Dear Wichita Art Galleries

Dear Wichita Art Galleries,

In honor of St. Valentine, I’d like to take a moment to express how grateful I am for your leadership, generosity, and kindness.

All throughout the city, you are proof of an intimate, passionate, dare I say brilliant Art Community. I get excited to see you, talk with artists in person, and experience works of art. In your presence, enthusiasm and appreciation grows, friendships spark, ideas flourish, and perspectives are explored. The mind can rest. You make it clear what art is all about.

As a Gallery Assistant, I am introduced to local, national, and international enthusiasts utterly (and rightfully) delighted by the quality of art you display. Final Friday is evidence, month after month. Whether I’m cross-country or even out-of-country, your strengths are confirmed time and time again. I may be in danger of bias, but its light on opinion when it comes to Wichita’s talent.

You exhibit real artistry, craftsmanship, and humility; consistent, resounding hallmarks of a sum as great as its parts. The legendary Commerce Street Arts District reflects your rebellious and innovative spirit as it compliments your softer side. Educational institutions (CityArts, MarkArts), artist-cooperatives (Gallery XII, Fisch Haus), and community-organizers (Harvester Arts) epitomize your sincerity and compassion. You spoil me with exhibits like The Wichita Art Museum’s “Monet to Matisse: French Moderns from the Brooklyn Museum, 1850–1950” (Feb 24th-May 18th).

There is simply too much to mention in one letter.

While you aren’t perfect, nobody is. You can be moody (“If you can’t love me at my worst…”), demanding (because you care), selfless to a fault (a marvelous imperfection); but you are more than worth it. From the avant-garde to art’s greatest traditions, in you there is promise: vast, luminous skies, fields of green; tender, loving portraits; the worldly and the infinite. For all of this, I am grateful: the fellowship of artists, community, and you.

Sincerely,

Joshua J. Tripoli

Artist Spotlight - Vernon Brejcha

As a Gallery Assistant, I will often see works of art utterly transformed through recontextualization. Sometimes I am shocked at how much the setting or history around a work of art can change the work itself. Glass art can take this reality a step further. By its very nature, the aesthetics of glass can change dramatically depending on the light and colors around it. With a fresh perspective, a work like Vernon Brejcha’s “Matrix Bowl” can lift you off your feet.

A master glassblower, Vernon Brejcha has honed his skills over decades and remains as studious as he’s ever been. Born in Ellsworth and raised in Holyrood, Brejcha graduated from Fort Hays State University. In 1969, he made a life-changing decision to attend graduate school at the University of Wisconsin where he studied under famed glass artist Harvey Littleton, widely considered to be the founder of the American studio glass movement. Later, Brejcha directed the glass program at KU and even worked alongside the legendary Dale Chihuly.

Brejcha’s art reflects the myriad wonders of nature and the eternal moment of its creation. His interest in glass is rooted in Art History, the philosophical “why” behind the medium’s proliferation. Through his work, he aims to capture the wonder of Phoenician sailors accidentally discovering glassmaking, the nuanced elegance of glassblowing in the Roman Empire; the modern precedent these histories have set. Brejcha’s mastery has placed his work in important collections across the world including the Smithsonian, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, and the Wedgwood Museum in England.

With the right context, history, and space, “Matrix Bowl” was never the same.

Lester Raymer - Artist of Contradictions

Reuben Saunders Gallery has the honor of hosting a wonderful collection of original Lester Raymer paintings, prints, and sculptures. Raymer (1907-1991), one of Kansas’ most celebrated artists, is sometimes described as an “Outsider Artist,” a relatively uncommon label that inspires a healthy dose of curiosity. Raymer is one of many Kansans associated with the term including M.T. Liggett (Kanza Art Studio), “Grandma” Elizabeth Layton, and S.P. Dinsmoor (Garden of Eden) to name a few.

Terms like Outsider Art, art brut (a label coined by French artist Jean Dubuffet), “grassroots” art, and folk art are essentially synonymous. All are considered to be mostly self-taught or “naïve.” They describe an ignorance, indifference, or inability to participate in the influences of the current pop culture.

