Biological Aesthetics

http://www.yorkarts.org/

"Biological Aesthetics: Investigating the Art in Science"
YorkArts Gallery
10 N Beaver St, York, PA
Event Dates: September 29 - November 19, 2011
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 29, 6pm - 8pm
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YorkArts presents: "Biological Aesthetics: Investigating the Art in Science"
This exhibit showcases artists whose works reference biological subject matter, this exhibit seeks to inject our audience with the notion that science and art are not separate ventures, and that inspiration and innovation are closely linked. This exhibition intends to straddle two seemingly different worlds and bring them together to form an interesting cohesive experience. A variety of art mediums will be displayed.

Featuring artwork by Joan Austin, Ophelia Chambliss, Hollie Chantiles, Christel Emenheiser, Annalisa Gojmerac, Ian Hart, Amy Kopperude, Christina Nguyen Hung, Judeth Pekala Hawkins, Susan Scofield, Nicole Smeltzer, Abby Spangel Perry, and Amy Youngs.

Please join us for the opening reception on Thursday, September 29 from 6-8pm

Aquatic Synthesis

Aquatic SynthesisThe closing reception of Aquatic Synthesis is this Friday 6-9pm @ WHQR Gallery.

Aquatic Synthesis

Aquatic Synthesis

WHQR invites you to view the creative paintings of
Charmaine Ortiz and Abby Spangel Perry
"Aquatic Synthesis"

Join us Friday, April 22nd from 6 - 9pm
for the WHQR Gallery opening reception.
Meet the artists and enjoy complimentary wine and snacks.
A portion of all sales benefits WHQR. 

Aquatic Synthesis brings together the work of two talented local artists, Charmaine Ortiz and Abby Spangel Perry. The artists describe the show as “Broad in theory: of or relating to the water, but synthesized through artistic process.” The works of Abby Spangel Perry and Charmaine Ortiz draw upon the unique biological and psychological structures surrounding the notion of the Aquatic for the inspired creation of their mixed media works. Abby Spangel Perry's work takes a biological approach by utilizing scientific drawings of plankton as a starting point for a series of mixed-media paintings. Perry’s focus on the most minute components of the aquatic food chain is an effort to draw attention to the creatures that form the basis of aquatic life as we know it. Charmaine Ortiz examines the physical and psychological structures related to the Aquatic using processes of abstraction. Ortiz’ graphite paintings and time-based media rely on abstraction’s unfolding dynamic to expose the structural and psychological essence of her unique subjects. These two complimenting bodies of work have been streamlined into a single show, Aquatic Synthesis on view at the WHQR Gallery.

Charmaine Ortiz grew up in the small farming town of Meadow, North Carolina. She moved to Wilmington in 2003 to attend the University of North Carolina, where she earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Painting and Art History.  She has participated in numerous group exhibitions and has hosted a variety of art historical presentations at annual symposiums conducted by the North Carolina Association of Historians and Savannah College of Art and Design. Prior to her graduate studies she assisted local artist Virginia Wright-Frierson in building Airlie Gardens’ Minnie Evans Bottle Chapel. In 2008, Savannah College of Art and Design awarded her the Combined Honors Fellowship to facilitate her completion of dual graduate degrees in Art History (MA) and Painting (MFA).  After completing her MFA, she received the SCAD Encore Thesis Award for one of the most outstanding MFA thesis exhibitions of 2010. She is currently living in Carolina Beach, NC finishing her Art History MA and exhibiting her mixed-media works across the nation.

Abby Spangel Perry’s relationship to art developed out of a love of drawing from cartoons as a child in Pennsylvania. After a move to North Carolina to work with Americorps in Wilmington, Perry discovered an overpowering connection with the natural environment. In 2002, she earned a BFA in Painting with honors from East Carolina University. While there, Perry participated in the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources Environmental Education certification program and was awarded an internship through the NC Youth Advocacy Commission to work at Carolina Beach State Park. It was there that she developed her understanding of ecology and humanity's role within its framework. In 2004, Perry received the NC Arts Council Regional Emerging Artist Grant and returned to ECU in 2005. She received an MFA in Painting and Drawing at the end of 2007. Perry currently teaches Drawing, Design and Art Appreciation at Cape Fear Community College in Downtown Wi

Fritzi Huber Article for Wilma Magazine

Here is a link to my latest article about Fritzi Huber for Wilma Magazine

Wildlife

Project 30: Wildlife 

Here is a link to Wildlife, an online juried show that I was accepted into in June. The following is a description for the show submission.

The earliest artworks known to us, cave paintings from over 30,000 years ago, prominently feature depictions of animals. It is suggested those subterranean images might have been intended as a form of "hunting magic", an attempt by ancient artists to summon up game and increase the yield of the hunt. Another theory is that prehistoric shamans believed that by retreating into dark, secreted caves and creating images of powerful beasts they could draw power from those images into themselves, perhaps even taking on attributes of the beasts they depicted.
Millennia later in Egyptian reliefs, gods were regularly given the form of half-human half-animal hybrids. Ra the sun god is depicted with the head of a falcon, and sores through the sky on a flaming ship bringing light to the world. Set, originally the patron of Upper Egypt, would eventually be depicted with the head of a jackal, and be associated with all things chaotic and evil. The animal form symbolically conveys to the viewer the god's nature and supernatural abilities.
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Native North American peoples held a variety of beliefs centered around sacred spirit animals. In their arts, crafts, and religious monuments its apparent that a reverence for nature and a faith in the power of animals as spiritual guides was an intrinsic part of the belief system.
In modern art and culture, the human/animal divide is still a topic of interest: from the ever growing field of wildlife photography, to the embalmed sculptures of Damien Hirst, to the current cultural obsession with animalistic monsters such as vampires and werewolves.

Countertransference

Countertransference
Here is a link to images from the show Countertransference.

Countertransference, a group exhibiton at UNC Wilmington ran from May 28 until August 6 at UNCW's Cultural Arts Building.

Featuring Lauren Frances Adams, Dan Brawley, Anne Brennan, Mei Ling Cann, Jonathan Cobbs, Adam Jacono, Abby Spangel Perry, Dixon Stetler, Jim Tisnado and Jan-Ru Wan.

The show was curated by Michael Webster.

Key Show

My newest piece "Pandora". It was juried into the fabulous Key Show at Independent Art Company. The only limitations of the show were to play off the idea of a key. I played off the idea of genetic key.

It is a cut paper piece that I made slightly sculptural by using a shadow box and letting the DNA strand rise and fall from the backing. Definitely has given me ideas for more pieces.

Diva Made Show

Diva Made Show this week at Bottega. 15 of Wilmington's finest women in one show! The reception is this Friday 6-9pm. My piece "Corporate Rats" is in the show and made the cover of Encore this week!

Art Sync Magazine

I am the online featured artist of the week at Art Sync Magazine. Follow the link to check it out!

Lauren Hodges interviewed me about teaching art for Wilmington Kids Magazine. I enjoyed the opportunity to put my teaching career in perspective. I had hard time focusing  on my Dreams experiences rather than CFCC because CFCC dominates much more of my time.

Wilmington Kids