Dialogues

Macon Arts gallery presents a new popup exhibit by Don Dougan, Marti Forkner and Micah Goguen May 3-30. Meet the artists at an opening
reception on First Friday at Macon Arts Gallery 5-8 pm with light refreshments. Join us for an Artist Talk May 16 at noon in the gallery.
The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

This collaborative body of work culminated at a gallery reception when artists Don Dougan, Marti Forkner and Micah Goguen connected in conversation. The topic of an art process that involved several different approaches cultivated that evening between the trio. Being newly acquainted, they decided that evening to begin a process in which they each started a series of three works which they began calling “seed pieces”. The artists made their first impressions on the substrates and after a decided period of time, rotated the pieces among themselves. Meeting at the time checkpoints allowed everyone to share their thought processes and give insights into how the other artists influenced the next phase of the works. Additional pieces were created as the body of work followed the energy that the process fostered.

Don Dougan Bio

As a child Don began collect and draw rocks, fossils, and seashells. These activities grew into an interest in paleontology and archaeology, but it was the modeling of clay dinosaurs and making of wooden boats that lead him to become a sculptor. He learned to work wood by helping his father in his garage woodshop, and by high school Don had started teaching himself to carve both in wood and stone, and at university he continued the auto-didactic exploration of working stone as the school he attended had no stone-carving sculpture faculty. Don also worked for a collector of antique hand tools for many years, and through his work in researching, writing, and displaying thousands of those tools for the collector Don developed an avid interest in the many types of hand tool and their traditional — and not-so-traditional — usage. When the collection became the core of a history museum in North Georgia Don had the additional experience of learning to display and present the collection in a more-formal manner to a different standard for the public. Each of these learning experiences has come-out in his artwork and in the tool-making he often does to create some of the works that require that ‘one-off’ approach. Though stone is a primary material in which he sculpts, other materials and found objects are also worked in conjunction with the stone to explore the potential expressiveness of each combination. His work is firstly about the material — through the direct interaction of his hands with each material he delves into what those materials can express about his perceptions of the world. The auto-didactic learning process is also an essential part of his work — he tries to explore something new in each new piece; whether it is a new material or combination-of-materials, a new tool, a new approach or technique, or a new premise or idea. Don has given workshops and taught university-level classes in sculpture and stone-carving in several schools in the metro-Atlanta area, as well as in Italy and in Finland. His work has been exhibited widely in the Southeast region, across the nation, and internationally

Micah Goguen Bio

Micah Goguen grew up in Central Georgia and obtained his Bachelors in Art and Art History and his Masters in Art Therapy from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville. Micah continued studies in figure drawing and painting at Kennesaw University and lived in the Atlanta area for 7 years producing and showing art at local venues. Residing currently in Macon, Ga., Micah focuses primarily on bringing art to the community and using art as a form of communication for those struggling to understand and cope with life situations.

Stationed primarily at The Perry Art Center in Perry, Ga. and Middle Georgia Art Association in Macon, Ga. , Goguen produces work while teaching art to both adults and children. He also volunteers time at the local community center and works with adults in alcohol and substance recovery as well as uprooted and traumatized children. Goguen also teaches a variety of classes at Kudzu Art Zone in Norcross, Ga. and leads workshops in the Southeast United States. Using mural work, art for entertainment and art therapy for healing, Goguen collaborates with school systems, local shops, and non-profits to help unify and most importantly “spread a message”.

Micah’s own artwork conveys his interest in people as he uses oil paints to mostly create expressive portraits. Bold color choices and organic movement signify his style and you can most often expect a large confrontational composition that forces the viewer to take notice and interact. Micah works in a range of media and teaches workshops in Oil and Acrylic Painting, Ceramics, Textiles and Drawing. He is working on several mural projects and also founded a group of artists which hang and display art in privately owned local businesses. Goguen teaches about 50 students atelier style in weekly classes in the Middle Georgia Area. The overall vision is to focus and rededicate back to a buy local, shop local mentality that strengthens community through unity and purpose.

