“Secret Meeting of the Know Nothing Council” from “The Great Heart War” by Kristie Carlisle Duncan, on view at W.Va. State University.

Sour’s most recent art pick was a Doo Wop event in Charleston. Sweet had two faves of her own: “The Great Heart War” now at W.Va. State University’s Della Brown Taylor Gallery.
__________
Sour: “Well, we went on about my favorite art event encountered recently. What is yours, Sweet?”
Sweet: “The Great Heart War” at W.Va. State University is entirely comprised of works in fabric by Kristie Carlisle Duncan. But they are not your traditional fabric media. This stuff is post-modern and really good.”
__________
Sour: “Fabric post-modern art? But is it craft?”
Sweet: “Ha ha. No, it’s not craft. Well, it has craft elements — in that fabric is traditionally a craft medium not usually considered fine art. And she used vintage cotton prints in her compositions. Although these days there are so many cross-overs and blurring of boundaries. What is craft? what is art? Who knows most of the time? Maybe who cares? Today, part of the fabric of the art world is that there are so many innovations and experiments.”
__________
Sour: “Fabric of the art world, ha ha. Nice one.
Sweet: You note that her work is more post-modern than craft.”
Sweet: “Craft is traditional and often labor intensive, where there is a supreme effort in terms of craftsmanship.”
Sour: “In fact, they don’t call it craftsmanship for nothing. Post-modern is more like slap things together, often stealing — OK, culling – from someone else’s art or effort and putting vastly different things together. The hope is they will play well off of each other and make an interesting statement. Post-modern is almost always where the statement is supposed to stand for more than the craftsmanship. Just one of those 21st century things. A lot of styles out there. However, generally speaking post-modern is the anathema of most crafters.”
__________
Sweet: “And vice versa. But in this case it works. Both craft and art. The post-modern element is that she uses all these pieces of fabric and felt and other
things and creates something really original, fresh and new with them. And the compositions are excellent. Formally, they are excellent. And the narrative is wonderful, she tells a story with these paintings. It is sort of an epic surreal murder mystery. Works for me. This is an excellent show.”
Sour: “I really like it, too. It is really unique. I don’t know who she is but her web site is listed on the invitation: www.thefamilychicken.net. (Later at
home I checked it out. Love the egg menu! Chickens, whatever. She should ask the Southern Kitchen for all their chicken memorabilia before they close. And
there are pictures of hanging the show, et cetera. Adorable. These kids today, websites and everything with their art. Excellent. Good work. Good luck
with the knitting class, Kristie.)

I see on the price list these works range from $20 to a couple hundred at most! What? This is a steal! People get it while you can, excellent work on a bargain rate. Kristie, I don’t know you, but I think your art is great and worth a lot more that you are selling it for. Take it from the Sourpuss, don’t sell yourself short. Don’t part with this excellent art for this wonderful art unless someone is going to pay you what you deserve.

IF YOU GO: “The Great Heart War” is on view at W.Va. State University’s Della Brown Taylor Gallery from Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 766-3196. 

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