Solo Exhibition With Elroy Artspace – Artist Michael Costello opening reception on January's First Thursday Art Walk @ The Original

Elroy Artspace is proud to call The Original - A Dinerant 'home' to our Modern Fine Art gallery! 
Each month we welcome the public for a First Thursday Art Walk opening reception with the artist...

Michael Costello  |  Lost on the Off-Ramp

Solo Exhibition  |  January 6 through March 30, 2011

The Original  |  300 SW 6th (Downtown PDX)

Opening Reception - Thursday, January 6th, 5-9pm

Elroy Artspace Gallery Announces ‘Lost on the Off-Ramp’, a Solo Exhibition of Fine Art Pastels by Michael Costello at The Original in Portland, OR

Portland, OR (December 10, 2010) -- Elroy Artspace Gallery is pleased to announce Lost on the Off-Ramp, a solo exhibition of fine art pastels by Michael Costello.  In the artist’s first exhibition with Elroy Artspace, Lost on the Off-Ramp, Costello presents a series of pastels featuring cross-sections of vintage hotel and restaurant neon signage, in their current states of decay, with a realism approach.  An active artist in varying medium for two decades and PNCA (Pacific Northwest College of Art) graduate, Costello applies hard pastels to his passion for “the preservation of a past not so far away,” he says.    

Raised in the Northern California hills of Monterey County but off to the road in pursuit of his artistic education at 16, Costello is “driven by long road trips and the unique stops they have to offer,” Michael shares, “and with the works in Lost on the Off-Ramp I strive to preserve the ever-so-quickly disappearing feeling of ‘Americana’ that once filled the highways.”

Training and working in commercial, sculptural and fine art pottery as well, Costello also ran a surf shop in Hawaii and is still an avid skateboarder.  He’s made his way across the United States and even France to build his education and practice of art.  The endless band of highways traveled in this enduring journey (which led him to Portland for art school in 2003) has brought Michael a love for their stories.  “Maybe it comes from a broken light or a rusty sign,” he shares, “but most of all my inspiration comes from the road.”

View pictures here: http://bit.ly/OffRampElroy

Michael Costello has been a professional artist since the age of 16, when a children’s book he illustrated was published (Island Heritage), inspiring him to Hawaii for furthering his artistic studies.  In 2003 he moved to Portland to attend the Pacific Northwest College of Art.  He was the first recipient of Nike-sponsored Global Studios Scholarship to the Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art in France.  Upon return he graduated from PNCA with a BFA in painting. Today he works primarily in hard pastels out of his studio in Portland, OR.

Elroy Artspace is curating this show at The Original (located at 300 SW 6th Ave. in downtown Portland, OR).  Elroy Artspace is a gallery whose mission is to enhance the human experience by introducing fine, fun art to design professionals and others concerned with bringing color and beauty into the home and workspace. 

For Media inquiries, additional information regarding Elroy Artspace Gallery, Elroy Art Agency or Michael Costello artwork sales and leasing, please contact: Joe Staskerz, Owner, Elroy Art Agency: Joe@ElroyArt.com (503) 609-0503 www.ElroyArt.com.

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Press Release: Elroy Artspace Gallery to present "Summer's End SALE" Group Show Opening Reception on Octobers’ First Thursday Artwalk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Media Contact:  Joe Staskerz, Owner, Elroy Art Agency, 
Joe@ElroyArt.com  
(503) 609-0503
www.ElroyArt.com

Elroy Artspace Gallery to present "Summer's End SALE" Group Show Opening Reception on Octobers’ First Thursday Artwalk

(visit the 'Summer's End SALE' show Preview Page here) 

Portland, OR (July 8, 2010) — Portland, OR (September 13, 2010) — Elroy Artspace gallery is pleased to announce the “Summer’s End Sale” show, a group exhibition of the highlights from our 2010 show season of MCM-inspired fine art.  All art in the exhibition are sale priced, and the “Summer’s End Sale” show will feature the work of George Perrou and also include the works of other artists featured in our shows this season, including: CZM/El Gato Gomez (Pittsburg, PA) and Joel Pirela (Miami, FL) from “Dreams of Eames”; Panhandle Slim (Sharpstown, FL) from “Beans & Franks”, Jiles Sarkisian from “Tilt Shift America” and various artists from the “Atomic Tiki” group show.

