ISSUE June 2016

THE ARTS MAGAZINE OF THE ART STUDIO, INC.

SUMMER ‘SKOOL’, SUMMER’S COOL PAGE 7

INSIDE: ALTERNATIVE SHOW, WINTERHALTER, GEEK’S GUIDE, PRIDE, AND MORE.

JUNE 2016

, t r A Fiinnee Food F

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Weekday lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

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ISSUE Vol. 22, No. 9 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Art Studio, Inc.

A View From The Top Greg Busceme, TASI Director

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Coughlan Copy Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephan Malick Contributing Writers . . . . . . . . . . . Caitlin Duerler, . . Elena Ivanova, Stephan Malick, Jeff Dixon Contributing Photographers . . . . . . . JoLee Tanner Distribution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olivia Malick

As we close TASIMJAE (The Art Studio, Inc. Member Jurored Art Exhibition), I am impressed, not only with the volume of work, but the quality of the work as well. Our juror had a lot to work with and he did a commendable job parsing it all out.

Along with the volume of work and quality of work there is another factor that impresses me — age! What I see when I look at the exhibition are many young and/or unknown (to me) artists. We are grateful for the participation of all our new artists and new members, and their willingness and candor to put their work up for scrutiny, whatever the outcome.

This is an important point for young artists: you have to show your work before you can get feedback (appreciation) for your work. That is what organizations like The Studio are there for, to provide a venue for

The Art Studio, Inc. Board of Directors Corporate President . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg Busceme Corporate Vice-President. . . . . . . Angela Scheibel Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joe Winston Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim Armitage Members at Large: . . . . . . . . . . . Sheila Busceme, . . . . . . . . . . Olivia Busceme, John Fulbright, . . . . . . . . . . Stephan Malick, Tim Postlewait . . . . . . . . . . . . John Roberts, Caitlin Duerler Tenant Representative . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Fontenot Assistant Director . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth French 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 Winterhalter at MFAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Alternative Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Summer ArtSkool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 Geek’s Summer Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Delle Bates Retrospective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 Maypole Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Around & About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Thoughtcrime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15

Cover photo by Elizabeth Fontenot

your presentation of your art.

Speaking of young people, each year someone wins the membership show and, along with a big monetary award, gets a solo show the following May. For the last two years our winners for this prestigious award were two young women — Avril Falgout and Kwanzaa Edwards.

Avril was our youngest winner ever at 17years old. Kwanzaa is a little older, a graduate from Lamar University and the first African American to win first prize in our membership show. Both show extraordinary skill beyond their years. They both worked at home honing their art and then, most importantly, they showed somebody what they did.

That is another good point in how you can

See VIEW on page 6

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS AT THE ART STUDIO JUNE

SEPTEMBER

The Alternative Show Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 4

The Tenants Show Opening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 3

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE ART STUDIO Membership in The Art Studio, Inc., provides invitations to all exhibitions and one year of ISSUE, the monthly arts magazine of The Art Studio. It also gives free eligibility for members to enter the annual membership art exhibition (TASIMJAE) and participate in various exhibitions throughout the year.

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4 • ISSUE June 2016

Volume 22, No. 9

Franz Xaver Winterhalter. PRINCESS LEONILLA OF SAYNWITTGENSTEINSAYN 1843 Oil on canvas J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, inv. no. 86.PA.534

Before Airbrush ere Was Winterhalter’s Brush When they married and gave in marriage They danced at the County Ball And some of them kept a carriage And the flood destroyed them all.

— Hillaire Belloc.

EVERY WOMAN WANTS TO look beautiful.

For a woman of the high society looking glamorous has always been a must. Portraitists of European courts had to walk a fine line between likeness and flattery when painting an august patroness. It took a Velazquez or a Van Dyke to produce an image that did not look like a lavishly dressed china doll.

In the Victorian era, artists were facing a new challenge. According to the notions of the day, a lady in the portrait was expected to look natural yet artfully posed, spontaneous yet decorous, alluring yet modest. The current fashion - a wineglass-shaped bodice combined with a

Review by Elena Ivanova

steel cage crinoline — promoted and enhanced this simultaneously sensuous and chaste image.

The perfect solution to this conundrum manifested itself in the art of Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805–1873).

Notwithstanding his humble origins — he was a son of a farmer from a small village in Germany’s poorest area, Black Forest — Winterhalter was closely acquainted with all European emperors and their courts due to his unrivaled talent in painting superb portraits in which every sitter looked her (or his best) and still recognizable.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is the only NorthAmerican venue to host “High Society: The Portraits of Franz X. Winterhalter “which features the best work of this outstanding artist during the spring-summer season of 2016. A labor of love of MFAH’s curator of European art Helga Aurisch, this exhibition presents 45 portraits from public, private and royal collections around the world. Displayed alongside Winterhalter’s portraits are garments fashioned by the famous couturier Charles Frederick Worth (1825–1895) and some of his esteemed contemporaries.