Marti Forkner Bio

I can tell you where I’ve been, but I no longer define myself by my past, other than to tell you that I’m a natural born artist.
I live in Florida, but my heart resides in the desert and the mountains. I love rocks and trees, bones and sky, clouds and dreams, and storms.
Where a writer expresses with words, I express my story with paint on canvas, the story between the lines, the unseen made visible, an intuitive creation that has energy of its own. My desire is that my work resonates with the viewer in a way that elicits feelings that create change in the thought process. I want the viewer to be a participant in the journey that I record, to be moved by a desire for more, not to just see from one point to another, but to receive a craving for exploration that involves questions, memories, and a connection with something familiar. I am interested in what is beyond the everyday physical reality of form and color. I am interested in the intension of shape and line in nature, the acknowledgment of subconscious realities, communication with universal knowing that connects us all. I simply write the conversation with paint, the conversation that I see, feel, and hear. I seek those who hear the creations I offer.

Looking Up<>Looking Out

Join Macon Arts Alliance for the opening reception for Looking Up<>Looking Out, new exhibit by visual artist, Jeffrey Whittle on display May 3-30. Meet the artist on First Friday from 5-8 pm with light refreshments. The event is free and open to the public and sponsored by Vein Specialists of the South, Spa Medical and Rosenberg Financial.


Artist’s Statement: LOOKING UP<>LOOKING OUT
Painting is a type of active daydreaming: mixing colors, composing a picture, deciding what to put in and what to leave out, while ruminating about the past, the cosmos, and the continuum of time. These paintings explore daydreams of beauty, love, and twins over the expanse of time. By juxtaposing the ephemeral (flowering plants) with the infinite (star-scapes), I can represent both daytime and nighttime simultaneously. I like the idea of twins as represented in the form of floating turtles, still life objects, disembodied blossoms, or postcards from Italy. I try to find the balance between exercising my will and going with the flow of the
unknown. Several of the paintings in this exhibition were completed in my studio while I listened to podcasts about astrophysics or the music of the Flaming Lips. These influences led me to explore the world inside each idea: another person, a flower, a tomatillo, etc., set against a grounding backdrop of the 1960s and ’70s patterns or starscapes that inspire me.
Altered maps are present in some works; like paintings, maps create a world parallel to our own. That is my intention: to create a painted world that runs alongside our inhabited one, where imagination and creativity are cultivated and allowed to blossom. Finally, I am compelled to render yoga poses that I myself cannot master.

View show catalog by clicking the link below:

.http://www.maconartsalliance.org/wp-admin/upload.php?item=4219

BIO
Jeffrey Whittle is an artist, educator, and curator living in Athens, Georgia. He received his MFA in Painting from Cornell University and his work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Whittle has been the recipient of numerous artist’s grants, awards. and residencies including New York, Maine, Oregon, Vermont, Spain and Italy. He recently he was
selected 100 UNDER 100: The New Superstars of Southern Art by Oxford American Magazine. He teaches studio courses at the University of Georgia and at Agnes Scott College.


Georgia Trust Preservation Awards

Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Presents Preservation Awards

Macon, Ga. April 12, 2019— For more than 40 years, the Georgia Trust has recognized preservation projects and individuals throughout Georgia who have made significant contributions to the field of historic preservation. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation recently presented 29 awards recognizing the best of preservation in Georgia during its 42nd annual Preservation Awards ceremony in Thomasville, including two local awards for Mill Hill Community Arts Center and the Grand Opera House.