Preview Show Here --> http://bit.ly/SummerEndShow

...Summertime has already ended its yearly visit, and Elroy Artspace gallery is bemoaning our just-two-months of sunshine here in PDX, so is offering the Sun-Giver a SALE in bribe for a longer summer next year!  Every MCM art lover will want to take advantage of our first ever end-of-season gallery sale - now is the chance to own some beautiful mid-century inspired modern fine art - and at BIG DISCOUNTS - up to 70% off.  Show opening reception at 5pm on Octobers’ First Thursday.  

The Artists:

The artists: Arnold Pander, Ben Adams, Ben Burch, George Perrou, Ian “Pian” McWilliams, Jack Pollock, Jackie Avery, Jonathon Hill-Jacquard, Mark Randall, CZM/El Gato Gomez, Dawn Frasier, Derek Yaniger, John Mulder, Panhandle Slim, Richard Becker, Robert Jiminez and Sherill Anne Gross. 

The Venue:

Elroy Artspace is a gallery whose mission is to enhance the human experience
by introducing fine, fun art to design professionals and others concerned
with bringing color and beauty into the home and workspace.  Visit Elroy
Artspace at 1730 NW Lovejoy #103, Portland, OR, 97209

  



Elroy Art Agency is a boutique agency whose raison d'être is creating brand identities
and promoting the visibility of artists and the venues that sell their work. (www.ElroyArt.com)

For Media inquiries, additional information regarding Elroy Artspace, Elroy
Art Agency or artwork sales and leasing, please contact: Elroy Art Agency:
info@ElroyArt.com (503) 609-0503.

###

Press Release: Elroy Artspace Gallery to Feature 'Tiki Style' Fine Art in “Atomic Tiki” Group Show Opening Reception on Augusts’ First Thursday Artwalk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Media Contact:  Joe Staskerz, Owner, Elroy Art Agency, 
Joe@ElroyArt.com  
(503) 609-0503
www.ElroyArt.com

Elroy Artspace Gallery to Feature 'Tiki Style' Fine Art in “Atomic Tiki” Group Show Opening Reception on Augusts’ First Thursday Artwalk

(download the .pdf of 'Atomic Tiki' Group Show at Elroy Artspace Press Release here) 

(visit the 'Atomic Tiki' show Preview Page here) 

Portland, OR (July 8, 2010) — Elroy Artspace gallery is pleased to announce Atomic Tiki, a group exhibition of ‘Tiki Style’ fine art.  The exhibition will include the works of over 20 artists – including several already famous for their tiki works, and many of our local favorites who soon will be.  In Portland’s largest exhibition exclusively of this art genre whose pull has waxed and waned in recent decades, Atomic Tiki aims to excite Portland’s art fans with Tiki Style, because it’s back and more powerful than ever.


Although dictionaries define ‘Tiki’ as “a wooden or stone image of a Polynesian God,” the art and lifestyle they inspire are a wholly American artistic creation.  More than just an art show, Atomic Tiki is an examination of a larger cultural phenomenon – a peek into the modern Tiki lifestyle which thrived during the Atomic Age, one in which people decorate their homes and social gatherings in the retro tropical motif and dreamy island trimmings of yore; wooden masks, grass skirts and velvet paintings of nubile women - Tiki style had more to do with what Americans wanted the South Pacific to be than what it really was…  Also dubbed “Polynesian Pop,” this “Tiki Style” is becoming recognized as a bona-fide art movement whose resurgence is met with excitement because, of course, Tiki is fun.

