On
Friday, February 6, at 5pm, the Nuwandart Gallery, located at
258 "A" St. in Ashland, will present its newest exhibition
Barbara Jean Whitbeck for the First Friday Art Walk.
The
show will feature the new works from Barbara Jean Whitbeck,
a native Alaskan recently, drawn to the "progressive"
nature of southern Oregon.
Whitbeck
will display a series of paintings. Her unique use of acrylic
on canvas with the inclusion of maps, textiles, and found objects
create a personal, yet distant dreamlike quality to her work.
In her Girl Series‚, she features faceless female figures
with "machinery". The juxtaposition of "nearly
nude" female body with a machine gives her work an eerie
depth, largely inspired by her work in the fashion industry.
"My
work as a makeup artist in film and theater contributed to my
development as a painter, and it is to these disciplines that
I owe the playful kinetism and dreamlike quality of my work".
said Whitbeck.
As
a full time artist, Whitbeck often finds herself sketching or
drawing people in public places. She feels that when people
are out doing things it is easier to capture emotions and feelings.
"When I go out to see a band I'll sketch the people watching
the band, sketch the bartender, or the band - many locals may
find themselves in my drawings". Says Whitbeck.
The
show opens 5p.m. First Friday February 6, 2004, and runs through
February 29. For more information contact the gallery at 488-4ART.
