Low Key, Low Impact at Iron Horse Vineyards (Sebastopol)Saturday, April 19, 2009
Weeks of prep to curate a 3 hour, one-day exhibition celebrating Earth Day and Sonoma County's Green Valley region. Many thanks to the amazing efforts of Joy, Dixie, Mark and featured artists Cameron Kelly, Nicole Buffett, Ashley Helvey, Fred Vedder, Monty Monty, and 3D-Edddy!
I'm always tickled by the responses we (ArtSpace404) receive from our exhibitions -some people are in tune with the experimental work we feature, some aren't. And I should add, all responses are completely valid. While Low Key, Low Impact was a curatorial project I undertook on behalf of the Arts Council of Sonoma County, the responses received at said exhibition were reminiscent of those occasionally heard at ArtSpace404. One guest found Nicole Buffett's paintings (see above) inappropriate for an environmental exhibition due to the use of resin, which is harmful to the environment. While this may be true (though there was a failure to acknowledge her incorporation of natural pigments), Buffett's work stems from a direct connection to and inspiration from the earth. To view and understand an exhibition and its featured work ONLY by the media employed would be truly myopic for any show. Equally "tickling" was the suggestion that Buffett use beeswax in lieu of resin for a less harmful impact on the earth. Have we not read the Help the Honey Bees call to action plastered on every Häagen-Dazs ice cream container?
Above: Artists Cameron Kelly and Nicole Buffett w/ guest.
Above Artwork (left to right): Nicole Buffett. "Shere", "Up To The Fire Line", and "Shed", 2009. Mixed media on panel, 6' x 4'.
