TAC-KC: 03.30.12

Tracy's Art Calendar — Kansas City for March 30, 2012
Whoop Dee Doo, and Lawrence Final Friday, too!

Gemma Correll, United Kingdom, various paintings on canvas for installation, Altar to Mr. Noodles, one of the new works featured at Wonder Fair's Cat People, opening in conjunction with Final Fridays in downtown Lawrence, Kansas. "Cats: they're not just for the Internet anymore."
Image: courtesy of the artist via Wonder Fair for promotional purposes; may not be reproduced without permission

Actually, there are four major visual arts events taking place today, and one starts quite early, should you be available from "two to four in the afternoon." That's the way the publicity people at The American Jazz Museum worded their invitation, and I rather like the old fashioned charm.

Did you know that the legendary Betye Saar is in town? Really!

There are relatively few artists who were "new" to me back when I took on some art history classes (before dropping out, as I do from all graduate programs) whose name and work I remembered without trouble.

The lady behind The Liberation of Aunt Jemima (1972) makes an impression. I am not sure whether she's come to scope out installing an exhibition in the museum's Changing Gallery* or to give a talk or presentation tomorrow, but I am sorry I can't make it to the reception this afternoon. She happens to be 85 years old, so I understand the early hour; if you can, don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Out in Lawrence, Kansas, before it becomes a basketball bedlam tomorrow, Final Friday means the streets are full of gallery goers instead of mad March hares (pretty sure I can't type Ma___ Ma______® without being swooped upon by the owners of SportBrands™: ) whooping about the chance to have a free day off school while hating on Ohio State.

As usual, the team of Final Friday organizers has put together a comprehensive listing of what's happening on and around Mass. Street tonight, from 5 to 8 p.m. (later in some spots). The Lawrence Arts Center is in full swing with its annual auction, Teller's has work by Jonathan Metzger, Pachimama's is showing Justin Marable, and Wonder Fair is pushing the cat-envelope (see preview below).

Speaking of whooping and hollerin', this evening is the second annual Telebration fundraiser for the faux-public-access TV variety show / arts education group, Whoop Dee Doo. There are plenty of tickets available — Jaimie Warren said that there's room for hundreds — and that's counting gangling costumes, props, open bar, lots of food, large personalities such as that of Ron Megee, and a big pink monster who'll be anchoring the faux phone bank.**

Last, but not least, though certainly much quieter and subdued, a new exhibition of work by Corey Antis and Anna Neighbor opens at the Greenlease Gallery. My initial reaction (see their sites) is that personally I'd prefer viewing this exhibition without a crowd. Don't underestimate the value of hearing from the artists themselves, though.

Make your own way.

Friday's visual art events:

Cat People
at Wonder Fair, 803 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, Kansas: 785-856-3247
Final Friday opening reception: March 30, 6-10 p.m., with original art, 'zines, and installations by Faye Moorhouse, Gemma Correll, Liz Prince, and Nicole Georges, who take on the "ubiquitous and banal subject of cat fancying to unexpected, unsettling, or absurd new places." Featuring a pop-up cantina reconfigured as a gourmet Milk Bar and a YouTube cat video theatre, accessed via a special "Nyan Cat" tunnel.
Open Wednesday-Friday, Sunday: noon-6 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. through April 22, 2012
______

Final Fridays
in Lawrence, Kansas, supported by Lawrence Arts Center, Downtown Lawrence, Inc., and the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission, since 2009
March 30, generally 5-8 p.m.
______

Goo Goo Ga Gala — Whoop Dee Doo's 2nd Annual Telebration
at Lathrop & Gage, LLP, 2345 Grand Boulevard, 22nd Floor, Kansas City, Missouri
March 30, 7-11 p.m., with big show at 8:30 p.m.; a great view of the city, games, prizes, open bar, hors d'oeuvres from 15+ KC restaurants, and special guests
Tickets are $25 in advance (816-582-6395), $30 at the door, and $50 for pairs
______

