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Three distinctive artists help inaugurate new gallery space
Opening on Aug. 14 in the newest gallery space of the Museum of Friends is the exhibition Brendt Berger Monumental Paintings / Linda Fleming Wood Sculptures from 1988 to 1992. Upstairs in the special exhibition gallery is the multi-media works of Peggy Zehring in a show titled In Process. An opening reception for the show will be held Aug. 14, 5-7 p.m., at the gallery, located at 600 Main Street in Walsenburg.
The inauguration of the Museum of Friends’ downstairs gallery, in the Main Street space formerly occupied by Duckwalls, coincides with the Bergers’ (co-founders of the Museum) interest in developing the downtown area of Walsenburg and raising the visibility and awareness of contemporary art in Walsenburg and the region.
“In the last 100 years of international art making, we have moved away from depicting the world in the style of realism moving towards contemporary expression which is multi-dimensional,” Curator Maria Cocchiarelli-Berger said. “The abstract works featured in both new exhibits attest to the distinctive possibilities of three different artists’ interpretations of their expression.”
Brendt Berger is a painter/printmaker with roots in Hawaii who refers to the imagery of his heritage in his more recent work. In “Monumental Paintings,” he relies on his formal training as a painter using color, form and composition to express his creativity as his life unfolded in the 1980’s while living in New York. “Dilworth’s Rib,” “Hawaiian Heart,” “Umbrella,” “John Lennon, and ” Ricardo Meets Death at Kuster King” refer to real events in the artist’ life. The largest work, “Dilworth’s Rib” is a memorial to Berger’s dear friend and poet Dilworth Faber, a New York street poet also known as the Penny Man. This would need more space to see it in its entirety, but due to the height of the gallery ceilings one panel had to be omitted. On view is a reproduction which accurately portrays the whole work measuring 15 feet by 50 feet.
In common with Linda Fleming’s Wood Sculptures from 1988 to 1992, both Berger and she used recycled materials before it was in fashion. Fleming’s wood remnants were taken from construction sites and found in neighborhoods in which she has lived.
These components contain the history of what they had been as they are transformed into new forms. Interested in the demonstration of scientific theory, Fleming found a parallel between these materials and the particles out of which all matter is comprised. Each has taken on numerous forms and she constructed her sculptures with the intent to express this in 3 dimensions. “Flask,” the largest of these works, is 130 inches high by 96 inches wide and 48 inches deep. Created in 1990, it defies logic, seeming to stay balanced while suggesting it may tumble at the same time. “Green Ring”, considerably smaller with a wonderful patina of green, is intricately formed in such a manner that the viewer is continually drawn in to understand its construction.
Upstairs, in the permanent galleries of MOF, is a special exhibition of Peggy Zehring in process. Beginning with the entrance hall and moving throughout the space are more than forty mixed-media works and a complete wall recreation from her studio. The “in process wall” displays the objects which become incorporated into her completed mixed-media three-dimensional bas reliefs. Zehring’s expression is dependent on her search for inner truth.
“For 30 years now, I have been using my art to explore my Truth - mentally, physically, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually,” Zehring said. “I began by painting and drawing it. In the mid-80’s, after a trip to Mexico, my work started becoming more three-dimensional. I became interested in experimenting with materials such as sand, marble dust, chalk dust, sawdust, ashes, joint compound, plaster, string, Spackle, cardboard, found metal objects, leather, sticks, wasp nests, birds’ nests and acrylic mediums, among others. I especially seek materials which have been softened and aged by the earth.”
In conjunction with the new exhibitions and the museum’s interest in developing the downtown area, public programs have been designed to encourage downtown walking traffic, shopping and dining.
Upcoming public programs:
New Artists Series: Artists Talk on Art
Thursday evenings at 5:30 in the new Main Street location.
