"A Common Thread" opens October 15th

GYA/YEYO Artist Collective
Presents
A Common Thread: Life/Work Balance for the Visual Artist

Exhibition-October 15, 2010 through November 8, 2010
Includes a silent auction of original works byCuban Artist Luis Cruz Azaceta and Chilean artist Alfonso Fernandez Acevedo… with guest appearances by Kentucky artists Steve Armstrong and Diane Kahlo
(Proceeds benefit the Doris Marie O'Kain Educational Scholarship Fund)

When: Opening reception Friday, October 15, 2010 7-9:30 pm
Exhibit Hours: Tuesday-Friday noon-6:30 pm, Saturday 11-4 pm & Sunday 12-4 pm

What: “ A reflective exhibition that deals with the issues of maintaining a family life while balancing the complexities and lifestyle of being a contemporary visual artist working in the shadows of the post modern image of the successful artist. Each participant in this invitation only group exhibition explores the depths of the common thread shared in balancing family relationships with the drive and societal pressures to create meaningful art.”

Where: GYA Community Gallery and Fine Crafts
2700 Locust Avenue (in the Locust Business District)
St. Louis, MO 63103

Participating Artists:

Silent Auction Donors Alfonso Fernandez Acevedo-is a visual artist, sculptor, printmaker and painter. Nació en Santiago en 1969.Born in Santiago in 1969, Alfonso began his art studies in 1987 in drawing and painting workshop by Professor César Osorio of the University of Chile, Santiago Aprendió técnicas de grabado intaglio, litografía, fotograbado y serigrafía en el Taller 99 dewhere he learned intaglio printmaking techniques, lithography, gravure and screen printing. En 1993 participó en el Taller Internacional, del Tamarind Institute de la Universidad de Nuevo México en Aburquerque, Estados Unidos y fue invitado por el Departamento de Grabado de la Facultad de Bellas Artes de la misma casa de estudios donde integró el Programa de Entrenamiento en Litografía hasta el año 1In 1993 he participated in the International Workshop of the Tamarind Institute at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, USA and was invited by the Department of Printmaking at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the same University where he joined the Training Program Lithography until 1995. In 2000 he was invited to work with American visual artist Sam Gilliam in Washington, DC. Durante una estadía en el Zygote Press en Cleveland, Ohio, tomó contacto con sus pares, contrastando tendencias. He has exhibited internationally from the National Museum of Fine Arts, Santiago, Chile to Helsinki, Finland to Cochabamba and La Paz, Bolivia. When not traveling or working Alfonso enjoys spending time with his wife, kids and extended family in Santiago, Chile and often uses his wife as the subject of his figurative works on paper. Bidding for a donated original work will start at $300.

Luis Cruz Azaceta- Cuban American artist Luis Cruz Azaceta was born in Cuba in 1942 and came to the United States in 1960. He studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Some of his teachers at SVA included Leon Golub, Robert Mango, Mel Bochner, Frank Roth and Dore Ashton, among others. Cruz Azaceta's work has been shown in galleries and museums in the United States, Latin America and Europe. He's shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, The Museum of Modern Art, NY, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Miami Art Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, New Orleans Museum of Art, among others. Internationally, his work has been shown in Germany, London, Spain, Australia, Venezuela, Mexico, Columbia and the Caribbean. Author Elena M. Martínez states that Cruz Azaceta's works, the Mariel boat theme of the 1990’s, his 1970’s-80’s works on urban space, his AIDS epidemic series (1987–1989) and his more contemporary paintings and drawings, expand the range of themes and motifs of visual representation. “By elaborating metaphors on issues of displacement and alienation, his work also helps to raise consciousness about his community's exile,” states Martinez. “His aesthetic concerns,” she adds “go well beyond reflection on the individual and one particular community; they underscore a universal preoccupation with human existence.” Luis Cruz Azaceta lives with his wife and two sons in New Orleans, Louisiana and maintains studio spaces in New Orleans and New York City. Mr. Cruz Azaceta has agreed to write a special essay on the theme of work/life balance for the exhibition catalogue accompanying this exhibit. Bidding for a donated original piece by Mr. Cruz Azaceta will start at $1000.

