Bringing together the work of two well-known, seasoned artists who work in different mediums is a successful recipe. The Secor Gallery, downtown on Jefferson Avenue (in the former Secor Ho- tel, now housing artist studios, gallery space and the creative cuisine of Registry Bistro), will host the exhibition, deliberately entitled "Undefined". The show features the natural, hand- built ceramic bowls of Karen Roderick-Lingeman and the autonomic paintings and draw- ings by the ever-versatile art- ist Skot Horn. The exhibition, which opens with an artist’s reception on Saturday, October 12 from 9-11pm, runs through Friday, November 8. Both vet- eran area artists sport impres- sive resumes, with references to international, national and regional exhibitions, as well as work included in many pri- vate and public collections.
Smoked color
Roderick-Lingeman's substantial, widely splayed bowls combine rough finishes reigned in by the distinct style of her forms. The open face interior surfaces of her vessels present subtle layers of lus- cious colors surrounded by unglazed rustic exteriors. Smoke-firing the pieces achieves a slightly blackened finish, dulling the col- ors of the interiors and smudging the nat- ural color of the exterior clay. In her artist statement, Roderick-Lingeman refers to a lifetime of extensive travel as the impetus of her work. "The impressions and stories that inspire my artwork are as much a part of the art as the physical piece itself." Her vessels offer both an unpretentious seren- ity and subtle stimulation of color—remi- niscent of a Rothko painting—pleasantly enhancing her work’s rustic aesthetic.
Energy and color
Adorning the walls of the gallery, the artwork of Skot Horn adds additional en- ergy and color to the show. Horn can be described as a Renaissance man, mak- ing amazing art from any medium he touches. He attributes this to his creative environment as a child. "My mother and father instilled all of their children with aesthetic sensibilities. [Besides painting] woodworking, musicianship and singing were all a part of home life," Horn says. The paintings and drawings in this show portray his mastery of color and composi- tion with a playful, yet skillful, command of spontaneous style. About his work, Horn says, "Allowing intuition to guide my hand has led to many personal insights and un- expected discoveries in search of my own personal truth."
"Undefined" masks the boundaries of interpretation and promises a show that will not disappoint.
Reception Saturday, October 12. 9-11pm. Free. Runs through Friday, November 8. Secor Gallery 425 Jefferson Ave. 419-514-7496. facebook.com/secorartists
Skot Horn's lively abstraction of color (left)
