The Holland Project Gallery

Homebodies (...and you will know us by the trail of thread)

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:21:00 +0000

Tomorrow night, Fri. Jan. 27, from 6-8PM is the opening reception for Homebodies (...and you will know us by the trail of thread). Featuring pieces by Jen Graham, Leah Ruby and Bryan Christiansen, this exhibit brings together domestic objects, utilitarian craft and hints of nostalgia.

Get a little sample of it here.

Around Town: Pequeno Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:11:00 +0000

Around Christmas time, Chris Carnel put together his own gallery space in his studio at Never Ender. A little late on posting about it, but if you didn't get a chance to see it here are a few glimpses at a creative solution for a temporary exhibit.

Stairway

Pequeno Gallery

"Four"

"Eight"

Hobo Nickels

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:09:00 +0000

The perfect combination of the large Native American side profile and a composition of copper-nickel alloy made the birth of the Buffalo nickel in 1913 the beginnings of so much more than just another American coin. Over the course of the 1930's when men were hitting the roads and rails in search of jobs, they began to carve these buffalo nickels into small folk art pieces that they could sell or exchange for food or shelter.

Some of the top dogs of hobo nickels were Bert Wiegand and George Washington "Bo" Hughes. Bo carved from 1913 (a few years after Bert first taught him the trade) till 1980 when he was last seen in a Florida camp. Bo worked predominately with a chisel until he hurt his hand and resorted to a punching technique.

Currently there is still a pocket of people creating hobo nickels. Most of them have a more polished look then the old timey ones, but it's good to know that the skill continues to be passed down.

Reno Work/Studio Spaces

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:02:00 +0000

Breaking news for my internet trolling, Reno has a public ceramic studio. I had no idea. Tallying that up with some other spaces I have discovered, Reno is looking like she has her shit together.

The Wedge

The Wedge (2095 Dickerson Rd) offers 3 levels of studio monthly membership as well as weekly beginner classes for pottery and ceramics. Their equipment includes electric pottery wheels, a bisque kiln, an electric glaze kiln, as well as an assortment of tables and tools.

The Woodworking Source

The Woodworking Source (9744 S. Virginia St. Ste E) offers numerous woodworking classes throughout the week including wood carving and cabinet making. They also sell woodworking supplies and offer instruction on how to use various tools.

Bridgewire

Reno Bridgewire (1055 Industrial Way Ste 20, Sparks) is a hackerspace/makerspace/workshop. A membership gives you 24hr access to the space and Thur nights they are open to the public. Awesome fact: they have a Makerbot.

Oxbow Press

Oxbow Press (2035 Dickerson Rd) offers access to printmaking presses and classes. They have very versatile membership options and also feature a gallery in the space. Their equipment includes etching presses and a combo litho/etching press as well as a silkscreen exposure unit and wash-out station.

Etsy Artists

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:47:00 +0000

So regardless of whatever beef there can be said about Etsy, all is forgiven in my book for their ability to provide people with affordable, original art from artists around the world.

Today in the print shop vortex I discovered a few more beauts and a whole handful of artists to keep the creative fires roaring ...

Hedgehog Mask, Yevgeniya Kilupe / Latvia

Up From Low Vines, Justin Brown Durand / Northampton MA

Hives in Glass, On the Lava Rock, Karinna Gomez / Fairbanks AK

Distant Voices, Olivia Jeffries / Norwich UK

A Catalogue of Outrageous Swimwear Zine, Faye Moorhouse / Brighton UK

Sea Monster Nesting Dolls, Emma Kidd / Sydney

Vacant Home, Franca Garrels / Amsterdam Holland

In Honor of Erica Wilson

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:40:00 +0000

Erica Wilson Vintage Embroidery Kit

Crewel embroidery has been around for an least an thousand years. It's the kind of needlework that you often see in thrift stores as woodsy scenes or some other imagery that you'd probably associate with your grandmother's house. It's a decorative form of embroidery that works with wool thread and a variety of stitches to create an image on the surface of a fabric. Often it utilizes the fabric itself to create the background or negative space. With the current craft revival, people are getting their antsy hands back into techniques like crewel and at least in modern America a lot of the accessibility to this kind of embroidery began with Erica Wilson.

