Wall Works: Art @ the Library

Landschap: 

Aimee LaPorte & Rhonda Ratray

         

 Bennington Mountains, July Meadow. Aimee LaPorte 2012

 The Land Bridge, Rhonda Ratray 2012

Nina. Aimee LaPorte 2012

October 6 – January 31, 2013

Opening reception: Saturday, October 6, 2012
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Bennington Free Library
101 Silver Street
Bennington, VT 05201
(802) 442-9051
http://benningtonfreelibrary.org


Aimee LaPorte
Landscape painting traces its name from the Dutch word “landschap” meaning a patch of cultivated ground. My landscape paintings reflect this history, highlighting the margins of nature and culture. These are depictions of the wild and the cultivated. The apple orchard of my youth and the farms I visit weekly have in part, become the subjects of my paintings. It is not my intention to idealize nature or depict idealized pastoral scenes. These paintings are about stopping and appreciating exactly where I am, the smell, the light, the air.  If I can breathe the air, I can visit and revisit these meditative spaces.

Ongoing Gratus Portrait Series. This portrait series borrows it’s name from the Latin word Gratus, meaning beloved, dear, pleasing or agreeable. The style of these miniatures is inspired by a series of colonial family portraits from the collection of the Bennington Museum.  My subjects are companion animals, some of which are my own family pets.  Intended to delight, these mementos humorously honor dear family members. I work from photographs and digital images. Please contact me if you would like a custom portrait. laporteorama@gmail.com

Rhonda Ratray
The Bridges, is an ongoing series begun in March 2011.  Bridges can be epic like the 1,000 mile long Bering Land Bridge that created a link between North America and Asia ushering humans to a new continent.  Bridges can be fantastic like the Flaming Rainbow Bridge of Norse mythology that connects the Earth to the realm of the gods. Bridges can be iconic like Vermont’s covered bridges that speak to history. These bridges serve to join two pieces of land and foster a connection through time. My series began with bridges in knots as a way to hold the connection tighter. The bridges have evolved from there.  

Bridge

The Weaver's Bridge 2 2012

                                         The Rainbow Bridge 2 2012

Bridges can be epic like the 1,000 mile long Bering Land Bridge that created a link between North America and Asia ushering humans to a new continent.  Bridges can be spiritual like the Flaming Rainbow Bridge of Norse mythology that connects the Earth to the realm of the gods. Bridges can be iconic like Vermont’s covered bridges that speak to history. These bridges serve to join two pieces of land and foster a connection through time. My series began with bridges in knots as a way to hold the connection tighter. I was in the middle of this series when the destruction of Hurricane Irene hit Vermont. Bridges were washed away, and one that I know of exploded. The bridges became more then a metaphor. People were stranded and the water main to my town was crushed. This ongoing series includes: The Weaver’s Bridge 1 and 2, The Granny Bridges (for Grandma Moses) , The Rainbow Bridge 1 and 2, The Coffin bridge, The Burning Bridges, The Brooktrout Bridge, Disaster at Wishbone Bridge and New Wishbone Bridge. You can see this series in person during the month of August at Kevin's on Main St in North Bennington Vermont, or on my Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/7420909@N08/sets/72157625979225522/

yum!

CREATE: Six Artists, Six Chefs, One Canvas, at the Boston Center for Adult Education. An innovative one day event, June 3 2012 bringing together all manner of deliciousness for your enjoyment! Spearheaded by Louis DiBiccari. http://create-boston.com/ We were so happy to collaborate with the lovely and talented Suzi Maitland from Trina's Starlight Lounge! 

The Year of the Dragon 2012

Part of the series Divided Dragon. Demon Eyes 5"x7"

I have heard that the most popular tattoo worldwide is a traditional eastern style Chinese Dragon. Who knows if this is true. This tattoo is said to embody strength power and good luck. In China, the Dragon has been the the bringer of rain, hurricanes and floods as well as the national emblem of the emperor.  Some scholars believe that the Chinese dragon form originated from totems of different tribes in China. Huangdi, the first Emperor of China used a snake for his coat of arms. According to the myth, every time he conquered another tribe, he incorporated his defeated enemy’s emblem into his own, this may explain why the dragon appears to have features of various animals. Separating mythology from a China’s politics has been challenging in creating this series.

The series Divided Dragon is a tribute to the 9 animal resemblances of the dragon in Chinese mythology as documented by The Han Dynasty scholar Wang Fu :

“... as to the nine resemblances, they are the following: his horns resemble those of a stag, his head that of a camel, his eyes those of a demon, his neck that of a snake, his belly that of a clam, his scales those of a carp, his claws those of an eagle, his soles those of a tiger, his ears those of a cow. Upon his head he has a thing like a broad eminence (a big lump), called chimu. If a dragon has no chimu, he cannot ascend to the sky.” 

You can see the rest of the of this series here

On view at The Bennington Arts Guild 103 South Street, Bennington, VT. reception May 12, 5-8 pm

Ergot

Ergot. 8"x10" or classique on panel. My painting for the show Made in Medway

Made in Medway: Exploring Medway’s Past Through Contemporary Art
is in partnership with the Medway Historical Society and The Stone Mill Art Gallery, both located in Medway, Massachusetts.

Participating artists chose one of a select number of historic artifacts related to the historic industries and livelihoods of Medway, Massachusetts, to respond to through a contemporary artwork.  These contemporary works will be on display at The Stone Mill Gallery from April 7 through June 8, 2012, with an opening reception to be held on Saturday, April 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

Upcoming:

  Programming related to the exhibit includes a gallery talk with exhibit curator Kate Laurel Burgess-Mac Intosh on Saturday, May 5, at 6:00 pm, and a discussion with staff from the Medway Historical Society on Saturday, June 2, at 6:00 pm, both at The Stone Mill Gallery.  

From the collection, straw braids and hats from the 1880s got me thinking about Ergot.  something not in the collection, but a curious fungus effecting wheat and related grasses. certainly something farmers then and now deal with. Ergotism proves to be more that a painful trippy ride.

 From Wikipedia: 

 "Ergotism is the name for sometimes severe pathological syndromes affecting humans or other animals that have ingested plant material containing ergot alkaloid, such as ergot-contaminated grains. The Hospital Brothers of St. Anthony (monks) specialized in treating ergotism victims with balms containing tranquilizing and circulation-stimulating plant extracts. The common name for ergotism is "St. Anthony's Fire", in reference to monks who cared for victims as well as symptoms, such as severe burning sensations in the limbs. These are caused by effects of ergot alkaloids on the vascular system due to vasoconstriction of blood vessels, sometimes leading to gangrene and loss of limbs due to severely restricted blood circulation.

The neurotropic activities of the ergot alkaloids may also cause hallucinations and attendant irrational behaviour, convulsions, and even death.

Happy Valentine

Backlight magic pick- up line card. 2012

That's right, you rock. xoxo

Valentine <3 of the past click here