Excellence in Rehabilitation winners were: Kehoe Iron Works, Savannah; New Albany Hotel, Albany; Hotel Clermont, Atlanta; Sibley Mill Cotton Warehouse Building 4, Augusta; Zachariah Daniel House, Augusta; Sperry & Hutchinson Warehouse, East Point; Leesburg Train Depot, Leesburg; Mill Hill Community Arts Center, Macon; T.J. Ware House, Macon; Williams Manufacturing Company, Macon; Old Livery Stable, Madison; Empire Mills, Madison; Phi Gamma Hall at Oxford College at Emory, Oxford; Henry Ford Bakery, Richmond Hill; 12 West Oglethorpe Avenue, Savannah; Historic Thomasville Post Office, Thomasville; H.H. Tift Building & Agricultural Research Building at the Tifton Campus of the University of Georgia, Tifton; and the Coleman Talley Offices, Valdosta.

Excellence in Preservation winners were Manuel’s Tavern, Atlanta; Sweetwater State Park Mill Ruins, Lithia Springs; Grand Opera House, Macon; and the McIntosh House at Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville.

 “This year’s winners represent a tremendous dedication to restoring and revitalizing Georgia’s historic buildings and communities,” said Mark C. McDonald, president of The Georgia Trust. “We are proud to honor such deserving projects and individuals.”

About Mill Hill Community Arts Center

The Mill Hill Community Arts Center was built in 1920 by the Bibb Manufacturing Company as a gathering and performance space for employees living in the mill village. The building enjoyed activity for 40 years until the closure of the mill in the 1970s. The property was in danger of demolition by neglect when the Macon Arts Alliance stepped up to save the building by raising the funds for rehabilitation. During the two-year project, interior features of the craftsman style auditorium were restored, including an original coffered ceiling uncovered during the project. The building now serves as a pillar of the arts community and serves as the centerpiece of the East Macon Arts Village.

2019 Award: Excellence in Rehabilitation Awards recognize projects that make compatible use of a building through repair, alterations or additions while preserving features of the property that convey its historic value.

The Mill Hill Community Arts Center (MHCAC) is an historic 1920’s gathering space that has been transformed into a contemporary version of the original Bibb Mill Auditorium.  Serving as the centerpiece of the Mill Hill: East Macon Arts Village, the 7,000 sq.ft. facility has undergone a $1.6 million restoration highlighting original architectural elements and features state of the art sound, lighting, and video capabilities. The facility is managed by Macon Arts Alliance.

About Grand Opera House

Originally constructed in 1884 as the Academy of Music, the Grand Opera House was renovated into its present-day appearance in 1905. The most recent rehabilitation to the Grand Opera House was completed in three phases, which involved updating The Grand’s stage, new seating throughout the entire main level and second-floor balcony, relocating all main floor administrative offices to the unused basement, expansion of the lobby and restrooms, and new, period-appropriate carpet and floor finishes.  The third and final work phase, completed in 2018, was funded by a $5 million allocation of Macon-Bibb County SPLOST funds. Thanks to the support of Macon-Bibb County and the stewardship of Mercer University, this theatre remains a centerpiece for performing arts in Macon.

2019 Award: Awards for Excellence in Preservation recognize the appropriate preservation of historic resources and creative interpretations of historic sites.

About Georgia Trust

The Georgia Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for endangered properties acquired by its Revolving Fund and raises awareness of other endangered historic resources through an annual listing of Georgia’s “Places in Peril.” The Trust recognizes preservation projects and individuals with its annual Preservation Awards and awards students and young professionals with academic scholarships, the Neel Reid Prize and Liz Lyon Fellowship. The Trust offers a variety of educational programs for adults and children, provides technical assistance to property owners and historic communities, advocates for funding, tax incentives and other laws aiding preservation efforts, and manages two house museums in Atlanta (Rhodes Hall) and Macon (Hay House).

