Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2017)
VISUAL ARTS BY ESTER BARKAI ‘DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT’ Adam Grosowsky: New Paintings at Karin Clarke Gallery through December 23 W hen I met Adam Grosowsky to discuss his art, I wasn’t expecting a philosophical discussion. But Grosowsky, 58, was in a reflective mood, as interested in talking about life as about his paintings, which are on exhibit until Saturday, Dec. 23 at the Karin Clarke Gallery. He began by citing the Marcus Aurelius quote in which time is equated with rushing water and events are swept away and replaced. “Time is a river of fleeting events …” he recited and then spoke about the events that brought him to this point, to this moment in the river — the gallery — surrounded by his oil paintings, a handful of which have already been sold. Grosowsky has sold more than 1,500 paintings in his 30 years as an artist, to Nordstrom’s (commissioned paintings from him for their permanent collection), to the Karin Clarke Gallery and to numerous other galleries along the West Coast. Grosowsky had several goals when he was younger: to become a practicing artist, to be an art professor, and to walk on a cable without a tether. He has accomplished all his goals, though not as easily as all that, and certainly not as straightforward as one, two, three. In fact, Grosowsky likened his life to a river more than to a neat set of steps. Both of his parents were instructors, and the reason he acquired a master of fine art degree was to get a job teach- ing. Not being able to find a teaching job, he found work at the former Café Zenon on Pearl Street. He worked at the café for 11 years, and he is proud of the paintings in his new show titled “Zenon 1” and “Zenon 2.” Grosowsky likes their Eugene Fencers Club Modern Olympic Fencing Foil, Epee & Saber • Beginner & Adv NWYC 2621 Augusta St. Tuesday & Thursday 6:15pm to 8:30pm GROSOWSKY’S ‘FIGURE STUDY: LOOKING’ composition and painterly approach. Since the restaurant no longer exists, I asked if he worked from memory. “Zenon 1” just appeared as he was painting, he said. Grosowsky’s oil paintings are fairly large, and his sub- jects can be categorized as portraiture, landscape and cir- cus fantasy. Paint is piled on thick and in washes, or is allowed to drip. Among my favorite works are the relatively small ones Medical Marijuana Certification OMMP PATIENTS with qualifying conditions. Must have recent records CLASSIFIEDS To place a classified ad: CALL 541.484.0519 EMAIL classy@eugeneweekly.com WEB classifieds.eugeneweekly.com WRITE 1251 Lincoln St. Eugene, OR 97401 VISIT our office Monday-Friday 9am-5pm RONI -formerly of BULLETIN BOARD COMPASSION CENTER 688-6574 • eugenefencersclub.com • USFA/USFCA Certified Coach WINTER SOLSTICE Thurs. Dec. 21st 5:30-6:45 YOGA w/ANAND RAJ 7-8:30 MEDITATION, GONG, CANDLE- LIGHTING w/JAI KARTAR & SEVA RAM $8 drop-in or YW pass for all or part Classes Help Wanted Dr Holland provider ARGENTINE TANGO Classes for beginners, $DANCERS$ Tired of your current club! SWEET ILLUSIONS has day & night shifts Sunday 3-4p. Monthly: $50-$60, Dancing 5-7p $5 No partner necessary 541-485- 6647 Planning • Investments • Management Socially Responsible Investing Patricia Hathaway, CFP®AIF® [Securities and investment advisory services offered through KMS Financial Services, Inc.] 399 E. 10th, Suite 101 Eugene, OR 97401 (v)541.345.4400 (c)541.912.1069 3635 Hilyard | yogawesteugene.com White Bird Clinic Chrysalis Behavioral Health MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR 32 hours per week Pay and Benefi ts: $17.00 /hr Apply online: whitebirdclinic.org QUALIFICATIONS: Master’s degree in a social work fi eld or equivalent. • CADC (or the ability and willingness to obtain same within 12 months of beginning employment) • Competence in drug abuse treatment, including evaluation skills and individual, family, and group counseling expertise. • Individuals who are recovering from drug abuse, drug dependence, or alcoholism must have continuous sobriety for the past two years. 