“Winterhalter and Worth launched a new era in portrai-

ture and design,” Aurisch says. “Their client lists overlapped to such an extent that it can be argued that together they created the ideal image of the elegant woman of the European courts... Women look exceptionally beautiful, even Queen Victoria.” The preferred portraitist of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Winterhalter fulfilled over 120 commissions for the Queen over 20 years.

The British august couple was not alone in their appreciation of Winterhalter’s art. During his lifetime, the sought-after artist traveled to the courts of Austria, Spain, Belgium, Russia and a few German principalities. But his base was Paris where he enjoyed the patronage of Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, Empress Eugénie.

The exhibition features quite a few portraits of the beautful and talented Empress. Born Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, prior to her marriage she was known as Eugénie de Montijo or Contessa de Teba. She was a strongwilled woman who advocated equality for women. Her husband often consulted her on important questions and she officially represented him whenever he traveled outside France.

Volume 22, No. 9 Empress Eugénie also was a trend-setter in fashion; many high society women emulated her style, and the exhibition is filled with portraits featuring lavender and mauve gowns, her favorite colors. Fashion columns in such influential magazines as the American-published Godey’s Lady’s Book followed Empress Eugénie’s fashion choices.

Her own idol was Marie Antoinette. “Empress Eugénie in a Straw Hat” (a toned-down reference to the scandalous portrait of scantily dressed Marie Antoinette by Vigée-Lebrun) and “Empress Eugénie in the 18th-Century Costume” exemplify her fascination with Rococo culture.

“Evening Bodice and Skirt” designed by Charles Frederick Worth shows the influence of Empress Eugénie’s style à la Marie Antoinette on the fashion design of the time.

This gown of yellow silk satin, with its tightly laced bodice and a skirt with a long train opening over a ruffled petticoat looks like a modernized version of the 18th-century dress worn by the Empress in Winterhalter’s portrait.

A small photograph next to this portrait also sheds light on the artist working process. It shows the Empress in the same costume posed before a blank background. Apparently, Winterhalter used the new technology – photography - to capture the figure and then completed the portrait in his studio without the sitter present. A comparison between the portrait and the photograph also reveals the artist’s subtle deviation from the truth: the unbiased camera shot shows that the Empress’s nose was a little longer than the artist depicted.

The portrait of Pauline Sándor, Princess Metternich, is a testament to Winterhalter’s skill in making any woman look glamorous. A wife of the Austrian ambassador, Pauline arrived in Paris in 1859 and quickly became a part of Empress Eugénie’s inner circle. While considered one of the most fascinating women of her day, she was not a great beauty. But who can guess that looking at Winterhalter’s exquisite portrait? The artist gives us just enough time to take notice of the sitter’s haunting dark eyes before turning out attention to the stunning dress she is wearing, with yards and yards of tulle enveloping her figure – the dress designed, most likely, by Charles Worth.

It should be mentioned that it was Princess Metternich who played a crucial role in propelling Worth to fame. At a ball in 1860, her dress attracted the attention of Empress Eugénie, who asked for the dressmaker’s name and demanded to see him the next day. “And so... Worth was made and I was lost, for from that moment there were no more dresses at 300 francs each,” Pauline Metternich wrote. Within a decade, Worth became an internationally renowned couturier.

Apart from showcasing both truly and seemingly beautiful women, the exhibition provides an insight into the notions of propriety of the time. Some portraits, which today we may see as totally innocent, were, in fact, intended only for the husband’s eyes. An example of such intimate presentation is the portrait of Madame Rimsky-Korsakov.

Count Nikolai Sergeyevich and his wife Varvara Dmitrievna were a part of the circle of Russian aristocrats living in Paris. Winterhalter painted this gorgeous woman,

June 2016 ISSUE • 5

Franz Xavier Winterhalter MADAME RIMSKY-KORSAKOV 1864. Oil on canvas. Musée d’Orsay, Paris, on permanent loan from the Louvre, inv. no. R.F. 235

known as the “Tartar Venus” for her voluptuous figure and sensational dark hair, at least five times. In this portrait, her abundant hair is cascading down her shoulders, in a free and sensual manner. Her morning dress is a

cloud of white chiffon evoking the image of Venus rising

See WINTERHALTER on page 13

6 • ISSUE June 2016

June free-for-all exhibit offers chance to shine ARTISTS LOOKING FOR A place to show off their latest creations need look no further than The Art Studio, Inc. in June at the Alternative Show, a first-come, first-served art exhibition.

The show will open June 4 with a reception, 7-10 p.m., in TASI’s gallery, 720 Franklin in downtown Beaumont, and runs through June 25 Entry is free and submissions will be accepted from noon to 5 p.m, May 31 to June 2. There is a limit of two pieces per artist and work must be delivered in person. All works must be show ready and wall pieces must be wired (no sawtooths).

