they are lesser works. in fact, van Gogh fans will be delighted at the pieces that are not so obvious, especially the drawings. Van Gogh’s career may have been short but he was prolific, producing 850 paintings
April 2019 ISSUE • 9
Volume 25, No. 7 and 1,300 drawings in the decade. He is an example of late-blooming genius, having previously failed as a teacher, missionary and art dealer. It was his art dealer brother, Theo, who encouraged him to be a painter and supported his art training in The Netherlands (Theo would support his brother financially and emotionally for
,”the rest of his life). Vincent’s early work focused on peasant life in Nuenen. He painted 50 portraits, of which 47 still exist. “His Life in Art” features “Head of a Woman Wearing a White Cap” from 1885. She is Gordina de Groot, the daughter of a farming family that van Gogh painted. In the exhibition,
her portrait hangs across from a reproduction of “The Potato Eaters,” the artist’s early masterpiece, and viewers can see her clearly on the left side of the painting. Typically, “The Potato Eaters” was not a critical success (it is important to remember that as celebrated as he is now, van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime), and Vincent was disappointed. But he was also committed to his work. A letter to Theo, blown up to fill the gallery wall, says, “Let us be ourselves with all our shortcomings and qualities” — the sentence is underlined for emphasis. The third gallery is highlighted by drawings. “Peasant Woman Cleaning a Pot” shows his increased mastery of technique. The woman is hunched over,and we do not see her face, yet we feel her life — the work, the struggle, the purity of the peasant class that van Gogh seeks to show us. Van Gogh used sturdy materials such as chalk, charcoal and litho crayon, which suited his free style of drawing. The gallery also has a display of the materials he would use. Van Gogh’s drawings are notable for the variety of marks. Where other artists would use cross-hatching, or shading, Vincent mixed swirls and circles, cross-hatching and sharp lines to produce work that is full of life. The letters to Theo are a recurring theme. It is through the brothers’ correspondence that we know Vincent’s state of mind. He poured out his feelings about art in his correspondence. In fact, art historians are somewhat cheated when it comes to his experiences in Paris, beginning in 1886, as the brothers lived together and the letters ceased. In Paris, Vincent discovered Impressionism and Pointillism. The 1887 oil on cardboard, “Self Portrait,” is an amalgamation of the two styles. The background and jacket are rendered with dots and slashes, but the face and beard are more impressionistic. The beard features bright orange flecks that are indicative of a van Gogh self portrait, and his piercing blue eyes reveal the intensity of his gaze. The artist painted 30 self portraits in his career, and if the eyes truly are the window to the soul, then van Gogh’s soul is open for all to see. Away from the northern grayness of Holland, van
See VINCENT on page 10
“In the Café: Agostina Segatori in Le Tambourin,” above, and “The Langlois Bridge at Arles,” right, are part of “Vincent van Gogh: A His LIfe in Art” at MFAH through
June 2. The exhibitition tells the story of van Gogh’s art through 50 works that are among the artist’s lesser-known works.
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VINCENT from page 9 Gogh’s drawings become lighter. His flower still lifes are brighter. Van Gogh also painted buildings that are synonymous with the Impressionists. He painted “Le Restaurant de la Siréne a Asniéres” in 1887. The restaurant, on the Seine down river from Le Grande Jatte, was the inspiration for many Impressionist paintings, but unlike the artists who showed Parisian life, van Gogh was more concerned with the building itself, painting it from the street side rather than from the river. The portrait, “In the Café: Agostina Segatori in Le Tambourin” echoes Toulouse-Lautrec, but with van Gogh’s particular use of linear brush strokes that range from intricate to more expressive in the background. Segatori was van Gogh’s lover during this period. The portrait also shows the influence of Japanese prints. It is his obsession with the colorful imports that pushed van Gogh to leave Paris for Arles in southern France to search for the sunlight — ironically, when he arrived it was raining and overcast. While in Arles, van Gogh would wander the countryside painting the landscapes and structures he found. He painted “The Langlois Bridge at Arles” four times. Curator Bomford pointed out that the pictures were not the spontaneous works that we expect, but carefully planned out, especially in their mastery of perspective. By 1888, van Gogh’s work was beginning to incorporate more of the bold gestural technique that we associate with him. In 1889, he invited Paul Gauguin to come and stay, in the hope of creating an artists’ commune of sorts. Gauguin was not an easy companion, and the pair fell out. When van Gogh cut off part of his ear (a story too often told to go into detail here), Gauguin left. Vincent painted “Still Life with a Plate of Onions” in 1889, which serves as a sad autobiography to the failed friendship. The items on the table correspond to the two men — the simple pipe and tobacco representing van Gogh, the candle in the ornate blue holder represents Gauguin. Two of the real treats are to be found in the final room — one a painting, one a stunning drawing. “The Garden of the Asylum at