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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 2003)
adobar 3.2003 » ART .............. w .............. Artists at work Peek behind closed doors daring Portland Open Studios by T im o t h y K rause E very October, dozens of artists set out the welcome mat for Portland Open Studios, a self-directed tour that allows visitors behind the scenes with painters, sculptors, ceramic artists, metal smiths, glass blowers, photographers, fiber artists and printmakers. Art buffs can check out an artists workspace, ask questions, discover work in progress and even pick up an addition to their collections. In a whirlwind adv ance tour, Just Out visited with four gay and lesbian artists participating in this year’s event and found Kith diversity and camaraderie. Tucked away in St. Johns is the studio of R. Keaney Rathhun, scientist by day and artist tor life. He works among several media, alternating between well-thought-out, K>ld and colorful silk-screen printmaking and the go-with-the-flow, sculptural collages of found objects. In his most recent series of prints, This Parade I Am, individual figures reflect aspects of his per sonality and then join to fonn a central compos ite that alone required 65 screens to produce. Unlike intricate printmaking, however, Rathbun’s sculptures are freeform and playful. He often has more than one in progress, join Larry C w ik, Richard Moody, Keaney Rathhun and Annie Meyer open up during Portland ing shapely wcxxJ and found objects by metal Open Studios rods and epoxy glue before painting. Most work is autobiographical, but Rathhun tions,” she says. “It’s not scary. It’s a nonthreat burner. Several such sentries hold their posts in says: “Hopefully it’s larger than a specific, even ening way for people to come in and see what his garden, guiding his future studies in con though it is very specific to me. I think the defin an artist is doing. A lot of parents even bring trasting texture. ition of art is that it becomes a universal object." their kids.” What might not be immediately noticeable, Which suits Richard Mcxxly, a retired ele otems also appear in the work of Larry though, is its evolution since Rathbun’s coming mentary school teacher who still leads classes Cwik, a photographer, visual artist and out eight years ago. His early work was much in ceramics for Kith kids and adults. This will filmmaker who works from a downtown more technical and exacting be his first year welcom Portland high-rise apartment. His totems, how with hard-edge lines. “Now ing Open Studios visitors ever, are a series of three stacked, black-and- there’s so much more life and into his peaceful work white images that relate to a central theme. vitality,” he remarks. “It’s all space near the Garden One, for example, depicts the sun, a helmeted about the journey." Home neighkirhood of head and a round piece of a Kiat—elements Southwest Portland. that he says “all relate to a higher level.” or ceramics artist and “1 really like the idea His other major photo series is titled The printmaker Annie Meyer, o f people being able to Visitor, a 20-year collection of pictures taken in the journey has been come into an artist’s a number of Mexican cities. equally dramatic. She works studio rather than “When you go to a place that’s very different, in a sunny storefront studio always seeing art as kind your mind can be altered to some degree so that on Southeast Clinton Street of isolated in galleries you see things very newly,” notes Cwik, who and just returned from a and away from the embraces surrealism in Mexico. “The colors and sojourn to paint in the artist," he notes. the way things are arranged there are just differ French countryside. But that A s a potter, Mixidy ent. Gimbinations are unusual. For instance, you picture contrasts with her can see sometimes the most bizarre things when often casts shapes from roots as a Midwest kid turned you’re just walking by. One time, I saw a found objects that have homeless Los Angeles teen mannequin— a woman— with a neck brace in an interesting texture, who put herself through nurs the window. Just the most glamorous mannequin such as rtKks, metal Stop by Keaney Rathbun’s place to ing school in order to get a you can imagine— with a neck brace." springs and seed ptxls, find appealing freeform sculptures, credit card to buy art supplies. The meaning of which he leaves to the before building upon including “ Adam and Steve” Now only on-call as a viewer. them with additional nurse, Meyer has time to explore her creativity. clay. Then through paint and glaze, he works “It an artist tries to say what to think, that She works primarily with glazes on tiles, some for a surface that plays off natural cracks and defeats the purpose of creating art,” he states. “For times painting and firing six times to create sub crevices. me, it’s expression and communication." J H tle landscapes. But she also extends the theme to “I really kxik at this as a whole process of monotypes, paintings and drawings, often using learning. You start making tacky little soap P ortland O pen S tudios rum from 10 a.m. to live models for figurative studies. 5 p.m. Oct. 11 and 12 on the east side and dishes and then you go from there,” he muses. Being a lesbian, she says, has given her much More recently, Mcxxly has been stacking Oct. 18 and 19 on the ivest side. Tickets are $12 liberty in her art. “We don’t have to follow all the smtxith and shiny ceramics with nisting objects for two adults (kids free) and include a map and rules.... Having the guts to say 1 don’t have to to create modern-day outd<x>r totems. In one, a guide, available from area galleries, Art Media have a traditional relationship, I don’t have to stores and www.portlandopenstudios.com. blue sphere shoulders what looks like a gas have a traditional life— the more I do that, the better it gets,” says Meyer. For example, her original work centered on hand-painted but functional tiles. Now her art is more abstract, serendipitous, odd-sized and getting bigger. Meyer has participated in Open Studios several times and appreciates the opportunity to show others her profession. “People come in and look at what you’re doing and ask ques Having just returned from France, Annie Meyer is reflecting fresh, new, countryside landscapes T C* Y S T A L ’I G A Y €# L E S B I A N SPINE-TINGLING HALLOWEEN BASHSSftS Don’t miss this Ghoulish Costume Party) You'll never know who’s behind the mask! Fun Door Prizes! Costume Contests! Full Service Bar! And Non-Smoking Dance Floor! Dali»: October 31, 2003 Time: 9:00p-l:30a Location: Portland Metro Club (formerly PPAA) 618 SE Alder Cover: $7,00 Tickets Available at: H’s My Pleasure | Corner of Sandy 1 Blvd. & NE 64th 503-280-8080 Or • Touchstone Coffee 7631 NEGIisan 503-262-7613 \ F EVERY BOOK OF GAY EROTICA ALWAYS E STOCK! <55) The Brotherhood Vol.2. Rugged G I s and innocent lads— it’s the new Julius art book! $27. ( new ) De-circumcision. How to change your kosher pickle into a hooded mouse. $16.95. (fw )E d Cervone. Torrid erotic art. Reg. $80. Sale $30! Other erotic art books on sale for $12! DOWNTOWN @ 927 SW OAK • 226-8141
