PLUMAGE PLUMAGE--TX
Art Magazine
August 2015 Issue
Jay Hester The Boerne Godfather
FREE
Bill Scheidt Fall Full Speed Ahead
Mary Hong Upcycled Fine Art
Meet the Staff J.R. Mooney GalleriesBoerne
Seth Camm Genres of a Genius
Reviews/ Commentary/ Exhibitions/ News/ Events
PLUMAGE PLUMAGE--TX
FEATURES August 2015 Issue No. 5
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Creating with Glass Mary Hong explores recycled glass as fine art.
44 Bill Scheidt Upcoming Boerne Artist fall fanfare.
38 Meet the Staff The Whose Who of JR Mooney—Boerne
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PLUMAGE PLUMAGE--TX
IN THIS ISSUE Jay Hester Art History of Boerne
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Seth Camm Humanity and humility
PLUMAGE PLUMAGE--TX August 2015 Issue
PUBLISHER Gabriel Diego Delgado Contributing Writers
IN EVERY ISSUE
Gabriel Diego Delgado
A Note from the Publisher –P.6
Katherine Shevchenko Betty Houston
On the Cover—P.8 All artwork photography courtesy of J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art Prices are for current artwork, and can change at any time
Contributors— P.9 © 2015 JR Mooney Galleries
Framing of the Month—P.70
305 S. Main Boerne, Texas
Designer’s Quill—P.72
78006 830-816-5106 Edited by Gabriel Diego Delgado, Marla Cavin, Katherine Shevchenko , Betty Houston Design by: Gabriel Diego Delgado
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A Note from the Publisher
September is back to school, back from vacations and back to the daily routine. Yes, it is a normalcy, and sometimes monotonous, but never fear, the heat will dissipate from time to time, the evenings will get cooler and we will have more time to enjoy all the Hill Country has to offer. The beginning of the fall season is exciting at J.R. Mooney Galleries-Boerne as well, as we launch the new initiative of “Third Thursdays.” We decided it was time to address the host of events that people decide on doing during the weekend. There are so many activities in and around San Antonio, in not only the art sector, but birthday parties, soccer games, outdoor activities and many other things, that we felt it was in our best interest to not compete with them, but free up the weekend calendar and add an evening event to the weekday; giving opportunity for patrons to visit the gallery during a less hectic time. We know people are busy, and we thought if we created an event that was not conflicting with the majority of activities people have to choose from on their busy weekend, then more people could attend. “Third Thursdays” will be in addition to the established and decades long “Second Saturday Art & Wine Crawl of the Boerne art community and Boerne Professional Artist (BPA). “Third Thursdays” is modeled after the McNay’s Second Thursdays Free Family Night, and the First Fridays, Second Saturdays and Fourth Fridays of various art districts in San Antonio. Come out and enjoy!! PLUMAGE-TX hopes to use its pages as a vehicle to educate, entertain and enlighten our audience on a variety of topics ranging from reviews, news, artist narratives, interviews, criticism and a cohort of other art related stories from within the gallery walls to the major metro centers. I hope you find this informative and hope you continue to follow the artistic happenings around you in your local neighborhoods.
Sincerely,
Gabriel Diego Delgado, Publisher
gabrieldelgadoartstudio@yahoo.com gabrield@jrmooneygalleries.com
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On the Cover
Broken barn wood, a hidden treasure of textures, colors and sun bleached goodness. J.R. Mooney Galleries recently did a fall photo shoot next to this barn to highlight some of the new framing design series as well as fine art. I knew we needed to include it in this issue of Plumage-TX magazine as the cover when I discovered it on a recent site visit. The wood has so many magnificent characteristics in addition to the numerous holes, cracks, crevices, nests, gouges and various other rodent, insect and animal afflictions.
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Contributors
Gabriel Diego Delgado is the Gallery Director at J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art, Boerne, Texas. He has spent almost a decade in Nonprofit Art Management- working as a Curator of Exhibitions at the Station Museum of Contemporary Art, Houston; Project Manager of Research and Development at the Museo Alameda, a Smithsonian Affiliate, San Antonio; Community Outreach/ Communications Director for an art and education nonprofit in Texas and is a working professional artist. He is a Freelance Curator and Arts Reviewer for several publications. His artwork has been shown in Arco 2012 Madrid, Spain; New York, New York, MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) D.C. as well as numerous galleries and venues throughout the U.S.
Katherine Shevchenko has attended the San Francisco Academy of Art University and the University of Texas at San Antonio where she received her Fine Arts Degree with an emphasis in Painting. Her experience ranges from interning as a curatorial assistant at Southwest School of Art to teaching art to students of all ages. Currently, she is an art consultant/framing designer at the J.R. Mooney Gallery in Boerne. Some of her contributions include writing articles, hosting and editing the J.R. Mooney podcast, "Mooney Makes Sense" and art catalog design. She is also an artist that specializes in painting in oils and other media.
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COVER STORY An Interview With
MARY HONG
Creating with Glass By: Katherine Shevchenko
Creating with Glass: An Interview With Mary Hong By: Katherine Shevchenko Mary Hong has recently joined the roster at J.R. Mooney Galleries with her unique one of kind “glass� paintings. By collecting multitudes of various colored glass and other materials, Mary collages and places them onto canvases with a playful and whimsical touch over painted backgrounds of soft, delicate coastal hues, and then seals them permanently with resin. The glass sparkles and catches the light, and proves to be inimitable as a material. Mary is based out of Santa Rosa Beach Florida where she creates and teaches in her studio and has just opened up The Shard Shop where students can acquire gorgeous glass for their own creations! Mary graciously agreed to answer some questions and share her world with us.