August 19,
Terri Madigan, Area Director for Friends of the Over the River, will give a presentation on Over The River project to answer questions and inform supporters of how they can be involved. Over The River is a two-week temporary work of art created by world-renowned artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The artists plan to suspend 5.9 miles of silvery, luminous fabric panels high above the water of the Arkansas River at eight separate areas between Salida and Canon City.
September 30
Peggy Zehring, Multi-Media artist with an exhibition on the 2nd Floor of MOF, will discuss her work, process and teaching philosophy.
October 14,
Brendt Berger, Painter, Printmaker with an exhibition on the 1st Floor of MOF, will discuss the formation of the Museum of Friends in relation to his Paintings on view.
October 28,
Kenny Schneider will present his film “Peggy Zehring – in process” at the Fox Theater
A documentary filmed in the artist studio that explores who she is as an artist.
Date and time to be announced:
Dennis Oppenheim, internationally acclaimed public artist with work in the permanent collection of the Museum of Friends, will present images of his new public sculpture, Light Chamber, in the Denver Justice Center.
Community Outreach
Yoga for Mind, Body, Soul
Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor Arleen Feiccabrino leads a class for adults every Tuesday from noon to 1:30 pm. Please bring a yoga mat or towels. Fee $5.00 per class.
School Tour Program
K-12 Curriculum-based programs offered Tuesday through Fridays, $3.00 per student
*The Museum of Friends is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from noon until 5 pm. Admission is free with suggested donation of $5.00 per adult and $3.00 per child and senior citizen. MOF is supported in part by Colorado Creative Industries, the Faris Land and Cattle, Volunteers for Change, the Huerfano World Journal, and numerous individuals.
August 11, 2010, 8:20 am
Door to find rest at NY’s Asian American Arts Center
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Children create self portraits in Liberty
By Bill Knowles
World Staff Writer
On the front side is an enlarged portrait of Liberty from the collage of portraits painted on the back side.
The wooden door and the collage on the back side were originally exhibited in the “Artists in China: June 4” show from 1990. The show commemorated those who died in the brutal repression, by Chinese authorities, of the democratic demonstrations during the Tiananmen Square uprising in June, 1989.
“The Chinese demonstrators used the icon of the Statue of Liberty as a symbol and in the art work “Door”, I used images of youth working on their ‘Statue of Liberty” mural to express their freedom,” Cocchiarelli explained.
October 8, 2009, 3:50 pm
Recognition of Martha (Martie) Henderson by Senator Mark Udall
On Wednesday, September 16th at 10 am during the weekly Commissioners’ Meeting at the Huerfano County Courthouse, Ms. Martie Henderson will be recognized with a certificate of accomplishment from Senator Mark Udall. Gloria Gutierrez, Senator Udall’s Pueblo representative will present the certificate.
Since 1996, Ms. Henderson has constructively helped to change the face of downtown Walsenburg through her refurbishment of dilapidated buildings (commercial and residential). Henderson’s retail enterprises “Southwest Imports” and “The Cowboy Connection” have created viable shops that allow the visitor to Walsenburg a venue that adds to its economy by presenting delightful and varied array of merchandize. Her elegantly restored “La Plaza Inn” Bed and Breakfast transformed the old Kirkpatrick hotel into a working reprieve for the tired traveler looking for a bit more than the usual fare. Recently, the “Gallery” at the La Plaza Inn has added to the ambiance of staying there. The Gallery at the La Plaza Inn is a commercial art gallery that features the works of contemporary local artists. Ms. Henderson and Tom Hart, a Nebraskan native developed the Art Gallery as a response to the new contemporary Art Museum one block away – the Museum of Friends.
Henderson has restored 4 commercial and 4 residential buildings since arriving in Walsenburg 13 years ago. She with other merchants in the downtown area, are promoting a cohesive re-development plan that includes the arts, restaurants, entertainment and a variety of retail stores thereby creating jobs and resources.
Previous to coming to Walsenburg Henderson published a travel magazine “Rocky Mountain Clubs and Resorts” and a 500 page travel guide called “Discover the Rockies.”
