What is this strong connection that is felt to a found rusted piece of metal, an old photograph of another person’s relative, broken objects and fragmented images – the arrangement of disassociated parts that when placed together create a story, whispering clues that an arrangement of strangers now work in harmony as though they had always been that way.
“Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?” This is the title of Paul Gauguin’s 1897 masterpiece and this theme appropriately hums beneath the exhibit “Reassembled: Pieces of Me through Mixed Media.”
Comprised of five artists each using their own vocabulary of 2 and 3 dimensional objects and various mediums to create unique pieces like snapshots, fragments of place and time that build layers and form a dialog figuratively and symbolically to communicate memories, challenges, raise questions and capture emotions in a range of styles and creates an interesting flow of diversity in materials, sizes, textures and themes.
Susanne C. Bartz: email
On Susanne’s desk sits a collage her sister Kim made her when she first moved to Boston in 1995 entitled, “Never Give Up”. A naked woman in cha-cha heels, red and black cartoon hair and staples for kneecaps dances by a moon and lemon-lime sprouting cactus. She holds a Christmas light adorned picture frame with an image of Susanne at age 7, left fist punching forward and dressed in a bat girl costume she wore in a dance recital. Underneath carried off by wings are the words “Noteworthy” and “Full of Promise” flying over a set of feet encircled by the title, “Never Give Up.” Something clicked. She thought, this image, this language makes sense and soon her journey into art began.
Susanne is fascinated with found objects, rusted tools and fixtures, keys, tin-types and incorporates objects such as these with Polaroid transfers, drawings, written text and collage to create antiquated pieces that tell a story through color and texture. Her interest with hearts represented anatomically, romantically and spiritually comes from numerous influences – in Germany hearts are part of the fabric of craft, textile and bakery items – they are everywhere. Jim Dine, Francesco Clemente, her sister Kim and husband Craig of Revelation Studios and Mexican art, especially the work of Frida Kahlo also serve as major inspirations. (In reference to Jim Dine – seek out his Two Big Black Hearts, 12’ high and cast in bronze with imbedded objects at DeCordova Sculpture park and you cannot help but be amazed). Her pieces are layered narratives – fragments of images and objects – influenced by her ancestors, growing up in Buffalo, NY - its history and industrial background – mythology, religion and her own writing, resulting in a range of styles from rustic and nostalgic to spiritual and introspective.
Violet Byrd: email
Violet Byrd's photo-based and interactive media has been featured in museums and galleries including the Print Room, Photography Collection at the Fogg Art Museum and the gallery at the New England School of Art and Design. Presentations include lectures on creative new media and interactive design for Web broadcast at the Art Institute of Boston, Lesley University; New England School of Design, Suffolk University; and the Harvard University Summer School. She was co-curator of animation at the Zeitgeist Gallery in Cambridge and juror of photography at the festival of the North River Arts Society. She received a grant from the Massachusetts Arts Lottery as administered by the Brookline Council for the Arts and Humanities. Her work is in collections including that of the New England School of Photography and the Harvard University Fogg Art Museum.
Melissa A. Kulig: email
Melissa began art lessons at age 9 and continued them through high school which had a strong art department. In 1989 she graduated with honors from Emmanuel College with a BFA. After a long graphic design career she resigned from her full time Art Director position to pursue other part time work, which allowed her art career to blossom. In 1997 she helped co-found the Washington Street Art Center in Somerville and obtained her first art studio space. Following 5 successful years in Somerville and participating in many Open Studios, group shows and 2 solo shows, Melissa outgrew her space and moved her studio to East Boston. Since 2002 she has been accepted to numerous juried exhibitions, received several awards, and has participated in local events including the prestigious Boston Arts Festival. Melissa remains an active member of the East Boston Artists Group and also is on the Board of Directors for the AtlanticWorks cooperative gallery in the East Boston arts district.
Joetta Maue: email
Artist Joetta Maue is a member of the Washington Street Artist Studios in Somerville, an active member in the Cambridge Arts Association and a faculty member of the Essex Art Center where she exhibits and teaches a variety of classes to all ages. Joetta received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in photography at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and is working towards her Masters of Fine Arts this fall. Joetta has been a part of many group and solo shows in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio as well as the Boston area.
Joetta enhances her artistic knowledge by attending workshops and classes through the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Mass Art, and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Joetta is primarily an artist using photography, printmaking, and collage. She is also adept in plaster casting, clay sculpture, and silver jewelry smithing. She regularly participates in member and Juried shows through the arts association such as “Works on paper” and “Flesh” at the Katherine Shultz Gallery, and the “Art Fair” at the University Gallery. She also regularly shows with her studio the WSAC at their space in the WSAC Gallery and in Somerville Open Studios each spring and is active in a number of artist and craft fairs, most recently the Harvard Square Art Fair. Upcoming shows include an installation show at the Essex Street Art Center Gallery, a November Crafts and open studios on November 20th at Washington Street, and a “Holiday” show at the Diesel Café’ in Davis Square November 22nd-December 22nd.
In addition, Joetta is a freelance photographer providing a more artistic and creative approach to wedding, portrait, and family photographs. She is available for commissions on her memory box collages, in which you can have your own family images put into a beautiful one of a kind piece of art.
Margaret Ann Ryan: email
I am a Mosaic artist and Bodywork Practitioner who enjoys a dialogue of ‘touch’ between the medium of Mosaic and hands on Energy-Balancing. My fascination with Mosaic began in church. Saint Joseph’s art deco RC Church was home away from home and filled with mystery, light and shadow, exotic incense smells and gorgeous, intricate Icon Mosaics. All created for me a sense of comfort, theatre and mystery beyond the five senses. I am one who collects found objects knowing that some day ‘It” will be useful; pottery and glass objects being some of my favorite finds. In 1970 I saw the work of Antonio Gaudi in Barcelona and knew I wanted to create as he. I did not fully trust my visual art urges and instead developed my kinetic skills with a career of Modern Dance, Yoga and Bodywork. In 2003 I began to smash plates and gather other objects to create Mosaics. Initially I explored the theme of Totems and Breasts. The Totems are my interpretation of the Native American influence I saw in the landscape of my hometown, Seattle and the Breast Mosaics speak to the ‘shattering and re-patterning’ of my life in relationship to Breast Cancer. I am currently exploring the themes of CHAKRAS and Icons, both extensions of my personal spiritual practices, Yoga and Reiki. Mosaic is manifestation of my self-created expression: “Nothing is Lost…ALL Transforms”.
Please visit our calendar for upcoming events at The Nave.
The Nave Gallery
Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church
155 Powderhouse Blvd., Somerville, MA
map of gallery site
MBTA: From Davis Square take Bus 88 - Clarendon Hill Highland. Exit at Broadway and Curtis St. and walk 3 blocks north on Curtis Street. Turn right onto Powderhouse Blvd. and find gallery on your left. Free and open to the public. No wheelchair access.
Parking: Available in the West Somerville Neighborhood School after 5:00 and on weekends. Lot is located on Raymond St. Turn right at intersection of Powderhouse & Curtis onto Curtis and take your first left onto Raymond. Lot is located about 1 block down.
If you do not have a Somerville resident sticker you will be ticketed on neighboring streets.
Thursday 4:00-8:00 & Saturday 1:00-5:00
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