Apotheoun (Tom Livezey at Eleven) - Page 8

Garth Herrick · 09-08-2005, 11:43 PM

I have some good news to report, especially if you are in the Philadelphia neighborhood over the next month:

"Apotheoun" will be a part of the Faculty Exhibition at the Wayne Art Center , located in the Main-Line suburbs of Philadelphia. The exhibition opening is this Sunday, September 11th, 2005, and the show continues through October 7th.

Please come to the opening from 3 to 5 PM, this Sunday if you can!

I guess this means I will aim to be teaching something about portraiture and painting as well, in a short while (January). Wish me luck with that! Any suggestions and recommendations are appreciated.

See you!

Garth

Here are some brand new images of better quality, and color truer to the subtlty of the palette:

Alexandra Tyng · 09-09-2005, 07:39 AM

Garth,

As you know, I saw this piece in person and it is amazing. The boldness and strength of the abstract design and the realistic colors, forms, and textural illusion overwhelmed me at the same time, so it was hard to know which to concentrate on first. My favorite parts are the boy's chest and armpit shadow. They are so real they are palpable. Thanks so much for lugging it over to my studio and back out to the car in the rain. I really appreciated your efforts!

It is wonderful that you are in the faculty show at the Wayne Arts Center. That's a plum of an arts center; congrats for getting the position. I am sure you will be a much sought-after teacher no matter what you do, so don't sweat it. I will definitely be at the opening on Sunday!

Alex

Molly Sherrick Phifer · 09-09-2005, 08:19 AM

Can't wait to see this work in person!

Brenda Ellis · 09-09-2005, 09:16 AM

Garth, you continue to astound me. I am a big fan of yours, now.
I think you should move to Louisville and teach here.

Garth Herrick · 09-09-2005, 12:40 PM

What a nice response to an obscure announcement!

Alex, it was such a treat to visit you a couple of months ago. Rainy or not, your studio felt sun-filled through your paintings and personality. Hey, it will be wonderful to see you at the opening! This is so last-minute, and I did not want this announcement to get in the way of your more important show opening next Friday. I will surely be there too. Our two shows are a mere 2 or 3 miles apart, so it should be possible for many to see both if they are in the area.

Thanks for your kind praise. The boy's chest and armpit structure do seem a main focus with the strongly sculpted fall of the light. I will admit I focused a lot there, as well as in the illumination the hair. It was a little hair pulling and challenging to get these symbiotic passages to read right; to have the right intensity of light of just the right temperature, along with the quest for the perfect supportive halftone transitions into shadow. One small false tone, and the whole illusion collapses; which it did a few times along the way until all the reworking of the forms and luminence finally became cohesive.

I was only invited to this Faculty Exhibition a couple of days ago. I received a warm response from the Wayne Art Center staff upon the delivery, and a comprehensive guided tour of the expanding studio facilities under construction. This certainly beats having Apotheoun idly parked on my studio floor! I'm excited.

Molly! That's so wonderful that you are coming too! Are you bringing your great new camera? I would not mind seeing the painting you are showing Alex, as well. I look forward to meeting you and having a couple of Forum friends at the opening. What more could one ask for? Can't wait!

Brenda, Thanks! It is so nice getting to know you on the Forum, and appreciate your support. I have to return to Kentucky one of these days. I know my late grandmother originated from those fabled licks and hills, and fiercely held onto her easy-paced accent all her life with a sense of southern pride. Tell me more about teaching in Louisville....

Again, with appreciation,

Garth

Molly Sherrick Phifer · 09-09-2005, 03:13 PM

I am absolutely bringing my camera! I'll have my painting as well, but believe me, the camera is far more interesting . . .

This will really be fun

Brenda Ellis · 09-10-2005, 10:35 AM

Garth,
Unfortunately I don't have one of those lovely southern accents, as I am a transplant from California. Louisville is like a comfortable pair of jeans; very easy to live in.
The colleges/universities here focus more on medicine than the arts. You're fortunate to live in a city that academically supports fine art. We do have a vibrant artists' community here but it's still rather the "underground" in this town.
If you ever do workshops, please let me know and I'd love to get you here! This is a great town and I know you'd really enjoy exploring the old stomping grounds of your grandmother!

Alexandra Tyng · 09-12-2005, 09:06 AM

Hi Garth,

That was a great day yesterday. Not only did we get to meet Molly and see some of her work (aside from her portrait of Nora, she had many wonderful pastels that I viewed on her computer), but also Molly and I had the fun of going to your opening reception! I thought it was a fun and festive event. Your painting looked outstanding! Even better than I remembered it! I stood near it for a while and listened to the comments of other people. There were several exclamations and comments on how amazingly well-painted it was, plus how interesting the composition was. The mother's foot drew several positive remarks. I thought the faculty of the Art Center was very friendly. We hung around with a few artist/teachers who seemed glad to meet you. I'm sure you will be welcomed by the people there.

It was also a treat to get a preview of your new work. It's going to be, and already is, a masterful painting.

Can't wait to see some photos of our antics! Molly? Garth?

Alex

Molly Sherrick Phifer · 09-12-2005, 10:35 AM

Here are a couple of my photos from the event. First is Garth standing with his fabulous painting! It is difficult to imaging just how awesome this looks in person. It really gathered quite a crowd while I was there, and deservedly so.

The second photo is one that I snapped of Alex while I was demonstrating my handy dandy remote control for the Nikon D50 camera. The odd angle is because I had the camera hanging from a strap around my neck and clicked the remote without looking through the viewfinder.

It was a wonderful opening, and even more wonderful to have met Garth and Alex. I feel very blessed to live so close to two such talented artists!

Garth Herrick · 09-12-2005, 12:26 PM

I am overwhelmed! Thanks Alex and Molly!

It was such a treat and honor to have wonderful Forum friends at the opening! You all made my day. Piety Choi and her husband were there also (we've never met before either). Thank you Piety! She recognized me first, from accross the gallery room. We exchanged compliments and she is inviting us to visit her at school (Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, I also studied there). They departed just before you two arrived. Imagine that, ... four Forum dwellers in one place! I am sure we will all be seeing each other more regularly as this fall season approaches (This Friday we all will meet again at Alex's show at American College, nearby). Now you are all so much more real to me! I highly recommend Forum members meeting each other!

Alex and Molly, you have described the opening much better than I could. There are many new faces for me in the faculty make up. There are a lot of familiar old friends teaching there too. The Wayne Art Center has huge expansion plans in the works, and it will be exciting to be there on the cusp of this growth. I also admire the talent and integrity in the faculty, and know it will be rewarding to collaborate and network with them. I know I already have at least one student, and possibly several more.

As you can see from the photo below (taken with my Nikon D100 by fellow faculty member Ava Blitz, thank you!), we are really smiling! Actually we held those smiles the whole time, I think. What a great day!

Yours, truly,

Garth