Plainsight, Plainspoken
Corey Antis and Anna Neighbor
at Greenlease Gallery, Rockhurst University, between Van Ackeren and Sedgwick halls, 54th Street (turn east into the parking lot from Troost)
Opening reception: March 30, 7-9 p.m., with artists' talk at 6:30 p.m.
Open Thursday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m., through May 12, 2012
______

Reception to Welcome and Greet Betye Saar
at Changing Gallery at The American Jazz Museum, 1616 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-474-8463
All are welcome: March 30, 2-4 p.m.; wine and hors d'oeurves served

Notes:

* Ella: First Lady of Song, a group exhibition with work by Michelle Beasley, Ned'ra Bonds, Michael Brantley, Myles Cheadle, Kelly Dickens, Clifford Doyle, Reilly Hoffman, Howard Lazarus, Robert Quackenbush, Joseph Smith, and Michael Toombs, is showing there through June 1st.

** Someone you may know was paid to write something about it for the Pitch. Pictured below is WDD's mural on the outside wall of their space at 17th and Walnut, 2011, designed by Rachel Helm.
Image: photo courtesy of WDD volunteer and gala coordinator, Megan Mantila

PS, All opinions here are my own, and no one edits this — besides me — so any errors are also solely mine. Corrections are appreciated: needsaneditor@gmail.com

TAC-KC: 03.16.12

Tracy's Art Calendar – Kansas City for March 16, 2012

Plug Project's Fourth Exhibition

Stephanie Snider, Untitled (black French Curve), mixed media on paper, 10"x8", 2011
Image: courtesy of the artist via Plug Projects; may not be reproduced without permission

More thoughts on how we interact with architecture … the five artist/curators at Plug Projects bering together five artists from New York, Tennessee, Virginia, and Kansas City to respond to the term, "superstruct," defined as to put up something new on an existing foundation or part of a building.

(Elizabeth Stevenson's The Girl Who Lived in a Sign ongoing project/narrative would be a perfect fit here, I think.)

At the opening tonight, you can meet out-of-town artists Sonya Blesofsky and Brady Haston (and Juniper Tangpuz*, of course!), and on March 29, Stephanie Snider will be in Kansas City to present at a KCAI Current Perspectives lecture.


Plug on.

Superstruct
site-specific installations and work by five diverse artists "whose diverse practices address ideas of the urban landscape," Sonya Blesofsky, Brady Haston, Kirsten Kindler, Stephanie Snider, and Juniper Tangpuz
at Plug Projects, 1613 Genessee Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-646-7584

Opening: March 16, 6-9 p.m.
Open Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (and by appointment) through May 5, 2012

Note: if you're expecting origami-animals, you're in for a surprise.
PS, All opinions here are my own, and no one edits this, so any errors are also solely mine. Corrections are appreciated: needsaneditor@gmail.com

TAC-KC: 03.02.12

Tracy's Art Calendar — Kansas City for March 2, 2012

First Friday in the Crossroads (and its wings)

Will Preman, Sweetscape, ceramic installation at the new Undergrads Underground gallery, inside Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, opening tonight with its first exhibition.
Image: courtesy of the artist via press materials from Leedy-Voulkos Art Center; may not be reproduced without their permission

This list is long, so my comments are short:

This list is not comprehensive, but it does have some items not mentioned in the Pitch gallery guide (which I helped compile for March), due to deadlines and other factors. It also does not have some shows that Alice Thorson listed in her Kansas City Star First Friday feature.

Yesterday it was 70 degrees; today, it is snowing. Don't let that stop you from going out tonight. There is a lot of very good work to see.

