#bos 2013

[cubiclecreative]

My current project, the Lady Face Project, features 100 portraits of women whom I admire.  Come see the entire cast at Bushwick Open Studios this weekend!  June 1-2.

Also featuring paintings by Lisa Gutting. 

[artsinbushwick]

BOS '13 Community Day Lineup and Preview!

by Lauren D. Smith

Click here for Spanish version of the Community Day Flier

[artsinbushwick]

Open Studio Artist Profile: Samuel T. Adams

By Talia Shulze

Samuel T. Adams is an artist based in Bushwick. He completed his Masters of Fine Art from S.V.A. in 2009 and has exhibited widely - everywhere from California to Berlin, and of course Brooklyn. VIsit Samuel and see his work during Bushwick Open Studio at 117 Grattan Street, #416 from 12-7 on June 1st and 2nd. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

I'm working on a few different projects; they're all tied together by aspects of material investigation. In many cases my paintings are literally direct results from making previous paintings.  I've been building these sculptural stretchers/ structures and wet-sanding paintings on them until they bleed through the back; they are then re-stretched inside out, revealing only the stains and strains, a ghost image of sorts. These actions of wet-sanding (drips, pools, grit) are captured on plastic tarps, and adhered onto canvases via an acrylic transfer process, creating another set of paintings.  Canvas tarps on my studio floor are intricately masked and for weeks collect dirt, debris, and paint; they are then un-masked and modified to create another set of paintings.  It's an ongoing cyclical process of construction and deconstruction.

Besides making work, I'm a cinephile of sorts.  

What is your favorite aspect of having your studio in Bushwick?

I've been here six years now. Of course the neighborhood has changed, but I've enjoyed having more and more options and destinations: more places to eat, drink, see, do... Some of my closest friends are within short walking distance (or in my building), which is also a plus.

Do you have any upcoming projects or shows?

I'm looking forward to a couple group shows, in 2014.  Details to come...

What type of music do you listen to in the studio?

I listen to all kinds of stuff, heavy rotation.  The past couple weeks it's been the recent releases of Dirty Beaches, Pharmakon, Colin Stetson, Mark Templeton, and Dean Blunt.

Are there other artists that you recommend visiting over Bushwick Open Studio weekend?

Definitely looking forward to seeing Patrick Berran's paintings at Storefront Gallery and at 49 Stewart, EJ Hauser (at 144 Forrest) , and Amelia Midori Miller, amongst others.

[artsinbushwick]

Second Meeting of Bushwick Art Crit Group Introduces 16 Artists

by Juniper Alcorn

Last Wednesday night the Bushwick Art Crit Group held their second meeting at Brooklyn Fire Proof East. Founded by Christopher Stout in March, the group is designed to provide a supportive network for local artists to preview their work and receive critical and creative feedback. There is no fee to present, and the public is welcome to attend meetings. The typical meeting structure presents six area artists, each allotted 10-minute presentations of their work accompanied by a slide show, including question and answer with the audience.  

  The second meeting was a “preview” of a selection of artists who will be exhibiting work at Bushwick Open Studios. With sixteen artists, presentation time was limited to three minutes apiece with only two slides of images. Presentations were also more guided than a typical Crit Group meeting: artists were asked to comment on their relationship to Bushwick, their previous work, and the work they will be presenting at Bushwick Open Studios. Q&A was meant to be limited to three minutes per artist but at ten artists in it was clear the meeting would be going well over time to get to everyone.

Given that it was a “preview” meeting, the variety of work covered, which ranged from film to ceramics to wax sculpture to photography to drawing, was a brilliant microcosm of the work you will see around Bushwick at the end of the month. However the number of artists presenting was a bit ambitious, and the goals of the meeting a little bit unclear: critique? PR? Exhibition? A number of artists presented without comment or receiving only a single superficial comment (“What are the dimensions of the piece?” was a favorite, and received no follow up). Surprisingly, even after a number of people left at the official 8:30 end time, discussion became liveliest toward the end of the meeting. Even then, however, it was limited by the display of work by each artist. With only two slides to accompany a three minute presentation covering their relationships to Bushwick, their background in the arts, and their current work, it was rare that discussion focused on a particular image at all, rather than the entire project which could only be hinted at. For works in progress, this must be helpful, but the breadth of presentations, accompanied by narrow examples and limited time for discussion, seemed to preemptively abbreviate consistent contributions from the audience.

  Bushwick Art Crit Group will return to their original ten minute format for their next meeting in July. Artists interested in presenting for critique at the next meeting can contact Christopher Stout for more information.

[artsinbushwick]

BOS Benefit Raffle & Art Presale

by Ruth Nineke

Despite the dreary weather Sunday night's Arts In Bushwick BOS Benefit at Grace Exhibition Space at 840 Broadway drew a remarkable turnout. With more than 100 guests, and featuring the works of over 50 neighborhood artists, the event was delightful precursor for this year's festival weekend.

Various pieces – ranging in style and medium from ink to painting, collage, sculpture, and laser-print – were raffled off at $60 a ticket. The raffle portion of the evening kicked off at 8:00 and was announced by the incomparable, Dr. Lisa. Nearly every work sold, and several enthusiastic and generous patrons picked up their very own Limited Edition “Bushwick Map 2013” signed by the artist, Loren Munk.

Featured artists in attendance included Charles Laib Bitton - whose ink illustrations explore balance and dimension (pictured above; photo courtesy the artist); designer Sessa Englund – whose paintings address conflicting emotion by way of textures; Olivia L. Barr – whose two part series on love letters includes her grandfather’s writings to her grandmother printed by laser onto cloth; and Dean KindAndGenerous – a tattoo artist who practices on pig skins, and preserves them in resin.

Also in attendance were ritualist Emily Tepper, digital artist Makeba Laurent Van Noten, and BOS organizers Holly Shen Chaves, Samantha Katz, Lauren Ann Smith and Lucia Rollow.

The event was sponsored by Supreme Digital, with catering services provided by Citizen Mominette, and refreshments from Brooklyn Brewery and Big Tree Bottles.