Saint-Rémy” was painted after van Gogh’s breakdown. He was not allowed out so he turned his attention to the overgrown garden. The garden painting is luxurious, and the overgrowth gives van Gogh ample opportunity for a multitude of expressive brushstrokes. It is a visual feast. Its monochromatic counterpart is “Weeping Tree” from 1889. Van Gogh has summoned every sort of mark, straight lines, circles and cross-hatching made with reed pen, ink and black chalk. It is at first glance simple, but on further viewing magnificent in its complexity and seeming spontaneity. Van Gogh died July 29, 1890, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound two days earlier. His brother Theo died the following January. Bomford referred to a quote from van Gogh in response to someone who wondered why he painted so quickly: “If someone says you paint too quickly, look at
them and say, ‘You are looking too fast.’ ” This exhibition rewards careful study. One should take the time to fully absorb the genius on display. The real beauty of the exhibition is its ability to relate to people of varying levels of knowledge. For those who have only cursory knowledge of the Dutchman, the gallery walls are teeming with information that serves as an introduction to the man and his work. For those who fancy themselves well-versed with van Gogh’s career and life, there are little-seen gems that are truly breathtaking. “Vincent van Gogh: His Life in Art” is a must-see — and plan to take your time. It’s worth savoring. The Museum of Fine Arts“Weeping Tree,” above, and “Still LIfe with a Plate of Onions,” left, are part of “Vincent van Gogh: His LIfe in Art” at MFAH through June 2.
Houston is located at 1001 Bisonnet in Houston. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors over 65 and youth 1318. Children 12 and under are free. For more information, visit www.mfah.org
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COSMIC from page 4 her birth mother and created a paracosm she calls the “Cosmic Womb.” As if evidenced in her work, Choi has created a detailed world, governed by Queen Kiok with the help of characters such as Catain Spacia Tanno, Plan-Genda, Pleasure Vision, six humanoid creatures called Tuplets, and one artist named C.S. Watson, who just happens to be an earthling from Concord, New Hampshire. At the opening reception March 22, Choi arrived dressed as Queen Kiok. As she gave her gallery talk, or rather as she told the story of the Cosmic Womb, the audience quickly engaged in the sense of play as we were bombarded by brightly colored imagery that begs for a childlike sense of play. Choi said she came up with the name for her world after reading “The Primal Wound: Understanding the Adopted Child” by Nancy Verrier. The book talks about the pain a child goes through in the womb when the mother is going to give her child up for adoption. “I thought, if we have a primal wound, then we should have a cosmic womb where we can go and grow and heal and become the people we are supposed to be,” she said. “As I continued to develop this idea, I realized that everyone, not just adoptees, deserved to
have a second place of growing and healing.” After starting her career as a painter, Choi said she found there were some characters that needed a different space, so she stated making puppets and building soft sculptures. From there, she has branched out into video as well, often playing multiple parts along with animation. Choi said that Jim Henson and the Muppets were a big influence on her work, as well as Walt Disney. One would not be surprised if Pee Wee’s Playhouse was not on her radar as well. She personified the celestial architect as Tourmeline. She takes the planets, created by little creatures who gather up “ghosts of pain” and feed them to the turtle, Yool, who eats them and creates the planets that Tourmeline puts in the sky. In Native American mythology, the Earth is built on a turtle’s back, and Choi’s work clearly draws on different cultural myths. The Cosmic World is a positive place, but all good stories need a villain, Choi said. “Your hero is only as great as horrible as your villain can become,” she said. “I thought, what is the meanest thing a villain can do? So I created this dictator. Her name is Lady Madness. She lives on Volcano Island, and they never know when it’s going to erupt.” Lady Madness has a factory that makes “whine” out of tears, created by torturing snow people and making them blush, called blush whine. Another creature, Pound Cake Man, used to be bad but is now good. Choi said that she hears about people who wanted to “save face,” which is part of why some people gave children up for adoption. Choi said these are false faces, so Pound Cake Man travels the universe punching and eating them, and the faces appear on his skin. When he decided he wanted to be a gymnast, to be good, Pound Cake Man gave the faces the option of leaving, but most decided they wanted to stay with him. Now they travel around the paracosm to where there is conflict, and one of the faces will speak the language and translate for peace — they are a United Nations of faces, Choi laughed. Choi said she encourages everyone to practice “big time dreaming,” that we all have the right to dream what we wish
for, for ourselves and others. This exhibition is only a part of Choi’s huge cosmic story. Visitors get to be a part of it, or to create their own story. JooYoung Choi is part of the noble tradition of storytelling, traveling the Earth, with her cast of characters, spreading joy, fun and a little self love.
