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9/9/2010

Michael Ferris Jr. / Eric Stotik / Frank Trankina

Packer Schopf Gallery, Chicago

To start our 23rd fall season we are grouping 3 artists for 3 solo exhibitions…. Michael Ferris Jr., Eric Stotik, and Frank Trankina. All 3 artists work in a traditional format (painting, drawing, and/or sculpture) but share an underlying forwardness in the way they approach their particular subject matter through composition. They all mine the figure, directly or indirectly, and communicate different aspects of art history and personal narrative via their straightforward mediums. Each is obsessive in their own way… and manifests through exceptional technique, which makes this one of the must see/review shows of the season. Further commentary follows…

Michael Ferris Jr.
Sculpture and Process Drawings
Ferris creates many drawings in connection with each of his sculptures. He works on these drawings as the sculptural process progresses and develops, until completion. Each drawing has a different purpose and is connected to a specific stage of the sculpture’s construction. Initially these drawings take the form of straight portraits. At this stage, issues of likeness, proportion and mood are most important. As the sculpture making process unfolds, the drawings serve to work out ideas connected directly to the 3-dimensional piece such as pattern, form, scale, and concept.

In the sculptural work, Ferris creates a dialogue regarding the use of recycled materials, with the initial intent to render an accurate likeness of the subject. However more compelling, is communicating the sitter’s “inner world." By contrasting the sculpture's stoic, classical form with its contemporary multi-patterned surface, the aim is then to express the psychological and spiritual complexity of each subject.

Eric Stotik
New Paintings

To put it mildly, Eric Stotik is an enigma. I’ve never met him….in person anyway. We were hoping he’d make it out for his 3rd showing with us, but he lives in Portland, and as we all know it’s hard to get out. I asked him to write something about his work, and he more or less flinched if I can say that. I understand. In all the googling that I did, each article tended toward milking the mystery thing, which is what I am doing here. And he’s deserving of that. To quote one recent article by D. K. Row of The Oregonian…. I’ll just drop a few words….
“Makes magic”, “gemlike paintings”, “elicited awe”, “extraordinary technical ability”, “gorgeous inner sanctum”, “transcends time and place”.
And that was just in the introductory paragraph! This was a great article and worth looking at….here’s the link…..

http://blog.oregonlive.com/visualarts/2009/04/wincing_and_wondering_at_eric.html

Frank Trankina
Wall Tales and Shelf Stories. New Paintings

Simply put, Frank Trankina collects mostly vintage toys and paper ephemera, and arranges these various items, on a shelving system of his own device, and proceeds to paint them in a trompe l’oeil style. Duality of still life and story are his primary interest and passion. His cumulative role becomes a choreographer, director, designer, and storyteller. These new paintings are explorations between these collections of anthropomorphic popular culture images and objects. The curious nature of these ensembles evokes his continuing fascination with narration and formal arrangement. The process is wholly observational and experiential, working directly from life.

Opening: Friday, September 10, 5-8pm

Packer Schopf Gallery
942 W Lake St., Chicago
tue-sat 11am-5.30pm
free admission

stampa

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