Erica Wilson embroidering, from The Selby

Erica Wilson moved to America in the 1950's to work at Cooper Union in Manhattan. Her training at the Royal School of Needlework in London, gave her the skills to begin teaching men and women in the New York City area how to embroidery. Like most things in life, the simple got complex and by the 60's Erica was releasing her own book and in the 70's she had a regular television show. Many compare her to the likes of Julia Child and Martha Stewart for her role in making "domestic arts" an approachable and appreciated craft. She helped introduce people to a form of crafting and creating that carries a rich history and made crewel embroidery an regular part of the American home interior. Her influences carry beyond just the crafting world, with many decorators and tapestry makers attributing her as one of their inspirations. She passed away at the beginning of this week at the age of 83.

Diane Arbus

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:44:00 +0000

It seems like there are artists that catch my eye and then there are artists that consume me. Sophomore year of college, Charly Bloomquist gave me a Diane Arbus book to look through with the statement "I think you two would have a lot in common." Instant obsession.

Diane Arbus was a photographer whose work in the 1950's and 60's solidified her as one of the few recognized female street photographers of the era. She began photographing professionally in the 1940's with her husband Allen. Eventually she strayed away from the catalogue style photographs Allen was coordinating and starting exploring her own interests which were much more in the underbellies of culture. Over the course of her photography career she spent time with carnies, nudists, mentally challenged patients, strippers and high society. Her ability to see and expose beyond the facade was what helped shape her work. In Diane Arbus: A Biography, Patricia Bosworth wrote that there were people that refused to let Arbus photograph them for fear that the image would come out as an uglier version of themselves. Sadly similar to Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, Arbus struggled with depression ending her life by suicide. Marriage, motherhood and creative needs are hard balls to juggle. Even though her life ended in '71, Arbus' work continues to gardner respect, admiration and ... well ... obsession. Below are a couple of my favorites that I could find online.

Chauvet Cave Paintings

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:22:00 +0000

Bison from the end chamber

Panel of the lions

Chauvet Cave was discovered in 1993 by a small team of speleologists. Inside turned out to be the oldest known cave paintings. The images date from 30,000-33,000 years ago. Until last night this information had been filed away in my brain since Art History classes in college. Watching the beginning of Cave of Forgotten Dreams reminded me just how amazing the images are. In fact I had to rewind a few times just to soak them up outside of a textbook. These paintings gave scientists a run for their money and forced them "to abandon the prevailing view that 'early art was naive art'". Damn straight.

Horse heads

On the Horizon: Nightmares of the West / Born Out of This

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:56:00 +0000

Opening Monday December 19 from 6-8PM are two new exhibits at the Holland Project Gallery.

Virgil by Jessie De Leon

Arachnophobia by Eric Endy

Nightmares of the West is a collaborative exhibit between local artists Eric Endy and Jessie De Leon. As their first show in Reno, Eric and Jessie are mashing up paintings of monsters next to Old West styled portraits to create a visual story line of the kinds of messes even Wyatt Earp couldn't have handled. Some new blood in the Reno gallery scene and they're coming out swinging.

untitled by Sarah Lillegard

Born Out of This will be in hallway gallery featuring photographs by Sarah Lillegard. The images center on exploring what's bred out of the dust devils and sagebrush of the desert. Photos include roadside grottos, rusty crap and outsider art installations ... you know, the good stuff.

Both exhibitions will be up from Dec. 19-Jan.13. The gallery hours are Tues-Fri 6-8PM.