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14th Annual Fired Works April 5-14, 2019

COLLECTORS GET FIRED UP FOR GEORGIA’S LARGEST POTTERY SHOW

Immerse yourself in Macon’s famous muddy medium and get your hands dirty during Fired Works, Georgia’s largest event showcasing functional and sculptural pottery. Fortunately, it’s okay to play with fire, or at least kiln-fired pottery, during the 14th Annual Fired Works Regional Ceramics Exhibition and Sale. Macon Arts Alliance presents the nine-day public event scheduled for April 5-14 in Macon’s beautifully renovated Central City Park in the historic Round Building featuring 60 jury-selected potters from Georgia and the Southeast. Take a spin at creating your own custom piece of art in a Wheel-Turning Workshop or sip and sculpt your hand-crafted piece during a Corks and Clay class.

Meet 2019 featured artists, Laura Cooper and Janet McGregor Dunn, who will host intimate talks describing their creative journeys and the inspiration behind the sculptural and functional pieces. An exclusive Preview Party will be held Friday, April 5 with live music by Heather Kemp, complimentary wine, beer and a fajita bar. Attendees also get the first look and the first chance to purchase pottery before the exhibit opens to the public on Saturday.

Fired Works promotes the rich history of pottery in Georgia and its connection to the history of the Ocmulgee River Region. The oldest piece of stamped pottery ever found in North America was discovered at the Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon during America’s largest archeological dig conducted in 1933. Artisans have made pottery along the banks of the Ocmulgee River for thousands of years and local potters continue this tradition today. Fired Works honors this artistic tradition and supports Southeastern ceramic artists and potters who show and sell more than 6000 original works displayed among a group of their peers. Fired Works classes and workshops mold local Lizella Clay to create custom souvenirs during the authentic artistic experiences offered for adults and children.

2019 PARTICIPATING POTTERS

FEATURED ARTISTS Laura Cooper and Janet McGregor Dunn

NEW ARTISTS Cindy Angliss, Glenn Dair, Lori Demosthenes, Kathryne Gould, Laranda Hutchins, Kathy King, Ayako Kurimoto, Will Langford, Moonhee Kim, Molly O’Shaughnessy, Kyle Osvog and Sarah Piper

RETURNING ARTISTS Lauren Bausch, Ginger Birdsey, Derek Belflower, Meredith Bradley, Ann Bray, Lori Buff, Meg Campbell, Jackie Chapman, Caitlin Chipps, Yen-Ting Chiu, Sheila Chzan, Martha Cook, Boyce Covert, Alicia Baily David, Karen Fincannon, Wade Franklin, Marise Fransolino, Jeni Hansen Gard & Forrest Sincoff Gard, Camren Gober, Barry Gregg, Kirby Gregory, Helen Helwig, Walter Hobbs, Charity Hofert, Nancy Hostetter, Roger Jamison, Emily Knapp, Christina Kosinski, Lapella Pottery, John Lowes, Marisa Mahathey, Nancy Mehrpad, David Morgan, Kathy Murphy, Mariella Owens, Geoff Picket, Holly Polich, Adrina Richard, Helen Rogers, Elizabeth Sabatino, Jim Sandefur, Bo Thompson, Keaton Wynn and Tripti Yoganathan

Fired Works is a program of Macon Arts Alliance (MAA) and is supported by numerous sponsors and community partners. The proceeds from Fired Works benefit the participating artists, stimulate the local economy and help fund important programs of MAA including the Macon Arts Roundtable, Mill Hill East Macon Art Village, Macon Arts Gallery and macon365.com’s community calendar. Get your tickets at maconartsalliance.org to have a great time while supporting vital community arts initiatives.

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/macon-arts-alliance-presents-fired-works-pottery-show-amp-sale-3513011137

Cherry Blossom Tea Garden Party

Tea Garden Party at Macon Arts Gallery
Join us on March 22 from 5-8 PM at Macon Arts Gallery to celebrate the opening of Macon’s International Cherry Blossom Festival for for light refreshments and Meet & Greet with artists. Tea Garden Party features a compilation of original botanical-themed works created by regional artists and curated by Megan McNaught at Macon Arts Gallery on 486 First Street Macon, Georgia. The free reception is open to the public. Sponsored by Spa Medical, Vein Specialists of the South and Rosenberg Financial.
Featured artists include:
Amy McCullogh, Ernestine Stofko-Dixon, Marian Zelinski, Carlynne Hershberger, Victoria Phillips, Mary-Frances Burt, Leslie Miller, Lauren Bausch, Karena Zaloudek and Alicia Baily David.

