A running account of life in the gallery and arts district

Monday, December 31, 2007

Painting after midnight

Painting this work for the last few weeks has been like an addiction. I come up to my studio and can't get out without painting at least a few marks on this canvas.That turns in to an obsessive trip using wax and oils to cloud and obscure, then fresh marks added to later be hidden or buried under fresh layers of medium.
This painting came from an experiment with red. Seeing if one could draw the eye away from the most optically desired color and off to a busy world of marks and circles. It is doable.
The painting is not done but it is close.
Hiding elements under wax and oil, then retelling the tale, again and again, make the work endlessly changing, endlesly deep, and as my friend Bill Seibert says, "hiding what you say makes people want to ask more questions"

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Wines of Lane County

We just opened a bottle 2005 Pfeiffer Blue Dot Pinot Noir. My God what a wine! Soft and complex, with berry and plum, balanced acid and with a richness not seen in many Pinots. I think the 2006 is as good and I barrel tasted the 07 last week with Robin...big things await!

We also enjoy Benton Lane Pinot Noir, a very different wine, much lighter and still complex. The 04 with 90 points was one of the top 100 wines in Wine Spectator who said this about the 06 with 92 points: Lithe and refreshing, with a lovely blueberry note at the center, offering graceful hints of plum and delicate spices as the finish rolls on. Distinctive and welcoming, this should develop well.
Drink now through 2015. 667 cases made.
—Harvey Steiman, 10/12/07

Eugene Opera's Magic Flute

Mozart meets Gibson (Mel) in a romp through pseudo Central America. Angry Gods and their minions plague a lost prince and his bird brained companion on their attempt to find love, or at least a little nosh, some wine, and a comfortable place to sleep. Protected by a set of silver bells and a flute, they are put to three tests of their will. one passes, the other dies a horrible...oh wait, that's another opera, no one dies in this one fortunately. They both get the girl they deserve by the final act: Tamino(Peter Sovitzky) gets Pamina(Eun Hee Kim) and Papageno gets Papagena
(
Lindsay Cafferkey)
Great singing on the part of the bad/good guy. Sarastro ( Steven Gallop) , the first Lady
( Kristin Vogel) , Papageno( Andrew Wilkowske) , and the Queen of the Night ( Bronwen Forbay) (in the second act).
I recommend seeing it for the lighting, sets, singing, acting, and the costumes.
Beware there are some disturbing man boobs on display.
Eugene Opera is on it's way to a great comeback from the abyss. We support them in their efforts!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Coming up in The Gallery District


New shows are up, new restaurants, and some new shops are open!

  • Karin Clark has new work by Eugene artist and teacher, Adam Grosowsky. Lively work, colorful. VERY POPULAR.

  • OPUS6IX Gallery is showing Anne Teigen. Paintings about painting are shown in the gallery along with the 150+ artist, ceramists, jewelers, and much more. Nice article on her show in Eugene Weakly (sic)