In the Gallery...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 06:52:00 +0000

We currently have two shows that you should take a peek at:

The Annual Stranger Show >> main gallery >> featuring collaborative pieces by Hug High School students and local artists digging into what’s “strange”

Increasing Cognizance >> hallway gallery >> photography by UNR student Rose Chascsa exploring personal and environmental cognizance

Both will be up until Fri. Dec. 9, 2011 and the gallery hours are Tues.-Fri. 3-6PM or by appointment (email sarah@hollandreno.org).

Art Lust: Bill McRight

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:55:00 +0000

Real tired after a couple of full days hanging the Stranger Show. So before hitting the hay, let's rest our weary eyes on these beauties....

Bill McRight killing it at the linocut business
... and making shanks.

David B. Smith Gallery

Art Lust: Watts Towers

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:17:00 +0000

When I was in LA a few weeks ago, my friends surprised me with a trip to the Watts Towers. The Towers have been on my to-see list for a while, so a visual blow out for sure.

The Towers are one of the poster children for "outsider" art. Outsider or folk or untrained art is simply all of those words wrapped up in each other. Outsider artists operate outside of the norms of the art world. That of course sells me almost instantly. For the most part these artists have never had any professional training. Their work, style and level of commitment is self-determined and self-monitored. Often, like in the case of Henry Darger, their work is not discovered until posthumously.

Sam Rodia started building "Nuestro Pueblo" in 1921 after he purchased two lots that would eventually be consumed by the towers. Over the course of 34 years he built his masterpiece, most recognized by it's three spires, the tallest measuring over 90 feet. All of the construction Rodia did by himself without any machinery, scaffolding, welds or drawing boards. Besides simply building a structure, he also decorated it in mosaic work.Children from the neighborhood (including Charles Mingus, as our guide told us) would collect broken toys and dinnerware for Rodia to include.

In most cases people see these sorts of structures as an eyesore, but the city of Watts made the collective decision to preserve Rodia's creation. The part that I find even more amazing is that the Towers and surrounding structure have never been tagged or spray painted. There's seriously something to respect in that.

Herb & Dorothy Vogel

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:28:00 +0000

Last week I discovered a couple that make my seemingly obsessive art buying seem trivial: Herb and Dorothy Vogel. This New York based couple began collecting art shortly after they were married in 1962 . Since then they have amassed one of the most important collections of minimalist and conceptual art, totaling at over 4,000 pieces. So the amazing part in all of those facts is that Herb and Dorothy are a middle income couple living in a one bedroom rent controlled apartment in NYC. Until retirement, Dorothy was a librarian and Herb was a postal worker. They split their income using Dorothy's to live off of and Herb's to buy art. Not only did they financially help support a number of artists but they took the time to form lasting friendships with these people, calling them weekly to discuss how their work was progressing. As if the collecting wasn't enough, the Vogel waived offers to buy their collection and allowed the National Gallery of Art to store and showcase 1000 pieces from their collection for free. They worked with this particular museum because it is publicly funded and free to visit.

A documentary about these two is on Netflix that can be streamed. It's definitely worth the time, especially with their cats making guest appearances in the interviews and to see the passion that these two continually radiate. It's so awesome to see art taken off it elite tower and accessible to average people.

Around Town: Um... Robert Adams

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:24:00 +0000

Robert Adams

A few weekends ago, I went to the Nevada Museum of Art for their free second Saturday. I totally planned on just blowing through the place in about an hour. That definitely wasn't the case once I got going and every exhibit turned into a conversation working its way out of observations. Out of the installations and exhibitions, I fell promptly in love with the photography of Robert Adams. Love at first sight. Big time.

Robert Adams

The exhibit titled The Unworthiness of Our Response is a small representation of the large body of photographs Adams produced over his life. Together the landscape images speak in quiet tones about the environments we create, essentially turning the natural into the unnatural. The images combined with well written excerpts leaves a feeling that doesn't disappear quickly, hence me buying his book What Can We Believe Where? in the museum store.