As a result, Outsider Art is aloof; often eyebrow-raising, strange, even confounding. Conformity and appropriation are nonfactors. Typically, these artists have limited, if any, connection to the art world at large. Their work can illustrate extremes: mental states; thought processes; detailed, articulate fantasies.

Dubuffet defined art brut as “those works created from solitude and from pure and authentic creative impulses – where the worries of competition, acclaim and social promotion do not interfere.” He believed that to create within the “mainstream” was to stifle expression.

Raymer’s work remained apart, bucking the trends of the art of his time, giving it what some consider to be an Outsider “look” and “feel.” However, Raymer studied at the Chicago Art Institute. He obsessively integrated Art History and its established traditions; the Spanish Masters, religious icons and artifacts, Southwestern and Mexican art. Raymer was neither self-taught nor “naïve.” One foot in, one foot out.

True art is timeless and always relevant. Raymer was operating within the greater arc of Art History. Confident in this knowledge, his paintings, prints, and sculptures are blissfully, willfully, out of touch. This begs the question: was Raymer outside looking in; inside looking out; or something else entirely? Stop by the Gallery and find out for yourself!

How Much is That Painting in the Window?

Consider the story about Picasso sketching at a park. A woman recognizes him and asks for a quick portrait. He obliges and produces a drawing in just a few minutes. She is astonished by the beauty and accuracy of the rendering. She thanks him and asks how much for the piece. He replies, “$5,000, madam.” Doubly astonished, she exclaims: “But it only took you a few minutes to make that!” He replies, “No, madam, it took me my whole life.” There is an inherent value in this kind of refinement: the elevation of art to fine art.

Picasso “Portrait of Olga”

Many factors are at play when pricing a work of art. Market trends combined with costs like materials, labor, and gallery representation play a big role in determining value. Many artists go through rigorous training programs, apprenticeships, master’s degrees, and residencies; their skills are honed every day over a lifetime.  A single work of art may be only one finished piece but can be the result of dozens of preliminary studies and reworkings.

“Salvator Mundi”

Often, the market dictates costs. Sometimes seemingly outrageous costs. Thousands, millions, hundreds of millions. “Leonardo Da Vinci’s” Salvator Mundi recently sold for more than $450 million, breaking a world record.

Brick and mortar galleries endorse and stand behind the work they sell. Some galleries you can walk into and immediately feel like you couldn’t afford anything, but many work to provide options for every budget. Luckily, we live in Wichita, Kansas where the latter is the rule of thumb. Prices can vary from new and emerging artists to the more established and well-recognized, but the simple pleasure of viewing the art in a gallery carries no price tag.

Birger Sandzen

Another element in pricing is the economic principle of supply and demand. The works of Birger Sandzén, one of Kansas’ best known artists, is a great example. In life, Sandzén’s work sold for a fraction of what it’s worth today. Once an artist passes, value and price can increase dramatically not only because of their talents, but simply because they’re not producing anymore. This creates a scarcity, a greater demand, and consequently, a higher price tag.

As such, it is a relief to know that there are always options to help make that special work of art your own. If there is a more expensive piece you really love, galleries will often have payment plans that can make sticker shock less shocking. A gallery can consult with an artist they represent to commission a piece at a lower price point.

Art galleries work to support the arts in a community and will always do the best they can to accommodate your needs, whatever your budget may be.

Holiday Vortex: A Look at the Upcoming Wade Hampton Art Show

The holiday vortex is upon us...Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Years. The annual Wade Hampton holiday show!

The Wade Hate Hampton Bunny Art Show & Sale Holiday Extravaganza opens at the brand new Vortex Souvenir at 1640 E. 2nd St, Friday, December 1st, 6-9pm.

