willo north

Willo North celebrates Arizona’s centennial with Jason Hill: Icons of Phoenix

2011-12-10T11:34:00.000-08:00

In February, Willo North Gallery will present Jason Hill: Icons of Phoenix—A Retrospective with New Work, a stunning centennial exhibit of work by one of Phoenix’s most popular artists.

Hill is best known for his vibrant, high-color depictions of local landmarks—the Financial Center; Sunnyslope Mountain; the Westward Ho hotel. His unique blend of photography and painting—which Hill calls “urban dreamscapes”—begin with his own photographs of local architecture, painted over with acrylic. “I’m idealizing these buildings in an attempt to capture the timeless essence of the subjects,” Hill says, “and to draw a direct line from a once-envisioned future, to our own present.”

The new work in this exhibition includes several large-scale acrylic paintings of buildings from Phoenix's central corridor, and a set of brilliant watercolors. Also on display is a selection of hand-pulled silkscreen prints. With these, Hill took a more traditional approach in depicting iconic buildings. “I deliberately tried to make the new images more craftsman-like to create a classic, timeless effect for the viewer,” he says of the new paintings. “At a time when Phoenix is both celebrating its centennial and looking to redefine itself for the future, I want to draw attention to the rich architectural heritage here.”

Jason Hill: Icons of Phoenix will open on First Friday, February 3 at 6 p.m. with an artist reception, and will remain on exhibit through February 24. Willo North Gallery is located at 2811 North Seventh Avenue in Phoenix. The gallery is otherwise open by appointment only, by calling 602-320-8445.

This month at Willo North: New work from Steve Gompf and Hank Fries!

2011-11-28T21:05:00.000-08:00

In December, Willo North Gallery will present Steel/Vision, a stunning end-of-year exhibit of new work by Steve Gompf, one of Phoenix’s finest and most popular artists, and new work by Hank Fries, an emerging artist whose sculptures are bound to bring him new fans.

Although both artists are referred to as sculptors, Gompf says, “I didn’t really realize I was doing sculpture until a couple years into making the devices. The pieces were originally intended as a vehicle to show my digital animations.”

Those animations—which Gompf describes as “sort of twisted Hieronymus Bosch vignettes, based on Eadweard Muybridge's sequential photographic motion studies of the 1890s”—are housed in magnificent structures (Gompf calls them televisors) of mahogany and gilt, like gold-armor-encrusted television sets from another world.

Fries’s striking sculptures of hammered metal and welded steel, which he says are influenced by the automotive designs of Mark Stehrenberger and the sci-fi conceptual work of Joe Johnston, layer hard surfaces and shiny materials with a sense of whimsy that draws viewers in. Fries’s show at Willo North—his first solo exhibition in 15 years—will feature all-new work that combines found objects with steel structures that Fries creates himself.

Steel/Vision will open on First Friday, December 2 at 6 p.m. with an artist reception, and will remain on exhibit through December 30. Willo North Gallery is located at 2811 North Seventh Avenue in Phoenix. The gallery is otherwise open by appointment only, by calling 602-320-8445. Visit us on Facebook and Twitter, too.

It Ain't Necessarily Sewn: New art at Willo North, not to be missed!

2011-10-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

In November, Willo North Gallery will present the Phoenix debut exhibition of painter Gary Paterson’s stunning new work. Paterson’s large canvases pay homage to famous artists by folding the subject’s technique into a geometric pattern created by Paterson. From the brush strokes of Monet to the paint splashes of Pollack to the dots of Seurat, Paterson interprets each artist’s style through the cells of these intricate geometric patterns. Paterson’s new work also examines random patterns created by water, as seen through the structure of textile-derived images.
It Ain’t Necessarily Sewn is Paterson’s first Arizona exhibit. The artist’s paintings will share space with textile-themed artwork by local textile artists, among them Phoenix favorites Christy Puetz and Linda McCurry. Curated by Robrt Pela, the show will open on First Friday, November 4 at 6 p.m. with an artist reception, and will remain on exhibit through November 23. Otherwise, the gallery is open by appointment only, by calling 602-320-8445.

Luck Nothing: New Work by Jeff Falk and Annie Lopez

2011-07-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

In August and September, Willo North Gallery will proudly present a new exhibition of work by renowned local artists Annie Lopez and Jeff Falk.

Lopez’s new work is a stunning collection of cyanotypes in deeply expressive shades of blue. Lopez’s art for Luck Nothing is, like so much of her work, multi-layered and very personal. Falk’s pieces for the exhibit are no less contemplative than Lopez’s. His complex collage and assemblage pieces make playful reference to childhood and, he says, are often informed by mystery.

Luck Nothing will open on August 5 at 6 p.m., and will remain on exhibit through September 26. An artist reception will take place on First Friday, August 5 from 6 till 10 p.m. Willo North Gallery is located at 2811 North Seventh Avenue in Phoenix. The gallery is otherwise open by appointment only, by calling 602-320-8445.