Robert Adams

"All that is clear, is the perfection of what we were given, the unworthiness of our response, and the certainty, in view of our current deprivation, that we are judged.” -Robert Adams

New Gallery Space

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:17:00 +0000

This last Friday and Saturday were the opening for Tri-X-Noise and the screening of Who Is Bozo Texino? Let me just say it was worth the eternally late nights helping in the space, the constant handing out of fliers and countless emails, tweeks and problem solving. The gallery wouldn't have come together without a great group of people plugging away for free every night after their day jobs were over. In about a month, the gallery got proper walls, paint, lighting, window treatments, floor cleaned and a bathroom expanded into it. So a real huge thank you to Tim, Chad, Mike, Casey, Clark, Britt, Montana, Liz, Dane, Paul, Mikey, Eden and Ciara. Photos from the opening are coming soon!

On The Horizon: Tri-X-Noise

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:54:00 +0000

Bill Daniel

Ray Potes of Hamburger Eyes

Jai Tanju and Film Por Vida

Just a few images to keep the fires burning about our first opening at the new gallery space. On Fri. Oct.7 from 6-9PM, Tri-X-Noise will be opening at the new space on 140 Vesta St. There will be hundreds of photos on display by Bill Daniel, Jai Tanju and Film Por Vida as well as members of Hamburger Eyes. If you ride by the space after this Fri. you'll get a peeker at some big prints of Bill's in the windows.

Around Town: UNR

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:13:00 +0000

Closing this week at the McNamara Gallery at UNR:

Happier With Dreams Than Wives (LOL): New Works by Nick Larsen & Blackurious

And closing lecture tomorrow, Thur. Sept. 22 beginning at 5:30 in the Wells Fargo Auditorium at UNR, for Reinterate the Repeat: Works by Sky Kim and Keun Young Park.

Around Town: Wilder, Lower

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 03:43:00 +0000

Beast of Burden

Again (&Again)

Just a few of the pieces in Wilder, Lower by Omar Pierce at Pie Face Pizza (239 W. 2nd Reno). It is up till Sept. 28.

Who Is Bozo Texino?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 06:46:00 +0000

Who is Bozo Texino? Trailer from T2B on Vimeo.

So I just finished watching Who Is Bozo Texino? which seems almost embarrassing to admit considering how long I have been meaning to ... since about two summers ago after finishing Riding the Rails: Teenagers on the Move During the Great Depression. It's easy to see how this film has a cult following. Shooting 16mm and super 8 film of 16 years of train hopping, passing landscapes and the older breed of hobos telling their tales, is the perfect means of using a specific medium to illuminate the subject. Like peanut butter and jelly, there's pretty much no better pairing than analog film and stories of the train yard.

Beyond feeding into my personal weakness for black and white images, this film offers the rare look into a culture that is so easily lumped into bindlestiffs and the big rock candy mountains. Hobo and hobo train monikers seem like a foreign world in most modern comparisons, but listening to the talks and stories Bill Daniel captures in his film these people share the same ethos as most contemporary DIY and punk movements. There is the desire to live on ones own terms, explore the vast terrain and to leave a personal mark in the process.

If you want to check it out for yourself, Bill Daniel will be screening Who Is Bozo Texino? followed by a short discussion at the Holland Project on Sat. Oct. 8 from 6-8PM. As a warm up round, I completely suggest watching Riding the Rails.

On the Horizon: Hamburger Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:38:00 +0000

Hamburger Eyes: Issue 08

This last weekend was the San Francisco Zine Fest and not only did we get to share a table with Nathalie Roland, but I also got a chance to take a peeker at some of Hamburger Eyes' prints and zines. Hamburger Eyes started about 10 years ago when Ray and David Potes made a photography zine by that name. Since those Xerox days, Hamburger Eyes has grown into a photography beast with numerous issues under its belt featuring photographers from around the world.