2019 Tea Garden

Join us on March 1 from 5-8 PM at Macon Arts Gallery for light refreshments and welcome our visiting guests. Free and open to the public.Tea Garden features a compilation of original botanical-themed works created by regional artists and curated by Megan McNaught. Meet featured artists on March 1st from 5-8 PM at Macon Arts Gallery. Free and open to the public.

Featured artists include:
Amy McCullogh, Ernestine Stofko Dixon, Marian Zelinski,
Carlynne Hershberger, Victoria Phillips, Mary-Frances
Burt, Leslie Miller, Lauren Bausch, Karena Zaloudek and
Alicia Baily David.

Reception sponsored by Spa Medical, Vein Specialists of the South and Rosenberg Financial.

Drawn to Macon 2

Drawn to Macon 2 features a compilation of submitted original works guest curated by Frances de La Rosa. Meet featured artists Craig Coleman, Craig Hawkins, Kalina Winska, Luke Buffenmeyer, Laurel Robinson and William Avenel on February 1st from 5-8 PM at Macon Arts Gallery. An Opening Reception sponsored by Spa Medical, Vein Specialists of the South and Rosenberg Financial will feature light refreshments and is free and open to the public. Exhibit on display February 1-22, 2019.

Ameliorate Reception and Artist Talk by Jeremy McCrary

Macon Arts Alliance presents a new exhibit by Jeremy McCrary installed in the Mill Hill Community Arts Gallery. An artist reception and talk is scheduled for Saturday, January 19th from 2-5pm. Light refreshments will be served. Exhibit is available for viewing by appointment through January 25 by calling curator Megan McNaught at 478-743-6940.

About the Artist

“Originally from Macon, Georgia with a military background, my artwork takes an illustrative look at societal themes and cultural issues that impact the Black community. Frequently reflecting on social injustices, my work explores the varying relationships between culture and art created to provoke thought and discussion. Primarily using oil on canvas, I am influenced by the work of prolific artists like Jacob Lawrence who focus on the portrayal of African American life in their paintings.”

Dispatches from the Garden by Andrew Catanese

Macon Arts Alliance presents an opening reception for a new show by Andrew Catanese on Friday, January 4th from 5-8 PM at Macon Arts Gallery at 486 First Street.  Join us for an Artist Meet & Greet with light refreshments sponsored by Spa Medical, Vein Specialists of the South and Rosenberg Financial. The event is free and open to the public. The new exhibit will be on display through January 25, 2019.

Click the link below to view the catalog.

https://files.constantcontact.com/cbb26bd1101/4276a959-5e20-439f-9924-652ddb8b4e77.pdf

Artist Bio
Andrew Catanese attended the Sam Fox School of Art and Design at Washington University in St. Louis where he obtained his BFA in Studio Art. He grew up near Richmond, Virginia and currently lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia from his studio at the Goat Farm.

Show Statement
The figurative, narrative paintings are characterized by a neo-gothic style and horror vacui aesthetic. The dense, tapestry-like images are populated with figures in disguise, caught in moments of violence and intimacy, and surrounded by the thick, heavy native foliage of the South. The work critically addresses the rigid moral dogmas inherent in many of the appropriated narratives. Catanese’s work depicts qualities similar to Southern Gothic writers like Zora Neale Hurston, Truman Capote, Flannery O’Connor, and Carson McCullers. Simultaneously, the integration of myth with landscape in the paintings explores the idea that linking stories to places shapes our our collective identity and celebrates the way ties are strengthened to our homes and our values.