Monday, December 9, 2013

Interview with Temme Barkin-Leeds



Bumble-Bungle Drone
1. Who are you and what do you do, and what is your background?
I am a practicing visual artist working in Atlanta and Lakemont Georgia.  In 2012, I returned from Washington, DC after receiving my MFA in Studio Art from American University. My first training (MA degree from Georgia State University) was in Art History. I taught art history for a while at GSU and soon  after that, I was Associate Curator of Education at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta for four years. I was the owner of an art consulting company, Barkin-Leeds Ltd. for 21 years. (yes, you heard me right). During all of this time and for many years prior, I knew i wanted only to be a practicing artist.  Circumstances and finances prevented me from doing this full time until 2005, when I closed Barkin-Leeds Ltd. 
Call of Duty
2. What's integral to your art and or art career? 

The now-deceased artist Benny Andrews once told me " If you make art, have something to say".  As a person who, from her own instincts and her experience with art history knew, art can indeed convey all kinds of messages, and this comment by Benny was taken by me as a directive to make art about the things I felt most strongly about.
3. What themes do you pursue and what medium do you use. 
I have always centered my work on concepts that relate to issues in societies, how these issues affect people, and my responses to those issues.  In the past, I dealt with the crisis in Darfur ( a series of large drawings that were my portfolio when I graduated with my BFA from GSU); the way cultures replace one another, either through war, the environment, or politics; and most recently my reaction to "shooter" video games which are quite often based on actual war scenes in Afghanistan and Iraq. I produced an animation and am continuing to make  paintings about this recent subject. 
4. What makes you angry, what makes you happy? 
What makes me angry? Liars, war, injustice, cruelty, torture, unfair acts, underhanded people, selfishness, incurable illness. What makes me happy is to be alive (I am a cancer survivor), be able to work, to have family, to love and be loved, to have support from my spouse and friends and family, to live in a country that is not at war, to make progress with my work.
Disquiet 3

5. Who and what inspire you in your work and or in your life in general? 
Anyone who is dedicated to what they do inspires me, especially if it is to the benefit of society as a whole. There are a lot of artists that I admire --Carrie Moyer, Thomas Nozkowski, Goya, Rembrandt, Picasso, Jose Lerma, Katherine Von Heyl, Zoe Charlton, Sam Scharf, Kandinsky, Philip Guston--I could go on and on. What inspires me in my life in general is anyone who has charged ahead when it was risky or difficult to do so--Steve Jobs, Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, Helen Keller, Louise Bourgeois, Helen Frankenthaler--again not enough space to keep going.
Drone Baby
6. What superpower would you want?
Superpowers scare me a little, but I guess being able to eliminate disease would be high on my list, along with wars, of course.
7. What is your favorite artists and or other person?
See the list above. I will add a few--Marina Abramavicz, Abraham LIncoln, Albert Einstein,  John Glenn, Frank Gehry,Charles Rennie McIntosh, Elizabeth Murray, Katherina Grosse; OK I have to stop.
8. What advice would you give to other artists. 
Follow your passion, and make what moves you. Don't worry about what people say, what sells and what doesn't, who writes about your work and who doesn't.  Be kind to yourself and to others.  Support other artists whenever you can with encouraging words and constructive critique.  Go out and see a lot of work.  Attend openings. Do your work, work ,and then go back and work some more.  
9. Contact details if any? 
Temme Barkin-Leeds, temmebl@gmail.com, www.temmebarkin-leeds.com

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Roots----Underground and Up Above but most certainly, on the wall.


A WCAGA Members’ Exhibit
ROOTS

Exhibition Dates: February 3 - April 25 2014
Where: Blue Mark Studios
              892 Jefferson Street
              Atlanta GA  30318

Roots

    Underground and Up Above  but most certainly, on the wall.
    We have our roots in our genetic makeup, in historical stories, in past cultures;
    by evolution and mutation.

    We are made from the stars and formed of earthen materials. As artists we
    investigate, discover and choose many means to express our understanding
    of our roots.