In addition to the collective photo zine, Hamburger Eyes also publishes and distros numerous individuals' photography zines and runs the Photo Epicenter in San Francisco. Essentially they have paved the way and set the tones for modern urban and street photography. Listening to them talk at the Zine Fest, it's obvious that their passion for photography has few boundaries.

John Oliver Hodges Two Girls on Sidewalk, 1985

Opening Oct. 7, Hamburger Eyes will be exhibiting their photography and zines at the Holland Project Gallery as part of Tri-X-Noise. From the little taster I got in SF, this is not a show to miss... visual blow-outs for sure. If you're curious to learn more about their zines, printing, distro or Epicenter Ray Potes and others from the HE crew will be at the Holland Project for a Q&A session following the screening of Who Is Bozo Texino? on Oct. 8 from 6-8pm.

On the Horizon: FilmPorVida

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 06:52:00 +0000

About 6 years ago photographer Jai Tanju cooked up a photo mail exchange with some friends. Essentially one person would send a printed photo to someone and they would send one back. Wham, bam the birth of FilmPorVida , The Photo Exchange Program. Since those first few exchanges, FilmPorVida has grown into a hub for over 200 street and skate photographers worldwide to share and exchange photos. Looking through the posts and archives is like getting a real good visual spoonful of what's going down, sometimes quietly, in little corners of the world. They're street skate spots and stolen glimpses of strangers; friends kicking up their feet and bird taking taking flight.

So the topper to this whole deal, in fact the topper with one of those waxy red cherries out of the jar, is that Jai Tanju will be exhibiting a portion of the photographs from the Photo Exchange Program for Tri-X-Noise. This is our first exhibit in the new gallery space on Vesta St and it will be opening Fri. Oct. 7 from 6-9PM. Stay posted because this is only the tip of the iceburg of goods for this exhibit.

Art Lust: Kara Gunter

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:54:00 +0000

Kara Gunter's series Trial By Fire, looks amazing. She introduces it with this statement:

According to fire ecology, the study of fire and its relationship to living organisms, fire is a necessity for propagation. Certain plant life has evolved to depend on fire as a means to clear out the old and dying so new life can take hold. Seeds are split open by the heat, and the ground is fertile with ash. Trial by Fire explores themes of devastation followed by the cycle of rebirth...

Her ceramics and sculptures are dramatically expressive, the kind that I am itching to have a chance to see in person.

Home Turf

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 21:30:00 +0000

Last night Holland Project had its first one night only, pop-up art show. With over 20 local artists supplying pieces, the art covered the full spectrum not to mention gave a good overview of the rad stuff people are cooking up in the biggest little city. If you didn't get a chance to catch the show, don't worry, it's only the beginning of things to come at the soon to be new space for Holland.

Ojo de Dios

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 05:46:00 +0000

Photos by Jay Mohler

Ojo de Dios is Spanish for "eye of god". These stick and yarn spiritual talisman originated in Mexico and South America. Since then they have appeared in artwork by Southwest Native American Tribes. Jay Mohler makes some amazing variations on this traditional craft. His pieces are instant visual wants.

Art Lust: Saner

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah May) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 06:32:00 +0000

I think the best feeling in the world with art is to be stopped dead in my tracks by something I see. With everything being just a mouse click to the next page, it seems amazing that any piece of art could slow me down, let alone bring my web sleuthing to a halt. So here enters Saner, a Mexico based street artist. Mouse-scrolling, web-trolling haulter for sure.

Saner's work is incredibly reflective of how much he appreciates the region and culture he lives in. With two of his siblings involved in politically minded careers, Saner has built from their lives his own way to express political frustration: graffiti and art.

Most of his characters can be recognized by the masks they wear. Saner incorporates into these masks traditional Mexican iconography like jaguars, coyotes and skulls. He explains these masks as a parallel to one's real self; that we are nothing without our masks. The richness of his colors and the simplicity of his cartoon characters is what gets me so hard. That and the fact that it's so obvious that you can't take history of his home out of his work.

Photo by Ekosystem Blog