CROSS-CURRENTS
An exhibit that features a diverse collection of cultural stories from such distant locales as the Brazilian rainforest of South America to Europe, Asia, Africa and the United States. Cross Currents, which will remain on view through February 8, 2004, features paintings, sculpture, fiber and mixed media installations by artists Maria Barbosa, Nick Cave, Rieneke Leenders, Linda Gissen and Richard Ward.

The mixed-media installations by Maria Barbosa, a native of Brazil, address the issues of cross-cultural perceptions and language barriers.  In her artwork, Barbosa addresses the survival of the native cultures living in the Brazilian Rainforest.  Artist Nick Cave creates ‘Sound Suits’ from recycled materials that both conceal the identity of the person within, and celebrate his African roots.

Having traveled extensively, Rieneke Leenders launched a major project to paint the portraits and share the cultural stories and issues of women from around the world.  In order to tell the stories, Leenders collaborates with writers and her subjects to share the women’s collected stories, some who were unable to find a voice within their own communities.   Also featured are the devotional bronze and glass sculptures by Linda Gissen.  In her work, Gissen celebrates the customs and heritage of the Jewish people.

Finding inspiration from music, Richard Ward creates paintings that illuminate musical chords and scales.  Sculptural constructions assembled from paint, recycled tools and instruments add a third dimension to Ward’s artwork.

Cross Currents, a collection assembled by Gayle Paul, curator of art at the Courthouse Galleries will remain on view through February 8, 2004.

Nick Cave, Sound Suit, mixed media	Maria Barbosa, Social Skins, mixed media	Linda Gissen, Woodsman, bronze
Richard Ward, Genesis, mixed media	Rieneke Leenders, Xhosa Transkei, Mandisa, Watercolor on Paper

FROM THESE HILLS: Southwest Virginia Artists and Their Neighbors
Celebrating the diversity of artistic talent in the Southern Appalachian Highlands, From These Hills: Southwest Virginia Artists & Their Neighbors is a major exhibition of new works by artists working in all media in Southwest Virginia, Northeast Tennessee, Western North Carolina, Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.  The exhibit idea, which originated in 1992 by the William King Regional Arts Center in Abingdon, Virginia, was designed to showcase current work by artists working within a 150-mile radius and promote their work to a broader audience.  The Courthouse Galleries were invited to participate and present the sixth edition of this biennial exhibition following its debut at the William King Arts Center from March 7 – August 17, 2003.

After selecting fourteen artists by slides, guest curator Andrea Pollan traveled miles over hills and mountains to visit artists’ studios and select artwork. In her travels, she found that the artists though separated by great distances were a tightly knit community and drove many hours to visit each other’s studios and attend gallery openings.

Pollan invited artists Steven Bickley, Ole Bye, Joseph Champagne, Virginia Derryberry, Kathy Gibian, Charles Goolsby, Marilyn Pettit Hower, Elizabeth Johns, Jan Knipe, Jon Mehlferber, Catherine Murray, Neil Staples, Suzanne Stryk, and David Underwood.  Selected works range from sculptures and photos to paintings and quilts.

Andrea Pollan is an independent curator and former director of the McLean Project for the Arts in McLean, Virginia.  In her ten years there, she organized 56 contemporary art exhibitions and curated numerous contemporary exhibitions for university museums and galleries.  She will give a talk on the selection of the artists on September 7th (beginning at 2 p.m.).

Maryilyn Pettit Hower Fractured Circles Cotton, cotton batting 2001

Elizabeth Johns The Gardener oil on canvas 2000

Jan Knipe Pulaaski, Virginia III (Wires) Handmade pastels on paper 2001

Opening reception: September 19th, 6 – 8 p.m.

Artists from South Korea and Southwestern Virginia will join with the Portsmouth Museums and Fine Arts Commission to celebrate the opening of FROM THESE HILLS: Southwest Virginia Artists and Their Neighbors and EAST MEETS WEST: A Dialogue on September 19th (from 6 – 8 p.m.)  Traditional Korean food will be prepared by members of the Tidewater Korean community and the Portsmouth Museums volunteers for the occasion. Harp musician Hye-Yun Bennett (of the Virginia Symphony) will accompany the evening’s festivities.

A CERAMIC CONTINUUM: 50 Years of Archie Bray Influence
In 2001, the Archie Bray Foundation joined with the Holter Museum to organize a major, in-depth exhibit featuring 85 ceramic pieces. Drawn from their private collection, the exhibit celebrates the foundation’s 50th anniversary. Located in Helena, Montana, this residency program has been the breeding grounds for emerging artists, many of whom have gone on to establish international careers in contemporary ceramic art.

Artists John and Andrea Gill, Wayne Higby, Clary Illian, Warren McKenzie, Richard Notkin and Akio Takamori have made important contributions in their field. In addition to the resident artists, selections include work by past directors Rudio Autio, David Cornell, Ken Ferguson, Carol Roorbach, David Shaner, Kurt Weiser, Peter Voulkos and Josh DeWeese. Ceramics by world-renowned craftsmen Bernard Leach from England and Shoji Hamada from Japan are featured. Large-scale black-and-white photographs represent the site-specific outdoor sculptures on the 26-acre foundation property. This unparalleled exhibit offers an enduring visual legacy.

