Ryan Russell’s “Route 39 Haybales,” an oil on canvas, is among the works at the Callen McKunkin Gallery. Click to enlarge

Sweet and Sour pass on this early reaction to the new Callen McJunkin Gallery space at 219 Hale St., in the loft upstairs from Gina Puzzuoli Miller’s Stray Dog Antiques, which you can see on the Thursday, April 17 ArtWalk in downtown Charleston.

Wow! Ups the game of being a “gallerist” as they say in the Big Leagues in NYC, LA and beyond. Actually, the new Callen McJunkin Gallery space is like being in NYC, LA or beyond. Never been a space like this one in Charleston. Kudos to her. Fantastic. Looks like she’s inherited the reigning art doyenne title from Sherry Lovett, although, of course,

Marilyn Cooper’s Cooper Gallery in Lewisburg is in the running. And Lisa Fischer Casto and Mimi Dinsmore are coming right along at The Art Store. (Their new show is intellectually and visually impressive.) And then you have to give a nod to Ann Saville and Angie at the Taylor Books Annex Gallery, also. And, while we’re handing out enconiums, the Art Emporium folks also deserve “Mr. and Mrs. Congeniality Award.” They are always doing such great service to the circle of artists who work in this area. They really give back to the community.

Reprinted from the April 7, 2008 Charleston Gazette

By Bob Schwarz

Local art dealer Callen McJunkin will reopen her gallery April 15, this time at 219 Hale St., in the loft upstairs from Gina Puzzuoli Miller’s Stray Dog Antiques.

The Callen McJunkin Gallery most recently was across from Taylor Books on Capitol Street, where McJunkin shared a storefront with photographer Steve Payne. At the time, she said it was her best space yet, but she gave it up when Payne decided two years ago to run his photography business out of his home. (more…)

 
“Spring Day” by Okiie Hashimoto

‘Our Art’ is a regular feature on art in collections around West Virginia. Reprinted from the April 6, 2008 Sunday Gazette-Mail 

By Bob Schwarz
bobschwarz@wvgazette.com
Okiie Hashimoto graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, where he trained to be an art teacher, learning painting techniques that American and European artists learned. He was a watercolorist then. Later, he took a short course in Japanese woodblock printing.

He first exhibited at the Japanese Print Association Show in 1937, but remained a part-time printmaker until 1955 when he retired as assistant principal of a Tokyo high school.

Hashimoto sticks to the flatness and patterns of Japanese decorative arts while relying on compositional elements of Western art, said Clay Center associate curator Denise Deegan. “It’s an image of a three-dimensional place that’s made to look very flat.” (more…)

A dozen cylinders by artist George Snyder take their place over the staircase at the Capitol Conference Center on Lee Street.

Reprinted from the March 28, 2008 Charleston Gazette

By Bob Schwarz
For the Gazette

When George Snyder graduated from South Charleston High and enrolled at Marshall University, he thought he might become a lawyer. He took a few art classes and changed his mind.

Now 56, Snyder has supported himself as a full-time artist for nearly 30 years. A dozen galleries from Boston to Los Angeles and from Cleveland to San Antonio sell his work.

He lives in Florida with the former Jennifer Walker, a Charleston native and his wife of 25 years. Jennifer is a working artist in her own right and also her husband’s business manager. (more…)