JooYoung Choi dressed as Queen Kiok talks about her work during the opening reception of her exhibition, “Big Time Dreaming in the Age of Uncertainty,” March 22. Her painting “Journey to the Cosmic Womb,” below left, is part of the exhibition at AMSET.
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VIEW from page 3 concerted effort to raise the needed capital to make this happen. With your help it can be a reality. March’s show, “Capsula Stellis Iter In Nave: Have Spaceship, Will Travel,” was the brainchild of Beau Dumesnil, who brought us Oceana five years ago. This time we went from the sea to the sky and beyond. Artists contributed their artwork about space and alien monsters. Appropriately, DJs Space Capsule brought ethereal music to the event. Chapo, the smartest creature in the universe, graced us with its almighty presence, incarnated as a glowing salamander. The Moulin Rouge windmill evolved into a photo-op space ship and live streaming was projected out into the world for the first time. Beau and his stalwart crew transformed The Studio into an otherworldly environment that was filled with throngs of participants who gladly donned their best alien attire to celebrate our weightlessness in the ether. Caitlin Clay, the new registrar at AMSET, will judge TASIMJAE this year. She brings a high level of expertise, and since she is not familiar with the local art community, she can not only make unbiased
Volume 25, No. 7 judgments but also get to see the scope of art that is being produced in Southeast Texas. I extend my warm appreciation to Caitlin for taking the time to take on this task and am happy to welcome her to our community. The drawing group has moved from Tuesdays to the first and third Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m., due to schedule changes. Along with board member and drawing group coordinator, Sara Tuell, we decided that twice a month made sense until we see an increase in participation. We also decided to add a beginners life drawing class for 18 years and up on the fourth Wednesday of each month to encourage lovers of art to become makers of art. As I’ve mentioned before, I will be travelling to Japan to spend three weeks in June to produce a show and do lectures and workshops. My wife, Sheila, and my longtime friend Dana Dorman have taken on the task to raise some funds to be sure this little traveler can eat and have somewhere to sleep while in the far east. My two sponsors have set up a Go Fund Me page and some fun programs to help me pay for living space and food. I’ve already covered my flight. I want to make a special thanks to our board of directors, especially Stephan Malick who has gener-
ously offered to become the new chairman of the board of directors as Joe Winston, John Fulbright and John Roberts step down from the board. But fret not, they will remain the friendly faces you often see at the refreshment counter during openings. A big welcome to our new board members, Laurie Gordon and Adriel Adams, for offering their skills and services in such a critical time. As we adapt with the times and refine our goals, purposes and bylaws to make the changes needed to adapt to the coming decades, it is imperative that we meet the challenges our mission presents to us. Support us in our move forward with our vision of the future. The work this board is doing now will have a positive affect on our productivity in years to come. Thanks also to our volunteers. The Key Club and the Beta Club of Beaumont United High School have assisted us in the expansion and beautification of our facility for almost a year now. People in need of community service hours, by choice or not, are a major asset to our volunteer force. Recently, corporations began offering incentives for their employees to help us maintain and improve The Studio. We are honored to have earned the trust and goodwill of these institutions that do so much for our community and help us better serve our community.
SUPPORTS THE ART STUDIO, INC.
info@signinternational.com 409.832.0117 7398 College St. in Beaumont
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OUTTA THIS WORLD
Exotic creatures, both terrestial and extraterrestial, made their way to The Art Studio, Inc., March 2, for Capsula Stellis Inter in Nave, an art happening organized by Beau and Karen Dumesnil. A variety of artists contributed work on a space theme and interactive video linked the event with participants around the world.
ISSUE photos by Andy Coughlan
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Around & About
If you come across any interesting exhibitions, museums or other places on your travels, share them with us. Call 409-838-5393, or contact us through our website at www.artstudio.org. Be sure to include the location and dates of the subject, as well as any costs. __________
Southeast Texas artist SHERI HOOD CALLAHAN will exhibit her sensitive, and sometimes edgy, abstract paintings as April’s featured artist at FINDER’S FAYRE ANTIQUES. The show, titled FINDING MY WAY, will reflect her emotional reactions to her inspirations: the oceans and our cattail marsh. Part of the ongoing C.L.A.S.S. series featuring local artists, the show opens with a “First Thursday at the Mildred” reception, April 4, from 5-9 p.m., and will be on view through May 2. Finder’s Fayre is located at 1485 Calder Ave. in the Mildred Building. For more information, call 409-8337000. __________ The BEAUMONT ART LEAGUE will host the NECHES RIVER FESTIVAL SHOW, April 6-27. The opening reception is set for April 7, 2-4 p.m. BAL is located 2675 Gulf St. For more, call 409-833-4179.
The MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON, presents BETWEEN PLAY AND GRIEF: SELECTIONS FROM THE LATINO AMERICAN COLLECTION, an exhibition featuring a survey of works from the MFAH collection of Modern and Contemporary Latin American and Latinx art. The exhibition will be on view from until Sept. 8. Timed to coincide with the Latino Art Now! Conference organized by the InterUniversity Program for Latino Research at the University of Houston on April 4–6, and with presentations at more than 30 venues across the city, “Between Play and Grief” presents more than three dozen artworks acquired by the MFAH over the past 10 years. The selection spans six decades of artistic expression, from figures who were actively in dialogue with leading postwar artistic movements such as Nouveau Réalisme, Arte Povera and Pop Art in the 1960s, to contemporary artists whose work speaks to their identities as both insiders and outsiders within an American experience. All of the artists in the exhibition rely on parody and dark wit to express social and political realities. Cutting across spatial and temporal categories, the exhibition showcases an unexpected selection that brings together artists from different generations and locations from North and South America. The playfulness, however, belies a more somber tone, indirectly referencing or invoking collective suffering while creating a renewed awareness of the social and political realities it addresses. The work of the following artists is represented in “Between Play and Grief”: Antonio Berni, Juan Carlos Distéfano, Alberto Heredia, Luis Jiménez, Rómulo Macció, César Augusto Martínez, Amalia Mesa-Bains, Grupo Mondongo, Celia Alvárez Muñoz, Luis Felipe Noé, Marcos Raya, Vincent Valdez and Jorge de la Vega.
NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS
Cynthia C. Fontenot Brandi Hamilton
The museum will host a series of exhibition-related programs.
Women Transformed through Art and Opera April 18, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The MFAH and Houston Grand Opera present an interactive recital that reimagines three heroines from Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni. Three singers will perform arias from the opera in the museum’s galleries. Facilitated dialogue with participants will examine the treatment of female characters in Lorenzo da Ponte’s libretto for Don Giovanni and the representation of women in art, including Amalia MesaBains’s piece “Transparent Migrations” (2002), ultimately exploring women’s empowerment in and through the arts. Free. Art Encounter: Between Play and Grief June 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. This drop-in style studio session guides participants in working with new and different materials, exploring techniques and works on view in the exhibition. Free.
Art + Lit: Poetry Between Play and Grief Aug. 1, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The MFAH and Tintero Projects host five Houston poets and writers inspired by Between Play and Grief. Join in a “walkabout” reading, and experience the art in a new way: through the words of some of Houston’s most exciting writers. Free.
Mission Statement Founded in 1983, The Art Studio, Inc. is devoted to: providing opportunities for interaction between the public and the Southeast Texas community of artists; furnishing affordable studio space to originating artists of every medium; promoting cultural growth and diversity of all art forms in Southeast Texas; and providing art educational opportunities to everyone, of every age, regardless of income level, race, national origin, sex or religion. PURPOSE The purpose of The Art Studio, Inc. is to (1) provide educational opportunities between the general public and the community of artists and (2) to offer sustained support for the artist by operating a nonprofit cooperative to provide studio space and exhibition space to working artists and crafts people, and to provide an area for group work sessions for those artists and crafts people to jointly offer their labor, ideas, and enthusiasm to each other. GOALS 1. To present public exhibitions 2. To provide educational opportunities 3. To provide accessible equipment for artists 4. To provide peer feedback through association with other artists and crafts people OBJECTIVES 1. To present nine art exhibitions per year 2. To maintain equipment for artists in a safe working environment 3. To provide better access to artists for the public 4. To offer regularly scheduled adult and children’s classes 5. To develop and maintain public activities with all sectors of the community 6. To develop and maintain equipment to aid artists in their work 7. To provide a display retail outlet for artists 8. To expand programming and activities with increased facility space
Volume 25, No. 7
Thoughtcrime Submission Guidelines and Disclaimer ISSUE solicits and publishes the work of local authors. Poetry, short fiction, scholarly works and opinion pieces may be submitted for review. All works must be typed and may be sent to TASI by email or by messaging the ISSUE Facebook page. The opinions expressed in “Thoughtcrime” do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TASI, its Board of Directors, ISSUE’s editorial staff, or donors to TASI. Send typed works to:
Ill Sense
The sun was setting when the Ill Sense occurred that something was going to happen. A pocket of sixth sense, a pocket full of rye, There is no wonder we never we never saw Eye to eye.