“This is a great opportunity for artists of all ages to exhibit their work in a relaxed setting,” Andy Coughlan, TASI tenant, said. “There are no judges and no fees, and everyone is accepted, so it is a great chance to have your work shown in a gallery.

“The Alternative Show has traditionally been a show where anything goes. We have had work that represents all ages and all levels of experience. Many local artists have used this opportunity to first show their work.”

For more information, call 409-838-5393, or visit www.artstudio.org.

Volume 22, No. 9

RECENT ART STUDIO NEW OR RENEWING MEMBERS INDIVIDUAL Laurie Seehusen Thomas Tran Joshua Davis FAMILY/GROUP Ann Creswell Maureen & Dean Winchell FRIEND/BUSINESS Cynthia C. Fontenot

VIEW from page 3 tell how well your artistic community is doing — when you have generations of artists all working in their home or shop or studio or garage and sharing their work with each other. — when the chain of creativity is unbroken from one generation of artists to the next.

When we can stand on the shoulders of the previous Creatives then you have, and we do have, a strong and vital community of artists, a community that is diverse in its makeup and varied in style and temperament, yet share a very real common bond — Art.

This is the last

of the season.

We will return in September.

Volume 22, No. 9

June 2016 ISSUE • 7

Summer ‘Skool’ no punishment TASI MIXES EDUCATION WITH FUN IN KIDS’ WORKSHOPS THE ART STUDIO, INC. will kick off its annual summer ArtSkool July 11-22 for young artists ages 10 to 14 years old. Students will enjoy the chance to work with ceramics, drawing, painting and 35mm film photogPhoto by raphy and darkroom.

Elizabeth Students and parents have the option of Fontenot signing up for one week or two week Monday through Friday sessions.

Each week costs $100 and includes all supplies. Students will need to pack a lunch and a drink each day. The workshop begins daily at 9:30 a.m. with a lunch break at noon and the sessions finish daily at 3 p.m.

On the Friday of each week’s session, a student exhibition, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., will showcase student work for families, friends and the community. Light refreshments, including The Studio’s famous lemonade, will be served.

“The ceramics session I teach is a fun and relaxed way for young artists to get an idea of how to work with 3D object,” Greg Busceme, TASI executive director, said. “It involves complex problem solving and gets young artists to develop how they make something from nothing. We really get dirty sculpting clay and it’s a good way for students to express themselves.”

Busceme emphasized wearing clothes that can get dirty because ArtSkool is all hands-on work. The ceramics pieces are fired using raku method and it’s a messy process, he said, adding that all the students’ efforts pay off in the end.

“I still get excited after all these years at the student exhibition of Friday, because you get to see the sense of wonderment on the kids faces, as well as that of their family members,” he said.

For photography instructor Joe Winston, teaching students how to communicate through a lens and how to communicate with imagery and concepts is what motivates him each session.

“Photography is very alluring in both the concept of how the process to capture a photo works and then in the mystery and magic of a darkroom,” he said. “It’s a hands-on process and has to be practiced and we’re able to do it at our individual paces.”

Winston, who also serves as chairman of The Studio board of directors, said that students will be introduced not only to the concepts of composition, but also the vocabulary of photography by taking photos.

“I want the students to have a good time and really be able to experience what photography has to offer and the ability to make something they enjoy,” he said.” And the photography class is literally held in the coolest room of

Story by Stephan Malick

Summer ArtSkool 2015 participants work on projects in The Art Studio’s classroom.

The Studio.”

Winston said the class is tailored to each student and they will work on both individual and group projects.

One of the foundational disciplines of creating art has always been drawing, and instructor Sheila Busceme will lead the drawing and painting classes this summer.

“Students are going to be able to try out and discover different mediums such as pencil, pastel, charcoal and acrylic paint,” she said. “It’s a chance to see what everything does and to get a feel for things. They may have never used or seen how other mediums can be used. It’s about finding something you like.”

Sheila Busceme said students will examine the works and techniques of some master artists, and focus on concepts of color theory and color mixing.

“The class is for all levels of learners,” she said. “This is an opportunity for students to feel their way through creating art and see how things are made, and experience the variety of methods and materials out there.”

As the class progresses, Sheila Busceme said is able to individualize each student’s ability level and she wants each of them to go further than they have ever before.

“I try to make ArtSkool an inspiring experience,” she said. “I see where they are at and I try to help them get to the next level. The kids come in eager to work each year with lots of questions and that inspires me. Someone will come in and say, ‘How do I draw a nose?’ and we can run with it and see how that applies to what we’re working on.”

Sheila Busceme also holds individual and advanced lessons at The Studio throughout the year, and said she enjoys watching students go to ArtSkool, and grow into their art and develop.