The Artists:

Oregon artists: Amy Ruppel, Arnold Pander, Ben Adams, Ben Burch, Brent Wear, Brian Cook, Chris Haberman, Chris Young, George Perrou, Ian “Pian” McWilliams, Jack Pollock, Jackie Avery, John McClain, Jonathon Hill-Jacquard, Mark Randall, Myah Bailey, Renee Hartig, Robert Wiles and Tim Oakley – Artists from the Tiki coasts: Bob ‘Tiki Hana’ Ho, CZM/El Gato Gomez, Dawn Frasier, Derek Yaniger, John Mulder, Luis Diaz, Richard Becker, Rob Kramer, Robert Jiminez and Sherill Anne Gross. 

The Venue:

Elroy Artspace is a gallery whose mission is to enhance the human experience
by introducing fine, fun art to design professionals and others concerned
with bringing color and beauty into the home and workspace.  Visit Elroy
Artspace at 1730 NW Lovejoy #103, Portland, OR, 97209

  



Elroy Art Agency is a boutique agency whose raison d'être is creating brand identities
and promoting the visibility of artists and the venues that sell their work. (www.ElroyArt.com)

For Media inquiries, additional information regarding Elroy Artspace, Elroy
Art Agency or artwork sales and leasing, please contact: Elroy Art Agency:
info@ElroyArt.com (503) 609-0503.

###

Press Release: Elroy Artspace Curates Barbie-inspired Fine Art in “The Girl of Summer” Group Show at The Original Restaurant, Opening Reception on Augusts’ First Thursday Artwalk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:  Joe Staskerz, Owner, Elroy Art Agency,
Joe@ElroyArt.com 
(503) 609-0503 
www.ElroyArt.com

Elroy Artspace to Curate Barbie-inspired Fine Art in “The Girl of Summer” Group Show at The Original Restaurant, Opening Reception on Augusts’ First Thursday Artwalk

(download the .pdf of 'The Girl of Summer' Group Show at The Original Press Release here) 

Portland, OR (July 8, 2010) — Elroy Artspace gallery is pleased to announce The Girl of Summer, a group exhibition of Barbie Doll inspired fine art.  The exhibition will include the artworks of photo-realist oil painter Judy Ragagli, acrylic painter Debbie Curtis, and photographer David Parise.

Barbie is an American icon, a business phenomenon and a real doll. Since her introduction on March 9, 1959, Mattel has sold more than 1 billion Barbie dolls, nearly 100 million of those last year alone. She is the ultimate career woman (108 different jobs); a strong, single woman (she dumped Ken in 2004); and a three-time presidential candidate. Along the way she has fired the ambitions of countless little girls, grown-up men and women, collectors and artists.  Barbie has fascinated artists since she set her permanently arched foot into the spotlight. The blond beauty has been a muse for countless artists from Pop Art prince Andy Warhol to architect Robert A. M. Stern.  And the three featured in The Girl of Summer, who will warm our hearts and eyes for this two-month exhibition.

The Artists:

JUDY RAGAGLI of Los Angeles began seriously pursuing her passion for oil painting when under the tutelage of Paul Bedard and her very first canvas was a portrait of nostalgic Barbie, who came to become her primary focus.  Ragagli paints these Barbie’s because she sees the doll as possessing a soul and positive spirit; and whose true persona extends beyond the plastic façade.  Judy’s goal is to pay homage to this surviving icon of modernity, femininity, and style, and in her paintings Ragagli aims to have the viewers recognize nostalgic Barbie as an important and positive influence within American society while painting a mark of beauty and grace into the world.

DEBBIE CURTIS of Oklahoma City says of her work:  “The battle is continual, as I try to temper my compulsion to control with a little wild abandon - I know part of the process should be left for the viewer's eye - the rewards of filling in the details do not necessarily belong to me.  My goal is simple - to capture your curiosity, bring you closer, and reward you for taking the time to look.  I define my own successes and failures, all-powerful in my own small world.  That is the fun stuff.”  And fun for US!

DAVID PARISE of Miami, FL is an avid and tenured photographer / videographer who for the past year and a half has been shooting vintage Barbie and Ken dolls with a narrative of them in their original 1960’s outfits.  Inspired by Miami’s Art Deco hotels and their timeless beaches, the luxury of The Hamptons, Los Angeles’ glamour and David’s own sense of humor is evident in all of his work. 