September 24, 2009, 11:53 am
A Day in Walsenburg with Eddie
New Mexico ceramic artist Eddie Dominquez is captured in a 50-minute film by renowned artist and film maker Ken Schneider, which will be shown one night only at the Fox Theater in Walsenburg on July 22 at 5:30 pm. Admission is free. The film, “A Day in Walsenburg with Eddie,” chronicles Dominguez on a walking tour of his artwork, which is presently on display at both the Museum of Friends and the Huerfano County Courthouse. The exhibition(s) remain on view through July 31st. For more information, please call MOF at 719-738-2858 or visit our website at www.museumoffriends.orgThe Museum of Friends is a 501 C-3 educational facility.
July 16, 2009, 8:19 pm
Museum of Friends hosts Eddie Dominguez and Tierra Culture
Story and photo by Brad Atchison
The Signature Newspaper
(Walsenburg, Colo. – June 4, 2009)
Fortunately for Huerfano County, Eddie Dominguez skipped over more heralded venues in Colorado Springs and Pueblo and chose the Museum of Friends in Walsenburg as the southern Colorado stop for his traveling exhibit, Tierra Culture.
Students and patrons of the ceramic arts may be asking themselves, “How did the Museum of Friends land a show by Eddie Dominguez?” Despite his accomplishments and reputation, others are certainly asking themselves, “Who is Eddie Dominguez?”
Dominguez is, without exaggeration or hyperbole, one of the most innovative and celebrated clay artists in America. He has work in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., as well as regional venues such as the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe. Dominguez is on the faculty at University of Nebraska Lincoln, but splits his years between teaching and working at his studio in Roswell, New Mexico.
Although Maria Cocchiarelli Berger and her husband Brendt performed a minor miracle in attracting the exhibit, Dominguez may have been drawn to Walsenburg because it is an unlikely location for art of this caliber. Dominguez was born and raised in Tucumcari, New Mexico, a community that has more in common with Huerfano County, than the city of New York, where Dominguez’ work sells for tens of thousands of dollars.
Although Dominguez attended the Cleveland Institute of Art and Alfred University, his first exposure to art was through his family and community. The art of Tucumcari and the Dominguez household looked nothing like the work displayed in 5th Avenue galleries.
Dominguez grew up in an environment where art existed in close proximity to the utility of everyday objects. “To me, art was my next-door neighbor making a quilt; it was my aunt crocheting, or my mother making a dress,” explained Dominguez. “Anything that involved somebody in any kind of creative expression was art. The most honest influences that I have had can be found in the little things of my home.”
Area patrons who joined Dominguez on May 29th were treated to a guided tour and honest conversation about his art, life and inspiration. The Museum of Friends is displaying a diverse sample of the work of Dominguez in two locations: the grand hallway of the county courthouse and in the Museum at corner of 6th and Main Street, above Duckwalls.
After conducting a tour of the current exhibits, Dominguez presented a brief retrospective of his work at the Fox Theater and fielded questions from an enthusiastic audience. Some of the earliest images of art that Dominguez shared with the audience at the Fox were of reconditioned curio cabinets with hammered and polished tin. Images of later work included wheel thrown ceramics, clay sculpture, assemblages, painting, performance art and photography.
A recurrent theme of Dominguez’s work is “transformation”. Many of his breakthrough moments as an artist occurred in the context of loss: the death of his mother, father and niece. Anton’s Flowers, one of Dominguez’s most acclaimed creations, celebrated the transformation that accompanied the birth of his son Anton. The “Anton” series are sculptural pieces comprised of cups, bowls and plates arranged to create a “garden”. The beauty and innovation of Anton’s Flowers is best appreciated in person, which you can do at the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian or the Huerfano County Courthouse.
On display at the Museum of Friends is Hope Rosary a sizeable sculpture that is draped across the floor of the Museum. This work seems to represent many of the contradictions that Dominguez has experienced in terms of spirituality, art and culture. It also reflects the amount of time that is sometimes required to take a piece from conception to fruition.