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I understand from your biography that you were a flight attendant, how has seeing the world and experiencing multiple cultures influenced your art and art making process? Seeing the world was a great addition to my formal education! I remember being in Rome, at the Medici Villa and thinking, "Wow! This is so much better than all of those Art History classes I took in college!" Also, traveling allowed me to wander. I'd get lost whenever I could. I loved finding that tiny junk store in Osaka, or that hip artsy area of Paris. Inspiration was everywhere and I did all I could to soak it up. What attracts you to glass as an art material? Do the properties of glass dictate your aesthetic, or does it initiate conceptual themes that you explore in your work? Do you use other materials to collage into your pieces? I love glass because it's shiny and pretty and it will last forever! The color of it, when light shines through it, is something you can't get with just paint! It's a 50/50 split between the glass dictating the aesthetic or me working a piece of glass into something I want to convey. I can't say I favor, or do, either one over the other. I use many, many found materials in my work....shell casings, old jewelry, doll parts, pottery, china, twigs, rusted things...as long as it looks "just right" then, I'll use it! How did you develop your technique working with glass? Was it something you set out to do, or did it evolve over time?
“I love glass because it's shiny and pretty and it will last forever!�
It's been an evolution. I started out learning how to lamp work beads, then I moved into glass fusing, then mosaics. I loved anything glass. Then, the glass fusing market started to become saturated, and I couldn't do large scale projects and really wanted to. It wasn't until I set all of my glass aside and tucked away my art life, that I experienced a shift in how I make art. And, as a perpetual creative, there aren't many things that would cause me to do that...except that I was pregnant with twins! Their entry into my life pretty much shut down anything related to travel and art! When they started preschool, I started painting. I loved painting! I loved the flow of paint, and the creaminess of it. I had a faux artist friend that taught me so much and I credit her with getting me back on the artistic road. I never thought I'd go back to glass! But, I had SO MUCH of it! And, I was painting such GREAT backgrounds! My art needed direction! So, I thought...hey...why can't I just put the glass on my paintings?? I did A TON of research and realized no one was doing this! And, when you work with glass for a long time, you become an expert at adhesives!!!! I knew I needed something archival and long lasting to hold all that glass in place. Epoxy resin was the answer. That was all about 8 years ago. People that see my art have so many questions and become completely enthralled with it. It led me to teach my craft and my students can't get enough of it either! Do you ever experience artist block? In what ways do you alleviate it? Sure! It's usually an energy block though. It only happens when I've been working too hard, or I have taken on too many projects. All I have to do is hit the road! We travel a lot. My 8 year old twins have been to Hawaii 4 times and Europe 3 times and this weekend, we're going to Chicago to see museums and art. I know I'll come home full of ideas!
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Could you explain how your creative process evolves from start to finish? Do you make rough sketches? Color studies? My creative process starts with a simple sketch. It's all I need to get a good composition down. Once that's there, it's all downhill! Usually I'll sketch out or paint out my design on my pre-painted canvas. Then, I'll fill it in with glass. When it's all done, I'll cover it with resin. What has been the most challenging aspect to becoming a full-time artist? Answer: Balancing it with motherhood. It's the toughest thing I've ever done. And, I'm constantly evaluating myself on that level too. I'm passionate about art, and I'm passionate about my kids. Passion can become intoxicating. Just like anything that you're crazy about. "Moderation" is a good word to chant over and over again! What is your favorite art piece that you’ve done? Hmmmm that's a tough one. I don't think I have one. I'm WAY too critical of myself and my work to have one. What is your most valued tool? Glass nippers Do you have an interesting story from your travels that you would like to share? Have you been able to exhibit your art in other countries? After 9/11, I decided I wanted to learn how to FLY an airplane. I was working on getting my multiengine commercial rating. Somehow, I ended up outside the ADIZ (Air Defense Intercept Zone) and was intercepted by 2 F-15s. I can't say that was such a great day, but it sure makes a great story!
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“After 9/11, I decided I wanted to learn how to FLY an airplane.”
As to exhibiting my art in other countries...the answer is yes! Two years ago I had a solo exhibition of my art at a gallery in the South of France. It was SO COOL to have all these wonderful people gasping at my art and I couldn't understand a word of what they were saying! Sometimes though, you don't need to know the words!
What is on the horizon for your art? Hmm...greater reach! Thanks to a trusted Art Dealer, my art is showcased in galleries in over 8 states. Affordable giclée prints of my art on canvas WITH glass and resin can be found in luxury stores and interior design showrooms. And then, there is the teaching aspect of what I do! I started a new business called, The Shard Shop! Now everyone can come in and make art like me!! www.shardshop.com Any final thoughts? Art is healing. It's therapy for our soul and our minds. It's something that's fun to do alone and with others. I strive to inspire others by taking something so beautiful (glass), cracking it up (k… so, now it's considered trash), and putting it back together (that's called ART!) in a way that is perfectly imperfect. And that is beauty that I think we can all see!
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BOE SPOTL
ERNE LIGHT
COVER STORY
JAY HEST 22 /
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The
Godfather of Boerne, Texas BY: Gabriel Diego Delgado
TER
All photographs courtesy of the artist.