The Venue:


Elroy Artspace is curating this show at The Original, a Dinerant (located at 300 SW 6th Ave. in downtown Portland, OR).  Elroy Artspace is a gallery whose mission is to enhance the human experience by introducing fine, fun art to design professionals and others concerned with bringing color and beauty into the home and workspace.

  



Elroy Art Agency is a boutique agency whose raison d'être is creating brand identities
and promoting the visibility of artists and the venues that sell their work. (www.ElroyArt.com)

For Media inquiries, additional information regarding Elroy Artspace, Elroy
Art Agency or artwork sales and leasing, please contact: Elroy Art Agency:
info@ElroyArt.com (503) 609-0503.

###

Elroy Artspace Gallery has a new site!

Hello!, Elroy Art friends and clients...

   Our gallery in Portland Oregon's 'Pearl District' is located on Lovejoy street, between 17th and 18th...right across from the wonderful arts-based interior design retail store RELISH!  We are right next door to the recently relocated Benjamin|Benjamin Gallery from Hood River, and enjoying our new neighbors and friends Myah and Scott - they and their gallery are wonderful!  The gallery is named Elroy Artspace, and has enjoyed some beautiful and wonderfully attended shows already!

   Elroy Artspace now has a new website, www.ElroyArtspace.com (click here)!  Please visit this new URL or link directly to it from ElroyArt's homepage, and enjoy the gallery, artworks featured in shows and opening reception images, thanks! 

   And coming in July, Elroy Artspace is teaming with Benjamin|Benjamin Gallery to present the Northwest's biggest showing of Tilt Shift Photography ever!  Please join us if you can on First Thursday in July (7/1/2010) for the dual-gallery "Tilt Shift America" exhibition opening reception!

Do YOU know tilt-shift photography?

For July's show, Elroy Artspace is teaming with our new BFF's next door, Benjamin|Benjamin Gallery, in their "Tilt Shift America Project" kick-off with a dual-venue exhibition of this amazing art! 

So, do YOU know tilt-shift photography?

   Admittedly, I didn't until last year.  Scott and Myah so love this genre of art that Myah's gallery business card for their gallery when in Hood River featured a tilt-shift photo by Myah (a talented photographer and artist) of the gallery on it...I loved it!  Because it looked like a miniature diorama or toy of the street and gallery I really thought it was just a photoshop trick...and essentially it was...tilt-shifting is accomplished with either a special camera lens or via digital manipulation.  Some folks even refer to the technique as 'miniature faking'.

   Life is busy and I'd forgotten about it entirely until the couple talked with me a few months ago about their idea to bring this genre out of the niche chatrooms and into the open for all of us to enjoy!  Their goal is grand, and it starts with a gallery show of this beautiful art.  They wanted further reach than Hood River and asked if Elroy Artspace would be interested in doing a concurrent show with them, and I jumped at the invite!  Now that they've moved their gallery to Portland, and right next door to Elroy, this will be a show which makes a statement, for certain! 


   Please subscribe to and keep up with Scott's "Tilt Shift America Project" BLOG, as he's about to begin pumping relevant tilt-shift info into it regularly, thanks!

   So here's a few links to tilt-shift photography images for those of you who may not be familiar with the genre, or to whet your appetite for our July show if you are.  I hope that you fall as deeply in love with it as did Benjamin|Benjamin and Elroy!  Enjoy and Cheers!... 

1.  80 gorgeous tilt-shift photos to see!

2.  A few more great examples!

3.  Wikipedia knows all - here's their tilt-shift page!

4.  How-to tilt-shift in Photoshop!

5.  A bunch of links to galleries and more tilt-shift info!

6.  And, of ourse, the new TIlt Shift America BLOG!

Press Release: "Tilt-Shift America" Group Show at Benjamin Benjamin Gallery and Elroy Artspace Gallery During July’s First Thursday Artwalk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:                          Joe Staskerz, Owner, Elroy Art Agency,
                                                   Joe@ElroyArt.com | (503)609-0503 | www.ElroyArt.com