    This WCAGA members’ exhibit is about Roots. It will show the diverse ways
    that our members have chosen to relate our interest and understanding regarding
    this theme.


Calendar
Application Deadline: January 18,  2014
Image Notification: January 20, 2014
Installation: February 2
        Deliver work: Saturday, February 2 from 9:30 to 11:00am
        Or: Contact Barb Rehg to leave work at her studio or with another artists who can deliver for you.
            brehgstudios@bellsouth.net
Opening Reception: February 13, 2014
Artist Share/Talk - March 15 or 16
Take Down: April 26 - 11:00am .
                     Or: Contact Barb Rehg to have the work taken back to her studio to
                           be picked up at a later date or make arrangements to have another
                           artist pick up for you.
                   

General Information
This juried exhibit is open to the first 25 WCAGA members in good standing who apply. Work accepted must remain on view for the entire exhibition.

NOTE: Some images or parts of images may be used for the invitation. If you Do Not wish us to use your image, please indicate this in your submission.

Entry & Fee
Entry fee: $25. This fee will supply the funds for our receptions and artists talks.

Images Submission
Send up to three images by email to brehgstudios@bellsouth.net. The image resolution should be 300dpi. And no larger than 1megabyte.  Only the artwork should be visible, no background, frames etc. Label each image file as follows: number. title, artist initials. jpg, for example, 1.Rework.br.jpg. The number should correspond to the application.

Limitations - please read
All work must be framed and properly equipped for hanging.
Size –  48” max height and width - 2D work only
Wires are needed for hanging properly.
Caution:
Work created out of multiples will not hang properly unless they are bolted together, making one piece. The hanging system is similar to a Walker System but instead of rods, wires are used. Multiplies don’t hang tight.

No sculptures or installations are possible in this space.

Agreement
Submitting an entry form constitutes an agreement on the part of the artist with all the conditions in the prospectus.
Blue Mark Studio takes a 30% commission on work sold. Price with that in mind.
Blue Mark Studio prefers not to handle any marketing merchandise for or during an exhibit of fine art.


Delivery & Return of Work
The artist is responsible for making arrangements for delivery to and pickup from the gallery. If your work will be shipped from out of town please make arrangement with a WCAGA member to receive the work. You will be responsible for the method of return if mailing the work back is required.

I can accept work at my studio.
Barb Rehg
407 Creekview Trail SE
Smyrna GA 30082


ENTRY FORM  for Roots

Name___________________________

Address_________________________

City/State/Zip____________________

Tel:_____________________________

E-Mail___________________________

**Even if you are not selling your work, please indicate NFS and an
Insurance price


Entry, JPG #1:

Title__________________________________________________________

Medium___________________________________

Size____________

Price___________



Entry, JPG #2:

Title___________________________________________________________

Medium____________________________________

Size____________________

Price___________




Entry, JPG #3

Title______________________________________________________________

Medium_______________________________________

Size______________

Price___________

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Holiday Party


Happy Holidays

A Toast to Women Who Make Art

Join your WCAGA friends for a meal and a toast to a year well spent. Callahan McDonough will graciously host our gathering. Bring your significant "plus one",  a dish, and a beverage. WCAGA will provide the primary protein, so please be polite and RSVP by Dec 3.
  • What: End of Year / Holiday Party
    bring a dish, your preferred beverage, and a friend / spouse/ or housemate
  • When: Sunday, December 8, 2013, 6:00 - 8:30pm RSVP byDecember 3
  • Where: 
    Callahan McDonough's home
    Sager Lofts
    455 Glen Iris Dr.
    unit #L (ground level/end unit & has a side yard)
    Atlanta, GA  30308
    From Glen Iris>Turn onto> ANGIER AVE. & park. Walk in open driveway up granite stairs (gate is unlocked) walked a straight ahead you are at Unit # L, Callahan's loft. Look for Christmas lights to guide you to the right spot. 
    Important Parking Info-- For easy access to Callahan's loft you must Park on Angier to be on the correct end of the building.

     Call Kate Colpitts if you need help finding us: 860-508-7834