SURFACE TREATMENT: October Art Walk/Chris Leonard exhibit
"Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jog," a solo exhibit by Chris Leonard at the ManicHaus Art Space was the most formal exhibit presented at McAllen's October Art Walk. A tightly structured installation comprised of paintings, watercolors, and ceramics defied the many levels of meaning residing in the art.
Leonard's watercolors were the show stealers. Although he is still at home in Leonardland, an overall philosophy moves this one beyond his previous exhibits.
There were a few signature paintings in the filled space, but more than two walls served to display about 300 small watercolors; mostly images referencing pigs or cats.
Leonard's work is inherently entertaining; it's easy to overlook the deeper content. "I'm hoping it both means something and entertains," Leonard said. "It's the question of having mechanical skills or the ability to focus and do something over and over. I titled this (pointing to the south wall) The Three Little Pigs Ad Nauseum. It's fun, but I really wanted it to be serious, too. I really think people should stick with things until they're sick of it. Whether or not you're good at it, stick with something." Fortunately for his audience, Leonard is good at it, and can stick with an idea. For 300 times.
Each small image reflects an individual nuance of attitude or personality. Beautifully controlled sweeps of watercolor give character to the sumi-suggestive outlines that Leonard employs for these watercolors.
"I was perturbed," Leonard ranted, "that the paper today said, ‘Leonard makes animals.' Are your pets just animals? I hope that things operate on different levels. This is a pet, so there is that taboo of sentimentality there, which you're not supposed to touch, but I can't help it."
An earlier Art Walker couldn't help touching a wheeled ceramic to see how the wheels worked or didn't work. He wheeled it right off the edge of the stand. The shards were displayed prominently.
Leonard also confronts an unwritten taboo from U.S. art schools. At college Leonard was discouraged from watercolor. He was told that it was for little old ladies, it was decorative, and it wasn't a serious art form. He finds it really comfortable to come back to the smaller scale of watercolor. It may be his artistic comfort food.
Commenting on adolescent angst, Leonard confided, "I felt fine then. It's like as an adult I feel angst-ridden and where the hell do I go with this stuff? My life, in terms of where I am today is a dream and a nightmare at the same time, depending on the responsibility.
He takes this dilemma into the concept of Leonardland, the sort of place where anything could make sense. Leonard examines the human condition through a humanoid extension of the feline and other friends. It's an ongoing world of mixed messages and cultures.
There were far too many new mini solo exhibits at venues for this column. Although all of them merit comment, there were some that I considered more interesting.
United Through Art Gallery featured impressive photographs of Russia by Abraham Lezama. "Very strange to go to Russia, being from Reynosa," Lezama said. "I'm Latin, but I really love the cold."
He photographs aspects of Russian architecture; the architecture coexists with Lezama's frequently breathtaking color sensibility.
ADBC offered a variety of art works, and the ADBC Art Market played to the crowd. Alejandro Goga's "Muerte Arte Grafico," was Sponsored by the Mexican Consulate.
Laura Casamitjana celebrated the 25th anniversary of her "Pezsandia Series" (the watermelon fish), at Nueva Santander. There were also new works by several artists on display including "Faces of the Border," pastels by Reefka.
On exhibit at Jac-Lin florist were photographs, paintings, watercolors, sculpture, and illustrations by various artists. R.R. Perez lll displayed stainless steel and mesquite table sculptures. Homer Rincones' naturalistic works greeted Art Walkers at the entrance.
And for some lucky Art Walkers, Kris Ohlinger's newly created rickshaw carriage offered ecologically friendly transport.
Nancy Moyer, PhD, is an art reviewer for The Monitor. She is an independent artist living in McAllen and may be reached at nmoyer@rgv.rr.com
"Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jog" by Chris Leonard
- Where: ManicHaus, 1301-B, North Main Street, McAllen
- When: Tuesday through Friday, 11am to 2pm & 4pm to 7pm
- Contact: 956-207-0940 or e-mail: manichaus@gmail.com for more information.