The premise is simple, says Wade: “I draw a bunny or a rabbit every day. I don’t know why. I know they’re not very good. Get off my back.” As heartfelt as it is hilarious, this exhibit is a brilliant example of variations on a theme, 300 variations to be exact. Superheroes, vampires, politics, coworkers, friends, family, (coffee); the fantastic and the usual all have a home here.

Effortlessly reflecting the world around him, Wade is something of a chameleon (*bunnyleon?). His work switches from hate, to love, to pain, to joy in the blink of an eye, often in the span of a single piece. As an artist and designer, Wade understands the importance of communication, simplicity, and empathy. He knows that through humor, complex human emotions (some very difficult to express) can suddenly feel accessible, approachable, and manageable. These bunnies are human; sometimes at our worst, but ultimately at our best.

Although the show is also open December 2nd from 10am-3pm, sales are first come, first served. If you find a work that you like (and you may find a couple), take it off the wall, buy it, and take it home. ‘Tis the season for goodwill and cheer, and the Wade Hate Hampton Bunny Art Show & Sale Holiday Extravaganza at Vortex Souvenir represents the very best of the holiday spirit.

Vortex Souvenir

Vortex Souvenir, owned by Hannah Scott and Kevin Wildt, is new to Wichita and offers curated items by independent artists. Much like Wonder Fair in Lawrence, KS, Vortex works closely with local and regional artists to provide a unique space for gifts, fine art, prints, zines, and much more. From the moment you step through the door, you are over the rainbow. Bold, colorful products greet you at every turn. An intergalactic mural sprawls the entire ceiling. There is a magical (and operational!) pinball machine. An infinity mirror awaits you in the bathroom. Unlike anything else in town, Vortex is a fresh and exciting hub for creativity in our community.

Vortex Souvenir

Unbroken

The power of Emily Brookover’s new show, The Broken Winter (on display at Friends University’s Riney Gallery through Nov. 17th), rests in the restorative powers of silence.

There is a knowing ambiguity in these drawings. The imagery can be fleeting, mysterious, even to the artist. Each work is “Untitled” (but parenthetically descriptive) not for lack of creativity, but to subtly reinforce an intended intimacy between the observer, the observed, and the unknown.

Brookover’s remarkable technical ability is well worth the visit in itself. Masterful drafting describes spare, ethereal landscapes, flora, and fauna. Vacant seats offer rest. Houses beckon inward. Doors (not windows) reflect vast empty fields as pure and white as snow.

The overall impression is like a narrative without a fixed sequence; one of change, consequence, and revival. “Untitled (the water to come)” suggests transformation; eager, anxious, both. A sphere (one can imagine as a portrait) empties and fills, drowns and breathes, lives and dies, in no particular order; all through choice and perspective.

In “Untitled (landscape),” a tightly braided (constricted) ponytail is freed from concept when juxtaposed against the infinite potential of unmarked paper. Space here is a recurring aesthetic device employed with symbolic purpose, cohesion, and elegance.

The work “Untitled (well loved)” (a framed, very well used Derwent drawing pencil), perfectly summarizes larger themes of commitment, sacrifice, and union; literally reborn as the drawings that surround it. In this way, creative and destructive processes are seen as two sides of the same coin.

The Broken Winter is like a broken spell; the rousing warmth of sun on a cold winter day. Rendered with beauty and grace, the sublime minimalism and acute sensitivity feels like Rothko at his most spiritual and O’Keeffe at her most tender. A martyr’s tale; generous and humbling, this is Brookover at her most enchanting. Don’t miss it!

Past and Present: Wichita's Legacy and Today’s Creatives - Lester Raymer and Clark Britton

The Wichita Art Museum’s ongoing “Past and Present” series (on display in the Devore Gallery (at the Wichita Art Museum through May 28th ) is made to celebrate and recognize the city’s artistic heritage and its echoes in the modern art scene. Featuring Lester Raymer and Clark Britton, the exhibit expertly showcases the vision and experience of these iconic Kansas artists, not just as individuals, but as an evolving consciousness embracing the full breadth of what it means to be creative.

