“One thing is certain, though. The mural of eyeballs painted on one wall is coming off.” -Rosalie Earle, in a Nov.27, 2008 gazz article “Extreme Makeover” about three local bars

Not to create a beef with Ms. Earle over her story about the three new Charleston’s bars, but allow me to bring something to light. People LIKE Dave Thomas’ eyes mural, commissioned by Legends Bar (and recently registered a nuisance by the new bar Boom Boom Room, which plans on removing it). Just by reading the article you might get the impression that it’s an offensive and childish mural, but it’s not. It’s a nice statement made with art in a city where public art is largely marginalized.

Artists generally operate in high gear leading up to the holidays. Peep some new work by artists showing around Charleston.

I am a sucker for fish, and Mary Grassell’s prints are always fun to look at.

When collages are smaller they appeal to me more. I like this centered “figure” from Dick Allowatt.

I wonder who this nude female is, drawn by Rob Cleland?

A mixed media piece done by yours truly. From children’s paper fragments.

Jamie Miller is up to something mischievious lately.

I dig these pigs from Charlottesville, VA painter John Borden Evans. Evans’ excavated acrylic paintings reveal hidden underpaintings.

This is the first work I’ve seen from Mary Sanders, a painter from the newly minted artist group “Artists Yet To Be Seen”. They are great paintings with interesting explorations of abstracted “suits” as they are known on Capitol Street.

Joe Bolyard makes his splash on the scene with tiny metal sculptural crucifixions, and some other paintings. If you’re reading this bro comment to make corrections.

Kristie Carlisle Duncan does her thing as usuAL. These fabric stitchings are hecka’ sought after. Her two venues are Buswater and Annex Gallery if you’re looking for these.

EP’s on some gangsta ISH!

That’s my review. I’ll for sure be at Buswater, maybe the Art Store if I can get a ride up to South Hills, and some other joints where art is on the walls.

Stanley Sporny’s “Sassafras Mitten,” oil on linen.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Reprinted from thegazz.com’s article section from Oct. 27, 2008. After this review was turned into the Gazette, it was learned that artist Stanley Sporny had died last week. See the comment at the end about the artist, provided by gallery owner Callen Mcjunkin.

By Amanda Miller
For the Gazette

The Callen McJunkin Gallery is currently exhibiting twelve new paintings from the “River Series” by Stanley Sporny. These natural scenes depicted with oil on linen focus closely on the forest floor where it meets the river’s edge, and the play between light and shadow as they move across the water’s surface and give way to the shadowy riverbed below.

Sporny uses frenetic brushstrokes through rich dollops of paint to carefully render an image that simultaneously conveys scenic depth and two-dimensional flatness.

One can pull plenty of conceptual significance from water as the subject in these paintings, but perhaps more sensual pleasure can be found in examining this work under the premise of “painting for painting’s sake.” (more…)

Name: Jamie Ferguson

Age: 25

Hometown: Charleston, WV

Your primary medium: Oil paint

Central theme consistently explored in your work: The process of painting

Select art galleries exhibited: Taylor Books’ Annex Gallery, Callen McJunkin Gallery, Hansford Art House, Good News Mountaineer Garage Gallery

Favorite dead artist: There’s a lot of dead artists I like. De Kooning.

Favorite living artist: Jasper Johns

Most important WV artist: George Crumb

Artistic “movement” you wish you’d led: It would have been fun to be alive in the late fifties, early sixties. Cubism would have been pretty crazy, it blew people’s minds.

Artist who’d creative license you’d revoke: Jeff Koons.

Favorite place to get a beer in Charleston: Rite-Aid.

Favorite place to eat in Charleston: I really don’t go out to restaurants much. Anywhere with buffalo chicken.

Ideal art job: Selling paintings for large amounts of money.

Favorite art gallery: I’ve only been to ones in Charleston and Columbus. Anywhere with a nice space and not crappy art.

Favorite art city: Charleston, WV. I’d like to go to Berlin.

Below is a photograph of one of Jamie’s painting installations.