That is all : )

First Friday, March 2:

2012 Annual Faculty Show
University of Kansas, Department of Visual Art
Norman Akers, Jane Asbury, Shawn Bitters, Ruth Bowerman, David Brackett, Vernon Brejcha, Matt Burke, Dwight Burnham, Carol Ann Carter, John Hachmeister, Tanya Hartman, Jon Havener, Mary Anne Jordan, Cima Katz, Michael Krueger, Gerald Lubensky, Marshal Maude, Judith McCrae, Yoonmi Nam, Cynthia Schira, Roger Shimomura, Lin Stanionis, Jon Keith Swindell, Elden C. Tefft, Peter Thompson, Maria Velasco, David Vertacnik, and Gina Westergard
at Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, 2012 Baltimore Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-474-1919

First Friday: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Open Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., though March 31, 2012
______

Acid Wash: Playing with Consequences
20-plus works from a seven four-year process of deconstructing denim garments into paintings by Lynn Benson
at Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, 2012 Baltimore Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-474-1919

First Friday Opening: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Open Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., though April 27, 2012
______

Alms Matara
offerings of iron and breath by Reilly Hoffman
at Todd Weiner Gallery, 115 West 18th Street, Ground Floor, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-984-8538

First Friday: March 2, 5-10 p.m.
Open Wednesday-Friday: 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
______

Amy Lenharth
new ceramic sculpture
at 10@BNIM, 106 West 16th Street, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-783-1634

First Friday Reception: March 2, 5-7 p.m.
Open by appointment (but viewable through the 10 windows from the street), through March 30, 2012
______

Arachnévolution: Spiders and Stuff
paintings by Keith Russell
at Apex Gallery, 1819 Wyandotte Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-841-0206

First Friday: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Open during Crossroads Dentisty business hours, though March 30, 2012
______

The Art of Drawing
at Hilliard Gallery, 1820 McGee Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-561-2956

First Friday Opening Reception: March 2, 5-8 p.m.
Open Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday: noon-4 p.m., through March 24, 2012
______

Bedlam Bath & Beyond
Brett Reif
at Kansas City Artists Coalition, Mallin Gallery, 201 Wyandotte Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-421-5222

First Friday Opening Reception: March 2, 6-8:30 p.m., with artists' talks at 6 p.m.
Open Wednesday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., though March 30, 2012
______

But Seriously …
Joe Ramiro Garcia
at Blue Gallery, 118 Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-527-0823

First Friday: March 2, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Open Tuesday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., though March 31, 2012
______

Construction in Structure
inaugural KCAI Career Services Access Alumni Event, juried by Matt Bollinger, Justin Gainan, Erika Hanson, Amelia Ishmael, and Jason Lips, with work by KCAI undergrads Caranne Camerena, Julian Chams, Emily Connell, Madeline Gallucci, Hank Hafkemeyer, Ben Harle, Marianne Laury, Bradley Kyle Lewis, Katy McRoberts, Zachary Miley, Maret Miller, Andrew Ordonez, Ashely Ariel Proski, Molly Ryan, Lauren Sobchak, Julian Stropes, and Fredrick Vorder-Bruegge
at City Arts Project, 2015 Campbell Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-820-4105

First Friday Opening Reception: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Closing Reception: April 21, 6-9 p.m.
Open Thursday-Saturday: noon-5 p.m., though April 22, 2012
______

Contour
works by Alex Izaguirre
at Stairway Art Space, inside HNTB, 715 Kirk Drive, Kansas City, Missouri

First Friday Reception: March 2, 5-8 p.m., with drinks and featuring a dance performance by Trapdoor Slippers
Open by appointment; contact Jason Lytle
______

Earthbound
mixed media sculpture by Judy Onofrio
at Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, 2004 Baltimore Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-221-2626

First Friday Opening: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Open Tuesday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., through April 28, 2012
______

Earth: Language and Symbols
Rex Hausmann and Jimmy Greenfield, with "Artists in Resonnance" Gina Adams, TR Ericsson, Matthew Farley, Jane Flanders, John Hachmeister, Elden Tefft, Maria Velasco, Baruch Vergara, and Shannon White; curated by Darin M. White
at Cara and Cabezas Contemporary, 1714 Holmes Street, Kansas City, Missouri

First Friday Final Reception: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Open Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., through March 10, 2012
______

Elvis Has Left the Building
new work by Peter Warren
at The Late Show, 1600 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-474-1300

First Friday Opening Reception: March 2, 6-10 p.m.
Open Wednesday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-6 p.m., though March 31, 2012
______