Before There Were Comics... June/July

2011-05-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

Beginning in January of 2010 artist Carole Hanks began publishing comic books of a new and experimental kind. These large scale story-drawings appeared on her a blog Comics 200e, where once a week for a year Hanks posted the series she calls "Smoke and Shadows". These strong line drawings of figures in diverse groups and poses are intersected by non traditional comic book lines and tell tales of greed, family discord and revenge. In February of 2011, a new weekly comic titled "A Falling Body" began. Again a strong sculptural dimension is apparent in the defined line drawing representations of stories pulled from newspaper headlines and presented by Hanks on the internet.

On First Friday, June 3, 2011 the exhibition of eloquently articulated paintings and the experimental comic book drawings by Carole Hanks will open here. The show titled "Before There Were Comics…" features twelve large scale works from her series "Seers and Oracles", those predictors and seekers of the future throughout history, a group of figures in an expansive landscape. Drawn and painted in a somewhat traditional manner but also having a contemporary abstract quality this series is given the timelessness of the classics in a modern arena.

"Human beings are story-tellers. We often group pictures together in order to create narratives and to make sense of our ideas. This is the basis of my work and the exhibition," Hanks expressed.

"Before There Were Comics…" runs through June and July 2011.

Third Friday and we are open

2011-05-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

Come to the gallery Friday night May 20th.

Just a reminder that we will be here from 6 – 9 p.m. Now you have another chance to come and see the A Book About Death ~ Memento show. See you then.

Memorial Service at the ABAD opening

2011-05-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

ABAD~Memento Opening

2011-05-10T03:22:00.000-07:00

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We wanted a million people to show up to see all the hard work that was done for the A Book About Death Exhibit. It was an amazing an emotional evening. For those of you who missed out on the experience, call for a personal appointment to see the show though May 28th, or stop in on Third Friday from 6 to 9 p.m.

Extended Hours for May

2011-05-05T00:29:00.000-07:00

To make the A Book About Death ~ Memento show more accessible we are extending our hours for this month. Stop by and visit Saturday and Sunday, the 7th and 8th of May from noon to 4 p.m. and on third Friday May 20th from 6 to 9 p.m.

A Book About Death~Memento (ABAD)

2011-04-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Interested in seeing an international art phenomenon? Then you will want to visit Willo North Gallery on May 6th for First Friday, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. The exhibit, A Book About Death ~ Memento (ABAD), is brought to you by Phoenix based artist Patricia Sahertian and incorporates personal notions, feelings and expressions of death on postcards sent by artists world-wide. This is but one of the over twenty exhibitions started by Paris based artist Matthew Rose in New York City with subsequent shows in Wales, Italy, South Carolina, Texas, Belgium, Brazil, Long Island and more.

Sahertian’s postcard is based on Air Force veteran John S. Turner who was buried on Hart Island. Therefore there will also be a special section of the gallery with John’s mementos and information about New York City’s Hart Island, the world’s largest potter’s field. John’s sister Julie Lantz will be attending the exhibition.

Come and meet Patricia Sahertian and see this exciting collection of international postcard art.

AAG Scholarship Exhibit First Friday

2011-04-09T20:31:00.001-07:00

Fantastic First Friday opening! Thanks to all who showed up to support the Arizona Artists Guild 2011 Scholarship exhibition. What a great way to honor the talented, local artists from Arizona State University and to hear about their techniques and influences while viewing their work in such an intimate setting.

AAG Scholarship Exhibit 2011

2011-03-24T15:25:00.000-07:00

Moore, Phillips, Jones and Wiskirchen

Undergraduate and graduate Fine Arts majors/minors at accredited public and private Arizona colleges and universities are among the possible candidates to be selected for Arizona Artists Guild (aag) scholarships. This year aag announces its 2011 winners: Benjamin William Phillips, $1,000 Magadini Award and $500 Guild award; Kathleen Scott Moore, $1,500 Guild Award; Julia Jones, $1,000 Gerry Grout Award and Kelsey Wiskirchen, $1,000 Gerry Grout Award. "We congratulate them and welcome them as aag members for one year," cites Ruth Knowles, aag president.

Founded in 1928, the Arizona Artists Guild is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization led by volunteers dedicated to providing and promoting opportunities in the visual arts including exhibitions, educational, and outreach programs. Visit the aag web site for more complete details. Contact Karen Perry for more information about the winners.

At Willo North Gallery, are happy to be sponsoring the aag Scholarship Exhibition 2011. Join us First Friday, April 1st from six to ten p.m. to see the work of these talented artists.

See Girl Run

2011-02-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

In February and March, Willo North Gallery will proudly present the debut exhibition of assemblage artist Janet de Berge Lange’s See Girl Run series. Lange’s new work is a stunning collection of quilts that appear at first glance to be made from worn fabric, but are in fact crafted from bits of vibrant metal tins that Lange has repurposed into a large-format series that’s beautiful to behold and — like so much of her work — holds deeper meaning.

The seven quilts in the exhibit celebrate and document the ways that quilts have been transformed over decades, from functional items made from salvaged clothing to folk art, and as an historical sign of safety and refuge. The series is informed by the “quilt code” used in the underground railroad of the 19th century. “A quilt hung in a window was a signal to runaway slaves that this was a safe house,” Lange says.

