Gallery Talk - Kevin Mullins, Jonathan C. Leach

Darke Gallery now showing work by Kevin Mullins and Jonathan Leach through March in the upstairs gallery,  hosted an artist talk with these two artists this past Saturday. The opening reception was Friday evening, the night before.  This kind of event is a great opportunity for us bloggers to get first hand information from the artists as well as providing a possible photo opportunity if the both artist and gallery are supportive.

Image above and below complimentary of Kevin Mullins web site.

 

Proud Flesh is the title of the Mullins exhibition which includes screen printed images on paper like the one below and smaller paintings/printed images on plywood.  Click here to see the slide show of some of these works on paper.

Proud Flesh series Red/Green, screen print

Says Mullins, "I’m a painter and print maker currently living in Wichita, Kansas.
Mechanical reproduction and repetition (I find great truth in the dictum, “repetition is the foundation of clarity”, have been both the subject of my work and the means by which I produce it." Quoted from Mullins' statement here. He works with an oil based inks and paint on various supports, including paper and wood and a type of PVC plastic used in outdoor signs.  He spoke of these repetitive marks in relation to meditation, an idea that I have embraced in relation to some of my work. Unlike Mullins, I don't participate in any formal meditative practices.

Kevin Mullins on right talking to visitor about the smaller works.

Artist Jonathan Leach is a Houston resident and currently represented by Sonja Roach Gallery.
 The several pieces in this exhibition are with permission from that gallery. About his pieces here, Jonathan uses acrylic paint on canvas and plexiglass supports, in this instance, a plexi box.

On right is Jonathan Leach talking about his work. To his left is Kevin Mullins, and far left is artist Marcelyn McNeil.

He tapes and and paints areas both outside and inside the box. He is interested in allowing evidence of the artist's hand to be visible in the painted areas although I didn't really see any brush marks. One must have to get very close.  Although these are essentially painted boxes, the artists must approach the placement of the designs onto the surfaces as a sculptor would.

On right is Jonathan Leach talking about his work. To his left is Kevin Mullins, and far left is artist Marcelyn McNeil.

View shifting to the right

View from opposite side. 

You can see more of Jonathan's work here.
This exhibition runs through early April.