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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 2015)
Humanity on display Photo by Dwight Caswell Roger Ley, of Svenson, studies “Mia,” a charcoal drawing by Cathy Locke of Novato, California. Clatsop Community College Art Center Gallery hosts the ninth annual international juried art exhibition ‘Au Naturel: The Nude in the 21st Century’ A Story by DWIGHT CASWELL decade ago, Kristin Shauck arrived at Clatsop Community College to teach art. She soon realized that it was dif- ¿FXOWIRUKHUVWXGHQWVWRJRWR3RUW- land or Seattle to study the work RIDUWLVWVSDLQWLQJWKH¿JXUH³VR I decided to bring world-class DUWLVWVZRUNLQJZLWKWKH¿J- ure to Astoria,” she said. It was an ambitious undertaking for a VPDOOFROOHJHRQWKH2UHJRQ&RDVWEXW³$X Naturel: The Nude in the 21st Century” is now in its ninth year. At the CCC Art Cen- ter Gallery now through March 5, there are ZRUNV RQ WKH JDOOHU\ ZDOOV IURP D ¿HOG of over 500 entries from 28 states, and from countries as far away as South Africa and New Zealand. No other event has brought the college such worldwide attention. But what is it about the nude? Why paint people without their clothes on? For an artist, the nude makes sense on both technical and aesthetic levels. Astoria DUWLVW 1RHO7KRPDV VDLG ³,W¶V WKH PRVW GLI- ¿FXOW VXEMHFW WR GR ZHOO ,I \RX DUH DEOH WR GUDZ WKH KXPDQ ¿JXUH ZHOO \RX FDQ GUDZ anything.” Rhonda Grudenic, a local artist who re- FHLYHG D SXUFKDVH DZDUG LQ DQ HDUOLHU ³$X 1DWXUHO´H[KLELWDJUHHG³:KLOHWKHKXPDQ body is so familiar, the subtle nuances of the human form are extreme. Capturing those VXEWOHWLHV LV WKH XOWLPDWH WHVW RI DQ DUWLVW¶V ability.” The nude has an intellectual and emotion- al content for artists as well. More than any RWKHUVXEMHFWWKHQXGHLVDERXWKXPDQLW\,W is a search for self-understanding and com- prehension of our place as human beings in the world. This may make sense to most people, EXWLWLVOLNHO\WKDWWKHYDVWPDMRULW\RISHR- ple who appreciate the nude cannot imagine themselves disrobing and standing in front of an artist or, worse yet, a group of student artists in a classroom setting. Yet there are al- ways models; they are an essential element of any arts community. 0RGHOVGRQ¶WGRLWIRUWKHPRQH\HLWKHU ,W¶VKDUGZRUNWU\KROGLQJDSRVHIRUKDOIDQ KRXUZLWKRXWPRYLQJDQGLWGRHVQ¶WSD\WKDW well. In fact, because artists tend to be impov- erished to some extent, many models work in trade for art. You can collect a lot of good art WKLVZD\EXWLWGRHVQ¶WSD\WKHELOOV So what makes a good model, and why does he or she do it? There is no such thing as a perfect body, VRQRDUWLVWH[SHFWVWKDWRIDPRGHO³7KHPRVW LPSRUWDQWWKLQJ´VDLGDUWLVW2VSUH\&RYH³LV that the model is unselfcon- scious, comfortable in their own skin.” Cove often works RXWGRRUVDQGKHVDLG³,GRQ¶W ask my models to do anything I ZRXOGQ¶WEXW\RXDOZD\VKDYH to deal with the sun, or lack of it, and wind, and the possibility that people will walk by.” Model Crystal Miller, who met the artist she works with PRVW RIWHQ LQ FKXUFK LVQ¶W concerned about the elements RUWKHRFFDVLRQDOE\VWDQGHU³, GRQ¶WWKLQNRIZKDW,¶PGRLQJ as an individual but as part of WKH SURFHVV ,¶P SDUWLFLSDWLQJ LQ PDNLQJ DUW ,W¶V DEVROXWHO\ FROODERUDWLRQ 7KDW¶VWKHFRRODVSHFWRILW´VKHVDLG 7KLV \HDU¶V ³$X 1DWXUHO´ MXURU ZDV %DU- bara Shaiman, an independent curator and art FRQVXOWDQWEDVHGLQ6HDWWOH³0\WDVNDV,VDZ it was to choose work that was both excellent Photo by Dwight Caswell Artist Kristen Horning watches awards