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September 2015
Review Bisbee Biennial Central School Project, Bisbee, Az Reviewed by C.J. Shane |
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Who needs the Venice Biennale or the Whitney or even the Arizona Biennial when we’ve got Bisbee’s art biennials? Look what you get when you attend the Third Bisbee Biennial.
A trip out of the urban jungle, a turn off the interstate, a drive through quiet and peaceful St. David and Tombstone, then miles across a glorious early autumn landscape with great views of the Chiracahua and Dragoon Mountains to arrive in lovely little Bisbee (population approximately 5,500) quite near the border with Mexico…who could ask for a more picturesque location for an art event? There’s the tasty lunch awaiting you at Poco in Peddler’s Lane or Cafe Cornucopia just across the street. And, of course, you'll see some great art!
A trip out of the urban jungle, a turn off the interstate, a drive through quiet and peaceful St. David and Tombstone, then miles across a glorious early autumn landscape with great views of the Chiracahua and Dragoon Mountains to arrive in lovely little Bisbee (population approximately 5,500) quite near the border with Mexico…who could ask for a more picturesque location for an art event? There’s the tasty lunch awaiting you at Poco in Peddler’s Lane or Cafe Cornucopia just across the street. And, of course, you'll see some great art!
Central School Project is again sponsoring the Bisbee Biennial, the third celebration of this every-other-year art event. Central School Project (CSP) is the community arts center in Bisbee, Arizona. CSP is housed In a wonderful old school house with wooden floors and high ceilings that dates back to 1905. The building, located in central Old Bisbee, was actually a working elementary school until 1975. Now it houses artists’ studios and a place for numerous community art events.
We were welcomed warmly to the art exhibit by Bisbee artist Michael Cadieux who has a studio in the old schoolhouse. Cadieux helped hang the Biennial. There were some 90 pieces in this art exhibit. Not long after, we met Pete Goldlust, chief executive officer of the Central School Project.
“The Bisbee Biennial is really an anti-biennial,” laughed Goldlust. He explained, “This art exhibit is unjuried. We accepted everyone who wanted to show artwork.” The art exhibit features artists living in and near Bisbee.
(click on all images to enlarge)
We were welcomed warmly to the art exhibit by Bisbee artist Michael Cadieux who has a studio in the old schoolhouse. Cadieux helped hang the Biennial. There were some 90 pieces in this art exhibit. Not long after, we met Pete Goldlust, chief executive officer of the Central School Project.
“The Bisbee Biennial is really an anti-biennial,” laughed Goldlust. He explained, “This art exhibit is unjuried. We accepted everyone who wanted to show artwork.” The art exhibit features artists living in and near Bisbee.
(click on all images to enlarge)
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Despite the fact that this large exhibit was not juried, there are quite a few really high-quality pieces in the exhibit. Because of the large number of works, we can only mention a handful. You’ll have to go and see for yourself.
There were several noteworthy pieces in the three-dimensional realm. We enjoyed Art Herman’s metal and wood sculpture Yeah I Know – But It’s Better Than a Cage. Herman started us off by sharing a characteristic of several of the Biennial pieces – a sense of humor. |
Art Herman_Yeah, I Know....._ v1
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Art Herman_Yeah, I Know....._ v2
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 Leslie Evans_Pierce's Mistres_
There are quite a few excellent paintings, among them Steve Bouvée’s Aspen and Still Life. Here we see a painting by Leslie Evans titled Pierce’s Mistress (left), noteworthy for its brushwork.
Also noteworthy is the work of Russell Gillespie (right). This particular painting, Industrial Mona Lisa, was actually created with ball point pen on parchment paper – an unusual choice of materials used to create a very striking and original image. |
Richard Gillespie_Industrial Mona Lisa_
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The exhibit included some excellent gourd art and photography, too. Here we see Diane Douglas’s Gourd with Shard (below left). Dave Day’s quiet and lovely small-scale photo of an old car titled Lowell quickly attracted our attention. Lowell is one of Bisbee’s districts. Not surprisingly, this photo had already sold.
Mixed media pieces were available, too. Here is Ann Loud’s The Recipe, noteworthy for its subtle palette and interesting components that draw us in to take a closer look. Jen Harris’s Bear Season is an especially appealing image, noteworthy for the attention given to complex surface design found in this colorful piece.
Mixed media pieces were available, too. Here is Ann Loud’s The Recipe, noteworthy for its subtle palette and interesting components that draw us in to take a closer look. Jen Harris’s Bear Season is an especially appealing image, noteworthy for the attention given to complex surface design found in this colorful piece.
Diane Douglas_Gourd With Shard_
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Dave Day_Lowell_
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Ann Loud_The Recipe_
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Jen Harris_Bear Season_
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Art Gallery, Central School Project
Given all the other attractions of Bisbee – the art galleries, restaurants, music festivals, and more – you don’t want to miss the Bisbee Biennial. The art will be on display through September 27 only on weekends.
Check the CSP webpage here: http://centralschoolproject.org/calendar.html or the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Central-School-Project-143498566553/timeline/
Photos by Ryn Shane-Armstrong
Check the CSP webpage here: http://centralschoolproject.org/calendar.html or the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Central-School-Project-143498566553/timeline/
Photos by Ryn Shane-Armstrong
