“Art is knowledge at the service of emotion.” ~ José Clemente Orozco
“Northwest Contemporary,” curated by the Nicolaysen Art Museum’s Lisa Hatchadoorian, the Missoula Art Museum’s Stephen Glueckert, the Aspen Art Museum’s Jacob Proctor and the Boise Art Museum’s Sandy Hawthorn, opens at the Art Association of Jackson Hole on Friday, March 22nd, 5:30 – 7:30 pm. This opening reception is free; the show remains on display through April 21st.
Local artists Suzanne Morlock (“Free Fall,” below) and large-scale installation artist Abbie Miller have, according to the Art Association’s Thomas Macker, transformed the gallery space into ” re-contextualized environments of form and tactile texture.” All textures are tactile, but these are undoubtedly very enticing to the touch.
And, testifies Macker, your body will “re-map” as you move through this show. The work “allows you to feel weightless as your eye glides through serpentine forms in a white cube cage.”
Go WITH your eyes, don’t let them wander off by themselves!
Other nominated, participating artists are Montana’s Alison Reintjes and Jon Lodge–artists who “innovate against the romanticism of traditional western-state art while still maintaining a conversation with the history of their traditional mediums.” That may mean the artists use traditional paints, or it might mean the artists are acknowledging the region’s artistic history. It might mean both!
Idaho’s Garth Claassen’s work (“Contending Borders,” top left) recalls Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco, “the most complex of the Mexican muralists, fond of the theme of human suffering, but less realistic and more fascinated by machines.” Troy Passey’s art shares a similar voice, notes Macker. www.artassociation.org
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NOTE: Stopped into LIFT restaurant the other night — formerly known as 43North. Its walls are home to several colorful, graphic paintings by the Art Association’s Tom Woodhouse. Tom’s paintings are perfect in the venue. Cool, nice! I received Tom’s note regarding A.A. classes:
“Ok, Art People~~
Last week before Spring Break….If you are not headed out of the valley to warmer sunny climates things are heating up in the painting studio. Wednesday night is the deadline to get me your work for our figure drawing show. “From Life” will open this Friday in the Ramp Gallery at the Center for the Arts. This opening will take place at the same time as the “Northwest Contemporary” show in the main gallery and we’re looking for an overflow crowd!
Our next catalog of classes should be out by Friday. At 88 pages this is one of our most comprehensive class offerings. Please check it out carefully, and get in here to make Art. We need your support!”
Tammy Christel 