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ANNA’S EYES:
The Art of Theo Wildanger on view at the Courthouse Galleries from July 11 through September 7, 2003 offers a selection of paintings drawn from the last 25 years of Theo Wildanger’s life from his beloved home in Elam, Virginia.

Theo Wildanger (1905-1989) was thirteenth child born into a miner’s family in 1905 in Aumentz, a mining town whose borders were disputed over the years between France and Germany.  At the age of 13, Theo quit grade school to work in the mines when war broke out in Europe. In 1923 Theo fell in love with a beautiful young woman from a prominent Luxembourg family who disapproved of their courtship.  The two eloped to Paris in 1924.  There, Theo found employment in an art gallery that exposed him to new ideas and placed him at the center of the Paris art world.

When war increased in France in the 1930s Theo and Anna were forced to return to Luxembourg where they raised their family and he operated several businesses through the war-torn economy.

In the 1970s Theo moved to a farm in Elam, Virginia that was purchased by his daughter Catherine and son-in-law Jim Kincaid.  While in Elam, Theo’s passion blossomed.  He painted flowers, the weather, and life in America.

At first Theo’s paintings seem somewhat naïve, then influences of European painters active between the war years emerge.   Remarkably, Theo never had the opportunity to attend an art academy, but his passion for life is experienced through the daubs and scrapes of paint on his canvases, paper and sculptures.  His paintings capture the raw power of a primitive artist, and at the same time understand the complexity of life.  Through dark and bright colors, and sinuous lines the paintings express joy, sorrow, life and death.

When Theo passed away in 1989 he left behind hundreds of paintings that offer a refreshing window on painting and life.  ‘Theo “re-invented” the spirit and soul of nature and the sadness and joy of his subjects.’ 

Over seventy paintings on canvas, paper, metal and wood, many, which have not been publicly presented before, will be featured through September 7, 2003.

Click on images to enlarge.

Opening reception: July 11, 6 – 8 p.m.

LADIES FIRST & PRESIDENTIAL PORTRAITS: The Art of Tina Mion

In the fall of 1994, several artists hatched a plan as they gathered in the desert - to create a painting every Sunday for a year, and call themselves the "Sunday Painters." At the end of one year, they would select their best work for a group exhibition.

Artist Tina Mion happened to be carrying with her a deck of presidential playing cards from the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. With 52 cards in the deck and 52 weeks in a year, Mion decided she would blindly select a card each week to determine her subject. For each portrait in her presidential series, she merged recorded events with artistic movements and styles. Once completed, Mion began her next project, the "Ladies First" (not First Ladies) series. With each, she highlighted experiences relevant to the first ladies’ lives. Through these portraits, a story of the American experience, American dreams, fortunes, poverty, tragedies and triumphs unfolds.

The Courthouse Galleries, Perspective Gallery and Piedmont Arts Association coordinated efforts to offer a selection from the American Portraits series entitled "Ladies First and Presidential Portraits: The Art of Tina Mion" for our Virginia audiences.

• Reception: Friday, December 13, 6-8 p.m.

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“Jacqueline Kennedy, Stop Action. Reaction.”

“J.F.K., Stop action Assassination”

Abraham Lincoln

AFRICAN MYTH, MAGIC & REALITY
For the past six decades, Betty LaDuke has traveled the world creating stunning paintings that remain tributes to the people and artistic traditions of over 20 countries. Her devotion to the understanding of indigenous cultures, respect for human rights and the pursuit of her own sense of spirit fuel her storytelling and artwork. She has made over fourteen annual trips to Africa including the countries of Cameroon, Eritrea, Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda, among others.  She sketches the people she has grown to know, whether in war zones or refugee and relocation camps. Her paintings address universal themes of love, birth, growth and war. Through the use of rich colors, fluid shapes and rhythmic lines she expresses compassion and deep appreciation for the cultures she portrays.

• Reception: Friday, March 14, 2003, 6-8 p.m.

Click on images to enlarge.

Tidewater Artists’ Annual Portfolio Exhibition
This annual juried multi-media exhibit offers member artists an opportunity to exhibit a body of work that represents a developed theme, style or vision. Each year a new juror sifts through hundreds of slides to select artists and their work for the exhibition. Last year, thirteen artists were selected, which brought 78 new artworks to the galleries.  

The juror grants awards based on viewing the actual works.  For the 2002-03 Annual Portfolio exhibit, paintings by Jean Peacock were awarded Best in Show.  Nancy Hewitt received the Award of Excellence for her pastels on paper and James Warwick Jones was honored with the Award of Merit for his acrylics on canvas.  Kacey Carneal received the Anne Myers Memorial Award with Honorable Mentions awarded to Michelle Barnes, Betty Cranendonk, Rieneke Leenders and Anne McNally.