Tilt-Shift America
Group Exhibition
Preview Reception - Wednesday, June 30th, 4-7pm
Opening Reception - Thursday, July 1st, 5-9pm
June 1, 2010 through July 30, 2010


Benjamin Benjamin Gallery and Elroy Artspace Gallery to Feature Tilt-Shift Fine Art
Photography in “Tilt-Shift America” Group Show During July’s First Thursday
Artwalk

Portland, OR (June 8, 2010) — Elroy Artspace gallery and Benjamin Benjamin
Gallery are pleased to announce Tilt-Shift America, a dual-gallery group exhibition
of fine art tilt-shift photography. The exhibition will include the works of seven
artists: Erynn Rose, Maureen Delaney, Bryan Solarski, Tony Fugere, Jiles
Sarkisian, Myah Bailey and Jackie Avery. In the region’s first exhibition exclusively
of this genre of photography, Tilt-Shift America aims to bring tilt-shift photography
from the fringe of interest and into the mainstream of our gallery audiences and to
all Portland art fans.

Of the gallery collaboration, Benjamin Benjamin gallerist Myah Bailey says: “When
planning this show some months ago our gallery was located in Hood River and we
wanted the shows’ reach to extend to Portland – Elroy Artspace was the first and
only gallery we considered partnering with because of its track record for presenting
and promoting beautiful shows.” Elroy Artspace gallerist Joe Staskerz says of the
partnership: “Elroy is honored to be aligned with Ben Ben – this showcase for tilt
shift is an important introduction to the local art scene, and I’ve watched with awe
the growth of their gallery and curation expertise. I can’t express how happy I am
with their move to Portland, and to be their neighboring gallery!”

Tilt-Shift America features the unique style of imagery which only tilt-shift
photography produces – that of a diorama-like scene. It is often used to simulate
miniature scenes, and referred also to as “Miniature Faking”.  Portland’s own Bent
Image Lab is credited with creating a process by which to apply this look to
movies/video.

The Artists:

Erynn Rose says that his goal is to try to show something which he finds fascinating
in every frame. Erynn looks for something new in places that he's visited many
times before, wanting to capture the growth and change of life, land, and
cityscapes. Rose says he utilizes anything film and digital with in-camera tricks and
digital post-processing, and loves to use techniques like tilt-shift to give an oftenseen
view new life and perspective.

Maureen Delaney: Through the meditative process of photographing my figure in
landscape I find peace and harmony within. The quiet beauty of the woods allows
me to free my analytical mind as I feel more connected to my body and in turn can
feel the energy (cont’d) nature. The touch of my nude flesh against the earth's floor
is very primal and instantly I feel a connection to mother nature. My photographic
journey is extremely personal and intuitive as I discover nature's sanctuaries within
our vast world. Upon further contemplation of each image, one can continually
discover new relationships and meanings.

Bryan Solarski is drawn to Tilt-shift's effect of photography which makes the images
more vivacious and inviting 'in miniature'. Representing the scenes this
way enables the viewer to reconnect with childhood by recalling the feeling of living
in a smaller world where scale seemed less cumbersome. These images are
reminiscent of his childhood memories and he hopes to parlay that playfulness and
innocence into his work. Solarski's tilt-shift work has been featured by Good.is as
well as by Exode.ca.

Tony Fugere is an artist consumed with the technical aspects of photography. He
explores with angles, lines and light in search of the photo that no one has seen.
Upon discovering tilt-shift faking (using digital photo manipulation software), he felt
compelled to play with the technique. He climbs to new heights (literally) in order to
capture a new miniature fake.

Jiles Sarkisian began experimenting with tilt-shift photography with the first
commercial lens available in 1971, and even invented an adaptation for it to the
then-popular Poloroid camera. With a firm grasp of understanding all matters
warranting the attention of international leaders, Jiles Sarkisian's mind resembles
that of Julius Caesar, but with a much quicker wit and humor. His travels fuel his art
and love, and Sarkisian possesses a virility and appetite for both perhaps on par
with the formidable seed-spreading Temujin. His athletic prowess is legendary, but
are the lesser of reasons for his successes. As for his other genetic gifts, he
assures that our greatest imagination may barely traipse upon the heights of their
magnificence... The artist provides no other information.