“TASIMJAE winner Avril Falgout was a former ArtSkool student and look at what she is doing now,” she said. “I really like watching artists grow and ArtSkool is a wonderful and accepting place for students of any level to learn about art.”

To register, visit www.artstudio.org, or call 409-838-5393.

8 • ISSUE June 2016

Volume 22, No. 9

Geek’s guide to beating ISSUE’s resident nerd proves fun doesn’t have to be bright or sandy CAN YOU FEEL THAT? That hot sticky air outside? That’s baseball season. But it’s also summer movie season and I’m here once again to help you weed through the onslaught of summer blockbusters and find the ones that stand out, and maybe a few you would have missed otherwise.

Commentary

by Jeff Dixon (Jeff Dixon loves movies and comic books in a way that often terrifies him. You can follow his insane ramblings on Twitter @ThatJeffDixon)

the Siege of Vicksburg the number of deserters swelled and in the coming weeks many of them rallied around Knight and formed a small community in Jones County.

What they called the Free State of Jones.

For the past several years Matthew McConaughey has been championing a film about this unusual story and now, finally, it’s here. I’ve never been too interested in Civil War movies because often they go back to the well of brother against brother but this, this is an interesting take. To focus on a man who deserted his post and turn him into a folk hero. I’m very interested in that kind of film.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS — This might be a surprise for some of you considering how mediocre the first film was, but much like the sequel to the first X-Men film this looks to fully capture what fans of the 80s cartoon love about this franchise. Specifically Bebop, Rocksteady and Casey Jones. Granted we will still have to endure Megan Fox but I feel confident that if we all find a buddy like in kindergarten and hold their hand we can make it through her scenes as Dollar Store Lois Lane, I mean Exposition Girl, I mean April. Dammit.

INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE — One of the best cinema experiences of my life happened on July 4th 1996 in our nations capital. My father, my Uncle Charles and I sat down to watch a new Jeff Goldblum movie called Independence Day, or for some inexplicable reason, ID4 on several posters. It was an insane movie. It was Jurassic Park with half the soap box and twice the spectacle. I loved every second of it. I’ve probably seen the original an unhealthy amount of times and if the sequel is even half as fun it’ll be worth the price of admission. Now I’m just as sad as anyone that Will Smith isn’t returning but we still get Goldblum, Bill Pullman and Judd Hirsch.

Maybe this time we’ll see if they

THE SHALLOWS — I almost left the theater during the trailer for this which is as good of a recommendation for a horror movie as you’ll find anywhere. I am, in a word, terrified of sharks and this film is tailor made to prey on that fear, pun intended, thank you very much. Blake Lively stars in this taught thriller as a surfer stranded less than a mile off shore, the only thing between her and the beach is, and this is just an estimate, a 20 foot shark, maybe 25. have those pens. I mean we’d all be dead if it wasn’t for his David.

FREE STATE OF JONES — Newton Knight was a farmer and a soldier in the Confederate Army. In October of 1862 Jones went AWOL. He was arrested for this and his farm was burned to the ground by the Confederacy, leaving his family homeless. After

GHOSTBUSTERS — I’ve always been a Ghostbusters fan. It’s my favorite film of all time and I’ve watched it so much I can recite the script verbatim. I had the toys, the board game, the comics. The first notebook I ever took to school had a crude drawing of the logo scrawled in red marker on the back.

When I was little the kids on my street would play

Volume 22, No. 9

June 2016 ISSUE • 9

summer temperatures “Ghostbusters” in the yard of the old house down the block that nobody lived in. There were four of us and the only girl, Nikki, always had to be Janine, because girls just couldn’t be “Ghostbusters.” Say what you want about gimmicks or feminism or that awful word diversity, but wherever she is, I hope Nikki is really excited about this film. I know I am.

THE INFILTRATOR — Bryan Cranston. I shouldn’t need to say anything else, but I will. Pablo Escobar. Now if the name of the most famous drug lord of the 1980s doesn’t ring a bell congrats on being under 30. Cranston stars as a DEA agent, a bit of a change from his most famous role, who goes undercover and eventually gets inside Escobar’s operations. How can you not want to see that? No, seriously I’m asking because I want to know. For science.

SUICIDE SQUAD — Well here it is. The black sheep of the bunch. Everything else on this list has generated a lot of excitement from me but this one, I just don’t know. I’m a big fan of the Squad going way back to the 80s. I loved the idea of taking characters you hated in other books and forcing you to root for them as a team. But I don’t know how well that’s going to transfer for characters we’re not familiar with. And you might say, but Jeff, we all know the Joker, and a lot of us know Deadshot from The Flash to show. And while that’s true, we don’t know “these” versions of the characters. The comic book worked because it had decades of material to build from. I hope they can make this a worthwhile endeavor but I’m just not convinced they’ve earned it.

