Newsletter, January 25, 2024
Shipping news, solo show at the University of Alabama, getting the band back together in Gowanus, digital drawing, open studio, writing projects, and more
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Exhibition news: The art handlers are scheduled to arrive on Monday. They’ll be picking up a slew of paintings and a few working drawings to transport down to Alabama for “Sharon Butler: March,” a solo show at the beautiful and spacious Sarah Moody Gallery of Art at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. The gallery has hosted many exhibitions of notable abstract artists, including Cora Cohen, Joan Waltemath, and Thornton Willis. The show opens February 27 and runs through April 5. I’ll be there in March to give a talk and do some studio visits with MFA students. Deep gratitude to gallery director Bill Dooley for inviting me to have a show down south. I’ve never been to Alabama, and I’m looking forward to the visit. If you’re in the area, I hope you can drop everything to come say hello.
In preview this week: In New York, the artist-run space Tappeto Volante Projects in Gowanus has included Browns (June 8, 2018) (image above) in “Banda 2024,” a big community-minded show organized by Paola Gallio that opens on January 30, 6 - 9 pm. La Banda is a playful reference to the movie The Blues Brothers, where the protagonists, after being released from jail, reunite their band to save the orphanage where they grew up. The show is on view through March 3. If you’re in the New York area, I hope you can stop by and buy something to support this vital artist-run space. Location: 126 13th Street, Brooklyn, 11215, NY
Artists include: Inna Babaeva, Michael Barton-Sweeney, Joshua Bienko, Lorenza Boisi, Sharon Butler, Karin Campbell, Jaque- line Cedar, Nurya Chana, Yan Cynthia Chen, Nicholas Cueva, Jared Deery, Georgia Elrod, Allison Jae Evans, Ashley Garrett, Ann/Drew Gayle, Catherine Haggarty, Elizabeth Hazan, Chris Joy, Pete K Landis, Hein Koh, Leonora Loeb, Lauren Luloff, Jon Lutz, JJ Manford, Susann Minton, Anthony Miler, Beatrice Modisett, Bascha Mon, Alexander Nolan, Rachel Portesi, Erika Ranee, Elisa Soliven-Gerber, Joel Soliven, Melissa Staiger, Deirdre Swords, Ian Swordy, Christina Tenaglia, Alessandro Teoldi, Lumin Wakoa, Jesse Willenbring, Brian Wood, Boyuan Yang, Alice Zinnes
Up in the Hudson Valley, a small drawing of a weed-whacker is included in “Holiday” another big, lovable group show at LABspace in Hillsdale, NY, through February 11. The drawing is from the days when I had moved to rural Connecticut, bought a house, and started a tenure track position. I was teaching in a computer lab and began using digital tools in my art practice, first to create crudely typeset artist books, and then, as technology improved, to make videos and GIF animations, PowerPoint projections, and pen-tool diagrams (like the one above) inspired by IKEA instructions. Digital was so exciting back then. If you want to buy the drawing, send inquiries to julielabspace@gmail.com. For checklist of the show, click here.
Writing: I wrote a bit this month and published a couple pieces. A review of Cordy Ryman’s inspiring show at Freight + Volume was posted on both Two Coats of Paint and here on Substack. A little story was also included in Past/Present, an anthology written by artists and published by the American Abstract Artists group. The piece is about my father’s Mondrian and how it helped shape my interest in abstract painting. A free copy of the book is available as a PDF file here.
New work in the studio
To see more images of new paintings and learn about older projects, check out the studio website here. For inquiries about the work, shoot me an email or DM me on Instagram.
Save the date: This year the Two Trees Cultural Space Subsidy Program has scheduled Dumbo Open Studios for April 13-14. I’ll have some new paintings on view, and to mark the 30th anniversary of my graduation from grad school, I’m organizing a group show featuring work by MFA students from the University of Connecticut. Not only is UConn my MFA alma mater, but I’m teaching a seminar there this semester. The show will come together with help from Kenny Heyne, UConn class of 2024, and Art and Art History Department Chair John J. Richardson. Details to come.
Thanks for reading. In the February newsletter, I’ll post images of the installation in Alabama (if available) and more details about the forthcoming catalogue. Happy birthday to sister Laurel, who is 13 months older. She taught me all the state capitals and edited my earliest essays. Thank you!
Don’t forget to go outside and check out the full moon tonight 🌕!