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One of the first gallery spaces in downtown Boerne, TX
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n a recently renovated artist studio, Boerne artist Jay Hester is surrounded by his art, Civil War memorabilia and documentary references of oil & gas tycoon, George P. Mitchell. Hester is about to take a larger than life size clay sculpture of the ‘Grandfather of Fracking’ to the foundry to be cast in bronze, to be placed at the entrance of Texas A&M University in Galveston. His reputation precedes him, but his legacy is ever growing. Hester’s history is littered with aspects of evolution – reshaping the city of Boerne and its art community. After retiring as a Gallerist in 2013, Hester has been busy ever since. Reflecting his commanding personality, a mix of Wild Western cowboy charm and focused artist, Hester’s studio is full of activity with several large commissions. He touts new gallery representation and chairs multiple advisory positions, all the while balancing his coveted studio time. Nowadays, it’s hard to catch up with Hester, one of the original working professional artists of Boerne, to discuss the various projects, commissions and events that paved the road for such successes. “Boerne’s population was less than 5,000 when my wife, Judy and I moved here from Lubbock in 1988. Boerne had one gallery that closed before we got here…Bill Zaner was the only other professional artist in the area as we began to explore the art community”, says Hester.
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Jay Hester’s wife Judy has been a steady muse, support and inspirational partner in Hester’s lifelong pursuit of a tremendously successful career in the Fine Arts. The backbone of the administrative side of his studio operations, she provides great insight and historical information. “Before Jay established his studio on Main Street, he had a small studio in a log building located off of Frederick Street in Boerne. He began teaching a few classes and it was there that he was commissioned by USAA to do several paintings for the Zaragosa Theater at Six Flags in San Antonio, along with bronze sculpture for several executive offices, which included a sculpture of Charles Lindberg for General McDermott”, she says.
37 ft. clay wall mural circa 1981
“Boerne’s population was less than 5,000 when my wife, Judy and I moved here from Lubbock in 1988.”
Jay Hester circa 1985
As many Boerne-ites know, Jay Hester is the artist that designed and fabricated the bronze bust statue that sits atop the lime Rews/ Commentary/ Exhibitions/ News/ Events, August 2015,
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Cynthia Woods Mitchell, installed 2002
stone marker on the Veterans’ Memorial at the city of Boerne Veteran’s Park. “In 1992 Jay presented his idea for enhancing the significance of the Veteran's Park. Eventually, several veterans worked together with Jay to make this dream a reality and the unveiling of the bronze cap took place on Veteran's Day 1993”, says Judy.
“Lasting Friendship”
Fast forward a few years and things really begin to form, not only for the Boerne Art Community, but for Hester as well. “In 1994 Jay had an opportunity to buy the historic Kaiser/Oxley house. This limestone residence with adjoining property at 904 S. Main Street was converted to Jay Hester Studio/Gallery. The garage became classroom space and a sculpture studio was built a few years later,” continues Judy. With an established reputation and calling Boerne home for about six years, Hester’s professional connections, networking and city acknowledgement brought much needed progress.
George Mitchell
“In 1992 Jay pre significance of several veterans this dream a real 26 /
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Santa Fe , NM studio working on commissioned portrait
esented his idea for enhancing the f the Veteran's Park. Eventually, worked together with Jay to make lity ‌� Rews/ Commentary/ Exhibitions/ News/ Events, August 2015,
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This first open studio tour was the catalyst that brought about change, the event that planted the seed to help grow the arts environment. As Hester’s prominence grew in Boerne, he became the go-to guy for other artists as well as the City of Boerne.
Circa 1981
Judy explains how it seemingly all got started. “Mayor Heath invited Jay, along with a select group of performing and visual artists, to gather at his studio to discuss a formal Arts Council for Boerne. After eighteen months a 501 C3 was established and the Cibolo Council for the Arts began. Years later it became known as the Hill Country Council for the Arts, representing various art organizations.
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Veterans Plaza, Boerne
“It was at this studio that the first concept of the now coined ‘Parade of Artists’ began as an open house/studio tour at the request of then Mayor Patrick Heath”, says Hester.
Boerne, TX studio and gallery
Newly renovation Highland Street private studio 2015
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Young Cadet of George Mitchel, 2015
During this time, Jay met with several other professional artists to organize the Boerne Area Art Association.” Now with over 50 artists and regional associations and members, the Boerne Area Art Association morphed into the present day Boerne Professional Artist (BPA) Association. Under Hester’s supervision, guidance and initiative, the members of the BPA formed an invitational art exhibition originally exhibiting at the Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort & Spa. Starting with only 25 artists exhibiting, the fall event grew to over 40 artists with the help of Jay Hester and other board members. Going back to Hester’s own artistic lineage, the year 1997 brought another large scale commissioned sculpture; this time outside of Boerne, expanding his credentials to Fredericksburg, Texas. To commemorate the 150 year anniversary of the city of Fredericksburg, Hester was commissioned to create a sculpture depicting the arranged treaty between the Comanche Indians and the German settlers of Fredericksburg. "Lasting Friendship" is three heroic size bronze sculptures located at the Marktplatz in the center of Fredericksburg, a testament to Hester’s dedication to the history of the West and Texas. Eventually Jay Hester sold his Main Street property, but the studio was replaced with a hundred year old structure directly next to his own house on Highland Street.