SAUSAGE PARTY — “From the people who brought you “Pineapple Express” is probably not something you’d expect to see in

the trailer for an animated film. But that’s exactly what sets “Sausage Party” apart from your typical summer animated fare. This is not for children. “Sausage Party” tells the story of a pack of hot dogs in a world where food comes to life, and once away from the grocery store, realizes their only purpose is to be eaten. So of course they rebel and hatch a plan to head back to the store and warn their friends. It’s the kind of idea that could only be born from watching movies like “Toy Story” in a state like California or Colorado and I cannot wait to see how many angry moms have to demand a refund for “this filth.”

THE FOUNDER — Michael Keaton is having a well deserved Renaissance after the success of “Birdman” and this looks to be another Oscar contender. Now I know this the third true story on this list of what is supposed to be a guide to geeky blockbusters, but honestly can you get more geeky than the sordid tale of the founding of perhaps the single most well known American institution? Probably. But still. Michael Keaton. Nick Offerman. McDonald’s. That’s the movie. Sold!

KOBU AND THE TWO STRINGS — “Kobu” is the directorial debut of Travis Knight, lead animator on ‘Coraline’ and ‘The Boxtrolls.’ It tells the story of a young boy named Kobu who must go on a quest for a magical artifact. The film looks, in a word, gorgeous. Stop-motion has never

looked this beautiful on screen and with a cast featuring Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey it’s sure to sound just a good.

WAR DOGS — Rounding out our films is the fourth true story on this list.

Based on a Rolling Stone article that was later expanded into a book, “War Dogs” stars Jonah Hill and Miles Teller as arms dealers supplying weapons to U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Now on paper I know this doesn’t seem like a comedy but director Todd Phillips has captured a very “Coen Brothers on steroids” vibe in the trailers and if that holds true as a reflection of the actual films tone, wow, we are in for a very weird little film.

That does it for me this year. Remember to pack your bug spray for that short walk from the car to the theater. Those little devils are everywhere. And if you find yourself, for some odd reason, not interested in seeing a summer spectacle, might I suggest diverting your eyes from the upcoming election as well. Be safe and make good choices.

Mahalo!

10 • ISSUE June 2016

Volume 22, No. 9

Orange just one color in Bates’ pallette Orange artist C. Delle Bates fills the sweeping space with panels of expressive oil paintings on canvas and plywood — a material with which the artist has a special connection. Before his bohemian existence in Texas, Bates worked in the timber industry for 18 years, during which he found success patenting an innovative plywood adhesive.

After selling his company in 1995, the artist was able to move his family to Orange, eventually buying and renovating the Reliable Cleaners in Front Avenue into his home and art studio. From then, he has been able to throw himself into his painting practice, experimenting with genres and styles with a Southeast Texas twist.

Bates’ latest exhibition, “Palette de Couleurs,” will be on display at the Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center in Lake Charles through June 25.

A native of Louisiana, Bates’ work has its roots steeped in the early 20th-century painting tradition of the Fauves and Cubists with his use of bright colors and rounded forms. This retrospective features works painted as early as 1994— in fact, his oeuvre is so prolific, he often cannot keep track of which year he painted a work unless he explicitly painted the date on the canvas, he said.

The Texas painter’s figuration is not focused on rendering a subject true to life; instead his paintings demand the spectator take them in with all the varying color palettes and simplification of forms. Regarding portraiture, the features of his figures are flattened and elongated, not unlike Modigliani’s painted women. However, rather than blank expressions, Bates’ painted women look serene and pensive.

Alongside the portraits are works featuring the images of saints, recognized by the golden Byzantine halos above their heads and the geometric crisscross of lines behind the figures, harkening back to the silhouettes of stained glass found in Catholic cathedrals. “Our Lady of the Neches” features such a stoic saint named for Southeast Texas’ own Neches River, with Bates rendering her features flat— the depth comes from the colors he uses on her face and hair.

Review by Caitlin Duerler

Other religious influences present in his paintings range from doves, symbolic of the Holy Spirit, and Jewish subjects — spiritual aspects that were present in his own upbringing. Angels are painted with as much as color and texture as his portraits, but remain faceless as if to maintain their otherworldliness.

Like the painters he emulates from modern France, Bates oeuvre would not be complete without a series representing his pilgrimage to Provence, resulting in works that play with Van Gogh’s color palettes when painting wheat and sunflowers in Auvers sur Oise, and the greens and blues found in Cezanne’s landscapes of Aix-enProvence.

His floral works feature still lifes and scenes capturing unexpected angles, resulting in compositions that look like something that would be seen from the Hubble telescope. “Dancing in the Moonlight” is one such floral composition that uses unexpected blues and yellows to capture the moment seeds are released from their pod in a cosmic array of colors and textures.