being presented during the reception. Behind her is “St. Severin, Preaching Meloncholia,” a mixed-media piece on paper by David Allison of Seattle, who won the Solo Show and Workshop Awards. Photo by Dwight Caswell Ron Barclay of Long Beach, Washington attended the “Au Naturel” opening recpetion Jan. 29. Behind him, from left, are “Ode to Man,” oil on linen, by Linda Andrei of Ithaca, New York, which took third place in the exhibition; and “Spell Caster,” a pastel by Paul Barton of Tumwater, Washington. and representative rather than to attempt to cre- ate an exhibit with a particular point of view,” VKHVDLG6KHZDQWHGWRVHH³DUUHVWLQJZRUNDV ZHOODVWHFKQLFDOSUR¿FLHQF\´DQG³DSHUVRQ- al vision, a passion for the work that makes it special.” At the opening reception held Jan. 29 at the community college, she commented on WKH³PDQ\YLVLRQVUHSUHVHQWHG´ So did many of the visitors that crowded the gallery that evening. Maria Wendler of Astoria said she and her hus- EDQG FRPH WR ³$X 1DWXUHO´ HYHU\ \HDU ³7KHUH¶V DOZD\V something new and interest- LQJ´VKHVDLG³,OLNHDOOWKHGLI- ferent depictions, and they all have the essence of the nude.” Another Astorian, John Goodenberger insisted that he GLGQ¶WJRIRUWKHIUHHIRRGEXW EHFDXVH³,W¶VJRRGDUWDQG\RX see all the different interpreta- tions of how to portray the hu- man body.” That sentiment was again echoed by Kirsten Horning, an artist herself. She remarked on, ³WKHGLYHUVLW\RIWKHLPDJHV6RPHDUHDEVR- lutely perfect, almost photographic. Others DUHVLPSOHUDOPRVWSULPLWLYH,W¶VLQWHUHVWLQJ to see which paintings affect me emotional- O\WKHRYHUDOOIHHOLQJZKHWKHULW¶VUHVWIXORU calm, or sort of apocalyptic.” ‘It’s the most difficult subject to do well. If you are able to draw the human figure well, you can draw anything.’ Photo by Dwight Caswell Submitted photo “Arden,” an oil painting on canvas by Nicole Jeffords of Austin, Texas. 12 | February 19, 2015 | coastweekend.com Juror Barbara Shaiman speaks at the show’s opening reception Jan. 29 in the CCC Art Center Gallery. Hanging on the wall, from left is “Beyond the Boundary of the Hedge: Margarita and His Errand,” oil on canvas by Chris Sheridan of Seattle; and “Relaxed” by Nancy Van Allen of Port Townsend, Washington. ‘Au Naturel’ On display now through March 5 CCC Art Center Gallery 1799 Lexington Ave., Astoria http://aunaturelart.com Gallery hours are from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The gallery is open on Sundays and holidays by appointment only. Photo by Dwight Caswell Maria Wendler views “Colorbomb,” an oil painting by Carly Bodnar of Brooklyn, New York. Carol Newman, Brownsmead art maven and member of the Arts Council of Clatsop &RXQW\VDLGWKDW³$X1DWXUHO´ZDV³DIDEX- ORXVVKRZ´6KHZDVWKHUHWR³PHHWVRPHRI these fabulous artists and to support the local arts scene.” She alluded to the diversity of WKHVKRZLQWHUPVRI³VW\OHVDQGERGLHVPHQ ZRPHQDQGFKLOGUHQ7KHVXEMHFWLVWKHQXGH EXWLW¶VUHDOO\DERXWDJRRGSDLQWLQJ´ Ron Barclay of Long Beach, Washington, summed up the feeling of most of those at the RSHQLQJ³,MXVWOLNHSDLQWLQJ7KHDSSHDORI the nude is that the body is a beautiful thing, DQGLW¶VLPSRUWDQWWRNQRZKRZWRSDLQWLW´ ³7KH QXGH LV LQKHUHQWO\ LQWHUHVWLQJ EH- FDXVHZHDUHSHRSOH´VDLG6KDXFN³$VORQJ DV ZH¶YH EHHQ DURXQG ZH¶YH EHHQ PDNLQJ images of ourselves. Art making is a process of discovery, and you have to be open to the MRXUQH\´ ‘There is no such thing as a perfect body, so no artist expects that of a model’ February 19, 2015 | coastweekend.com | 13