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Circa 2000-2002 Hester did extensive renovations to the property and opened Highland House Art Gallery. He took on other local artists for representation, allowing the gallery to not only represent his own work, but that of others from the Boerne area, and eventually added private art classes and workshops.
“Under Hester’s supervision, guidance and initiative, the members of the BPA formed an invitational art exhibition originally exhibiting at the Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort & Spa.”
“During his years in Boerne, Jay has served on the Main Street Design Committee, Hotel/Motel Tax Advisory Board, and as an officer/chairman of various committees of the BPA, as well as operating Highland House Gallery for over ten years”, reminiscences Judy. Highland House Gallery officially closed its doors in 2013 as Hester decided to spend more of his energy on his own art and commissions. A full list of exhibitions from Hester’s career are too numerous to mention, but a spotlight of his curated selections from 2003-2008 include gallery representation at Mountain Trails Gallery in both Santa Fe and Jackson Hole, as well as Mountain Spirit Gallery in Prescott, Arizona. “More recently, Sage Creek and Worrell Gallery in Santa Fe have represented his art work. He has been a part of Brookwood Gallery near Houston and Hannah Gallery in Fredericksburg, as well as local galleries. For several years, Jay, along with Bill Scheidt and Sidney Sinclair, attended the Phippen Memorial Day Show in Prescott, AZ,” says Judy. In addition to his local gallery, Texas Treasures Fine Art, Hester continues to support the Museum George Mitchell Rews/ Commentary/ Exhibitions/ News/ Events, August 2015,
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in Kerrville and will be attending the "Traveling the West" Show in Dallas at Southwest Gallery. As he concludes the final touches on the large clay sculpture before the casting, Hester speaks of an affinity and respect of his subject. Judy interjects and adds valuable insight into Hester’s personal history with the Mitchell family and their support of his art. “The family of George Mitchell commissioned Jay to do a sculpture for the Woodlands, a planned community near Houston, of its founder. It was installed in 1997 which led to a commission of Cynthia Woods Mitchell in 2001. Both pieces are near the pavilion named in her honor. A few years later, Jay was asked to sculpt a heroic sized standing figure of Mr. Mitchell to be placed in Town Green Park overlooking the Woodlands Waterway. It was presented to Mr. Mitchell by the Woodlands Development Company and was unveiled in 2008 at a ceremony in his honor. “ However, this current depiction of the young cadet who will grow up to be a leading figure in the oil and gas industry is the first sculpture to be completed in Jay's new studio. As the looming figure on his metal armature base gazes out to the unforeseen distance, contemplating the uncertain future of Boerne and the Hill Country, we take comfort in knowing Jay Hester is still calling Boerne home and has more visions of city collaborations, art exhibitions and large scale sculptures.
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305 S. Main St Boerne, TX 78006 830.816.5106
Above: J. Morgan
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Photography and Design by: Gabriel Diego Delgado
Come See Our New Lines of Custom Framing Designs
COMMU
UNITY
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Photography and Design by: Gabriel Diego Delgado
Available at JR Mooney Galleries—Boerne / www.jrmooneygalleries.com / 830-816-5106
Russell Stephenson “First Frost” Oil on Panel 24” x 24”
COVER STORY
Bill Scheidt “Fall Fury” By: Gabriel Diego
All photographs courtesy of the artist
Delgado
A
ll artists know that output, production and patron interest comes in waves. There are dry spells and then there are booms of productivity, the same goes for exhibitions. An artist might stay busy creating a body of work to get ready for an exhibition, then more and more opportunities present themselves and then the artist needs to ride that wave through. For one retired Texas farrier and artist, this time is now. Boerne’s own western and wildlife painter, Bill Scheidt, is gearing up for a great fall season. With four major gallery exhibitions in August and September, he has been diligently working in the studio to prepare for his overbooked schedule. I recently sat down with Mr. Scheidt to talk about his upcoming exhibitions, life’s struggles and celebrations. In this dialogue, I think it is adequate to note he also talked about losing two colleagues in the art world who were influential in his art career, who died on the same day: Mr. Hershel Miller and artist Roy Lee Ward. Hershel Miller, owner and founder of the Woodstone Gallery in Kerrville, gave Scheidt his first gallery exhibition. Scheidt has remained with Miller since 1988 as a loyal artist providing artwork for the gallery until Miller’s death in July 2015. Scheidt’s friend, colleague and artist, Roy Lee Ward, also passed on July 13, 2015. Ward left behind a legacy that inspired many Texas artists including Scheidt, a career that included the distinguished “Texas State Artist” award, bestowed by the State of Texas legislature in 1995.
“Reflecting upon these circumstances, Scheidt has amiable merriments in how lucky he is and how fortunate he is to have such a successful career in the arts and the western and wildlife genre.” Reflecting upon these circumstances, Scheidt was happy to say how lucky and fortunate he is to have such a successful career in the arts and the western and wildlife genre. Full of energy, Scheidt talks about exhibition catalogs, exhibitions in other states, regional recognitions and meeting with Boerne Professional Artist association for the upcoming Texas Hill Country Invitational.
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As a member of the American Plains Artist association, Bill Scheidt is a featured artist in a group exhibition of the APA at the Great Plains Art Museum located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Opening August 7, 2015 and running through October, two paintings of Scheidt’s were selected for display that highlights his love for Native Americans and cowboys. However, regionally, Scheidt is taking part in “The Party”, a group exhibition at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville that opens on September 19, 2015. Again, two paintings that are on display reference his historical lineage to his farrier career. First is a painting of two up-close horses seeking shelter from the searing Texas heat. The other painting, a Native American in traditional headdress, was painted as part of a demo at J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art during the Boerne Professional Artist “Parade of Artists” showcase.