Myah Bailey is an artist living in Portland. Myah received a BFA in fine art
photography and telecommunications. A painter and graphic artist as well, Bailey is
also a curator and founder Benjamin Benjamin Art Gallery. She is inspired by the
beauty of the region and the Columbia River gorge, which is often evident in her art,
including her tilt-shift pieces.

Jackie Avery's paintings are like little scenes from a larger story which invites the
viewer to relate them to our own lives. Avery is drawn to quirky photographs and
old books as visual resources in creating her narrative pieces. Jackie lives, paints
and photographs in Portland, OR.

The Venues:

Elroy Artspace is a gallery of modern art whose mission is to enhance the human 

experience by introducing fine, fun art to those concerned with bringing color and 

beauty into the home and workspace.  Located at NW 17th & Lovejoy in Portland's 

Pearl District. (www.ElroyArtspace.com)

The artists at Benjamin Benjamin Gallery are established artists and emerging
talent from a variety of areas, who are interested in being a part of an energetic art
scene. Benjamin Benjamin Gallery's intention is to be a high energy hybrid of an
enjoyable art experience with a consumer emphasis.  (http://benjaminbenjamin.com)

Elroy Art Agency is a boutique agency whose raison d'être is creating and
promoting the brand visibility of artists and the venues where their work is shown
and sold. (www.ElroyArt.com)

For Media inquiries, additional information regarding July's Tilt-shift America show, Elroy
Artspace, Elroy Art Agency, or the sales or leasing of artworks please contact: Elroy Art
Agency: Joe@ElroyArt.com (503) 609-0503.

For additional information regarding July's Tilt-shift America show or Benjamin Benjamin
Gallery, please contact Myah Bailey: Myah@BenjaminBenjamin.com.

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Elroy Artspace Gallery Announces ʻDinosaurs & Diving Girlsʼ, a Solo Exhibition by Vintage Roadside's Jeff Kunkle of Fine Art Photography at The Original, a Dinerant in Portland, OR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:  Joe Staskerz, Owner, Elroy Art Agency, 
Joe@ElroyArt.com  
(503) 609-0503  www.ElroyArt.com 

Elroy Artspace Gallery Announces ʻDinosaurs & Diving Girlsʼ, a Solo Exhibition by Vintage 
Roadside's Jeff Kunkle of Fine Art Photography at The Original, a Dinerant in Portland, OR

(download the entire 'Dinosaurs & Diving Girls' Jeff Kunkle Solo Show at The Original- A DInerant Press Release here) 

Portland, OR (May 14, 2010) — Elroy Artspace Gallery is pleased to announce Dinosaurs & Diving Girls, a solo exhibition of fine art photography by Jeff Kunkle. In the artistʼs first ever exhibition, Dinosaurs & Diving Girls, Kunkle introduces his artwork borne of passion for seeking out roadside history. A commercially published photographer whoʼs worked behind the lens for almost 30 years, Kunkle found his artistic voice with Vintage Roadside, a company he and wife Kelly Burg began with the goal of documenting this disappearing part of our history.

Dinosaurs & Diving Girls showcases art “created while traveling thousands of miles a year with Kelly, criss-crossing the country along old highways, seeking out and photographing whatʼs left of things built roughly from the 1930s through 1960s,” Jeff says, “or before the age of the Interstate.” Many of the places and things Jeff photographs were once a part of the everyday landscape - the mom & pop ʻroadside cultureʼ of architecture, signs, and tourist attractions that have been pushed out or pushed over by modern roads and a changing society.

“There's something about my passion for roadside history that in some strange way flipped a switch for me in how I see these things and shoot in a way I had not seen them before,” Jeff explains of the technical approach to his work, “and Vintage Roadside works with local historical societies, state and national resources to learn the back-story of the places we visit, because for us the value is the history behind them. And that's what Iʼm working to share in my photography.”