Regional events like Hurricane Rita impacted Bates’ subject matter. One wall of the show features three paintings that were executed after the hurricane had devastated the area. A particularly poignant work from this series, “Rita,” features the backside of a person looking on at the oncoming storm on the horizon, with ominous-looking gray funnels and falling power lines. Alongside “Rita,” are two smaller beach paintings reflecting similar views of destruction after natural disasters, with twisted power lines and homes damaged by heavy winds and flooding.

It’s worth the short trip to Lake Charles to check out a local artist’s work featured in its own retrospective in a beautiful and open space. The green drive down IH-10 east is a monochromatic preview of the burst of colors that await visitors at the center. Bates’ work transitions spectators from spring into summer and encourages them to look at the brighter side of life.

The Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center is located at 1001 Ryan St. in Lake Charles, La. For more, visit www.cityoflakecharles.com or www.cdellebates.com.

Orange artist C. Delle Bates’ exhibition “Palette de Couleurs,” will be on display at the Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center in Lake Charles through June 25.

Volume 22, No. 9

June 2016 ISSUE • 11

Celebrating at the

Maypole

ISSUE photos by JoLee Tanner

THE SECOND-ANNUAL MAYPOLE Festival was held at the Beaumont Botanical Gardens May 7. “The Maypole was constructed in memory of Paula “Torchy” Salter and the festival is a fun-loving, spirit-filled event with fairies, dancers and costumes. Local vendors and food trucks were also in attendance, and the family event drew a good crowd.

12 • ISSUE June 2016

Volume 22, No. 9

Pride comes to SETX

COMING OUT BALL SET FOR JUNE 4 FOLLOWED BY FESTIVAL ON JUNE 11 Beaumont Pride will present a dozen LGBTQ debutantes ages 15 - 50 at the second annual Coming Out Ball, June 4 at MCM Elegante.

“We are trying to make everything Pride bigger and better,” Shawn Hare, Pride chair, said. “We are confident we can do that with the 2016 ball.”

There are sponsored tables, VIP seats and general admission seats. Guest may enjoy a premium bar and a hors d’oeuvres buffet. Tickets may be purchased at eventbrite.com “The Pride Ball has proven itself to be an out-of-the-box great time and we have many new features,” Hare said.

The Lunchbox Jazz Quartet and DJ collective, Son of Hot Damn, will offer musical entertainment with Tisha Flowers and Company performing. There will also be a live art auction.

The 2016 Grand Marshal, Beaumont native, Colt Keo-

Story by Jacqueline Hays

Meier, will be recognized, as well as other community leaders.

“I think now more than ever it’s important to highlight the relationships that exist,” Hare said. “It’s also a time to build new relationships. The ball is a great opportunity to do that.

“This is also an opportunity for not just the debs to express themselves, but for attendees to take the ‘black-tie preferred’ and get creative.”

The ball is the largest fundraiser for Pride, a non-profit organization.

Glitter, glow sticks and good company should make for a great time at the third annual Beaumont Pride festival, June 11 at the 200 block of Crockett Street. The 2016 festival includes a walk, street fair, three indoor venues and the first night parade in Beaumont in the past forty years.

“Walking down the middle of downtown Beaumont with hundreds of friends, allies and family is a surreal experience,” Hare said. “Last year we walked through the pouring

rain and had a blast.”

Festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. at Broadway and MLK with registration to walk down Broadway to The Crockett Street Entertainment Complex in support of the LGBTQ community. The walk begins at 11:30 a.m.

Festival gates open at noon. The walk and street fair are free, with an $8 all-day pass to inside venues.

Hare said the committee is working to make the festival more fun, colorful and entertaining than ever before.

The Gig will host a plethora of performances with many drag acts, Tisha Flowers, assistant drag coordinator, said.

“We will showcase Beaumont’s local drag talent as well as other popular queens and kings from surrounding areas,” she said. “Throughout the event, you’ll be able to see glamour, comedy, Goth, gender-fuck, spoken word and dancing queens. Not to mention, drag kings, boy perform-

See PRIDE on page 13

Volume 22, No. 9

PRIDE from page 12 ers, faux queens and we will be ending the night with some very talented exotic male dancers.”

Tequilla Rok will have hometown favorites like The Ron Jeremies and funky imports like punk-rock band, Zeroheros from Santa Fe, Texas.

Zeroheroes said they love a party and celebrating a good cause adding that the struggles of the LGBTQ community hit close to home since a band member is gay.

“It is cool to be able to represent not only gay artists, but also members of the community who don’t necessarily fit many of the pre-conceived notions and/or stereotypes that are unfortunately still all too commonly associated with homosexuality or anything not considered to be the status quo as defined by mainstream society,” they stated.

Hare said patrons should feel safe to come and enjoy the celebration. The Beau-

June 2016 ISSUE • 13

mont Police will be on hand for security.