Bill Scheidt, 2015
“...he was awarded a oneman exhibition at Lee Bunch Studio Gallery in Del Rio.”
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Further south, Scheidt is gaining ground as he is proud to announce he was awarded a one-man exhibition at Lee Bunch Studio Gallery in Del Rio. Curated as a partnership between the artist and the gallery owner, Scheidt’s presence is accented with a collection of giclees and paintings highlighting current work in both the western and wildlife genres. September will allow Scheidt to revel in the past while participating in a group exhibition at J.R. Mooney Galleries-Boerne in “Antecedent / Au Courant”. Showing several paintings from 2006-2008, Scheidt is reenergized about showing vintage work recently re-acquired from a former colleague, artwork that represents a visual milestone in his Texas career. Look for Bill Scheidt this fall season as he makes the rounds at your local Boerne/Hill Country gallery, and wish him the best as he chalks up another year of good fortune.
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COVER STORY
SETH
By: Katherine Shevchenko, Art Consultant All photography courtesy of the artist
H CAMM “Humanist Painter of Life”
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o matter what subject San Antonio based artist Seth Camm is portraying, there is always an utter rawness to his execution that leads to discoveries that break the bounds of the medium of paint itself. Whether it is portraiture, still lives, florals, or a distinguished home, Camm can show the viewer an undeniable honesty. For Camm, the path of the arts has been a lifelong endeavor. “Well to begin, up until my teenage years, I didn’t know there was
“Watching Odd Nerdrum work, being in my early 20’s and having this experience —no words can describe the impact that this has had on my life and career…”
such a thing as an artist. I always expressed myself on paper growing up all thru elementary school and middle school. I never really concentrated on school work, usually always getting just barely getting by, with the teachers wanting to hold me back a year and my mom fighting them. I was in Special Ed. classes until 7th grade. I believe it was in high school, sitting in art class as my art teacher spoke that the light clicked on. The teacher described what an artist actually was, one who devoted themselves to art their entire life making paintings, etc. It was at that moment, with the first understanding of what an artist was, that I knew I wanted to be an artist.
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Reading a large book on art history and Modern art, I saturated myself in the understandings of art. I also started to visit the McNay Art Museum and copied the pictures there in pencil and paint, realizing in great astonishment that the artists I had read about were the same artists that were hanging on the wall.” Camm received his formal art training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where he received his MFA. Afterwards his studies continued with master figurative painter Nelson Shanks and then to Norway to study with eminent painter, Odd Nerdrum. “Watching Odd Nerdrum work, being in my early 20’s and having this experience--no words can describe the impact that this has had on my life and career. From watching how he worked, to seeing how he accepted students from all over the world, without charging a penny to study under him…Truly something amazing to witness and to strive for. [sic]” Camm has had many one man shows and received many awards for his art, of recent distinction the San Antonio Artist League Museum’s Artist of the Year of 2014. Camm reflects, “Being under 40 and having now two museum shows under my belt that I have shown at, it has braced me to reach out with my work more out into galleries throughout world and hold my work with better appreciation.” Even though Camm tends to paint directly from life, the conceptual potential for his subject matter is never limited. “As a general rule, I work exclusively from life. Lately, I have been feeling the urge to embrace more of a religious tone in my work. That said, I do at times feel a freedom in portraying what is in front of me yet pushing a theme and story into the work... It is a little bit, well, when working from life and you have something very good in front of you, adding elements to the work and pushing it into more of a narrative. This can either make a painting average, great, or you can ruin it. I’m working on my batting average, so to speak.” With every painting he does, Camm “tries to surpass his previous work and to continually raise the bar.” When a client commissions Camm for a portrait, in his own words, “They can usually expect an enjoyable conversation that naturally ebbs and flows from one spectrum to another, a glass of wine if desired, and a painting they are thrilled with. When they commission a house portrait or a still life, they can expect me to pour my entire self into the project, filling it with nuance and mystery.” Rews/ Commentary/ Exhibitions/ News/ Events, August 2015,
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“I started to document the homeless originally because as a beginning artist at the age of 18, I was constantly in search of people to sit for paintings…” 54/
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In a compassionate manner, Camm has chronicled the homeless and collected their stories, time and time again through his unflinching and raw portrayal in paint strokes. “I started to document the homeless originally because as a beginning artist at the age of 18, I was constantly in search of people to sit for paintings. So I did a few paintings of homeless people in the park. As time grew, and conversations intensified, I realized that many of these stories I was hearing were so foreign from my middle class single parent family. Then one day it hit me, I had to get a tape recorder and record these stories, to act as a bridge in a way, for all walks of life to be able to hear and understand these stories of the Homeless.”