The Juror for the 2003 Tidewater Artists' Annual Portfolio Exhibit is Kim, Jinchul.
Kim is an assistant professor of art at Salisbury University, in Salisbury, Maryland, and has been a resident of Maryland since 1996. Born in South Korea, Kim came to the U.S. in 1989. He earned a B.F.A. and M.F.A. from King Se-Jong University in Seoul Korea concentrating on painting. In 1993, he received another M.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, focusing on multi media and sound installation. He shows his work internationally, including locations like Korea, Japan, France, Spain and the U.S. Kim has had 13 solo exhibitions in New York, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Seoul and over 75 invitational shows and group exhibitions.

The Tidewater Artists’ Association is a non-profit organization of professional artists and patrons of the arts who support, develop and promote the visual arts in Hampton Roads.

An opening reception is planned in conjunction with the Olde Towne Arts and Antiques Open House on Friday, November 21 from 6 – 9 p.m.  Musical accompaniment and refreshments will be provided at the Courthouse Galleries.  Businesses throughout Olde Towne will open their doors to celebrate the event planned to kick-off the holiday season.

Kacey Carneal "Seussical" oil	James Warwick Jones "Breakfast with Juice" acrylic on canvas
Rieneke Leenders "Masaii" watercolor on paper	Jean Peacock "Dream Horse" oil on canvas

EAST MEETS WEST: A Dialogue
From September 19 – November 9, 2003, the Courthouse Galleries will offer artworks by 24 South Korean artists.  The exhibit features paintings, sculptures and mixed media works in both Eastern and Western styles that communicate the essence of the human experience. Whether they paint in traditional or nontraditional styles, Eastern philosophy forms the basis of their creative expression.

The exhibit and supplementary programming are designed to promote understanding of the Korean culture and their history that dates back through five millenniums.  The artists, from varied backgrounds, and of different ages and geographic regions in South Korea, are all serious artists with many having the educational equivalent to the Master of Fine Arts degree.

Heeja Freeman, a South Korean artist living in Richmond, Virginia approached curator Gayle Paul with the idea for this exhibition.  The Courthouse Galleries are grateful for her hard work and dedication that helped to bring this exhibition into fruition. Korean dance, Taekwondo and artist demonstrations and workshops will introduce audiences to the Korean culture. A gallery guide available to patrons highlights the artists and their work.

Kim, Dae-Yeon Lost Time II oil on canvas	Son, Gyo-Ho A Flowerpot bronze & granite
Youn, Byung-Rock Seeking for Treasures - sound oil on canvas	Youn, Jong-Dae Tree - White Tree oil on canvas

A Celebration of Portsmouth Historic Architecture
To commemorate the 250th anniversary, the Courthouse Galleries have organized an exhibit featuring Portsmouth's historic architecture. Portsmouth lists five districts on the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places. The registers identify the districts as having nationally significant buildings or places, and include Olde Towne, Park View, Port Norfolk, Cradock and Truxtun. Under federal law, the National Registry can protect a building or place from demolition or alteration.

Featured are documentary photos, architectural drawings and artist renderings that detail the city's rich architectural history.

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ANNUAL PORTFOLIO EXHIBIT: Tidewater Artists’ Association
This annual juried multi-media exhibit offers member artists an opportunity to exhibit a body of works, which represent a developed theme, style or vision. The Tidewater Artists’ Association is a non-profit organization of professional artists and patrons of the arts who support, develop and promote the visual arts in Hampton Roads.

• Reception: Friday, November 22, 6-9 p.m., offered in conjunction with the annual Olde Towne Arts and Antiques Open House.

Click on images to enlarge.

BEYOND WORDS: Käthe Kollwitz & Contemporary Print Artists

Coordinated by the Courthouse Galleries, Beyond Words features contemporary print artists from the state of Virginia, who work in a series of multiple printmaking media combined with prints by German artist Käthe Kollwitz, 1876-1945. During her lifetime, Kollwitz endured the effects of the late 19th century social revolution, two world wars and a depression. She devoted her art to articulating her social and ethical concerns toward justice and humanity. Her work records the tragic struggle of these historical events.

Curators from across Virginia were invited to select artists representing their regions whose work shares the desire that their work will make difference and the world a better place to live. Curators include Anna Fariello from western Virginia; Deborah McLeod from the northern region, Eileen Mott represents Richmond and central Virginia, Suzanne Foley from the Piedmont Region and Gayle Paul from the Tidewater region.

• Reception: Friday, February 7, 6-8 p.m.

DON’T GRIEVE AFTER ME: The Black Experience in Virginia, 1619-2001

Updates the path breaking exhibition originally produced in 1984-86 by Hampton University Museum in cooperation with the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Six new panels have been added to the exhibit that focuses on the contributions of African Americans to Virginia over the past half-century. Scholars gleaned from a wealth of photographic material to select representative images of the experience of so many African American people who have lived and helped to shape Virginia’s recent history.

• Reception: Friday, May 9, 6-8 p.m.

Chiles Family

Vinegar Hill

Woodcutters