“We have hours of daytime, familyfriendly entertainment lined up,” Hare said.

Face painters, hula hoopers, fire dancers ºand first-time additions; multiple street DJs, dancers and stilt walkers will be on the street mingling with guests.

The street fair closes at 5 p.m. with acts continuing to perform on The Gig and Tequilla Rok. Staging for the night parade begins at 5 p.m. at the Civic Center. The parade commences at 8 p.m.

“The street will be filled with performers, classic cars, and lighted floats,” Hare said. “Festival goers don’t just have to watch the parade — they can buy a ‘Ticket to Ride.’”

“Tickets to Ride” may be purchased at evetbrite.com. Float riders must be 18 years old.

For more, visit the Beaumont Pride Facebook page, or visit beaumontBall gowns, tuxedos and dancing were the order of the day at the 2015 Pride Coming Out Ball. pride.org.

WINTERHALTER from page 5

Franz Xavier Winterhalter PAULINE SÁNDOR, PRINCESS METTERNICH 1860, Oil on canvas, Private collection.

from the sea. A portrait like that would have never been displayed in a drawing room where house guests could see it; it belonged to the bedroom or the husband’s study.

Probably every auspicious patroness of Winterhalter commissioned him both a public and an intimate portrait of herself. Even Queen Victoria presented such portrait, unofficially known as “sexy Vicky,” to her beloved husband Prince Albert as a birthday gift. Needless to say, this portrait is not included in the exhibition.

The most spectacular intimate portrait on view is probably that of Princess Leonilla of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. Its horizontal format and large size bring to mind reclining nudes and odalisques, although here the sitter is fully clothed. Renowned Russian beauty, Princess Leonilla was the wife of Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. Winterhalter portrayed her leaning languorously on a low sofa; she is fingering absent-mindedly a string of pearls while mesmerizing the viewer with her dark, almondshaped eyes. She looks like a queen or a goddess from a Greek legend, an impression enhanced by the sea and the lush vegetation in the background, possibly the view from the couple’s palace in the Crimea.

Hidden among all these European royal and aristocratic ladies is one young American girl. Miss

Marie Marguerite Ada Calhoun was a daughter of the wealthy plantation owners Meredith and Mary Calhoun of Huntsville, Alabama. She was born in Paris where the Calhouns moved to provide medical treatment for their son. On her 20th birthday, her father gave her an amazing present: he commissioned Winterhalter to paint her portrait.

Today the portrait is still in the Calhoun family.

Generation after generation, they preserved a note from Winterhalter in which the artist confirmed an appointment with “Mademoiselle Calhoun,” accompanied by her father. The stylish attire she is wearing suggests that she may have received another priceless present: a dress from the House of Worth.

This painting is the only documented single portrait

by Winterhalter of an American sitter.

As we walk through the exhibition feasting our eyes on the beautiful women, exquisite dresses and unparalleled mastery of Winterhalter’s brush, we also cannot help thinking that we are looking at the end of an era. Many of these lovely ladies lived long enough to witness the great social upheavals of the early 20th century, the tragic years of World War I and the collapse of European monarchies. The Europe of splendid royal courts - dazzling, opulent and blissfully ignorant of the harsh reality beyond the palace walls - stopped to exist. And the flood destroyed them all....

The exhibition “High Society: The Portraits of Franz X. Winterhalter” is on view at MFAH through Aug. 14,

14 • ISSUE June 2016

Volume 22, No. 9

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 web site at www.artstudio.org. Be sure to include the location and dates of the subject, as well as any costs.

• TeenVentures in Art — Keep your teens active and engaged in making art; a valuable life skill. TeenVentures in Art is a special week, July 5-July 8, for 12 to 15 year olds interested in exploring new and original techniques for creating three-dimensional clay artwork.

“Summer ArtVentures is a great opportunity for children and teens interested in art to learn from participating artists,” Christle Feagin, AMSET curator of education/programs, said.

The cost for Summer ArtVentures is $75 for members, $135 for non-members for the first child’s first class, $75 for each additional child and then $70 for each additional class. The nonmember fee includes a one-year family membership. Scholarships are also available.

AMSET is located at 500 Main St. in downtown Beaumont. ____________

HIGH STREET GALLERY will host an exhibition of digital/film photography and mixed media by Southeast Texas artist RANDY EDWARDS. The show opens with a free reception, June 24, at Victoria House.

The reception is open to the public, refreshments provided, and the artwork will be for sale.

“I don’t see a distinct style in any of my work,” Edwards said. “The medium of photography has never mattered either. All that has ever mattered was whichever camera I had in hand and being at the right place at the right time. Making the photograph had always been easy part.”

High Street Gallery is located at 2110 Victoria St, in Beaumont.

