I have chosen a radical new direction for my current work. My previously muscular, vigorously chromatic, and heavily layered paintings have evolved in the direction of the spare, the muted, and the geometric. Using unprimed canvas and linen into which the paint soaks, as well as floats above, I am taking a new measured and mathematical approach in which the neutral palette complements natural linen; the intentional shapes and less intentional color masses speak to decisively black lines. Juxtaposing the large with the small, line with color, square with circle, intuitive with cerebral, I strive to construct a new world of inventive and playful, but always purposeful, content.

“On the Leading Edge,” a two-person show of work by artists Jan Kather and Stan Bowman will open at State of the Art April 4 and run through April 29, 2012.  A reception for the artists will be held at the gallery Friday, April 6, Gallery Night in downtown Ithaca, from 5-8pm with a cider tasting hosted by Bellwether Hard Cider of Trumansburg.

Spanning the gamut from traditional silver prints to incorporating digital video as a sculptural element, Kather will be ”testing the waters” with abstract photographic imagery and sound in this installation. Bowman, although a long time photographer, is exploring new technology in the form of iPad images. These are abstract images created and drawn by hand on the iPad, augmented with a variety of iPad apps.

More information and imagery from these artists: www.jankatherphotography.com // www.stanbowman.com

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Watercolors will fill the main gallery at State of the Art in February. This show features the work of gallery member Margy Nelson and guest artist Shirley Hogg. Margy says she has been communing with the Elemental spirits of Earth, Air, Fire and Water to capture their voices on paper and Shirley has been invoking the voices of the underworld, the animal Shamans who protect their earthly creatures. There will be an opening reception for the artists on Gallery Night, Friday, Feb. 3 from 5-8pm with a wine tasting co-hosted by Knapp Winery and Glenora Wine Cellars. Show dates are Feb. 1 through 26, 2012.

The Salon at the gallery will feature work by other gallery artists: paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, and collage.The gallery is located at 120 W. State Street in Ithaca and it is ADA accessible with curbside parking. Hours are Wed. – Fri., 12-6pm and Sat. & Sun., 12-5pm. Contact information: 607-277-1626 and www.soag.org

“Immigration and Biography” will be the first show of 2012 at State of the Art Gallery and it will feature the work of the gallery’s two newest members, Jane Dennis and Terry Plater.  The title reflects both Dennis’s focus on immigration and Plater’s focus on portraiture and other subject matter that has narrative power.  Dennis will show mixed media sculpture and Plater, a painter, will show portraits and landscapes.

A reception for the artists will be held Friday, Jan. 6, 5-8pm with a wine tasting courtesy of Bet the Farm Winery of Aurora, New York.  Show dates are Jan. 4 -29, 2012. .  Gallery hours:  Wed. – Fri., 12-6pm and Sat. & Sun., 12-5pm.  State of the Art is located at 120 W State Street and the gallery is ADA accessible with curbside parking.  Contact information:  607-277-1626 andwww.soag.org

Gurdon Brewster’s show features a larger than life size bronze sculpture of Miriam, the prophet and sister of Moses, who is dancing with a tambourine. Six other new sculptures will be shown in the show along with sculptures made in the recent past. A number of these sculptures reflect human struggle for liberation and a number celebrate life in the form of dance. Through his sculptures he has confronted the pain of war, felt the exuberance of dancing and been moved by the mysterious power of the sacred. He has been working in sculpture since high school and now, retired, he finds that he is only gaining in his creative energy. He likes to say that he leans on the gift of the muse, the gift of Spirit energy, and the gift of the creativity of the angels. He is inspired, uplifted and transformed by his sculpture.

Gurdon Brewster will give a talk entitled, “Miriam and the Feminine Image”, on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 3 pm at SOAG.  

He will show a video of the casting process of transforming the clay figure into the bronze figure, on Friday, Nov. 18, 7-8:30 pm at SOAG.

A Talk  by Gurdon Brewster

“Emergence” a solo exhibition of acrylic paintings by Mary Schuler, will be shown at State of the Art from August 3 through 28, 2011.  A reception for the artist will be held on Gallery Night, Friday, August 5, from 5-8pm with a wine tasting courtesy of Americana Winery.  About her painting, Schuler says:  “I use color and abstraction to evoke emotions about cities and nature.  These abstractions and exaggerated colors are intended to focus our attention upon these conflicting and essential realities while providing a pleasing pattern on our wall.”

State of the Art is located at 120 W. State Street.  There is curbside parking and the gallery is ADA accessible.  Hours are Wed. – Fri., 12-6pm and Sat. & Sun., 12-5pm.  Contact information:  607-277-1626, www.soag.org and http://maryschuler.com

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An exhibition of drawings in pastel–soft pastel and oil pastel–of landscape and still life.

Show Dates: June 29 through July 31, 2011

Reception for the artist: Friday, July 1, 5-8pm with music by AJ Strauss, keyboard, and a wine tasting courtesy of Six Mile Creek Vineyard

Gallery hours: Wed. – Fri., 12-6pm, Sat. & Sun., 12-5pm
There is curbside parking and the gallery is ADA accessible.

Riverway/April, pastel, 18″ x 44″

RiverwayII, pastel, 18″ x 44″

Rainy Afternoon, oil pastel, 11″ x 14″

From the Gallery, oil pastel, 11″ x 14″

Show Dates: June 1- 26, 2011

Reception: Friday, June 3, 2011, 5-8pm

Leslie Brill’s show at State of the Art during June presents scenes of Ithaca and studio creations painted both stateside and abroad in oil paintings on canvas and tempera paintings on paper. Of interest to Ithacans, is “Slope Day”, a painting that “humorously acknowledges the presence of academic and transient people who populate the city.” A reception for the artist will be held Friday, June 3, 5-8pm with a wine-tasting courtesy of the Red Newt Winery.

Show dates are June 1-26, 2011.

Gallery hours: Wed. – Fri., 12-6pm and Sat. & Sun., 12-5pm. 120 W. State Street.

The gallery is ADA accessible with curbside parking.

More info: 607-277-1626, www.soag.org // www.lesliebrill.com

Elisabeth Gross-Marks presents “Color Cascades,” an exhibition of paintings and collages, in April, at State of the Art Gallery. About this work, the artist says: “I did paintings on paper and made collages using all kinds of materials and found objects. I like to experiment and to find new ways to express my joy for colors, shapes and movement. I want to create exuberance and excitement for the viewer of my art.” Her show will run from March 30 through May 1, 2011, with a reception at the gallery on Friday, April 1 from 5-8pm. Thirsty Owl Winery of Ovid, New York, will host a wine tasting at the reception.

State of the Art, located at 120 W. State Street, is ADA accessible with curbside parking. Hours: Wed. – Fri., 12-6pm and Sat. & Sun., 12-5pm.

There is something about symmetry that has always fascinated me, particularly radial symmetry. This is the symmetry of the mandala. I have been drawing mandalas for many years. The past few years I have taken photographs of flowers and foliage and used the computer to turn them into what I call “Botanical Mandalas.”

I decided to spend the past year exploring the mandala form and variations on radial symmetry. I kept a journal of my thoughts in this process, along with the images, in blog format. Over the course of the year, I tried to create a new work each week. Images and text are chronicled in my blog: http://ayearofmandalas.blogspot.com/

“A Year of Mandalas” is at State of the Art from Feb. 2 through Feb. 27, 2011. A reception for Daniel will be held Friday, Feb. 4 from 5-8pm at the gallery.