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We'd like to congratulate Oak Street Artists Darby Ortolano and Luca Cruzat on having work selected for the juried 2019 Shrode Fine Art and Craft Competition Exhibit. A total of 199 works were submitted, and only 59 were selected for the exhibit, which runs from February 24 through April 28, 2019, at the Regenhardt Gallery in the Shrode Art Center (at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts). Darby Ortolano’s piece,Vase (shown below), is part of her continuing focus on making pots for flowers. She has been making vases for over 30 years, and this latest form is inspired by the lovely layering of organic materials that litter the forest floor. The strong vertical lines reference the flower stems, and the small opening allows for a few fresh flowers to be held upright for all to enjoy. Congratulations, Darby, on winning a Merit Award for this piece! Luca Cruzat's print, Neither Bee Nor Cicada (below: collagraph, screenprint, and colored pencil), was also chosen by juror Doug Johnson. This print comments about paths that women could take when becoming a woman. Some choose paths more like bees, while others' paths are more like cicadas. Here, neither way was chosen. Congratulations, Darby and Luca! Both artists will also be participating in the upcoming 2019 Oak Street Art Fair on Saturday, April 27, 2019.
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If you have been keeping up with Oak Street Art, you know that this year we have been involved with an educational outreach program in Murphysboro. Metalsmith artist Sue Gindlesparger presented a lesson to three second grades at General John A. Logan Attendance Center on Wednesday, February 20th. The focus of the lesson was Adinkra Cloth (with roots in Ghana), and the personal symbols found on the traditional cloth. Students created their own symbols using a base of styrofoam, and then printed their creations on cloth squares. The squares will be displayed together creating classroom quilts. You can see from the pictures that the students are enjoying the art lessons - lots of learning and creativity involved! Teachers participating in the outreach program will be heading up our Children’s Art Tent at the annual Oak Street Art Fair on Saturday, April 27th.
Work from Darby Ortolano Selected for Juried "Attention to Detail" Exhibit at Art St. Louis1/6/2019 "Reverie #1" from Oak Street Art member and ceramic artist Darby Ortolano was selected for inclusion in the juried "Attention to Detail" exhibit at Art St. Louis. See image below. To see Darby's beautiful piece in person, the exhibit runs from January 12 through February 13 at Art St. Louis, 1223 Pine St. in St. Louis, Missouri, with an opening reception on Saturday, January 12 from 5 to 7 p.m.. You may also view the exhibit for free weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed on major holidays and Sundays). We invite you to read Darby's artist statement, immediately following the photo of her piece., below To see all included works online, check out the Facebook photo album here. Congratulations, Darby!  "Reverie #1" by Darby Ortolano ARTIST STATEMENT Darby Ortolano Growing up in both the tropics of Trinidad and the lush landscape of New York State gave me a rich visual repertoire of nature's sensual and evocative influences. Residing now in rural southern Illinois continues to feed the wellspring of these passions. My current work in clay is sculptural; wall hangings and table top sculptures which embody nature’s forms into complex, abstract microcosms. I work spontaneously to elicit an interior world which is then made visible.  Oak Street Art member Rachel Malcolm Ensor is thrilled that her painting "American Quilt Series #2," shown below, was selected for the Ann Metzger National Biennial exhibit (see flyer below) hosted by the St. Louis Artists' Guild. The exhibit is an all-media, all-content juried exhibition which brings together modern and contemporary art from artists across the United States. Exhibit juror Hannah Klemm is the assistant curator of modern and contemporary art at the St. Louis Art Museum. The opening reception is Friday, January 11th at 5 p.m. at the St. Louis Artists' Guild, 12 North Jackson Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri. The awards ceremony is at 6:30 that same evening. Congratulations, Rachel!  Rachel Malcolm Ensor, "American Quilt Series #2"  Rachel Malcolm Ensor's "Sojourn: American Quilt Series" Paintings on Display at Varsity Center1/5/2019 A series of paintings by Oak Street Art member Rachel Malcolm Ensor will be on display at the Varsity Center in Carbondale, Illinois, from February 8 through March 5, 2019. Rachel has chosen the title "Sojourn: American Quilt Series" for the show and will be glad to meet you at the artist's reception on Friday, February 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Varsity Center (418 S. Illinois Ave. in Carbondale). Please see the flyer below. Given the influence of art from the African Diaspora in Rachel's work, it is especially fitting for this show to run during African American History Month (February). We invite you to read Rachel's artist statement below, immediately following the flyer. Congratulations, Rachel!  ARTIST'S STATEMENT by Rachel Malcolm Ensor After a career teaching art history I have returned to my original passion, which is