For more information, visit www.naked dads.com. ____________ The ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS is offering its annual SUMMER ARTVENTURES CAMP FOR CREATIVE KIDS, June 13 through July 15.

This summer’s line-up of week-long, half-day workshops, and one week-long, full-day work-

shop, features clay making, bookmaking, paper mache, painting and much more, all taught by local, professional artists.

Summer ArtVentures is offered Monday through Friday with two workshops a day.

Morning classes are from 9 a.m. to noon. Afternoons are 1 p.m. to 4 p.m Teen classes are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Children, ages 5-15, choose from many class options for a high quality, intensive art education experience. All courses are taught by professional artists, and the participants work closely with these respected artists in a variety of mediums.

Campers are divided into three age groups, with each course designed for age-appropriate art activities • Young ArtVenturers — children ages 5-7 — will have the opportunity to sample clay, paint, paper mache, and colored pens and pencils through simplified projects formatted for their age group. These classes will be augmented with story times (using art-related stories) and outdoor activities.

• Summer ArtVenturers — children ages 811 — have many exciting courses to choose from including clay making, painting, mixed media and other activities.

The MENIL COLLECTION is hosting LIFE IS ONCE, FOREVER: HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON PHOTOGRAPHS, through July 24.

Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004) is considered to be a founding father of contemporary street photography — a movement dedicated to capturing the flux of life in the public sphere. “Life Is Once, Forever: Henri Cartier-Bresson Photographs,” an exhibition of approximately 50 photographs from the Menil Collection, looks at the photographer’s pioneering career and humanist vision.

Cartier-Bresson began taking pictures as a child, but distinguished himself in the early 1930s after purchasing a handheld 35mm camera and beginning to shoot, he said, on the run in locations around the world.

During World War II, he escaped from a German prisoner of war camp to document Europe’s devastation in photographs and films.

After the war, he went on to create thousands of images of newsworthy, popular-interest, and chanced-upon subjects as well as hundreds of casual and revealing portraits of cultural luminaries. In 1947 Cartier-Bresson and a small group of like-minded photographers formed the legendary photographic agency Magnum to promulgate their new, life-engaged photojournalism.

For more, visit www.menil.org.

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 non-profit 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 22, No. 9

June 2016 ISSUE • 15

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: ISSUE, 720 Franklin, 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 of rejection by mail or telephone.

Bildungsroman I search the archives containing the memories of my disparate journeys, surrounded by photos — proof in print — of brunch at seedy diners, rain-soaked alleyways, pebbled beaches and blue skies, Coleman’s frenetic jazz as the soundtrack, cups of tea or coffee, or Spanish red wine, or good, hearty ale, loosening the lips for impassioned speech, often thoughtful, often political, definitely blue, inappropriate by choice, as if a challenge to the imposed order.

Doubt

Reaper

The crime he made was of such shade – deep red and wrapped in black.

He tried to lie, but guilt was good for him and us, and everyone knew well what then to do, once all lined up to see the truth strung out – the red part his; the black was ours.

A rope tied up the day with talk.

And town folk on his side cried some but felt it best be done right here, with friends. So they, too, wrapped the black round what had been the red and led the man to what no one of us could know for sure – the rest of truth that lies quietly in the shade.

When darkness falls You arrive A touch from you none survive

In shadowed depths You do thrive Maker of fate Dead in drive

Did we know then, that it was just procrastination, deferring the deadline?

Jesse Doiron

Brandianne Hinton

Andy Coughlan

Jane Roberts Consulting LLC and her team provide professional recruiting, contract staffing and HR consulting to clients primarily in the chemical and refining industries.With more than 30 years of industry experience, we are committed and passionate in our desire to help our clients solve their staffing and human resource challenges.

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A cold embrace Winter's chill Shivers racing Loss of will Surrender now No escape Blissful torture Wraith of rape

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INSIDE • TASI SUMMER ARTSKOOL • THOUGHTCRIME: MUSINGS FROM AREA POETS • GEEK’S GUIDE TO SUMMER • PRIDE FESTIVAL

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 Cyndi Grimes Rhonda McNally Andy Coughlan John Roberts Beau Dumesnil Karen Dumesnil Sheila Busceme Kailee Viator Caitlin Duerler Stephan Malick Terri Fox Avril Falgout Michelle Falgout Stacey Haynes Joe Winston John Fulbright Mark Jacobson Nathaniel Welch Gina Garcia Hayley Hardin Jack Hays Tyler Hargraves Aslinn Garcia Chase Kiker Paisley Polk Zoe Williams Rana Matthews Michael Beard Brittany Tawater Juliet Goldstein Caroline Badon Jake Hollier Breanna Workman David Granitz Pat Grimes

THIS MONTH:

JOIN US FOR ART OPENINGS ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH

JUNE 4-25 GALLERY RECEPTION IS JUNE 4, 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.

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