“I hope my work can be a catalyst in transitioning the stories into universal themes of hope…”
Documenting humanity that has been dispossessed has affected his artistic growth to embrace a transcendent humanist vision. “Many of the stories and themes I run across within the homeless community I start to accept as part of a tragedy, a tragedy that I wish to tell in as many ways as possible from film to theater, seeing as the themes that affect the homeless run into all walks of society. Eventually I hope my work can be a catalyst in transitioning the stories into universal themes of hope, redemption, and all sorts of emotions that make life so great.” This has coalesced into The Homeless Project, also known as 7 Years Forgotten, which is currently a collaboration between himself and writer Danielle Gomes, who transcribes the stories to accompany the portraits, that are on display and available for purchase online. Rews/ Commentary/ Exhibitions/ News/ Events, August 2015,
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“Having witnessed humanity at its most despairing, Camm unwaveringly upholds a hopeful and empathic perspective on the human condition…”
Camm has exhibited his series at the Noyes Museum in New Jersey and Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. There was an ambition for the Homeless Project to become a nonprofit at one point, but Camm since decided to not pursue the status, stating, “In part, I am becoming a bit hesitant in forming a non-profit in that it would take my focus away from the main thrust of my homeless project and storytelling, as one friend put it, ‘you would always be chasing the dollar.’” In my work I wish to make it about the people, not spending a large portion of my time trying to raise funds to work on the project so, it’s back to a shoe string budget and working on it when I am able to.” In hopes of going beyond the confines of the canvas, Camm’s ambition is to present the stories to wider audiences, “As this project continues, I have hopes to turn this into a TV Series documenting the homeless through painting and retelling parts of their life with actors and scenes set up. This aspect of the project still needs funding. I’d also like to work with the live theater, to create events at which we can collect donations and go out on cold nights to give warmth and food to the homeless.” Possible ways that volunteers can reach out and assist in the Homeless Project, “So from the stand point of help, I would love any and all help from writers, to people that would want to listen to the stories and rewrite the story, editing it, to people volunteering as actors, to locations to use. To individuals wishing to go out and feed the homeless. I am still very far away from being able to accomplish some of these dreams but hoping to God that as I keep these dreams alive for 9 years, that they will have their time to be born.”
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Having witnessed humanity at its most despairing, Camm unwaveringly upholds a hopeful and empathic perspective on the human condition, “It has never made me in the least bit pessimistic. I guess it has made me more amazed to see just how we have been able to survive when faced with adversity.” See Seth Camm’s work on exhibit at JR Mooney Galleries this Fall. Seth Camm’s artist website, www.sethcamm.com Learn more about the Homeless Project www.7yearsforgotten.com
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Brea Ne
aking ews
PRESS RELEASE
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BOERNE PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Boerne, TX, 2015) –
Join J.R. Mooney Galleries - Boerne on Thursday Sept. 17, 2015 from 4 pm to 8 pm for the first series in the new ‘Third Thursday’ art events. The artwork in “Antecedent / Au Courant” is deep-rooted with the artist, but fresh to the gallery as the institution explores various genres and aspects of represented artists.
Antecedent / Au Courant -Director’s cut of “new” artwork by represented artists Over time artists sometimes change subject matters, aesthetic, content and genre, and in Antecedent / Au Courant J.R. Mooney Galleries is focused on exhibiting innovative as well as longstanding paintings by a group of artists; giving voice to multidisciplinary aspects of artists’ diverse careers. Boerne artist, Sidney Sinclair, known for her hazy ephemeral paintings, has once again revisited the portrait; something that she has not explored in over three years. Western and wildlife painter, Bill Scheidt, has been lucky to re-acquisition some of his earlier paintings from 2006-2008, ones that highlight his love for cattle, Native Americans and the great outdoors. J. Morgan, J.R. Mooney Galleries’ premier red poppy painter has begun an investigation in abstraction with a series of metallic background floral paintings; leaving behind the Tuscan landscape genre. Morgan revives his painterly appeal in these magnetic metallics. R. Henderson, a country-time rooster painter has expanded his animal repertoire to include cattle, cows, hippopotamuses, roosters, and other wildlife in his signature pop art style. Jose Vives-Atsara, one of San Antonio’s most collected vintage artists will be represented with a body of still life paintings, landscape, and floral paintings; bringing to light artwork from the archived collection of the gallery and exhibit portions of the aftermarket collection that have not been seen in over 20 years. Contemporary Texas landscape painter Cliff Cavin has been going strong for over 25 years, highlighting aspects of the Texas and New Mexico topography. In Antecedent / Au Courant, Cavin relishes in the earlier days of hill country nostalgia with his vintage impressionisms. Seth Camm, a Texas based and prolific impressionistic painter works within several genres, and J.R. Mooney Galleries now has the privilege of showcasing the ‘home’ as well as ‘people’ portrait series to illustrate his artistic assortments. Reviews/ Commentary/ Exhibitions/ News/ Events, August 2015,
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Photography and Design by: Gabriel Diego Delgado
Custom Framing Conservation Museum Fine art Photography shadow boxes Ready-Mades More
Original Paintings Giclees & Prints Picture Lights
1.800.537.9609 210.828.8214 830.816.5106
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FRAM
MING
Framing Business
Frame Focus on Jepara J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art has many incredible frame choices, one example being the Jepara collection from Larson-Juhl速.
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Framing Business These exquisite frames are handcrafted from the shell of the Placuna placenta or the windowpane oyster, a mollusk that is a renewable resource harvested from the Java Sea and Indian Ocean for its transparent and luminous shells. The collection’s namesake, Jepara is a small Indonesian town also known for its teak furniture industry, which contributes to its prosperity. Capiz is also another name for the shell and the geographical region on the northern coast of the Philippines, where the mollusk is also bounteous. The shell’s surface has a sheen like mother of pearl, with iridescent effects that are amplified by the light, thereby contributing to its desirability to be utilized in a wide range of decorative applications in jewelry, house wares and interior embellishments.
