Nic and Tim Collab

Nic Coviello, on the right, and Tim McFarlane working together on Nic's evolution painting. This is the fourth and final stage of the piece that will be on view this First Friday and until Sunday, May 3rd, the last day of Colorevolution. Nic has invited visitors to participate from the very beginning including tourists and children.

Scroll down to see other documentation of the work in progress including video. For details on the show click here.

Tim McFarlane's vault painting will be on view through May at the Bridgette Mayer Gallery.

Tenuous Magic Parts opens May 10

I could never accept life as it was,
I could never gobble down all of its poisons but there were parts,
tenuous magic parts open for the asking. – Charles Bukowski

The title of this show Tenuous Magic Parts are words from a poem by Charles Bukowski. The truth, grit and elegance inherent in his work are evident in this exhibition. In a Post-Post reality, where we are bombarded with images and information, it becomes increasingly difficult to cull through the “poisons” to determine what is actually relevant. What are these truths that we hold as self-evident? Are we “Cops” and “American Idol”? Or are we the pilot who saved all of those lives, landing his plane on the Hudson River? Are we Jeffrey Dahmer, or are we the friend who risks his life to save a child wandering into the street? Are we McDonald’s or Le Bec Fin? The answer is we are all these things and everything in between.

Dustin Metz (painting)
Heather Phillips (photography)
Ricardo Rivera (feedback projections)
Paul Rodriguez (painting)
Karen Stone (sculpture/installation)
Ben Will (sculpture/painting)
Jon Manteau, curator
Images left to right, artist and artwork
in alphabetical order by column

The artists in this exhibition are searching for new meaning and narrative through photography, painting, projections, sculpture and installation. They look to challenge the traditional relationship between the art object and the exhibition space. Does art imitate life or does life imitate art? Life and art will always be tenuous, magical and the sum total of all of their parts.

Reception Sunday, May 10, 5-7pm
Closes Sunday, May 31
Weds, Thurs 12-6, Fri-Sun 2-8
$3 Validated Parking (see sidebar)

Download Full Press Release

Nic Coviello - Updated Work in Progress

Nic Coviello's piece for the Colorevolution show didn't end with the opening reception, instead it just began. Since then he has painted on the blue wall surrounding his two aluminum panels, adding line work, and then painting.

Tomorrow, Thursday, April 16, Nic will continue painting. Go see him during gallery hours from 12 to 6pm.

To see the process so far, watch the short videos that Nic created as part of the documentation of his site specific wall piece.

Play Part 1
Play Part 2
Play Part 3
Play Part 3 details

Below, a little visitor working with Nic.

COLORevolution Extended, Open on First Friday

Colorevolution will be extended through Sunday, May 3rd. This also means we will be open until 8pm on First Friday. $5-10 parking is available when you ask for a validation ticket. Come by for a visit, photographs are nice but you need to see the work in person to get the full effect.

Above, cut paper piece, approximately 6 x 4', by Henry Bermudez.

LOOK AT ME

Above, Jon Manteau’s painting at the SAGE Project space through Sunday, May 3rd.

There is something unmistakably confrontational about Jon Manteau’s painting in the SAGE Project space. It is hung on the second floor, floor to ceiling and at the very center of the entrance/exit of a spiral staircase. When walking up the stairs you just about have your face in it. Your eyes are filled with the multicolor swirls and crevices of an action impasto as if he was painting with a large sword.

There must have been a battle going on between Jon and this four piece paneled image. There is also the delight in finding those unexpected color and stroke conflicts that spill over from the chaos of this artist’s deliberate confrontation with his field of painting.

But look again on the way down the stairs after you have consumed the action and you will discover a battle that was highly structured from the corners in and the center out to the edges. Look at that painting. Look past the initial confrontation and then it becomes a handshake between you and Jon.

– A gut response to from Nic Coviello. Photo by Nic Coviello

South Street Arts

People who stop by Sage Projects sometimes ask for information on the other art venues in the South Street area. Below is a list from South Street Arts' website, visit for more details. I also read that there is a space at 704 South.

New Spaces
(117-119 South) THE SPACE ON SOUTH (performing arts)
(243 South) MEXICAN EASTER EGG PROJECT
(333 South) SAGE PROJECTS, across from TLA
(406 South) SAINT MARCH
(504 South) TYLER STUDENTS ART SHOWCASE
(704 South ) Name?
(734 South) DUMPSTER DIVERS

For other galleries on South visit here.

Other art nearby:
B Square, 14 S. 9th Street
DaVinci Art Alliance, 704 Catharine Street
Dupree Gallery, 703 S. Sixth Street
Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catharine Street
Pageant: Soloveev Gallery, 607 Bainbridge Street
Zagar Murals, 1020-22 South (others)
Zagar Studio, 1003 Kater Street
If you know of any others please let us know and we will add them to the list.

COLORevolution Snaps

Here are a few snapshots from the installation which was finished up on Saturday. Sunday evening at 5 pm people started coming in drawn by the work on the walls and the live music provided by Jeff Baumeister on keyboards, Madison Rast on bass and Dan Monaghan on drums. We gave up on trying to keep count of all the folks there to enjoy the art, music, food and beverages. We were all very happy with the turnout and would like to thank everyone who visited.


Nic Coviello's installation in progress. David Foss catching a smoke and watching the happenings across the street at the TLA.


New work by Paul Behnke in the Project Space.


Jon Manteau touching up a work 20' off the floor in the lightwell.


Floor piece with assemblages and Take-Out paintings make up Vincent Romaniello's installation.


Rob Solomon pinning up the final pieces of his work in the upper level of Sage Projects. More photos later.

smARTS by Maryanne Devine

Update: Free Space for Arts Orgs
I follow smArts & Culture on Twitter. Maryanne Devine, posted a piece about Arts on South and how they are inviting groups to rent a performing arts space for $1 a month. I hope I got that right. To get the facts straight visit smartsandculture.