Zhou B Art Center artists Don Wilkison and his daughter Sarah Star have small works for sale in their studio at the center. (Photo by Jim Barcus)
Small works and other affordable gifts from the resident studio artists at Zhou B Art Center
Holiday shoppers looking for a unique retail experience this December will find it at the Zhou B Art Center, 1801 E. 18th St., where the former classrooms of the 1905 Crispus Attucks School have been beautifully renovated as studio spaces for more than 25 artists.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 6 First Friday, visitors may meet with artists and purchase their creations in their studios. But gift buying will not be limited to the studio floors. Additional artworks from the first annual group exhibition, “If Only for A Moment,” will be on view in the second-floor exhibition gallery and will be available for sale as well. Following is a small sampling of works for sale.
While angels are frequently part of Christmas decorations, Susan Walter began having visions of her personal winged guardians after narrowly escaping death as a child. Her ability to see them continued as an adult; she discovered that she could visualize other people’s spirits as well. Unique colored pencil portraits of (your personal or not) angels (9 x 12 inches) are $180, while smaller angelic prints range from $9 to $30.
Wanting to utilize bits of leftover acrylic paint, Dora Kearney created a cold-fusion process, marrying the pigment to glass to create pendants. They are available in a myriad of eye-catching colors, at $25 each or $40 for two.
She will also be offering a selection of small abstract paintings on paper, which start at $40.
Sarah Star, the daughter of Don Wilkison, exhibits her work in the same studio space as her father. She will be offering small paintings, which she employs as color or paint studies for larger works, referring to them as “snack-sized reductions.”
Prices are quite reasonable, from $2 to $40.
Each of her vividly colored scarves is based upon and named after one of Janine Carter’s abstract paintings. She selects hues to convey specific moods while acknowledging inspiration from her Christian faith and themes of spiritual renewal. $65 each, 16 x 66 inches.
The vibrant palette of Hollie Blakeney’s works on paper and jewelry embodies her artistic approach, “Color is my medium.” A self-taught artist, Blakeney works in a variety of media: glass, handmade paper (the basis for her collages and paintings), and vitreous enamel on copper for her jewelry. Blakeney tries to price her creations to make them accessible to as many people as possible: $40 to $60 for earrings; necklaces are $80 to $100. Her mixed-media wall art starts at $40.
Elise Gagliardi represents the third generation of her Colorado-based family to have been involved with flowers and floral design. Her love and familiarity with colorful plants inform the still lifes that she photographs. Gagliardi uses flowers to represent the generational cycle of life in her sumptuous compositions. Her small archival prints (8 x 10” and 13 x 19”) are $150 and $300.
A hydrologist and an artist, Don Wilkison makes work that explores how the history of information is conveyed while considering the underlying themes of his work with water sources. His paintings clearly show the influence of geometric abstraction and hard-edge painting as well. Prices range from $25 to $600, depending on size and framing.
For more information, 816.208.4300 or www.zhoubartcenterkc.com