“The shell’s surface has a sheen ...with iridescent effects that are amplified by the light”
Due to their stability and cost effectiveness compared to traditional glass, they are commonly used for windows in Southeast Asia. The strength of the shell has even been studied by graduate researchers at MIT, which will use their findings to possibility develop synthetic materials to be used in creating transparent armor, like facial protective masks and bullet proof windows. Its potential is completely boundless, with many endless creative possibilities. The frame moulding has the shell inlaid over it, and comes in varying widths. A minimalistic design with a traditional twist, alone or paired with another frame, this is an excellent framing choice that is an art piece on its own. ©Katherine Shevchenko, Art Consultant J.R. Mooney Galleries, Boerne, TX
Sources: For more Information on the Jepara collection Larson Juhl website: http://www.larsonjuhl.com/p-4493-398810.aspx?itemid=8218&CatId=439 To see framing inspiration and ideas for the Jepara moulding check out the Larson Juhl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.712705305455177.1073741857.128531783872535&type=3 To read up further on the findings at MIT: http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/tough-nails-yet-clear-enough-read-through Other sources: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-capiz.htm
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Custom Framing at Its Best J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art is a full service gallery that includes a custom frame design center within both locations: San Antonio and Boerne, Texas. With such unique facilities, J.R. Mooney Galleries not only has the ability to frame everyday documents like diplomas, family photographs, prints and posters, but they also have the ability to fabricate custom, museum quality and archival fine art display presentations that include shadowboxes, cases and custom cabinetry. Illustrated are three examples of the custom frame designers and fabricators ability to meet the demands of unique and sometimes seemingly impossible custom framing requests. These examples include a Civil War quilt, a series of Texas Livestock Show and Rodeo belt buckles and a military appreciation and memorial flag shadowbox. J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art has provided framing services for every American President since John Kennedy and every Texas Governor since John Connally. The galleries have also supplied framing services to the Vatican, the Royal Palace in Madrid and Queen Beatrix of Holland, as well as to major collections and collectors in Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.
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“J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art has provided framing services for every American President since John Kennedy and every Texas Governor since John Connally.� Rews/ Commentary/ Exhibitions/ News/ Events, August 2015,
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D
esigning a gallery wall within a home is especially creative when one arranges collections using salon- style as a guide. Frequently art lovers enter the gallery and express appreciation for art and the desire for additions to their collection. However, there is concern for displaying any new work to their space. This is a nice problem to have as many fond memories are often linked to images of special parts of the world, happy childhood activities, or times gone by. Change is sometimes required to add freshness and renewed interest to art, as well as make room for new acquisitions. There are some who resist change; others are ready to start anew. This is understandable, however changing the location maybe all that is required to serve a variety of needs. Thinking vertically when hanging artwork can maximize space. A simple example is a stacked group of a trio of framed paintings. It has the added benefit of drawing the eye up and enhances the room’s height. An added bonus is enjoying the art with renewed interest. Salon-style encourages more room for display and at its ultimate the display of works from floor to ceiling. This might be too radical for some; however, a modified method involves building display around furniture - a sofa, desk or credenza - and limiting the work to several stacks around the furniture and leaving room at the ceiling and floor, if the number of art works is less or the preferred way of display.
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This method has been around for centuries and has European influence. Essentially it is displaying in groupings. Be bold and fill a whole wall with a composition of framed art! Mismatched frames in unusual dimensions add interest. The variety in size and shape adds freedom to the collection and might even benefit from dimensional display using a sconce for visual interest, lettering or objects of interest. Salon-style ultimately liberates and one can make additions as time goes by if one chooses. This method is favored by art lovers and collectors, and looks very stylish. Not only is salon-style a look I love, but one I’ve relied on for years, even as I’ve down sized. It is less formal, you don’t have to be perfect and is a look that is confidant and the results can be amazing. Before hammering any nails into the walls, design your area by tracing around each framed picture and cutting out the shape. Place the largest in the center and at eye level. Arrange the other outlines around the central focal point. Use painters tape to secure the outlines to the wall adjusting as necessary. This method allows corrections and the finished wall to be previewed before any nail has been hammered. This method brings the sum of its parts into a whole that is expressive of its owner and additions and deletions can be enjoyed. It is worth exploring and modifying to one’s unique needs. © Betty Houston, Art& Framing Consultant
“Salon “Salon--style encourages more room for display and at its ultimate the display of works from floor to ceiling.” Reviews/ Commentary/ Exhibitions/ News/ Events, August 2015,
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Photography and Design by: Gabriel Diego Delgado
Custom Framing Conservation Museum Fine art Photography shadow boxes Ready-Mades More
Original Paintings Giclees & Prints Picture Lights
1.800.537.9609 210.828.8214 830.816.5106
www.jrmooneygalleries.com
AUCT
TION
Jose Vives-Atsara was born in Vilafranca del Panades in the Catalonian region of Spain on April 30, 1919. He studied art at Saint Raymond College and the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona; coming to San Antonio in 1956. Within twenty years, he became one of Texas’ most distinguished artists.
Jose Vives-Atsara
His mastered palette knife technique lent itself to bold color gestures, intuitive mark making, and swatches of bright and colorful hues bringing the Texas, Mexican and Spanish landscapes to life. Known for his florals, landscapes, and renditions of Texas scenes, Vives-Atsara made a name during a time when artistic liberties were a far reach in the genre of traditional landscape painting.
