Check out my latest post in Nashville Visual Artists!

Mandy Rogers Horton

  

Check out my latest post in Nashville Visual Artists!

Ariel Lavery-Sculptor

Check out the latest installment of my documentary on Nashville Visual Artists!

John Perry- Painter

John Perry makes works of art that speak the story of all the things in our world and the spaces they contain. His process is almost as intriguing as the work itself. I got to learn more about John's work when I visited his studio.

What is the theme of your work?

It’s about the narrative that is naturally found in visual composition-the organization and design of visual elements. For example, when two elements are against each spatial tension is created, and spatial tension could result in feelings of discomfort, or on the opposite side of the spectrum in feelings of intimacy.-human emotions. So in the non-representational work  I do, abstract elements are narrative and represent something. The placement of elements of what’s in front, what’s behind, figure/ground experimentation etc in the work can generate a sense of history which is also creating narrative. It’s all a metaphor for how things in nature respond to each other; the pairing of opposite things into combinations that are powerful. I think  a lot of times we miss what is powerful and beautiful, and so I try to bring attention to these things. I use paint to explore what I’m learning about the world.

The mark making of my process varies from using the palette  knife in order to scrape paint on the surface to allowing the paint to freeze and thaw which creates shards and crystals of color to using a leaf blower to blast large movements from one end of the piece to the other.

What inspires you to do your work?

Being outside in nature and seeing the beauty in natural things inspires me to find beauty in the process of painting. I’m inspired by the patterns I find in nature and also how things relate when they’re next to each other, the juxtaposition of elements. That tension is very interesting and can be reunderstood in a multitude of ways depending on its context.

What are the goals for your artwork?

I want to make paintings that are both beautiful and challenging, because the story I am trying to tell is that we are living in a world that is complicated but beautiful. I feel like I’m  still exploring that story and trying to discover it. I hope people walk away from my work seeing the world a little differently, that they hear the story that I’m trying to tell. Share a little bit of what I love about that world. I believe art is capable of that. If I can accomplish that, I will feel that I’ve accomplished a huge goal.

What are your thoughts on the visual artist community in Nashville?

I’m excited about what’s happening for the visual arts in Nashville, lots of creative people are moving here and this is giving the city a huge surge of energy. I’m excited to be part of the artist conversation in Nashville, and I’m excited to see what happens for the visual arts in the next ten years.

Learn more about John's work at http://johnphillipperry.com/

New Post in Nashville Visual Artists Series!

I got to hang out with Brady Haston in his studio and learn more about his work. Check out the photo story I did on him here!

New Post in Toledo Artist Series!

I got to spend some time with Anthony McCarty in his studio and learn more about what goes into making his work. Check out the full story here!

New post in the Toledo Artist Series! This installment covers the amazing collage artist Natalie Lanese.

Check out this story I shot for Toledo City Paper about some amazing women who are doing thing incredible things in the Toledo community.

Dr. Deitra Hickey, Ed.D. from the Serenity and Health Wellness Center

I recently shot a story for Toledo City Paper and had a fantastic time photographing and trying some of the best appetizers that Toledo has to offer--like this Tuna Napolean from The Oliver House-yum!

Check out the rest of the story here.

Toledo Artist Series

Toledo Artist Series

I've decided to do a photo documentary project on visual artists in Toledo. Ever since I moved back to Toledo after a 12-year absence, I've been impressed with Toledo's art scene. Toledo doesn't necessarily have the reputation as being a haven for artists, but surprisingly it is. Its low cost of living enables artists to commit time to making work, its proximity to large cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Columbus makes it possible for artists to market themselves, and the support of other artists and organizations like the Arts Commission of Toledo creates a great community for artists.

But what really impresses me about the arts community in Toledo is its quality of work. I remember when I had first returned to town, I visited the Area Artists Show at the Toledo Museum of Art. I had been living in New York and was a regular patron at galleries and art events there. But the art that I saw  in the Toledo Museum that day surprised me with how good it was, just as good if not better than a lot of work I had seen in New York.

The longer I stayed in Toledo, the more artists I met and the more I was impressed with work that was being made in this town, a town that is not often associated with being an area for the arts. I wanted to make a documentary film about it, but since I'm not done with a film I already started, I thought it'd be better to just stick with photography.

It's been fantastic getting to know artists whose work I've admired, and learning more about their creative process and motivation for making art. For all those people, in Toledo and beyond, who think that nothing is going on in the city, I wanted to let them know about some of the great artists that are working and living here in Toledo.

Here are some pics covering Ivan Kende, the latest artist that I've covered in the Toledo Artist Series.

Check out the full story here.

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The Toledo Museum of Art held a Masquerade Ball to honor the opening of "The Art of the Louvre's Tuileries Garden"-a number of huge and impressive statues were shipped to the Toledo Museum from the Louvre in Paris-it's definitely an impressive exhibit. And it was definitely an experience dancing and partying amongst the works of art!

Check out my Facebook page for more pictures of the event!

I shot some portraits of the distinguished poet Arnie Koestner and am pleased with the results.

Check out more here!

If you haven't checked out this issue of the Toledo City Paper, make sure you do--I shot the cover story! It's a story of great individuals in our community striving to make Toledo a  stronger and better city.

http://www.toledocitypaper.com/January-Issue-1-2014/The-idea-Issue/

Post by Tina G. Photography.