Raymer (1907-1991) once said “The test of a great work of art is its immediate impact on the viewer” and as one navigates the manifold treasures of this exhibition, these words ring loud and clear. One of the most obvious and notable curatorial threads is the eclectic and prolific output of both artists; a body of work including painting, drawing, printmaking, paper-cutting, fiber art, sculptures, toys, and more. Born of curiosity and heartfelt sincerity, this collection is seen as the inevitable conclusion of each artist’s lifelong dedication to their craft.

There is a song of love in works like Raymer’s Clown Climbing Rope and “Sister” the Cat, each hand-crafted as part of a household Christmas tradition; gifts for his wife Ramona. Britton (born 1930) expresses a similar sentiment in Dog Pulling Caravan, but as an homage to his late wife Pauline. Via toy dog and stagecoach, the work is delightfully reminiscent of Elijah’s charioted ascent into heaven, as Britton chooses joy and wonder over despair and loss in remembrance of his beloved.

As a counterpoint, the exhibit takes the viewer into darker waters with works like Raymer’s Young Hunter and Britton’s Puppet Master with Man in a Box. Cynical yet optimistically cautionary, each piece functions like a visual riddle, posing more questions than answers. Importantly, these enigmatic works reflect and inspire deep ruminations on the nature of violence and control.

In Kansas, Raymer and Britton’s artistic reach is expansive and canonical, even when viewed through the lens of art history at large, but why should they be of interest to those who aren’t invested in art or simply don’t have the time to pursue it?

Because the spirit and passion that drives them to create is something all of us strive toward: a greater understanding of ourselves and our relationships with others; a love and zeal for life and the bliss contained therein. This is an art of totality, pain and pleasure, and everything in between.

This macrocosmic viewpoint is at the heart of the staggering artistic heights apparent when observing and resting in their work. One feels the presence of genius when confronted with mastery and Raymer and Britton are, without a doubt, masters.

"Elemen"

Is it shame? To feel the climes of Spirit’s wings in flight? A children’s song not meant for Man? Some phantom chain to hold the body hostage… We, conditioned to feel: anxious, agitation, misery, discontent. The dirge held fast the hand that raised the sky. A Question! A hopeless plea, not meant for me, but those not meant to suffer. We felt the heights and valleys lo, the answer once eternal…

"Twenties"

Three swallows and I’m done. It’s way too late to be up at 10:00am. As I look around me, I notice some semblance of order and the chaos. Three (four) canvas present me, five notarized, scattered across the heavy wooden desk someone remembered they didn’t own. A window to the mind; entirely feminine, attuned, and whole. Through my window, the world is alive. My father walks me through the gardens. A story learned to kiss the edges raw and insecure. Even now my hand departs, the sleepless equinox of chase: Picasso in his nineties, Matisse in his eighties. Tripoli in his twenties. 

"Red Herring"

Lord, thank you for all you’ve given. The wonder. The glory. All I could want is to worship, in sight, in heart, in all that I do. To worship at your feet, to rest in your eyes. I falter, disobey, and stray from the quickened path (pressed acceleration). How can I approach You with words? How can I gaze upon Your face? The words dissolve. The heart cannot bear it. I am crushed (crushing) by Your beauty, wide-eyed, slack-jawed, and breathless. What is the trick of pity worth? I have long punished myself under self-imposed law, otherly law, sublimity law, for what? A distance from You I wrap around my eyes? Lord, unveil! The yolk’s upon the screen, the gossamer wings of the Taxiarch, the eternal Macrophage, (Justice!) but a glimpse of nature, naked, unfurling, enfolding; Mother, Lover, Father, I throw myself at your feet! I felt each future step and word a prayer and answer wholly. Grace and mercy, will be done, equanimity complete. Amen.  

"St. Rebekah Prays for the Destruction of Her Enemies"

Fat jokes, gossip, scam, stirrups, birth, blood, snip, blood, pure, karma, karma, karma…

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"St. Rebekah Prays for the Destruction of Her Enemies" Tripoli, 2016, pencil on paper.

