High Desert Gallery is pleased to host
an important new exhibition, titled "Grace Bishko: View From the Top - a Retrospective" from May 6 through the May 31, including a Preview Artist Reception
to be held on Thursday, May 6, from 5 to 8pm, and a First Friday
Gallery Walk Artist Reception on Friday May 7, from 5 to 9pm. The
exhibit and sale will focus on hand-pulled prints and original paintings by the artist. During her more
than 37 years of creating art, Grace Bishko has taught at Rutgers,
Moore College of Art and University of the Arts, both in
Philadelphia, and taught privately in Oaxaca, Mexico. The exceptional quality of
Grace Bishko's artistic vision continues to capture the imagination.
We recently visited with Grace and talked about this show in terms of "a retrospective." We want
to share some of what she had to say about "the beginning":
“I was born in 1936, and grew up as
the youngest child in a "Bohemian" family of 5 children.
Our parents were from Russia, and very "Americanized" over
the years. They were talented in music - they wrote it, played it,
and sang it! Their love of the arts trickled down into all of our
lives.
My older sister was the Director of the 1030 Art
Gallery in Cleveland, Ohio. One day, she brought home casein paints,
brushes and a canvas, and I started to paint. In 1946 I was 10 years
old. I started painting, and never stopped. I had two sisters
involved in the visual arts - one became an art teacher - and they
were my mentors well into my adult life. They planted their seeds
deeply.
From 1947 to 1973, my painting education was based on
what I saw in the museums and art books - the Old Masters were very
important teachers. I studied their brush strokes, use of color and
composition, as well as anatomy, endlessly. It was all there in their
history. The only painting of my own that I have left from that
period is a still life of yellow mums in a Japanese vase, which I
completed in 1973. (Editor's Note: This piece will be included in the exhibition.)
Then what happened?
In 1973, the beginnings of a new "Women's
Movement" in the arts prompted me to search for my own voice as
an artist, and I enrolled part time in college courses. By the end
of the first year my style was boldly changing into a unique style,
and I was ready to enroll at The Cleveland Institute of Art full
time. My portfolio was accepted, and I was given advanced standing in
my art classes. By then, I had learned to listen to my inner self and
appreciate the new art around me. And my images evolved into strong,
female oriented concepts. I not only painted them, but also created
lithographs, engravings and etchings of this imagery. At first, the
students and my professors were very much against my presence in the
school, and my art - and they voiced it. However, it didn't take long
for them to come to appreciate my individuality, and imagery. The
students picked up on my imagery, and used it well. Some of the
teachers would not return my assignments to me - they kept them for
themselves!
In 1980, at age 44, I received my MFA degree
(Master of Fine Arts) from Rutgers. By then I had been teaching life
drawing classes at Rutgers, and lithography at Moore College of Art
in Philadelphia. I went on to teach Design at the University of the
Arts in Philadelphia. In 1996 and 1997, I taught life drawing to 15
private students, most of whom were already showing their art in
Oaxaca, Mexico. This was the last time I taught classes. I know I
did a good job teaching, but it took so much out of me and my own
art. I just had to stop, and focus on my soul.
From then on, I
worked at non art jobs to support myself and my 3 children, and I
painted at night. The male imagery crept back into my work, and it
was so exciting to find new stories to paint. Every year I've had a
one woman show.
My son, and his sister are musicians, and
they each have many students to teach. My other daughter teaches
computer animation at Emily Carr Institute of Art. They all have
graduate degrees. Education is so good for life.
As both a
painter and a printmaker, we asked Grace to talk more about these two
mediums:
Printmaking is a process that
awakens me to NEW! I've been painting for so long, that it doesn't
even seem like a process to me anymore. It's more like breathing.
Printmaking is always a surprise - sometimes wonderful, and sometimes
awful, which shakes me up and takes my breath away! My paintings have
story content - sometimes brief, and sometimes very in depth. I think
this clouds the process in a way. Whereas, in printing, the process
makes the story.
Working at Atellier 6000 has been very
exciting. I'm surrounded by wonderful artists. The inks and materials
are not toxic like the "traditional" were. The founder, Pat
Clark, who is an incredibly exceptional artist, is always there to
offer her help. She runs the shop in a most professional manner.
We had one last question for Grace:
“Which painting or print in View From the Top is your favorite?
My favorite piece in this
retrospective show is "The Sabbath Bride". To me, she is
not a bride to a husband. She is a bride to life. She is walking into
all space, which looks empty at first, but there is so much to do,
see, and feel, waiting for her in that lovely ether.
Grace Bishko,
April/May, 2010
We hope you will come and enjoy this
exceptional solo show at our downtown Bend, Oregon gallery location,
10 NW Minnesota Avenue at the Oxford. Meet the artist at two artist
receptions, enjoy great conversation, live music, refreshments and more. The exhibition and sale runs from May 6 through May 31.
Thursday, May 6, from 5 to 8pm.
Special Preview Artist Reception: Meet the artist, enjoy
refreshments, live music by Erin Cole-Baker and more during this very
special preview reception.
Friday, May 7, from 5 to 9pm. First
Friday Gallery Walk Artist Reception: Meet Grace during the Bend,
Oregon First Friday Gallery Art Walk and enjoy refreshments, live
music by a Central Oregon favorite, Bellavia.
About High Desert
Gallery: High Desert Gallery & Custom Framing, The Art & Soul
of Central Oregon™ is an award winning fine art and custom picture
framing gallery with retail gallery locations in Bend, Oregon and
Sisters Oregon. High Desert Frameworks! the award-winning framing
studio for the gallery is located at 61 NW Oregon Avenue at Lava in
downtown Bend, Oregon. The gallery specializes in Central Oregon
Artists & Beyond™ and Stellar Custom Framing. For more
information please visit: www.highdesertgallery.com or call toll free
1-866-549-6250.
Want to
be in the know? Then follow us on via Google Buzz, RSS, Facebook,
Twitter or subscribe to our blog. To download your free iTunes or Android app
visit: High Desert Gallery App Store. The Art &
Soul of Central Oregon™ and Central Oregon Artists & Beyond™
are trademarks of High Desert Gallery & Custom Framing of Central
Oregon.
Recent Comments