Where that did that rhyme come from? Subconscious obviously, along with the ill sense. What to do? Go to immediate pre-hurricane routine, check piggy bank for cash, charge devices up, truck has gas, backed up the computer to remote hard drive. Now what? Search the brain for the reason. Everyone leaves themselves vulnerable in many ways everything from taxes to interpersonal relationships. So why? It provided a hint on a stock that I didn’t buy and became in a takeover with days. I didn’t act and lost out. But this an Ill Sense, different from that.
It’s a mind itch, more like someone close is going to die or some disruption in routine. Maybe dogs feel it in advance of an earthquake. Have to consider news media as an influence, manufactured chaos but doubt has risen to ill sense. Then was godsmacked that the litany of fear may have generated population emotional response. Not sure ill sense is good sense. But still waiting. DJ Kava
ISSUE 720 Franklin St. Beaumont, TX 77701 or e-mail info@artstudio.org
Authors must submit a daytime telephone number and email along with all submissions. Pen names are acceptable, but authors must supply real names for verification. All printed works are protected by copyright. The author retains rights to any published work. ISSUE does not notify rejection by mail or telephone.
A Scary Thought As I gaze out among dreary foreboding skies if I listen very closely I hear distinct cries.
April 2019 ISSUE • 15 A spectre’s big reveal usually follows a hush
from the audience; curious throngs that have patiently waited for an unknown sentence
to reveal itself for a nominal fee. more often than not, the stagefright
sets into a phantasm and the familiar prospect of never hearing the jeers of a displaced mob or worse
the grating din of amazement’s mutual union tugs the veil back over
I find myself drenched in mortal contemplation.
what would have been a face
My thoughts fall on a world teeming with evil doers
again to someone, maybe many
have no respect for their elders or authority.
query
I can’t stomach this behavior of human degradation. People that prey on losers. These abusers
And the scary part about it is…it’s the majority. It’s the norm to walk over each other,
misuse your own mother and to rip off your brother. It makes me sick to be a witness to these atrocities.
We're completely surrounded by heartless monstrosities. It’s like they live just to inflict cruelty on one another,
more than, one is lost in this
with no tools to dig themselves out of dim-enigma and into the light again or at least
the prospect
So I shudder at the thought of getting old some day
of favorable radiance, the stage
on my sick bed…A dreadful thought
jumble of people
knowing the youth of now will be my nurse as I lay that I will be caught
goes dark because it was just a
between a rock and a hard place.
fixed on a singular focus
Hopefully the skies will change its hue
time to be sure, it felt certain
So we must depend on God’s grace.
and our people will see what the world’s coming to! Dorothy Sells Clover
to begin with, looking back one a hand was seen at the edge there. Judd Farris
720 Franklin, Beaumont, Texas 77701
Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Permit #135 Beaumont, TX
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
INSIDE • TASIMJAE 2019 • THOUGHTCRIME: MUSINGS FROM AREA POETS • VAN GOGH AT MFAH • CHOI AND JONES AT AMSET
When you support The Art Studio with your membership, you receive ISSUE, Southeast Texas’ and Southwest Louisiana’s alternative press, as well as class schedules, invitations to opening receptions and various Studio functions. Volunteers These people are the life blood of our organization. WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU! To volunteer, drop by The Art Studio, Inc., or call 409-838-5393.
Elizabeth Fontenot Bryan Castino Heather & Adam Butler Rhonda Rodman Sue Wright Rhonda McNally John Roberts Beau Dumesnil Karen Dumesnil Sheila Busceme Kailee Viator Stephan Malick Terri Fox Michelle Falgout Stacey Haynes Joe Winston John Fulbright Mark Jacobson Nathaniel Welch Gina Garcia Jack Hays Tyler Hargraves Aslinn Garcia Paisley Polk Zoe Williams Rana Matthews Caroline Badon David Granitz Latasha Hagan James King Madison Rose Stuckey Dawn S. Fischer Madison Bonds Chris Garcia Taylor VanDevender Jaycie Henderson Nathan West Kay O'Neal Olivia Busceme Chad Barrows
JOIN US
FOR ART OPENINGS ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH
TASIMJAE THIS MONTH:
THE ART STUDIO, INC. MEMBERS JURORED ART EXHIBITION
OPENING RECEPTION IS MARCH 2, 7-10 P.M.
This project was funded in part by the B.A. & E.W. Steinhagen Benevolent Trust through the Southeast Texas Arts Council.
ISSUE
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