Lake and Diebenkorn Again

I’m backlogged on my thoughts from my recent Portland trip but through no small irony, the two artists I went to Portland to see a week ago are found together again in at Bellingham’s Whatcom Museum.

When I found out there was another Diebenkorn show in the vicinity I made the two hour trek north as soon as I could .

The Whatcom Museum is a fairly tiny but pleasant museum in the very pleasant (I would even say tranquil) town of Bellingham, Washington.

Their Diebenkorn offering is: THE INTIMATE DIEBENKORN: WORKS ON PAPER, 1949-1992 a small collection of Richard’s Diebenkorn drawings spanning 40 years of his career. Sometimes it is the small works, the not so precious experiments that can give you insight into someone’s head over the larger and more seriously executed paintings. One of my favorite pieces in the show was made with a ball point pen and watercolor.

Contained within the exhibit is a small room you can sit down and watch an 1988 CBS Sunday Morning interview with Diebenkorn as well (here you go if you’re interested). The concept of interviewing an artist, especially a painter these days on television seems so foreign. Diebenkorn stated in the interview that some days he will just sit with one of the works for hours doing nothing. Yet then he will feel guilty for wasting time. Such a mild mannered soul, it is a privilege to take a moment to hear his thoughts.

What I wasn’t expecting was to cross the room into their other non-permanent exhibit to find my artist friend Eva Lake on the wall as she is part of the Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts at 25 exhibit. This is a survey of over 70 prints from their archive, showcasing the variety of artists who have worked with them through the years. A wonderful variety of print accomplishments are represented here.

Imagine my surprise when I turned a corner and saw this print titled Golden No. 2,  (2011, eight color lithograph).

I had to text her that I had unwittingly stumbled acrossed her work.

Here is Crow’s Shadow Institute’s website. They are based in Pendleton, OR and offer invitational only residencies to artists to create print work.

“Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts (CSIA) is a nonprofit organization aimed at providing opportunities for Native Americans through artistic development. With an emphasis on contemporary, fine-art printmaking, we also function as a venue to practice traditional Native American art practices — weaving, bead working and regalia making — of the Plateau region.”

Eva Lake’s print work can be found here on their site.

I also really liked Jim Denomie’s piece below as well.

These are small shows in a small museum but to me the drive was worth seeking out such rewarding content. I also spent the morning looking at Western Washington’s University campus sculpture collection, which I’ll write about soon.

Info:

The Intimate Diebenkorn: Works on Paper, 1949-1992

Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts at 25

Both shows are on on view through August 19, 2018 at the Whatcom Museum Lightcatcher Building (open Wed-Sun, 12-5p)

Now after all this driving I want to find out why Seattle has not had a recent a Diebenkorn exhibit for me.

R/T Portland

Back from a day trip to Portland to catch up on art. A decade ago I could do this without batting an eye but my much older person today is feeling the effects of driving a car for hours.

It was worth it though. I got to see some good art, caught up with friends I haven’t visited with for a long time and it turned into a general clear your head kind of outing. Hopefully more soon after I catch my breath.

 

 

Diebenkorn and Lake in PDX

Richard Diebenkorn, Untitled, 1943, watercolor, graphite, and paper tape on paper, 15 1/4 x 22 in. (38.7 x 55.9 cm). © Richard Diebenkorn Foundation

 

Time to get mobile. I haven’t been to the Portland Art Museum for a very long time.

Last week the exhibit Richard Diebenkorn: Beginnings, 1942–1955 opened at PAM. It will be criminal if I miss this.

Another reason to go down to PDX is to see Eva Lake’s new work in an exhibit titled Through The Ages. More of her impeccable collage on paper opens at Augen Gallery July 5th.

I exhausted myself in the summer of 2013 driving down to the Bay Area. By the time I got to the DeYoung’s Diebenkorn: The Berkeley Years 1953-1966 exhibit I was very sick, so not too much was said in the aftermath.

Sobering words to myself for that hard solo pilgrimage as I contemplate doing another.

 

 

 

Things about Diebenkorn

skitch

There are entire places and things I witnessed on this day that I neglected to comment on, became unable follow through on or was unable to think about  in any articulate manner. The Diebenkorn Exhibit, a meditation on the Sausalito Six, The Heath Factory all occurred on this day. I was sick. I was tired from driving and managing and lonely as hell. I know they were important things.  Things I had made a pilgrimage out of. But sometimes you need to wait.

Fischl

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Just listening to Tyler Greene’s podcast interview with Eric Fischl, discussing his new book. Fischl asserts that when he was just getting out of grad school he went through a period of making Diebenkorns. Only a person who studied painting on the West Coast would be familiar. He said Diebenkorn left the door open for other painters, as did DeKoonig, while Pollack and Picasso closed it. I thought that was beautiful and of course agree. I have been thinking a lot about Diebenkorn lately as a painting re-entry.

I thought of another thing while listening to Tyler’s podcast, which is pronunciation. For those of us farm-raised and still wet behind the ears (i.e. don’t live in New York City) the lack of knowledge of correctly pronouncing artists names can be a hilarity.

At any rate, Tyler’s podcast is as thoughtful as his the writing he produces. He is such a champion of art. I’ve been a long standing fan and he, along with Diebenkorn are helping me pick up the pieces here.

August 20, 2001

Wayne Thiebaud: A Paintings Retropective Whitney Museum

I like Wayne Thiebaud. I thought this was going to be my summer painting show. But somehow, something in the work did not entirely engage me. He is a beautiful painter, but his style leans toward the academic. With the exception of his mid-sixties food series(which he is still best known for)his subject matter is too reminiscent of others from that era. I saw shades of Jim Dine and lots of Richard Diebenkorn (especially in his San Francisco street landscapes).

I felt a little sad, because I respect his work immensely. I just didn’t have any epiphanies as I did when I saw the Diebenkorn  retrospective a few years ago, or my mild obsession last summer when I saw Alice Neel’s work numerous times. Not really a disappointment, but it somehow just didn’t resonate beyond the door.

Another thing that didn’t make it out the door were photos of the Mies van der Rohe architecture exhibit. Upon entering the Mies chamber, there was a strange feeling of being in a Wings Of Desire sub plot. Lots of low level lighting, immense black and white photos and a strange hush in the room. I was busted almost immediately for trying to take photos. Photos I might add would not have come out anyway with the lighting situation. All the same it put a damper on my evening and I decided to come back and see more of Mies some other time.

*[please note: Thiebaud has a beautiful palette of color that he works with, and the poor reproductions I have put up here really don’t do justice to his work, just thought I would mention that it is my ill handy work, not his].