24 EMPLOY MENT Call 541-729-3913 Hathaway Financial Services Rekindle Your Light on a back wall. “Figure Study: Looking” in particular has the immediacy of a gesture drawing in paint. Grosowsky was trained as a printmaker, a form of art that requires exactitude, but after working with prints for 10 years he switched to painting. “It was liberating,” he says. “Paint is more beautiful if you don’t always try to control it.” The practice of letting go to some extent, working with- out a net, parallels the artist’s preoccupation with slacklin- ing, a sport he helped to create. Rather than working with a belay or tether, as in rock climbing, he walks on a cable stretched between two points with no additional safety. To practice he stretches a line across the river and wears a wet- suit so if he falls, it’s into water rather than on a hard surface. Grosowsky considers himself a self-taught artist. To learn the techniques of painting he copied the masters, an age-old practice that he now assigns to his students. Of all the goals he’s accomplished, he feels most grateful for the 25 years he’s been teaching art at Lane Community College. His fondness for teaching is evident in a large- format self-published book the gallery has on display titled A Primer of Western Representational Imagemaking Prin- ciples (and Other Lies). The book is “Illustrated by Adam Grosowsky and His Students at Lane Community College” and reflects all of his accomplished goals, including pho- tographs of him slacklining. Its main purpose is to convey techniques that two-dimensional artists use to represent the three-dimensional world. Artists must have technique under their control. On the other hand, Grosowsky advises his students to “drive it like you stole it.” He’s not advocating that his students steal, rather he’s encouraging them to go joyriding when they make art. This interplay between control and letting go, stepping carefully and working without a tether, is evident in Gro- sowsky’s life and the artworks currently showing at the Karin Clarke Gallery. ■ HathawayFinancialServices.com AFFORDABLE WILLS, TRUSTS, GUARDIANSHIPS, SS DISABILITY & SSI REPRESENTATION & LEGAL ADVICE Alice M. Plymell 132 East Broadway | Suite 718 541-343-9341 spanish interpreter available December 21, 2017 • eugeneweekly.com available. No experience, can train. Excellent tips! 541-852-8625 or 541-517- 7196 THE HOTTEST CLUB IN LANE COUNTY! Wanted WANTED: VERY OLD books, photo albums, diaries, travel journals, historical correspon- dence - all countries. thebookfinder@gmail. com (541) 520-9821 Pets GREENHILL HUMANE SOCIETY Everybody NEED CAREGIVER? Housekeeping, cooking, SHELTER ANIMAL RESOURCE ALLIANCE S.A.R.A.’s Treasures Gift & Thrift Shop. Volunteer, Donate, Shop, ADOPT! 871 River Road, Open Daily 10am-6pm. 541-607-8892 sarastreasures.org LOOK FOR THIS WEEK’S RESCUED CAT . FOR SALE Clothing ANTRICAN: NEW & VINTAGE MEN/WOMEN’S CLOTHING & GIFTS, 245 W. 8th (near WOW Hall). Open: 12-5:30 W,Th,Sun; 12-8 F, Sat. BD, Premera BCBS, Anthem BCBS), PacificSource, Cigna, MODA, Lifewise, First Choice Health, Trillium, OHP and other insur- ances. Make an appointment online today at ppsworegon.org or call 800-230-PLAN WHITE BIRD DENTAL CLINIC 1400 Mill St. Eugene. Emergency & on-going dentistry for Low/No income residents of Lane County. Accepts OHP & under insured. 541- 344-8302 SEEK ING EMPLOY MENT LOST YOUR JOB? Place a free line ad here (up to 4 lines, 160 characters) for 2 weeks. Briefly list your skills/experience & contact info. Email to: office@eugeneweekly.com or call 541-484-0519 Deserves a Good Home. Open Fr-Tu 11a-6p, closed We/Th 88530 Green Hill Rd 541-689- 1503 and 1st Avenue Shelter open Tu-Fr 10a-6p & Sa 10a-5:30p, closed Su/Mo 3970 W. 1st Ave 541-844-1777. green-hill.org See our Pet of the Week! LINE ADS: $11/3 LINES ADDITIONAL LINES: $4 companionship, etc. Reliable car, excellent references. Santa Clara/Junction City area. Call Tracey Lee: 541-214-9437 RESPONSIBLE TRUSTWORTHY HARDWORKING person looking for job in cannabis industry. OLCC certified workers permit. Mason (423)833-7448. WELLNESS Insurance UNINSURED? WE CAN HELP! Enrollment for HOME SERVICES Building/Remodel OREGON STATE LAW requires anyone con- tracting for construction work to be licensed with the Construction Contractors Board. An active license means the contractor is bonded & insured. Verify CCB licenses at: www.hirealicensedcontractor.com Cleaning CONNIE’S CLEANING 1 time, monthly, week- ly/bi-weekly. 26 yrs experience. Excellent references, reasonable rates. 541-222- 0060 ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANING, fast, efficient with attention to detail. Honest, reliable, compet- itive rates. 541-952-1071 OHP (Oregon Health Plan) is open year- round. For more information, Call Planned Parenthood at 541-543-5484. STARR’S CLEANING: Houses & cars - reason- able rates. Excellent attention to detail. I’ll make it shine! 458-221-6146 Wellness Hauling NEED BIRTH CONTROL? AN ANNUAL EXAM? STI TESTING AND TREATMENT? Planned THE RECYCLERS SINCE 1989 Jim Calhoun 541.953.6675 Gus Ramirez 541.514.4283 FALL CLEAN UPS. Save on dump runs, yard- work, bark delivery, chainsaw work, hot- tubs, scrap removal Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon accepts patients with Blue Cross Blue Shield (Including Regence BCBS, Federal