Jeff Kunkleʼs fine art photography is inspired by his love of American roadside history, but is fueled with a passion to have us all see it through eyes that make it fresh again. Jeff and his wife Kelly are also business partners in Vintage Roadside, taking them over the countryʼs backroads and forgotten by-ways much of the year, but they live in the creative epicenter of Portland, Oregon.

Elroy Artspace is curating this show at The Original, a Dinerant (located at 300 SW 6th Ave. in downtown Portland, OR). Elroy Artspace is a gallery whose mission is to enhance the human experience by introducing fine, fun art to design professionals and others concerned with bringing color and beauty into the home and workspace.

For Media inquiries, additional information regarding Elroy Artspace Gallery, Elroy Art Agency or Jeff Kunkle artwork sales and leasing, please contact: Joe Staskerz, Owner, Elroy Art Agency: Joe@ElroyArt.com (503) 609-0503 www.ElroyArt.com.

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Elroy Artspace Gallery Announces ‘Shipwrecks of Sparta’, a George Perrou Solo Exhibition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Media Contact:  Joe Staskerz, Owner, Elroy Art Agency,
Joe@ElroyArt.com 
(503) 609-0503 
www.ElroyArt.com

Elroy Artspace Gallery Announces ‘Shipwrecks of Sparta’, a George Perrou Solo Exhibition  


 

(download the entire 'Shipwrecks of Sparta' George Perrou Solo Show at Elroy Artspace Press Release here)

Portland, OR (May 4, 2010) — Elroy Artspace Gallery is pleased to announce Shipwrecks of Sparta, a solo exhibition of new works by George Perrou.  In the artist’s first solo exhibition at the gallery, Shipwrecks of Sparta, Perrou builds upon the creative variation marked in his 2009 small piece series - when he introduced ‘distressed’ backgrounds to his popular ‘modscapes’ and unique atomic-age images.  On the experience, the artist said: “Giving the backgrounds a dual-colored effect allows me to infuse a different tonal quality to the paintings.  And the technique works particularly well for this series, adding a worn, aged effect as with an old nautical map which has gotten wet and dried several times and some of the ink has run.”

Shipwrecks of Sparta features Perrou’s trademark style of imagery inspired by the cartoons of his baby-boomer youth.  Nostalgic for a time before video games and text messages, Perrou rekindles a childlike sense of wonderment in his paintings, recalling an era when encyclopedia pictures and TV’s Jacques Cousteau brought more questions than answers to the mysteries of dark ocean depths and their theft of cargo and trade ships.  “The 1950's and 60's saw a rise in underwater discovery due to technological advances,” says Perrou, “and art based upon the bottles and other vessels which archeologists brought to the surface found their way into many contemporary homes of the era.”  

Infusing the paintings of these re-claimed cargo with the unique shapes that have come to immediately identify a painting as ‘a Perrou’ brings us generations ahead, and into the mid-century era which he so tactically creates. The now-iconic shapes he uses were created early on in his career and have become Perrou’s trademark, and as Perrou’s direction has evolved his aesthetic remains cohesive.  His canvases consistently feature brightly hued flat colors painted in crisply defined planes of space, forming shapes and optical perspectives clearly separated by impeccably clean, sharp, and precise geometric line-work.

George Perrou’s art is inspired by mid-century animation, and gives nods to Miro, Kandinsky and Calder. Channeling the Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros. cartoons of his youth, Perrou's is a style all his own, painting colorful abstractions of reality onto the canvas using retro and modern colors in acrylic.  George lives and paints in the creative epicenter of Portland, Oregon.

Elroy Artspace is a gallery whose mission is to enhance the human experience
by introducing fine, fun art to design professionals and others concerned
with bringing color and beauty into the home and workspace.  Visit Elroy
Artspace at 1730 NW Lovejoy #103, Portland, OR, 97209

  



Elroy Art Agency is a boutique agency whose raison d'être is creating brand identities
and promoting the visibility of artists and the venues that sell their work. (www.ElroyArt.com)

For Media inquiries, additional information regarding Elroy Artspace, Elroy
Art Agency or artwork sales and leasing, please contact: Elroy Art Agency:
info@ElroyArt.com (503) 609-0503.

###