Taylor opens Visiting Artist Lecture series

Sue Taylor knows modern art.

She’s been researching, teaching and writing about it for more than 25 years.

The Portland-based art historian, critic and author will be in Spokane next week to kick off the 2006-07 Visiting Artist Lecture Series, “Who We Are: Art that Reflects the Everyday.”

This year’s series is taking a close look at artists whose works “reflect the tenor of their times, as well as hone in on daily activities of our culture,” says Eastern Washington University art professor Lanny DeVuono, one of the event’s organizers.

Taylor, an associate professor of art at Portland State University, is researching a book on Grant Wood, one of America’s great regionalist painters.

Born and raised in Iowa, Wood is best known for the masterpiece “American Gothic.”

In a January 2006 “Art in America” article, Taylor writes that Wood frequently fabricated “visual fictions of middle America, often turning his back on the realities of the Depression to create idyllic visions.”

Taylor’s presentations in Spokane will explore how Wood’s emotional life informed his iconic paintings depicting rural America.

“I plan to talk about Wood’s clandestine identity as a gay man in the Midwest in the 1930s,” says Taylor.

“I will be looking at several of his well-known images with new readings based on what I learned about his double life.”

Following Taylor in the series will be conceptual artist Tim Lee from Vancouver, B.C., in February.

“Tim is a young Canadian who does some really funny things with video,” says DeVuono.

In the spring, Los Angeles artist Doug Aitken will talk about his complex cinematography installations that focus on everyday life and people.

“A couple of years ago he did a big show at the Henry Art Museum in Seattle,” says DeVuono. “He’s amazing.”

The series is sponsored by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, Eastern Washington University and Spokane Falls Community College, with additional support from the Sahlin Foundation.

Coeur d’Alene Art Walk

Downtown Coeur d’Alene is having its Second Friday Art Walk on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. The majority of shows are up through November.

The featured gallery for the month is Eclectic Artisans Gallery, 211 Coeur d’Alene Ave. No. 101, owned by quilter Carol Eagle and jewelry maker Maria Mills.

The gallery carries fine arts and handcrafted items including work by Kris Vermeer, jewelry by Margot Cliff, teddy bears by Nyla Hodge, Lily Rose Creek Candles by Holly, bath salts and salt scrubs by Carol Rhodes-Rice, Tooaki Community dolls by Madeline, watercolors by Dorothy Smith, Hoo Doo Valley Creamery cheeses by Helen and Allan Kemp, and unique dolls by Bonny Sportato.

Other shows include:

“Angel Gallery of Fine Art and Antiques, 423 Sherman Ave., is featuring Janene Grende’s colorful silk-screen art and the whimsical clay art of Lupe Payne.

“Art Spirit Gallery, 415 Sherman Ave., is showing “Persistent Predicaments,” sculpture constructions by Michael Horswill of Coeur d’Alene.

“Coeur d’Alene Galleries, Coeur d’Alene Resort Lobby, is hanging G. Harvey’s Western and city scenes and Nancy Glazier’s realistic wildlife paintings.

“Devin Galleries, 507 Sherman Ave., is honoring Coeur d’Alene School District No. 271’s art teachers with its annual exhibit, “The Gifts We Bring.”

“Erlendson Art Glass, 116 E. Lakeside Ave., is showing handblown glass paperweights by Bob Healey and other objects by Northwest glass artists.

“Frame of Mind Gallery and Framing, 119 N. Second St., is highlighting raku pottery by Bill Meehan and paintings by Carrie Stuart Parks, Carl Funseth, Barbara Peretti, Jim Carkhuff and Nona Hengen.

“The Northwest Artists, 217 Sherman Ave., offers fine arts and crafts. In the spotlight this month are stoneware and raku candlesticks by Hilda Bradshaw, glass Ikebana vases by Darlene Johnson and batik items by Toni Spencer.

“The Painter’s Chair Fine Art Gallery, 223 Sherman Ave., is hosting “Friends After Hours,” a benefit for the Women’s Shelter. There will be auction items and live music.

“Summer’s Glass, 211 Sherman Ave., is offering a collection of fused glass art gifts and jewelry by local artists, along with a free fused glass workshop.

“Texture, 107 N. Second Ave., is displaying acrylic paintings, sculpted jewelry, painted glassware, handmade clothing, specialty costumes, throws and sweaters.

Additional venues on Sherman Avenue with artwork include All Things Irish, Boucle’s Yarn, Casa Savie, Coeur d’Alene Symphony Orchestra and Art Association, Figpickels Toy Emporium, Lucky Monkey Trading Co., Poppy, Sweetpea Home Interiors and Tiffany Blue.

Downtown restaurants featuring art include Barrel Room No. 6, Bella Rosa, Brix/The Beacon, Cafe Doma, Cricket’s Steakhouse, Pita Pit, Toro Viejo and The Wine Cellar.

Raku demonstration

“Fire and Ice,” a raku ceramics demonstration, ignites on Saturday in the parking lot next door to Auntie’s Bookstore, 203 N. Washington St.

Pottery Place Plus members Denny Young, Donna Kulibert, Jeff Harris and Kristy McCoy will give a free demonstration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Raku is a process where soft, earthenware clay is glaze-fired and then removed from the kiln hot and placed in a smoking pit,” says Nan Drye in a news release.

“The smoking process and various cooling techniques cause beautiful decorative effects and the process is exciting to watch,” she says.

In addition to pots and such, potters will be firing ornaments for the holiday season.

WSU’s Gallery II

An exhibit of new abstract work by Jeanne Fulfs will be up from Monday through Dec. 8 in Gallery II in the Fine Arts Center on Washington State University’s Pullman campus.

An artist’s reception is Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. Visit the free gallery weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. For more information call (509) 335-8686 or go to www.finearts.wsu.edu/galleries/.

Virtual exhibit

“29 Images,” a “virtual art exhibit” of works by Spokane artist R. S. Yorke, is being shown on Comcast cable channel 14 in Spokane during November and December.

The program shows 29 of Yorke’s digitally produced art prints.

“The exhibit itself is only for a little over 12 minutes,” writes Yorke in an e-mail. “It is important to view the works sitting close to the TV screen with the lights off in the room.”

Showtimes are Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m., next Thursday at 4:30 p.m. and Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. The show repeats each Friday in December at 6 p.m.