$10,500.00 (framed)
(1919-2004)
The Guadalupe River, Texas 24” x 18” Oil
Early in his artistic career and living in several countries including Spain, Venezuela, and Mexico City, Jose struggled financially, but with a charismatic and colorful personality and a personal drive to economically care for his growing family, Vives-Atsara befriended many. In the varied environments he found himself, he discovered an eclectic array of visual stimulus. For many years Jose was in great demand as a lecturer and teacher. He was the Artist-InResident at Incarnate Word College, San Antonio, Texas. Although Mr. Vives-Atsara studied with many well-known European teachers, he insisted that he was continually learning about painting, and throughout his life his range of subjects continued to grow. Vives-Atsara matured into a style that was dictated by his use of palette knife, using swatches of color, striking the paint with the edge of the knife, drawing out the paint into a linear burst of organic explosions. Gesture became important, coupled with movement; his flow across the subjects, the landscape and composition. Highlights of his artistic career include a city of San Antonio initiated gift to the Pope John Paul II for the Vatican presented by Archbishop Patrick Flores in 1987 to painted contributions within the art collection of Juan Carlos, King of Spain. Vives-Atsara is represented in such collections as the Museum of Modern Art, Spain; Fort Worth Art Museum, Texas; the State Capitals of many southern states of the United States. His work is also in many private collections in the United States, Spain, Mexico and Venezuela.
© Gabriel Diego Delgado
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(Below: Previous auction results)
Cliff Cavin (1951)
September Sunlight $1,775.00 (framed) 14” x 18” Oil
(Below: Previous auction results)
An artistic purist guided by a timehonored aesthetic principle and mentored by great painters like Warren Hunter, George Hughey, William Reese and Wilson Hurley, Cliff Cavin, (b. 1951) a San Antonio painter, finds comfort and freedom in traditional Impressionistic Landscape Painting. Focusing his attentions to the vast openness of the South Texas region and the ever expanding deserts of New Mexico, Cavin’s intuitive choreographed artistic calculations in his scenic and visual color Soirées create stylized paintings that capture the ambiance of subtle environmental illuminations. Cavin is a purist, dedicated to the capturing of light, of atmosphere, of sub-stratospheric heavens. This painterly alchemy and impressionistic rendition captures this ideal moment in time Cavin’s intent has always been to visually address the atmospheric light of the various topographies, including his “first love”- New Mexico, while addressing the various terrains of his home state of Texas. Overall, the artwork is packed full of Cavin’s own preference for stark contrasting shadows, playing out across the desert plains and the serene rolling hill county. Painted from photographs of his annual expeditions to New Mexico as he basks in the heroic after-steps of his artistic idols, Cavin will often take thousands of images of Ghost Ranch, Red Rock, Nambe, Santa Fe and other key locations around the Texas/ New Mexico border. Using the photograph as reference, Cavin paints what he felt, saw and experienced. The paintings bestow an artistic aura that glows with an impressionistic simplification. The technical success epitomizes why Cliff Cavin is one of San Antonio’s most underrated artists of San Antonio. These unpretentious landscapes are so articulate in his application of color and tone variances that the simplistic style is actually an acute understanding of the terrain and a painterly technique honed by Cavin over the last few decades as he studied his favorite sites. With a host of gallery representations including Nanette Richardson Fine Art, San Antonio; Mountain Trails, Santa Fe; Southwest Gallery, Dallas; Bill Zaner Studio & Gallery, Boerne and J.R. Mooney Galleries, San Antonio/Boerne, among several others. Institutional exhibitions include the Dallas Heritage Museum, the Briscoe Western Art Museum, the Kerrville Cultural Center, Universidad Autonoma de Coahuila, Mexico; and 14 years with the Alamo Kiwanis Club Western Art Invitational coupled an 8 year history at the National Western Art Foundation Night of Artists: Museum Exhibition. Cavin’s history showcases clients from McAllen to Dallas, from San Antonio to Mexico City.
© Gabriel Diego Delgado
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Donald Yena (B. 1933)
Old Hide Out $1,200 (framed) 9” x 12” watercolor
Donald M. Yena (born 1933) is a nationally renowned and professional western artist and collector of 1800’s Texas artifacts. Donald Yena came to Texas at the age of three and grew up on a farm near Castroville. He entered the San Antonio's Vocational and Technical High School, graduating in 1953. Yena also attended the Hunter School of Commercial Art, receiving a Certificate of Completion in 1962. His historically accurate western paintings tell the story of South Texas; everything from the vaquero to the long horn cattle drives to the battles with Native Americans and Mexican insurgents. Yena’s vast collection of rare firearms, antiques, and collectables has enabled him to illustrate detailed scenes in his signature paintings with pinpoint accuracy. An elite patron and philanthropic supporter for San Antonio’s Witte Museum, Yena and his wife have donated over 2,000 artifacts to the museum’s collection. Major collections of his artwork can be found in the Witte Museum, Petroleum Club of San Antonio, and various banks and other institutions. © Gabriel Diego Delgado
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(Below: Previous auction results)
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Custom Framing
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305 S. Main St Boerne, TX 78006
Inside the Gallery
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Custom Framing Conservation Museum Fine art Photography shadow boxes Ready-Mades More
Original Paintings Giclees & Prints Picture Lights
1.800.537.9609 210.828.8214 830.816.5106
www.jrmooneygalleries.com