The Laura Russo Gallery Featues Two New Shows in December

Written by Rachel Bergowicz Thursday, 01 December 2011 21:26

Portland, Oregon.- The Laura Russo Gallery is proud to present two new shows, " Eric Stotik : New Work" and " Frank Boyden : Selected Ceramics", both shows remain on view through December 24th. Eric Stotik presents small, intimate narratives that raise questions about identity, loss, interconnection and the human condition. Incorporating dreamlike figures and settings that warrant further investigation, Stotik’s paintings probe a darker side of the psyche, aiming for, as the artist says, “insight with a gasp.” Stotik explains that during the last two decades, “My focus on the human form and pathos has not wavered. My intention of presenting viewers with both accusatory and celebratory images with ‘gravity’ is unchanged. The combination of technical skill in draftsmanship, composition, and visual impact, with concurrent themes of human life and death has always been and remain my artistic compass.”

Eric Stotik grew up between Papua, New Guinea and Melbourne, Australia. As an adult, he came to Portland to study art at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, where he graduated in 1985. He won the prestigious Betty Bowen Memorial Award in 1994 and was Artist in Residence at the Vivian and Gordon Gilkey Center for the Graphic Arts, Portland Art Museum in 1997. Most recently, he was named the Regional Arts and Culture Council’s 2011 Fellow in Visual Arts. He has shown his work extensively throughout the Northwest, and his work is included in the collections of: the Hallie Ford Museum at Willamette University, Salem; the Portland Art Museum ; the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art , Utah; Idaho State University; the New York Public Library ; and Yale University.


Frank Boyden has exhibited his work in museums and galleries throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. In this new show, he has selected favorite pieces from his studio, exhibiting rarely-seen ceramics from across his career. Also included in the exhibit are new collaborative works with ceramist Tom Coleman, in a collection that combines technical mastery with the dark humor of Boyden’s subversive, skeletal line drawings. Boyden’s work retains an organic and dimensional quality, the vessels’ innate color and texture revealed by the intense heat of the kiln. Boyden works the materials to his own advantage, accepting only a select few for their exceptional and arcane presence. Frank Boyden graduated from Yale in painting in 1968. He taught at the University of New Mexico in the late 60s where he became interested in ceramics. He returned to the Oregon coast to live and founded the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology: a school for environmental studies. Boyden’s work is in collections including the Smithsonian Institution , Washington, D.C.; the Pushkin Museum in Moscow; the Portland Art Museum; the Tacoma Art Museum ; and Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. Major sculpture commissions include; the Hult Performing Arts Center, Eugene; the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport; Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Portland; and Tri-Met Transit Authority, Portland.

Established in 1986, the Laura Russo Gallery is one of the most beautiful showcases for art in the Pacific Northwest, exhibiting work of the highest quality by both established and emerging artists. They represent contemporary Northwest artists working in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, works on paper, and fine art prints. Their art encompasses a diversity of styles, ranging from landscape to abstract expressionism. The gallery features solo exhibitions on a monthly basis, as well as selected group shows and special exhibitions. The Laura Russo Gallery represents the finest in Contemporary Northwest art, as well as work by several internationally recognized artists. The estate collections of some of the region's most renowned early artists are also available through the gallery. The gallery is distinguished by its dedication to customizing services to the needs of clients. A knowledgeable, professional staff utilizes a wealth of regional and national resources to fully realize the fine art needs of both private and corporate clients. Visit the gallery's website at ... http://www.laurarusso.com

---

Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~