FIRST FRIDAY RAMBLES

Posted by arts_reviews

Posted: June 6, 2008 - 1:55 pm

Polar Bear Reverie: By Nathalie Parenteau
First Friday found me on the South Side of Northern Lights on June 6, thanks in part to some spectacular rush-hour, road clogging accidents. But I found plenty to view.

The must-see this month is a pair of ravens by Jean Shadrach at Terra Bella Bakery and Cafe, 601 E. Dimond, next to Bed, Bath and Beyond. These black and white panels are in a Japanese-based style Shadrach called "po'mo" - for "pour more." She takes paint and pours it onto the canvas, dribbling with more accuracy than Meadowlark Lemon. At first the things look like, well, splashes of black paint. It takes a minute for the ravens to pop out at you with the clarity of a photograph and a lot more presence. These startling images share the walls with Shadrach's more familiar acrylics and watercolors, plus gyclees and papier colle. "I've always got to be trying something new," she said.

Yukon territory's Nathalie Parenteau has a beguiling show at Gallery Red. When I spoke with her a few minutes after she arrived in town this afternoon, she stood barefoot on the cold concrete floor, cooling her feet from the long drive in from Canada. You can spot Partenteau's work a mile away; strong, seductive lines and simple, but not primitive, images, usually drawing on two or three dominant colors. There's a aura of legend and story-telling about them. I think she may be the next Rie Munoz. Gallery Red is located on the northwest corner of 36th and Old Seward, in the strip mall with a Quiznos. Parenteau says the gallery is the only place where she diplays her original acrylics, but her prints are more widely available. In fact, she will be signing her new edition print "Homeward Bound" from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at Picture This in Eagle River, 11401 Old Glenn Highway.

On the other side of Moose's Tooth from Gallery Red, at Kinley's, 3230 Seward Highway, Michael Allen is displaying "In the Garden of Vastitas Borealis." It's billed as a show of photography on canvas, but some of the big, bright canvases - which tend toward feminine subjects in vaguely jungle-like settings - appeared to have been manipulated or colored over. But brightness counts in the dim Kinley's lobby, and at least they could be plainly seen.

The cafe at the Alaska Spine Institute is a surprisingly lovely space for showing paintings. Big south-facing windows provide generous light and the tables are sparse enough to make it easy to view the art. Right now, acyrlics by Spenard's Mike Blackhurst are on display. Blackhurst's interest in science and math shows in his often geometric images. "Face Head Fellas" was maybe the most intriguing thing on the walls; the most beautiful piece was his swirling portrait of a swan.

Cindy Shake's pieces seemed to be selling well at Half Moon Creek Gallery, 510 W. Tudor. She had several big and fanciful metal sculptures, including a couple of chimes, suited for garden art; not a lot of living rooms could hold the giant rooster. And she had a number of small "Shrine-a-rellas" hanging on the walls. These were assemblages of wood, writing, figures, photos and assorted items all keyed to themes like curiosity and creativity and acceptance.

Unhappily, the reception for Peggie Hunnicutt's watercolors at Doriola's, virtually next door to Half Moon, was over by the time I got there at 7:30. I'll try again when I need a bowl of soup.

That's what I saw. What are you staring at? Tell us about it here.

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