“Something that is seeded in my mind can continue to reveal itself over my lifetime,” explained Dominguez in reference to Hope Rosary. “I was driving the road from Tucumcari to Las Vegas [New Mexico]. I looked up on the side of the mountain and
there was a giant rosary.”
Dominguez was inspired by this piece of spiritual folk art in the context of the recent death of his grandmother. Although his inspiration was sudden, Dominguez’ completion of his own rosary project was not.
“I didn’t know how to finish it,” said Dominguez. “I put it in a box. Thirteen years later, I got it out and finished it. After 13 years the urge and the need was still there.”
The Tierra Culture exhibit will run through the month of July at the Museum of Friends, 109 East 6th Street in downtown Walsenburg and at the County Courthouse. The courthouse exhibit can be viewed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week. The exhibit at the Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Entry to the Museum is free but a donation is requested. To learn more about Dominguez or the Museum of Friends you may call 719-738-2858 or visit online at www.museumoffriends.org.
June 8, 2009, 4:07 pm
CULTURAL LANDSCAPES
Pueblo Chieftain
May 1, 2009
The work of ceramic artist Eddie Dominguez will be exhibited at the Museum of Friends,109 E. Sixth St. in Walsenburg Tuesday through July 31. Some ofhis pieces also will be exhibited at the Huerfano County Courthouse, 401Main St. ‘Tierra Culture (Cultural Landscapes)’ features sculptures, ceramics and works doneon paper - pictured above are ‘Back Family’ and ‘Diane’s Gems’. The art expresses the New Mexico native’s Hispanic and indigenous background;Dominguez says his work conveys ‘joy, sentimentality, celebration, loss,humor, environmental beauty and destruction.’ He is a professor of art and art history at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The Museum of Friends is open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For information, call 719-738-2858.
May 5, 2009, 7:59 am
Colorado Art Ranch finds friends at Museum of Friends
By Tammy Alhadef and Bill Knowles
World Staff Writers
WALSENBURG—In a continued effort to support the arts, the Museum of Friends hosted a fundraising party Saturday, April 25 for the Colorado Art Ranch and gave a sneak preview of the Eddie Dominguez show slated to open this month.The Colorado Art Ranch — a nomadic arts organization that travels from town to town throughout Colorado, sponsors one-month residencies for artists around the globe. The organization is currently a guest of Trinidad State Junior College (TSJC), where the group is sponsoring an “Artposium” titled Sex and Sensibility, an exploration of how sexuality and gender influence art, society and behavior.Museum of Friends creators Brendt Berger and Maria Cocchiarelli-Berger have recently joined the Art Ranch artist selection committee. They said they want to support the organization as best they can.“Part of the reason we did this is to gain recognition of what’s happening in Trinidad,” Berger said. “At this point, the Art Ranch is transient and they are looking at possibly starting an Art Ranch in Walsenburg. But right now we are working to raise public awareness, and this last event was pretty successful.”Artists from the ranch presented their work for as many as 100 guests at the party.Suzy Almond, a writer, songwriter and actress from London, said the Colorado landscape has definitely influenced her work.“Suddenly prairie dogs and burnt out cars are turning up in my songs,” she said. “This place is having an effect on me.”Christine Comeau of Quebec shared photos of her work in fabric. The French-speaking 29-year-old creates sculptural over-garments that are monumental in scale and meant to be worn by several people at once.“I am curious about the concept of social network, social identities and the interconnection between shapes and beings,” she said. The work explores those concepts by seemingly intertwining individuals and thereby creating one unit out of many people.Other artists included writer Kristen Iversen of Rocky Flats, Kate O’Neill, Greg Larson and Hannah Stewart.The art of Eddie Dominguez will be on display at the museum as well as at the Huerfano County Courthouse throughout the month. An art opening is slated for May 5 to coincide with the Cinco de Mayo holiday.
Read more about this on The Huerfano World’s web site