by Abigail M. Wolfe Riverwest art can be found in the most out-of-the-ordinary places, if the seeker is ingenious enough to look for it. Take Gallery Night, for example. When Mother Nature turns down the temper-ature, a cozy gallery complex is certainly inviting. With works tucked into a bakery, pinned to a wall, or glued to a tabletop, the artists on display Friday night, April 19, were daring, eclectic, and very fond of the “do-it-yourself” approach. Krueger Art Complex (formerly Krueger’s Bakery) The Bakery Show 2678 N. Holton Street Demonstrating that art can be appreciated in any setting, the Bakery Show used any available space to showcase contributors. Heather Eiden’s ceramic charkas, petit fours, and painted tiles nestled next to Ariana Huggett’s geometrically diverse jewel-toned acrylic wood plaques in the bakery display cases. Taped to the walls, Erik Johnson’s pastel drawings of airplane-topped creatures and eyeball-infested forms hinted at vignettes better left to the artist to explain. Chris Niver’s blunt studies of monochromatic symmetry on stark backgrounds certainly proved that less is more. Riverwest Artists Association 2670 N. Holton Street “Over/Worked” http://www.riverwestart.org “Over/Worked” explored the theme of repetition, pattern and the serial, exposing the artists’ interpretation of the power of “sequentialism,” whether confined to paper or focused within the human existence. From Renee Staeck’s series of small water-stained paper squares overwhelmed with infinitesimal, intricate, and involved ink drawings, to Paul Stoelting’s studied attention to the delicacy of negative space, many of the works proved that even chaos can be organized. Bridget Griffith-Evans’ series of four interpretations of two girls and a sheep, as well as Jody Dunphy’s earth-toned drawings covered with little white arrows, echoed the truism “God is in the details.” Luckystar Gallery 2676 N. Holton Street Andrea Picard: Collagist http://www.luckystarstudio.com/ Painter and collagist Andrea Picard of Chicago spared no surface when she lacquered and painted old recipes, vintage magazine ads, and other whimsical, colorful cutouts to furniture, mirrors, and whatever medium would stand still long enough to create her vision of what mixed media really means. Kitschy-kitschy cool, and the prices are reasonable, too! Don’t miss the sparkly jewelry and clothing in back — these fanciful creations celebrate old-fashioned glamour on a budget. Apex Gallery 2672 N. Holton Street Devil Gas a Go-Go a benefit for AIDS programs in the Midwest http://communities.msn.com/MilwaukeeAIDSRideFundraiserevents The Apex Gallery insisted that Devil Gas a Go-Go was “the ultimate low-brow collection,” and gallery goers weren’t disappointed by the provocative title. A fundraiser and raffle for the Heartland AIDS Ride, this “crash & carry” art sale was punctuated with music by Divine Invasion, Doormouse, and DJ Dong. Excellent libations were guaranteed by the event’s sponsors, a trio of local micro-breweries and Cafe Montmartre. Manic colors and flashy freak fun art (don’t miss “The Dick Bacon Experience”) rounded out the benefit for a great cause.
by Abigail M. Wolfe