Walk the Shows: Andrea Rubin Kichaven, Camey McGilvray, and Elyse Wyman

Enjoy this virtual tour of the current shows at TAG:

TAG Show #7 2015 from TAG Gallery on Vimeo. 

Have a question for Andrea, Camey, or Elyse? 

Leave it below in the comments and we'll ask them at the Artists' Talk on Saturday, June 28 3pm. 

Hope to see you there! 

DEADLINE EXTENDED for TAG's California Open Exhibition until June 30, 2015

Artists!
Consider entering TAG's Califirnia Open juried exhibition.
The juror this year is Jim Morphesis.
For more information, please click here. 

Elizabeth Szymczak and Tom Wheeler had these pieces in the 2014 California Open Exhibition.
They became TAG members in 2015.

Elizabeth Szymczak, Repose, Oil on Canvas, 24x30, 2013

Tom Wheeler, Ghost Trees, Digital Print, 20x30, 2013

Tom Wheeler, Plastic Horse, Digital Print, 20x30, 2013

Spotlight On: Elyse Wyman

Elyse Wyman, I'llGetForget, Encaustic, 24 x 18"

Veil of Fog

These Encaustic paintings are a visual (as well as visceral) response to the free verse poetry my mother expressed in the final years preceding her death from Alzheimer’s Disease. As she was in excellent physical condition, she survived (for better or worse) for many years after she started exhibiting signs of cognitive impairment. My mother and her sister were beautiful dancers and actresses in movie musicals as well as on stage. They were loving sisters who married best friends, built houses next door to each other, and raised their children in a lively communal atmosphere. My mother was very intelligent, well-spoken, outgoing and amazingly kind.

Elyse Wyman, Right to Almost, Encaustic mixed media, 8 x 8"

I believe my mother’s words and thoughts provide some insight into her struggle to communicate despite the unraveling of her brain. I continue to discover in them a wide range of feelings; anger, fear, humor, impatience, love and other emotions she could no longer express in a conventional manner. These paintings are a direct unfiltered response to each individual poem. I began by writing my mother’s poem on the blank surface of the canvas. I then applied layers of encaustic paint over the words, often scraping back into the layers to allow some of the poem to emerge. Sometimes the entire surface ended up covered with paint and only faint references to the written word are visible. 

Elyse Wyman, Pitcher In My Fate, Encaustic, 12 x 10"

This direct painted response was analogous to the way my mother was relating to the world at that time. The paintings are emotional responses to a difficult time in both our lives. They reflect elements of both the child and the mother and the reversal of roles as we grow older. The plaques and tangles of the disease were like layers of webs and veils obscuring her ability to think clearly. She referred to this as living in a “veil of fog.” She didn’t remember the immediate past, and had no concept of the future, and therefore seemed to exist entirely in the present. I tried to make my paintings reflect that. It was liberating to allow the paint to flow in an immediate response to her words, creating a direct dialogue with not only the poem, but with each painting in progress.

Elyse Wyman, Just to Listen, Encaustic, 24 x 18"

On June 19th 7-9pm, TAG is hosting a benefit for the Southern California Alzheimer’s Association Event “The Longest Day" at the gallery. There will be a poetry reading by Maray Ayres and Ann Ryerson Hall, and Ellen Woo PhD, Director of Neuropsychology and Co-Assistant Director for the Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research at UCLA will discuss the poetry of Elyse's mother as it relates to the disease. Wine and cheese will be served.

RSVP: EWLongestDay@gmail.com
$20 donation at the door 

Visit Elyse's fundraising page for "The Longest Day" here.

Coming Exhibition: Andrea Rubin Kichaven, Camey McGilvray, and Elyse Wyman

Tues June 16th – Sat July 11th, 2015

Reception: Sat  June 20, 5-8 p.m.
Artist Talk: Sat  June 27, 3 p.m.

Andrea Rubin Kichaven

Transitions

 Andrea Rubin Kichaven, Falling Away, Acrylic on Canvas, 30 x 30 in.

Andrea Rubin Kichaven’s latest body of work is a compelling visual and metaphoric exploration of the disintegration of her long marriage.

The inspiration for this exhibition is the process of self-reflection. Through the visual narrative, she boldly portrays and expresses each step with clarity and strength.. Canvas by canvas, she takes us toward her new identity as a single woman. Even the mundane task of purchasing a new car is vividly represented on a yellow brick road. According to Kichaven, art and life are linked together by experience and inspiration. This process has turned the negative into a positive. 

By painting about these most recent life experiences, the artist has brought herself a degree of peace as she begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel as well as a renewal of life, and a new chapter beginning. Through the detailed painting of each canvas, Kichaven has found new growth and a new voice as an artist.

Camey McGilvray

Women in Wood and Metal

 Camey McGilvray, Ipanema, Acrylic, wood, wire, 33 x 18 x 8"

Women in Wood and Metal celebrates the strength and beauty of women.

The female figure is used as the starting point for all of the pieces. However, a strictly naturalistic depiction is abandoned and the female subjects are abstracted to essential elements for the final version. The style is contemporary, with a touch of Art Deco.

All of these artworks are assemblages and the components are specifically created or selected to advance the narrative of each piece. Some of the component pieces are created from scratch from sheets of aluminum or plywood. Others are selected from McGilvray’s large treasury of found objects and recycled into new creations.

McGilvray’s sculptures of women range from unadorned nudes to elaborately dressed brides and depict women caught in a moment of beauty. All of the pieces for this exhibit have been created over the past 10 years, from 2005 to 2015, and are a retrospective of McGilvray’s artistic development.

Elyse Wynman

Veil of Fog

Elyse Wyman, Beautiful Centers, Encaustic, 8 x 8 in.

Elyse Wyman’s new exhibition, Veil of Fog, is a collection of encaustic paintings that is a visual (as well as visceral) response to the poetry her mother “composed” in the final years preceding her death from Alzheimer’s disease. Her mother’s words convey emotions such as love, anger, fear and humor, and provide insight into her struggle to communicate despite the unraveling of her brain.

These paintings are a direct, unfiltered response to each individual poem. Wyman began by writing her mother's poem on the blank surface of the canvas. She then applied layers of encaustic paint over the words, often scraping back into the layers to allow some of the poem to emerge. Sometimes the entire surface ended up covered with paint and only faint references to the written word are visible. This direct painted response was analogous to the way her mother related to the world at that time. The plaques and tangles of the disease were like layers of webs and veils obscuring her mother’s ability to think clearly.

Wyman’s mother referred to this condition as living in a “veil of fog.” She didn’t remember the immediate past, and had no concept of the future, and therefore seemed to exist entirely in the present. Wyman’s objective was to make paintings that reflect this condition. According to the artist, “It was liberating to allow the paint to flow in an immediate response to her (mother’s) words, creating a direct dialogue with not only the poem, but with each painting in progress.”

Walk the Shows: Katie Crown, Gary Polonsky, Joan Ransohoff, Tom Wheeler

Enjoy this virtual tour of the current shows. Come see the work in person at TAG until June 13th.

TAG Video Show 6 2015 from TAG Gallery on Vimeo.