painting. Color is a language that I use to express ideas, thoughts, and goals. The American Quilt Series reflects on my depth of experience and knowledge regarding modern art, the African Diaspora, and textile traditions handed down to me from my grandmothers. This series reflects a strong parallel with African- American folk quilters, especially their use of asymmetry and irregularity of form. Time spent with my grandmothers and their textile traditions, quilting-tatting- embroidery-pattern making provided a foundation for my work. Influences of early twentieth century modern painters, American abstract expressionists, African writing systems, textiles, and the African Diaspora in the Americas all contribute to my work. A print series by Oak Street Art printmaker Luca Cruzat has been selected for inclusion in the 2019 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition this winter. For this exhibition, Luca's work Vulnerable (pictured below) was on display from January 24 through February 20, 2019. UPDATE: We just found out that Luca's piece won a Juror's Merit Award! Congratulations, Luca!!! You can see the exhibit catalog here. Scroll to page 20 for Luca's series and artist statement. The competitive show at the Bradbury Art Museum in Jonesboro, Arkansas, was juried by José Diaz, Chief Curator of The Andy Warhol Museum. During the exhibit dates, hours were from 12 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays and from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, please call (870) 972-3687.
Oak Street Artist Darby Ortolano Shares Her Love of Clay in Pottery Project for Local Second Graders11/14/2018
The children learned a bit of Murphysboro history by viewing an Egyptian brick, as well as by creating individual pinch pots. Darby was assisted by Oak Street Artist Shirley Krienert (fibers, mixed media). The Oak Street artists continue with outreach to their Murphysboro community. See more photos below.
 Shop Local with 2 Oak Street Artists on Sun., Nov. 18, at Artspace 304 in Downtown Carbondale11/4/2018 Two members of Oak Street Art will be showing and selling their work as part of the upcoming shop304 Showcase by Carbondale Community Arts.  Shop local for the holidays and delight your family and friends with one-of-a-kind art gifts by Darby Ortolano (ceramics) and Sue Gindlesparger (metals, jewelry). See samples of each artist's work below. On Sunday, November 18 (2018), Shop304 will host this pop-up art sale from 1 to 5 p.m. in downtown Carbondale, Illinois. Stop by ArtSpace 304 at 304 W. Walnut St. in Carbondale! See map below. In support of The Women's Center, Oak Street Art members set up shop at the Old Feed Store venue in Cobden, Illinois, on Saturday morning, November 3, 2018. Sue Gindlesparger (metals, jewelry) and Darby Ortolano (ceramics) were on hand for good conversation and to share the work of all seven Oak Street Art members.  We were especially delighted to be invited to participate by Women's Center board member Stephanie Dillard. Stephanie also happens to be a talented stained glass artist featured in the 2018 Oak Street Fine Arts Fair. (UPDATE: Stephanie is now a member of Oak Street Art!) A portion of all Oak Street Art sales from this "Feed the Need" fundraiser went directly to the Women's Center. In particular, proceeds were earmarked specifically for services to Union County survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. In a multidisciplinary activity combining literature and art, two second grade classrooms at the General John A Logan Attendance Center created dream catchers under the instruction of leatherwork artist and Oak Street Art member Cathy Schmidt (pictured below in white Oak Street Art apron). The students worked very hard on their individual projects. The smiles below show their enjoyment, pride, and success in creating art! The participating teachers have agreed to head up the Children’s Art Tent at the annual Oak Street Art Fair in April 2019. Keep checking back for more details on art activities in these classrooms.
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AuthorOak Street Art Archives
October 2019
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