Seen Gallery’s “Tech-Know-Logic” Opens Aug 1st
Decatur Metro | July 21, 2009
As many of you already know, Seen Gallery co-owner Bill Bibb had a heart attack a couple of weeks ago and has since under gone open-heart surgery. From his Facebook page, it sounds like Bill’s well on his way to a full recovery (yay!), but while he’s on the mend for the next month or so, he has some local artists helping out at the Gallery.
One of those artists is Denise Wellenstein, who forwarded this press release about the gallery’s August 1st opening of “Tech-Know-Logic”, featuring Travis Smith, Jonathan Fisher, and (Denise’s husband) Chris May.
“Tech-know-logic: Three Artists/Three Technologies”
Opening Saturday, August 1, 7-10 PM
Three artists, Travis Smith, Jonathan Fisher, and Chris May, who use the technology of differing media: traditional painting with non-traditional subjects, print making combined with photographic techniques, and encaustic with photography and painting, create structured imagery reminiscent of today’s technological world. The artists, from differing backgrounds, using differing techniques, and approaching their art from different directions have a striking similarity with each other in their imaginative approach to their art. The outcome is a cohesive and thought provoking exhibit which premieres on Saturday, August 1 and runs through Wednesday, September 2, 2009.
Travis Smith, long one of The Seen Gallery’s most popular artists, who describes himself as a ‘self-taught’ artist says of himself: “I grew up in the 80s and 90s and hit my head a lot. Never receiving any formal art training, I’ve drawn and painted for as long as I can remember. To this day, I doodle constantly; usually when I should be doing other more productive things. My influences include a wide range of art forms: tattoos, graffiti, pop art, movies, photography, comic books, music, and architecture. Other artists I admire that undoubtedly influence my work include Michi, Jeff Soto, and Erik Otto. When not painting, I dork out at my day job as a software developer”.
Jonathan Fisher received his BA from The University of North Carolina at Ashville and his MFA from Ohio State University. He is currently an instructor at The Art Institute of Atlanta. Jonathan’s art begins as photographs. From there he manipulates the photograph, strips the original context and content and the piece becomes an experience less objective and a narrative that is more elusive- a dreamscape. He uses digital processes, transfers, screen-printing techniques, and acrylic paint to complete the work. He says of his work “I often embellish the contrast of the photographic elements and use colors that are unnatural to the original. Some of my pieces have clearer narratives than others. Dreams are very similar. Some of my dreams have linear plot lines or reveal clear parallels to my day-to-day life. Other dreams are collages of vague familiarities that come crashing together with no real logical reason or purpose- images act as disparate symbols to be deciphered”.
Chris May received his BA in Art from Georgia College and his MFA in Imaging Art from the Rochester Institute of Technology. His career path has taken him from teaching photography to graphic arts. Chris describes his art as ‘exploring perceptions of a dark consequence to the ways in which society embraces and rejects change. Insects, condoms and digital technology have all been used as subject matter in my art. My principal medium, photography, is combined with other medium and processes such as printmaking and sculpture’.
Very cool. Thank you.
I had no idea about Bill. I wish him a speedy recovery!! Thanks for posting this.
Lets not forget about the gallery co-owner, Amy Bradford. She is pulling more than ‘double duty’ while I lounge around at home. I’d like to just take a bit of space here to thank my friends, family, our artists, and the community for their support during what has been a rather difficult time over the last 3 weeks. I have been truly humbled by the words of encouragement, the cards, the phone calls, the flowers, the meals. It would have been much more difficult and very lonely without them. I believe I am mending beyond the expectations of anyone and am up to walking 1 mile twice a day. I’ve made some drastic changes in my lifestyle and mindset; I see my surgeon August 11; and I hope to be back at the gallery next week 1/2 time (I’m already sneaking back in for an hour or so most days).
Thanks again everyone.
Thanks for the update Bill and I’m glad to hear mending ahead of schedule!
And my apologies for not mentioning Amy up top.
the best part is that it appears that I went to the hospital at the right time. There was very little damage to the heart due to the heart attack, I have had very little pain, and my strength and stamina are coming back stronger than ever, I have a really cool scar forming on my chest which I think I’m going to use as the basis of a cadusis tattoo. I can not emphasize to my friends who may have any of the major risk factors of heart disease enough to please get themselves checked regularly. Not only will you be around for a much longer time, but the changes to, not only your physical status, but your mental status, can be astounding after one suddenly has 80-90% more blood flow that previously. As I got older, I felt myself forgetting a bit more, going ‘off the handle’ a bit too easy perhaps, not being as understanding, not even relating to my family and friends in a healthy manner. After my surgery I found not only that I was able to get the first deep breath that I have been privileged to have in the last 10 years, but that my mind was suddenly just.. clear. How odd I thought, until I realized how ones braind depends on.. well.. what else..blood flow. I had felt that my brain capacity, not having been one of stellar proportions to begin with.had been deteriorating slowly over the last 10-15 years. Having been both a physicist and microbioloist in past lives, I’ve started reading briefly along these lines. I try to stay above the clutter of the interenet, with its half baked theories and even worse conclusions and normally only 1/2 of the truth, reading only peer reviewed papers from respected journals. Anyways… my mind is 5X clearer than it was before. So, if I owe you any money..the check will be in the mail soon
– and.. have yourself checked out..soon.