Special Guest Artists Steve Armstrong and Diane Kahlo- Steve Armstrong is a Lexington, Kentucky native known for his "Automata" sculpture. “Every piece has moveable parts, hand-carved from various woods and vividly painted. He deftly uses gears, pulleys, chains and the viewer's energy to make his sculptures move. They stand tall, they whirl and spin, and they open to reveal an amazing sense of humor. "Automata" sculpture generally fall into the category of folk art. But in the case of Steve Armstrong, he has taken this art form to a new level and raised the bar. He is an American. While his art form falls outside most conventional ideas of what realist art is — he is the best at what he does and collectors across the country are aware of this rare talent. Prices for his works range from $1,250 to $8,500.” Johns Pence Galleries, San Francisco, California (Representatives). Steve is married to artist Diane Kahlo where they raise two cats and share visits with three adult children and three grand children from their blended families. Diane Kahlo- Also from Lexington, Kentucky, Diane established herself as a brilliant painter in the early 1990's, and exceeds any expectations of her pedigree name. Ms. Kahlo received a 2010 grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women to debut her current body of work Las Desaparecidas (The Missing Women) at Logsdon 1909 Gallery in Chicago. This work pays homage to hundreds of young Latino women who have been brutalized and murdered in Juarez, Mexico since the early 90’s. The installation of portraits and sculptures has grown to several hundred portraits and symbolic images displayed to create a "memorial wall" as the number of murdered women as young as ten years old sadly continues to grow. Diane is represented by Swanson Reed East Market in Louisville and the Fraser Gallery of Washington, DC. She has one adult daughter from a previous marriage and two adult step-children, and three step grand children with Steve.

Gina Alvarez –is a printmaker, and Graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with a MFA in Printmaking and Drawing. She is the former manager of Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts, St. Louis. Gina is currently the Gallery and Education Director at the St. Louis Artists' Guild, and the winner of The River Front Times (RFT) Artist of the Year Award 2010. She is also a wife and mother of a 4 year old gifted son.Linda Bangert-is a Printmaker, painter and Instructor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her prints are in the permanent collection of Student Services at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, in corporate and private collections throughout the St. Louis area including Express Scripts, UM-St. Louis. Linda is a wife and mother of three and grandmother of three.

Dail Chambers-wears many hats as an Emerging Visual Artist immersed in the St. Louis art scene. She describes herself as a Visual Artist, Social Entrepreneur & Arts Instructor. Dail is a ceramic sculptor and installation artist who has exhibited nationally in various cities, and recently in the online collection, " From the Center: Now" juried by Lucy Lippard. She is also a jewelry maker, and craftswoman. Her jewelry can be found at Main Event Boutique in Memphis, the St. Louis Artist Guild, and other various boutiques. Dail believes that through the arts “we can creatively … reshape our society” and is a member of various activist and arts organizations including the Organization for Black Struggle, Literacy for Social Justice, and the Women's Caucus of Art. She has recently collaborated with two other artists to create a multimedia arts program sponsored by St. Louis Jobs with Justice, in an area high school, Riverview Gardens. Dail is the founder of YeYo Artist Collective and GYA, a cooperative small business in St. Louis which holds classes, exhibitions, small cultural events, discussions and tours. Dail is the single mother of a 7 year old daughter name Antigone.

Dorlene Dunne- is a visual artist with a MSW and a BFA in painting and drawing from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She currently works as an outreach specialist for Community Alternatives, Inc. Dorlene has exhibited throughout the St. Louis area, most recently at Forest Park Community College. She is the proud mother of our scholarship nominee, nine year old
Doris Marie O'Kain.

Alice Gadel- is a Teaching artist and University of Missouri-St. Louis printmaking alum who has taught children’s classes at Craft Alliance in the Delmar Loop for ten years. Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Alice is a single mother of three: one adult son, one adult daughter and one high school age daughter who is also a budding artist. 1998 La Figura Humana, Galería AMS Marlborough, SaInició sus estudios artísticos en 1987 en el taller de Dibujo y Pintura del profesor César Osorio de la Universidad de Chile de SantInez Guzman- is a visual artist originally from New York. Born and raised in the Bronx, Inez attended the Artist League in N. Y. and studied under famous African American Painter Ben Jones. She exhibits both locally and nationally including New York and Puerto Rico. Inez is an active member of the Puerto Rican Society of St. Louis and a single parent to one college age son.

Fabio Rodriguez- Fabio is a high school art educator currently living in Arnold, MO. He has been teaching Art and Spanish at Desoto high school for a few years. He is connected with ArtDimensions and has gotten heavily involved in the Chicago art scene as of late. He was born in Virginia, but grew up in the Dominican Republic and does beautiful historic and contemporary paintings and drawings. He is also quite popular in the St. Louis Latin community. He has exhibited in Spain, South America, New York, and Chicago and will show next spring with Diane Kahlo in a historic show on immigration in Lexington, Kentucky. Fabio is married to a high school teacher; they have a two year old son. Sunny Santos- Sunny received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UM-Saint Louis and a Master of Business Administration from Webster University. A figurative and feminist painter, Sunny's work has shown throughout Texas and the St. Louis area and is part of private collections in the area including DeWayne Eoff, Coldwell Banker, Gundaker. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Sunny currently lives in St. Louis and is the Command Chief Master Sergeant for 932 Airlift Wing at Scott AFB, IL.

Davide Weaver- is the founder of St. Louis Art Dimensions and Executive Director of the St. Louis Artists' Guild and Galleries. He is also one of the original founders of Taste of St. Louis, the creator of the St. Louis Classics, a new festival venue that celebrates all of the arts and producer of the annual ARTDtour in St. Louis. Davide is an active visual artist who makes assemblages in his spare time. He is a husband and the father of a one year old son.