Last Friday, I took a stroll through the School for the Visual Arts Winter Open Studios, visiting graduate student studios on two floors. Here are a few highlights:
Steven Bindernagel
I have a thing for pods and pod-like patterns, so of course I enjoyed Steven’s work. Here is one painting, plus a few marker drawings
Negar Ahkami
Negar’s work is bountiful convergence of Persian and American references, from high and low culture, packed into these jewel-like images where the women’s bodies are built up to have an almost bas-relief feel to them. A harem, lounging atop a space-invaders kilim…
You really need to see these beauties up close, there is a lot going on…
(detail)To see earlier work of Negar’s, go to this link.
Sangbin Park
One after the other, a length of wire was connected to many spools of thread and then spun with a hand drill, to create these standing coils. He’s made a whole “lawn” of these enchanting little sculptures … plus some luminous threadlike drawings.
Keep an eye out for his work, coming soon to the bowieart.com website (yes, david bowie’s art website) Sangbin’s work will be under Student Artists.
Peter Gregorio
Contemplation 11, 72in. x 72in., Oil on Canvas, 2005Walking into Peter’s studio was literally like stepping back into another time and place. These are enormous paintings -- a good 2 1/2 feet taller than I am -- and I felt like I was walking into these mystical settings….all of which are inspired by places and architecture in India, where Peter has lived many years, at many times.
To see more of his work, go to his site: www.petergregorio.com
Jill Alexander
Metropolitan Hotel, watercolorJill’s studio was filled with beautifully executed watercolor paintings of buildings in the day, and at the night… take a look at her work on line to see more at this link.
Casino at Night, watercolorRicky Sears
I didn’t get to meet this artist, but I liked what was going on in his studio. Here are two snapshots. Lots of buildings, rendered in drawing, collage and painting… often accompanied by mirror images and an interplay of postive/negative spaces.
Hope you enjoyed this work – and will share your comments with these up and coming artists, who are all working their tails off at school. This open studio event at the School of the Visual Arts happens each term -- December… and May. We’ll make sure to alert you to the next one. It is a wonderful way to see many kinds of artwork and to meet emerging artists.
- Amy Chase
(not Maxwell)
check out The Labyrinth on Peter Gregorio's website, it was a little tricky to figure out as all good mazes should be.
There was a beautiful Ricky Spears piece in the Armory Show last year so he's already enjoying some success.