Shaw-Eagle on Compelled by Content II

Joanna Shaw-Eagle, the chief art critic of the Washington Times delivers a major review of our current Compelled by Content II exhibition. Read that review here.

Shaw-Eagle (who has been writing about art since I was a kid), provides yet more evidence of how "healthy" it is to have more that one critical voice look at an artist or a show, and offer a different perspective or opinion. I also used the recent multi-reviews of the Connie Imboden show at Heineman-Myers as such an example, and now our show adds more evidence why it is important in most cases (and whenever possible) to have more than one set of eyes and more than one pen on paper to deliver an opinion.

I'm not criticizing either of the views, as art criticism should have teeth, but pointing out how two independent writers view the same artist completely different.

In his otherwise very positive review of our show, the CP's Kriston Capps describes Carmen Lozar's work as "puerile figurines [that] look as if they could have been made by Walt Disney."

Looking at the same artist, Shaw-Eagle (who disses my news release in the second paragraph of the review) writes:

Other glass works, such as those by 31-year-old newcomer Carmen Lozar, a teacher at Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University, delightfully intrigue and puzzle.

An artist with impeccable credentials -- study at Alfred University, Corning Museum of Glass and the Pilchuck Glass School -- Miss Lozar presents "Tenuous," three tiny glass sculptures named "rabbit," "lizard" and "baby with umbilical cord."

She writes that many of her charming pieces emerge from her dreams. "Sister in Butterflies," an intricate, four-piece construction of flameworked glass and mixed media, comes apart to reveal the engraved words, "I dreamt my sister has beautiful long eyebrows. I dreamt she fought off butterflies while laying beneath a dogwood tree, thinking they were threatening when really they were just searching for her smile."

Although there are still some missing images, you can see most of the exhibition online here.

An artists' talk, sponsored by the James Renwick Alliance will take place at the gallery on Saturday, May 20, 2006 at 2PM. The talk is free and open to the public and will also offer an opportunity to learn more about the Renwick Alliance.