"Centaurs and Lapiths II"

What are lies, pride, fear to the Actor? 

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"Centaurs and Lapiths II" Tripoli, 2016, ink, pencil on paper.

"The Chase"

You don’t know me. And I don’t know you. But you know, I know, I love you, and you’re beautiful to me. Even when you’re ugly. Even when you’re mean.  I had a dream, and there was a child, and there you were, and everything was right.

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"The Chase" Tripoli, 2016, pastel, pencil on paper. 

"Playing by the Sea"

Radio Frequencies: Hot Wheels Spumoni. Raccoontown. Grandma Caterwauling. Where’s the Goddamn Soda?

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"Playing by the Sea" Tripoli, 2016, pastel, ink on paper.

"Sunbathing"

The sky is blue, so are you

Done with feeling sad?

Come over here

We’ll disappear

Like magic and thin air

You’re really free

Like magic and thin air

Come over here

We’ll disappear

The water’s fine, so is mine

Done with feeling sad?

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"Sunbathing" Tripoli, 2016, ink, pencil on paper.

Lion's Den

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"Lion's Den" Tripoli, 2015, ink, pencil on paper.

The eagle watched

Above the shadow;

Past became present and

Slaughtered a cow:

"Undress these virgins!

They’re not what they seem

(If you know what I mean)

Off to the shooting games!

Look at the right go!

Pass that pine cone!

I read like a book but

That shot was illegible

Just look at it now!

Milk’s in the water

Heat drops in the channel

No song with crickets

I’m not that pineapple

I’m punk and impurity

‘Yond bondage of freedom

Union in disunion

Misfortune

Made fortunes;

-Grief and greed-

So here I am

‘IMMORTALITY’"

The Farnese Bull

I see ripples at the surface.

The colossus swelling in the deep.

What can restrain him? What can contain him?

Nothing but the Father and the Man.

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"The Farnese Bull" Tripoli, 2015, pencil on paper. 

"Comedy and the Inversion of the Semana Santa"

Wrestling infants (reclaimer)

Under bridges (silken strings)

Under oath that broke a thousand times.

This isn’t the end. Mother noticed the cap wasn’t closed. Confession rolls off the tongue.

“It's okay. I wish all my employees were just like you.”

I choke. I cry. Mother placed a towel on my bed.

I lay down to sleep. A soiled rag. Cat vomit. Covered in insect bites. Suddenly at work.

“You need a doctor immediately.”

Chemical imbalance. Genuine concern. Timeless fortune locked away. Deep, deep, deep in the darkness...

Containers and shipping yards.

Take the wheel, we may get pulled over.

Flashing lights, red and blue splashed in the blackness. I palpitate.

Officer down, spinning out. Rubber pealing on walls, echoes in a maze.

The arrival. One true box. Our final resting place.

Lost and Found sat smiling on a table.

To my surprise, the container was unlocked.

Open Sesame Street.

The box swings open…

The happiest thing ever put to film.

***

One of these days, clear and blue, these lies will tell themselves.

Are you a mirror or a statue of knots?

The contortionist, cartoonist, isolationist?

The melting eye, caved-in walls, the ceilings we scuttle across?

I think not.

You look like someone who knows what they want. You look like somebody famous.

The curtains come crashing to the Earth.

Popcorn on a string.

A giant foam thumb shoots into the sky.

Trunks explode into leaves. 

"The Ark"

The city is flooding, and so I clamber upward, protecting wraps of foil. Hidden in aluminum, Christ himself, a rescue boat searching. The water recedes, reveals mystical scrolls, ancient drawings, my mother smiling. The egg and the skull are one. 

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"The Divine Horses"

In my fort in the trees,

In between, I see everything.

And so, it seems,

My Father loves my Mother

More than you could ever know.

Such sweet song She sings;

The gifts He brings.

How happy a home could be.

Deep in the night She whispers:

“The Heart’s the stars, alight tonight

In Beauty’s summer wings,”

And in that moment, for once in His life

He couldn’t remember a thing.