That message of safety is spelled out both artistically and literally in the quilts, which comment on the fear and violence — much of it against women and children — that Lange says we witness every day. The artist will also offer commemorative versions of her well-regarded Pocket Prayers that will complement the quilts and share their message of refuge and healing.

See Girl Run will open on First Friday, February 4 at 6 p.m., and will remain on exhibit through March 31. An artist reception will take place on First Friday, March 4 from 6 till 10 p.m.

Grace and Gravitas

2010-12-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

I have five minutes to write this post or I will be late picking up my daughter Genevieve from the carpool at her school. I could use some grace right now... December always finds me frazzled and strung out. The holidays make my carefully balanced existence tip to chaos. This should be a month of joy but it seems more like a month I want to skip over. I wouldn't want to skip over this show however. With absolutely no work on my part (as if by magic) an amazing show has been put up this week and it opens tonight. For my friends that have been promising to visit Willo North but have never made it, don't miss out on this in all seriousness. Robrt has done a brilliant job curating the work of Eric Cox and Lawrence McLaughlin. I am sure it did not seem like magic to Robrt and Todd, as they have been working night and day, but the transformation is magical. It is a wonderful treat just in time for the holidays. I hope you can "grace" us with your presence tonight for some serious fun. I hope to see you!

The View from Here

2010-09-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Sitting in a chair reading a book is one of my very favorite things to do. Ellie Richards and Nick DeFord take common place objects such as chairs and books and turn them into art. What does their art work say to me? Well, it tells me many things. The color, shapes, and sizes of Ellie's sculptures tell so many stories in my mind. The tree that grew into a chair or the chair growing inside the tree. The buildings that stretched into the sky, a place for the highest flying birds to rest. Time and how it flows to make us grow larger and then shrink down smaller and smaller. Nick's words embroidered on the page of a book, stitched so neatly make me think of my own relationship to words. How they can get under my skin or stay with me even as I try so hard to erase them. My view of the work will not be their view or your view, and that makes life so interesting.

First Friday September Style

2010-08-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

I am just back from a whirlwind vacation. My house is a shambles and I have piles of laundry. My ten year old nephew is over and we are working on his math homework. As soon as we finish it, he is back to squabbling with my six year old. They run through the house slamming doors screaming merrily at each other. I think of the tranquility of the gallery in comparison with my house. I popped into the gallery this afternoon to grab some of Barbara's cards to hand out, and it was only suppose to take a few minutes. Time stood still and I was drawn in to the gallery to stand in front of Barbara's work for almost half an hour. The light and solitude and reflective quality of the surfaces made me feel a peaceful calm that I soaked in. This is the opposite of my hectic life at home, and something I sometimes miss out on trying to juggle work and kids. One of the things I enjoy about Barbara Kemp Cowlin's paintings is that sense of solitude and quiet. This Friday we will celebrate her work with an artist's reception form six to ten.

Ordinary spaces luminous light...

2010-08-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

What attracted me to Barbra Kemp Cowlin's paintings from her Nooks and Crannies series? First, I loved recognizing some of the ordinary spaces she paints. My parents moved back to their hometown on the west side of Phoenix when I was four. I know this city so well and I will always love it. To see familiar places, spots that I recognize, is a joy to me. Different paintings evoke different memories. I love driving by the Phoenix Art Museum and watching the people walk across the building. I am always disappointed if I catch a green light and don't have a chance to watch them moving back and forth. Phoenix landmarks seem special maybe because you just never know how long they will stick around. This city has a tendency to tear things down and rebuild just as our namesake suggests, for good or bad. Second, having grown up in Arizona the sun and sunlight are always something I am aware of. I love the glow of Barbara's paintings. The shine of the glass or the reflection of the light holds my attention. The familiarity of the spaces and the luminous quality they have, gives this show a harmonious and tranquil feeling. This is not something you would usually get from looking at a parking space. Lately I catch myself thinking how would Barbara paint this? The ordinary takes on new beauty as it adorns itself in light, and I like this.

Nooks & Crannies August 5th through September 27th

2010-07-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

The gallery is setting up for Barbara Kemp Cowlin, painter, printmaker and bookmaker, whose show will be up from August 5th though September 27th. The artist's reception will be held on First Friday, September 3rd.

Stairway to an Indeterminate Destination

Come in First Friday, August 6th as well, we'll be here with some snacks and wine for an informal preview of Barbara's work. You might recognize some of the spaces in her paintings.

Co-curated with Patricia Sahertian and Todd Daniel.

Urban Artists Collective June 4th through July 30

2010-07-29T16:16:00.000-07:00

The uac show will be coming down this week. There was a lot of excitement at Willo North Gallery during the two months that they were here. On June 4th uac debuted with a group show including artists: Todd Daniel, Shari Bombeck, Jill Lawrence, JA Jure, Patricia Sahertian, Jacob Sahertian and myself, Kristin Shears.

Kristin Shears and Todd Daniel (co-founder of uac)

On July's First Friday, uac and Willo North organized a benefit silent auction to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association. NPR correspondent, author and New Times journalist Robrt Pela, read a series of personal stories about caring for his mother who is living with this difficult disease.

Co-curated with uac.