|
"Deep in the Heart of Texas"
Bruce Marion installs his commissions for Sam Houston State University
|
Greetings! Recently I shared the news that I had been awarded some very large commissions for Sam Houston State University, in Huntsville, Texas. The college has a brand new building for their College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and they sent out a nationwide call for artwork for the new space. Out of hundreds of applications and proposals received, I was chosen by the art selection committee to furnish the artwork for both of the major entrance-ways in the building. Needless to say, it was a huge honor, and also a huge amount of work. I've spent the last six months getting these 19 unusually-shaped, over-sized, custom-built canvases prepared and painted. The project posed some interesting problems (including the fact that some of the pieces were too big for my studio), but was finally completed a few weeks ago. All that remained was delivering them to Texas, and hanging them on the walls...
Follow along below, as I outline highlights from that journey, and from the wonderful dedication ceremony the university held to celebrate their new artwork!
All the best,
Bruce
|
To say things were crowded in the studio during the last week of painting for this project is an understatement. It seemed like I had miles of edges to finish...Here's Lee wearing her custom-made "Sealer Sock" - because the canvases would be subjected to direct sunlight in the atria, we coated all the canvases with a UV protectant, and found wearing an old sock 'glove style' was the most effective means of applying it. Lee also decided it was easier to 'crawl under,' than to keep having to move the panels to navigate around the room! This is my buddy, Dave. What can you say about someone who's willing to spend 22 hours straight helping you drive a U-Haul halfway across the country, except that he's a great guy!
We
left around 7:00 PM on a Saturday, and wearily pulled in to Huntsville around 5:30 PM the following day. It was straight to the
hotel for some much-needed rest, before starting 'the hang'
on Monday morning.
We found the building, and promptly got to work...
I hired Mark Baker, an art installer from Houston, to come and assist me. He was fantastic - smart, organized, absolutely fearless about heights, and a really nice guy as well. Here he is, tackling the complicated measurements and support blocks needed to hang the uniquely-shaped pieces.
The largest of the Facets series goes on the wall - it's actually two separate triangular canvases, that are bolted together. It's roughly 20 feet from tip to tip.
The angle of the canvas exactly matches the angle of the stairwell - by utilizing intersecting pairs of triangles, I was able to make the work not just connect to the architecture of the building, but to become a sculptural element on the walls.
What an incredible feeling to walk up and down the stairs, with the art pieces seemingly adrift within their glass-walled home. Best of all, the students kept stopping us while we were hanging, to say how much they loved the art! This was a week I'll never forget...
Anyway, once the three-story space was finished, it was time to tackle the two-story paintings. While the shapes were much simpler, and they weren't going above stairways, it was challenging nonetheless to try to keep these canvases straight and square - the span from top to bottom is over 17 feet!
Of course, our task was made easier by the nifty 'toy' the university made available to us. Riding the cherry-picker was so much fun, even I gave it a try!
Here's the other side after installation. If you look just beside the head of the student in this photo, you can see one of the beautiful brass plaques the dean of the college had made for the paintings.
He was so fond of the wording in the descriptions from the proposals, he decided to include it with the titles.
Photo by Brian Blalock
Here's a photo from the dedication ceremony... From left to right are Lee Jamison, me, building architect Marie Hoke, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences John de Castro, Diane Whiteley and Sam Sartorius. Lee, Diane, and Sam are all fantastic artists who also have their beautiful work in the building.
Each of the artists was invited to bring some additional artwork, for display elsewhere in the building during the dedication ceremony. Here's my little 'mini gallery' in a conference room upstairs - it was great to get to mix and mingle there with the folks from the university, and share a bit more about what I do. Afterwords, the artists were all invited to a lovely dinner at a charming
local restaurant, housed in a historic log cabin- Southern hospitality at its
best! But then it was time to say goodbye to Huntsville (but not Texas...yet!)
This little charmer is Lexi - Lexi's mom owns the Dean Day Gallery in Houston, the newest gallery to represent me. So, if you're ever in the Houston area, stop in to see the wonderful artwork at Dean Day, and to meet Lexi. Just watch out - she's got a thing for toes!
Dean Day Gallery 2639 Colquitt Houston, TX 77098 713.520.1021
And with that, I (literally) drove off into the sunset...
...for the 22 hour trip back home to Chandler!
Thanks to all the gracious people of Texas, to my friend Dave Lemons and my installer Mark Baker, and to John de Castro, Brittany Johnson, Evelyn Turner and the rest of the gang at Sam Houston State University - it's truly a beautiful school, that hopefully now is considered just a little bit prettier...
|
|
Upcoming One-Man Show
"Illumination: Revealing Inner and Outer Worlds"
at the James Ratliff Gallery In Sedona, AZ
Artist's Reception Friday, May 7th 5-8 PM
|
|
|
|
|
Bruce Marion's artwork is available through these fine galleries:
ARIZONA
May Gallery
COLORADO
Translations Gallery 1743 Wazee Street Denver, C0 80202 303-629-0713 www.translationsgallery.com
GEORGIA
Catherine Kelleghan Gallery 309 East Paces Ferry Road, Suite 130 - Aaron Building Atlanta, GA 30305-2367 404-841-2345 www.catherinekelleghangallery.com
MICHIGAN
Courtyard Gallery 813 E Buffalo St. New Buffalo, MI 49117 800-291-9287 www.courtyardfineart.com
TEXAS
Dean Day Gallery 2639 Colquitt Houston, TX 77098 713-520-1021 www.deandaygallery.com
|
|
|
|
|