Eric Fertman: Here's Your Hat, What's Your Hurry?
at Kemper in the Crossroads, 33 West 19th Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-753-5784

Open Friday: noon-8 p.m., Saturday: noon-6 p.m., thorugh July 28, 2012
______

Girl in Bed
Teri Keegan-Castrop
at at Kansas City Artists Coalition, Underground Gallery, 201 Wyandotte Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-421-5222

First Friday Opening Reception: March 2, 6-8:30 p.m., with artists' talks at 6 p.m.
Open Wednesday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., though March 30, 2012
______

Juan Chawuk
in conjucntion with the National Museum of Mexican Art Chicago
at Mattie Rhodes Art Center Gallery, 1740 Jefferson Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-221-2349

First Friday Opening Reception: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Closing Reception: April 6, 6-9 p.m.
Open Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., though April 20, 2012
______

KC Bindle Stick
100 selected prints and a few paintings from Preston Brigham's side project that captures overlooked corners of Kansas City with an iPhone, celebrating its 500th online post
at Gallery at 19 Below, 5 West 19th Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-471-1019

First Friday Reception: March 2, 5-9 p.m., with music by Jeffrey Harvey
______

The Mind's Eye: Landscapes from the Belger Collection
2D and 3D work in many media from American aritsts spanning the 1970s to 2010
at the Belger Arts Center, 2100 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-474-3250

First Friday: March 2, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Open Wednesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday: noon-4 p.m., through April 6, 2012

also:
For Some Must Watch, While Some Must Sleep, So Runs the World Away
Extended through March 2, 2012
______

Momoko Usami
at at Kansas City Artists Coalition, Jacqueline B. Charno Gallery, 201 Wyandotte Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-421-5222

First Friday Opening Reception: March 2, 6-8:30 p.m., with artists' talks at 6 p.m.
Open Wednesday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., though March 30, 2012
______

Reach Beyond Death
featuring more than 30 tattoo artists' work from across the country, presented on forearm casts by Adam Smith Studios
at Windhorse Tattooing and Art Gallery, 1717 Wyandotte Street #200, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-283-0500

First Friday Opening Reception: March 2, 6-10 p.m., with DJ set by Sound Sorcerer and live music by Les Ismore and special guests
Open Tuesday-Sunday: 11 a.m.- 7 p.m., through April 29, 2012
______

Replay:
Hysteria Study by Natalie Lammers; Measurement: Cheers by Derek Larson; and Nothing is Wrong Everything is Fine by David Hanes
video works reusing/reassembling pop culture/TV film for a difference message, ie: Diane Keaton, Cheers, and Doctor Who
at Hex Pixel Gallery at t2 + Back Alley Productions, 1906 Wyandotte Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-471-6554

First Friday Showings: March 2, 6-10 p.m.
______


Sandi Pierantozzi and Neil Patterson
hand-built pottery
at Red Star Studios, inside Belger Arts Center, 2100 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-474-7316

First Friday Opening: March 2, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Slideshow Presentation: March 3, 4 p.m.
Workshop with Sandi Pierantozzi: March 3-4 (click to register)
Open Wednesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday: noon-4 p.m., through April 28, 2012
______

Simpler Times
work addressing adult problems by Jason Barr (BARRR) and adult puppet theatre by Spencer Lott
at AFW Gallery, in Art & Frame Warehouse, 2015 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-471-7444

First Friday Reception: March 2, 6-9 p.m., catered by Mandoline Cafe
Open Tuesday-Wednesday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
______

Synaptic Coincidence
eight-piece installation by Shea Gordon
at MLB Designs & Boutique, LLC, 2020 Baltimore Avenue #105, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-531-3133

First Friday Opening: March 2, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Open Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., through April 1, 2012
______

The Sweet Life
Chandra DeBuse, Jana Evans, Jenny Gawronski, and Courtney Murphy
at Red Star Studios, inside Belger Arts Center, 2100 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-474-7316

First Friday: March 2, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Open Wednesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., through March 24, 2012
______

