BRAUNSTEIN/QUAY - MINA DRESDEN - STUDIO 3579 - BACK TO THE PICTURE - QUEENS NAILS PROJECTS - 02.28.09 - (with assistance from R.W. Miller)

Braunstein/Quay Gallery: Craig Nagasawa - Missed Aches; Martha & Richard Shaw - What We Did on Our Summer Vacation.

Comment by AB: Love those Richard Shaw ceramics-- such unerring replications of everyday objects, you think you're looking at the real thing. Plus according to the scorecard, Martha and Richard Shaw did a summer residency at the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine where Martha made a series of tiles and Richard did a series of plates based on the willowware pattern (whatever that is). I see the plates, but can't find the tiles. The walls of the main gallery are festooned with Craig Nagasawa paintings, abstract representational blends referencing mind, body, interior, exterior, hope and affirmation. Count me in on that one. As if that's not enough, a violin/guitar/banjo extravaganza holds court in the southeast quadrant of the gallery. And the place is packed.

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Mina Dresden Gallery: Portrayals.

Artists: Kevin Earl Taylor, Dion, Lee Harvey Roswell, Arlo Jamrog, Mr. Ben Venom. Curated by Jessica Wallen.

Comment by AB: A rollicking crowd is regaled by portrait and figure paintings of atypical essence, and no shortage of characters in attendance to energize the atmosphere.

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Back to the Picture: Paint, Print, & Stitch - Reflections on Nature.

Artists: Christine Cariati, Deborah Franzini, Victoria Kirby.

Review by R.W. Miller: Life explodes in this wonderful collection of art about our connection to the verdant natural world. The art exhibited is ornate with juxtapositions and color. Birds and plants live in the paintings rich with hues of Spring and Fall. Even the beautifully rendered insects are welcoming, and nature in Fall is idealized with spirals of falling leaves. With traditional evolution essentially over because of the recent ascent of humans to dominance of the planet, here you see the beauty of what might likely survive in this new world paradigm.

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Queens Nails Projects: Fun-A-Day.

Comment by AB: A whole bunch of artists produce one work of art per day for the entire month of January. And here we have the results. It's that simple and no more complicated, and allow yourself plenty of time for perusal purposes if you intend on attending. Learn more at Artclash Collective.

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