V.J. Hagenbuckle, âOn Marsâ, 2020, Oil on canvas
Paintings by V.J. Hagenbuckle
There are many incredible artists living and working in the Tampa Bay area and quite a few of them also teach. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs is currently showing work by faculty from the Visual Arts department at St. Petersburg College. In addition to a statement about their work, each faculty member also contributed their teaching philosophy.
Artists included in the exhibition- Jonathan Barnes, Nathan Beard, Ragan Brown, Mason Gehring, Barton Gilmore, Kevin Grass, Marjorie Greene Graff, Jennifer Guest, Jim Hagenbuckle, Elizabeth Indianos, Kim Kirchman, Michaela Oberlaender, Krishna Sadasivam, and McKenzie Smith.
Tonight, 12/7, Jim Hagenbuckle will be giving a talk at the museum at 6pm.
This exhibition is on view until 12/17/23.
Work from Nathan Beardâs âLIFE LINESâ
Nathan Beardâs description of his recent personal and intriguing project (pictured above)-
The Memory Map works on view here are my very newest attempt at understanding the role that fallible memory plays in the shaping of culture and self. These small watercolor studies are Phase II of LIFE LINES, a grand 3-part project in which I am examining my familyâs memory of themselves and making artwork that tells their story. I plan to collect all of these studies into a singular book that can be handed down through the generations, or perhaps even preserved in a museum for everyone to see.
To create Memory Maps, I have created a survey for each family member. I ask them some general genealogy questions, since this survey will also function as a historical record, including their three favorite colors. I then ask them to try to remember each year of their life, from birth til now, and assign a rank between 0 and 5 for a) how clear their memory of the year is; b) how important that year was for them; c) how âgoodâ or âbadâ the year was. I add these columns together to get an âAccumulativeâ data set that I use to create a skeleton composed of alternating pentagons and hexagons that rotate as they expand. This part is important since it incorporates movement through time and space as we grow outward. Using the fact that our lifeâs journey always wavers, I then connect the points and end up with a âmapâ that resembles the cross-section of a tree, and contains all the metaphors associated with tree rings and natural growth cycles.
The most important visual development presented itself with Cate Clark, where I allowed myself the freedom to incorporate representational imagery. I asked my wife about her favorite place ever, and she surprised me with the family trip we took to Letchworth State Park in upstate NY. I found a picture from that trip with our daughter Vera standing at the edge of wood, and proceeded to paint that memory in resemblance of an antique plate. I also allowed myself the freedom to stray away from the tree ring aspect, while still using the data skeleton to place the bursts of color.
For more information, his artist talk is available here.
Kim Kirchman, âCultivating What Might Be Lostâ, 2022, Terra cotta with slip transfer
Michaela Oberleander, âBleed Outâ, 2010, Acrylic on canvas
Work by Jonathan Barnes
Relief and silkscreen by Marjorie Greene Graff
Acrylic on canvas paintings by Mason C. Gehring
Soda/Salt Fired stoneware by McKenzie Smith
Digital Prints by Krishna M. Sadasivam
Jennifer Guest, âCharacter Studiesâ, 2023, Colored pencil on paper
Kevin Grass, âCheese and Quackersâ, 2022, Acrylic on aluminum panel
Barton L Gilmore, âPlaygroundâ, 2023, Photography-Digital print K-3 Inks
Ragan Brown âWetland Habitatâ, 2004, Goache and watercolor and âAnglerâs Reef Marinaâ, 2016, Watercolor
