October Artists: Jason Needham, Marco Hernandez, and Jason Scuilla

Exhibition dates: October 4 to October 287
Gallery hours: 12-6 Wednesday through Sunday

Jason Needham: Later the Same Sun

Jason Needham draws and paints scenes that are very familiar to him: still life or interior compositions taken from his home, forest scenes just off the beaten path, a pocket of woods with an interstate, parking lot or air-conditioned retreat just behind him. According to Jason, "The trick is to see these mundane moments as majestic while allowing the mistakes of hand and misconceptions of eye be as present as the purposeful. I like the paintings to coalesce from a distance but upon close inspection fall apart into marks and the process of making, with the underlying scaffolding of the image still visible. Each brushstroke becomes a single particle and the painting a wave of time-space. Whether I’m standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon or staring into the corner of a room, the investment in looking is the same. On one end, I’m working areas of my brain that lie deeper than the surface stream of thoughts, the self-narrating voice. On the other end, I’m pondering the fundamental structure of reality."

Marco Hernandez's current body of work explores issues associated with the societies and politics of contemporary Mexican and Mexican American cultures. Inspired by his personal experiences growing up as a Mexican immigrant in California and the Midwest, Mexican and Mexican American symbols play a large role in his work. The symbols span from ancient Mesoamerican imagery to contemporary popular culture items, such as the Valentina hot sauce.

The art of printmaking provides Hernandez with a flexibility of technique and process necessary for content development. Experimenting in the studio is as important as historical research in his search for content and ideas. The initial inspiration for this current work comes from several sources, including black and white photographs of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), Francisco Goya’s Los Desastres de la Guerra (Disasters of War) etchings (1810-1820), and contemporary interpretations of Mexican folk legends.

Jason Scuilla’s detailed prints are hand drawn and etched with an innovative electrochemical etching process. His mastery of this process has been recognized nationally and internationally in the scientific and print communities. He has lectured and demonstrated at Universities, Conferences, Art Centers, and Print shops throughout the world.

Scuilla serves as Associate Professor and Head of the Printmaking Departmentat Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. He also serves as technical director and faculty advisor of the Kansas State University Pussycat Press.

Closing Reception September 28th. Also open by appointment 816.866.8350

Events

September 14: East Crossroads Open Studio Art Crawl (12-4 p.m.)
September 14: Truth in Comedy (7-9 p.m.)
September 20: Comedy Benefit Fundraiser: "Mother Nature She'll Take You Out" (8 -9 p.m.)
September 21: Silent Movie Night! (9-11 p.m. )
September 27: "This is Art! (A comedy show)"
September 28: Closing Reception for Hannah McBroom's "What was Left" (4-6 p.m.)

2019 Exhibitions

September: Hannah McBroom, Marco Hernandez, Jason Scuilla
October: Jason Needham
November: Roger Bruhn
December: Group 

2020 Exhibitions

January: Tro Daniel, et al.
February: Group Show "Stupid Cupid"
March: Jance Atkins
April: Group Juried Exhibition, "Town Topic" curated by Jim Adams
May: Fred Trease and Joe Bussel
June: Benjamin Parks
July: TBD
August: TBD
September: Kwanza Humphrey
October: TBD
November: TBD
December: Group