Traces
photography by Jennifer Onofrio Fornes
at Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, 2004 Baltimore Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-221-2626

First Friday Opening: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Open Tuesday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., through April 28, 2012
______

Travis Bird
printmaker
at Plenum Space, 504 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

First Friday Opening: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Open by appointment through March 31, 2012
______

Vanguards and Visionaries: Kansas City Women in the Arts
Philomene Bennett, Rita Blitt, Jane Booth, Shea Gordon-Festoff, Jessica Kincaid, Janet Kuemmerlein, Karen McCoy, and Cheryl Toh
at Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, 2012 Baltimore Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-474-1919

First Friday Opening: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Open Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., though April 21, 2012
______

What Will Be
work by KCAI senior ceramic majors Emily Connell, Hank Hafkemeyer, Ben Harle, and Will Preman (displayed with including video, photography, and mixed media)
at Undergrads Underground Gallery, in Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, 2012 Baltimore Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-474-1919

First Friday Opening: March 2, 6-9 p.m.
Open Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., though March 31, 2012
______

XOXO
A salon-style exhibition and benefit including work by the following artists (arranged alphabetically by first name): Aaron Storck, Ah-ram Park, Alexandra Phillips, Alli Litwicki, Amanda Bowles, Amanda Gehin, Amanda Martinez, Andrew Erdrich, Anne Pearce, Annie Woodfill, Anthony Baab, Ashley Lugo, Ayla Rexroth, Blake Sidebottom, Brandon Briscoe, Brett Ginsburg, Brian Henkel, Calder Kamin, Chloe Mann, Chris Thomas, Christian Velasquez, Christina Dostaler, Christopher –Daharsh, Chuong Doan, Clayton Skidmore, Cody Gurley, Colleen Burner, Colleen Lucas, Cory Imig, Craig DeMoss, Cydney Ross, Daniel Reneau, David Rhoads, Dean Roper, Derek Combs, Diane Henk, Dusty Colyer, Emma Green, Eric Persson, Eric Wolever, Erica Mahinay, Erica Peterson, Erika Hanson, Evan Davies, Fred Byrd, Frederick Vorder-Bruegge, Gabrielle Costello, Hannah Lodwick, Heather Day, Jaclyn Senne, James Woodfill, Jane Sheldon, Jason Carron, Jay Canty, Jeff Schwenk, Jessica Dassing, Jonah Criswell, Julia Cole, Julia Icicle, Julie Lehenbauer, Julie Malen, Justin Beachler, Kahlil Irving, Kate Clements, Kate Ford, Kate Smithson, Katherine Novotny, Kelly Clark, Krystal Kuhn, Lee Piechocki, Leila Jean, Leslie Kinsman, Lexi Janezic, Lindsay Fernandez, Lindsay Iliene, Luke Firle, Madeline Gallucci, Marie Dougherty, Mary O’Brien, Matt Jacobs, Matteus Leonhard, Max Crutcher, Micah Lidberg, Misty Gamble, Molly Kaderka, Molly Ryan, Neil Thrun, Nicholas Naughton, Paul Anthony-Smith, Peter Granados, Philip Wilkerson, Rachel Gregor, Rachel Rolon, Rhiannon Birdsall, Ricky Allman, Roberto Lugo, Ronald Slowinski, Ruben Castillo, Ryan Haralson, Ryan Lawrence, Sarah Hazelwood, Sean Blott, Sean M. Starowitz, Stephen Proski, Stuart Scott Smith, Sunny Stanila, Terry L. Campbell, Todd Christiansen, Waseem Touma, Will Meier, and Zoë Pedziwiatr
at Spray Booth Gallery, 130 West Wyandotte Street, Kansas City, Missouri: 816-471-5555 (inside Volker Bicycles)

First Friday Second Reception: March 2, 6-10 p.m.
Open Tuesday-Friday: noon-6 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., through March 17, 2012

PS, All opinions here are my own, and no one edits this, so any errors are also solely mine. Corrections are appreciated: needsaneditor@gmail.com