Archive for: Raleigh arts scene

Artists’ Portrait Finds A Permanent Home in Greenville Museum of Art

Categories: art, business, downtown Raleigh, education, news, North Carolina arts, people, photography, Raleigh arts scene
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Allen Weiss’ photographic portrait of Frances Speight and Sarah Blakeslee is donated.

June 12, 2011 (Raleigh, NC) – The 1988 black and white portrait of legendary North

1988 portrait of Sarah Blakeslee and Frances Speight by Allen Weiss has been doated to the Greenville NC Museum of Art.

Carolina artists Frances Speight and Sarah Blakeslee by Allen Weiss has been donated to the Greenville Museum of Art to accompany the permanent gallery there honoring the couple, who lived in Greenville.

The portrait was part of a recent exhibition at Lee Hansley Gallery in Raleigh entitled, “Black & White, Color & Light: Photographs by Allen Weiss and Works by His Subjects.” The exhibition included Weiss’ portraits of 11 of North Carolina’s premiere artists, first shown in 1988 when the collection was commissioned by Melissa Peden, a respected art patron and former gallery owner. All of three of the artists are deceased now, including Speight and Blakeslee.

Marion Johnson Church of Raleigh purchased the Speight and Blakeslee portrait and donated it to the Greenville Museum of Art in honor of her grandson, John Church Bacon, who is retiring from the Museum’s Board of Trustees.

“The gift honors his service to the museum,” said gallery owner Lee Hansley who arranged the sale. Hansley’s gallery hosted the exhibition from March 13 through April 30th originally, then extended it for two more weeks.

Weiss, principal of Allen Weiss: Works on Film & Paper in Raleigh, was delighted to hear about the donation.

“It is always gratifying when someone thinks enough of your work to buy it,” he said. “As someone who has exhibited with other photographers who have work in art institutions, I’ll admit I’ve always been a bit jealous. It means the world to me to know my work is finally in the permanent collection of a museum.”

Lee Hansley Gallery also arranged the sale of six portraits from the show to Johnson Development Associates, Inc. of Spartanburg, SC, to add to the company’s extensive collection of art by Southern artists.

To see the complete collection of Weiss’ black and white portraits of North Carolina artists, go to www.allen-weiss.com/stills_menu and click on “Projects & Series.”

For more information on Allen Weiss: Works on Film & Paper, visit www.allen-weiss.com.

For more information on the Greenville Museum of Art, go to www.greenvillemuseum.org. For more information on Lee Hansley Gallery, visit www.leehansleygallery.com.

About Frances Speight and Sarah Blakeslee:

From the Greenville Museum of Art:  “Francis Speight and his wife Sarah Blakeslee are two of the most important artists who lived and worked in North Carolina during the 20th century… Speight taught painting and drawing at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1925 until 1961. In 1936 he married Blakeslee, who had been one of his students at the academy’s Country School at Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. In 1961 they moved to Greenville, North Carolina, where Francis became the artist-in-residence at East Carolina College. Sarah painted and taught adult classes at local art centers.”

About Allen Weiss:

After 15 years as a professional photographer in Raleigh and New York, Allen Weiss turned his attention towards short films, public service announcements and television commercials, both regionally and internationally. Recently, he launched Allen Weiss: Works on Film & Paper to offer still photography of all varieties, film and video (director, DP, cameraman), and freelance writing/branding. For more information visit www.allen-weiss.com.

Lee Hansley Gallery Presents “Black & White/Color & Light: Photographs by Allen Weiss and Works by His Subjects”

Categories: art, events, news, North Carolina arts, photography, Raleigh arts scene
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George Bireline 1988 © Allen Weiss

(RALEIGH, NC) – Joe Cox, George Bireline, Herb Jackson, and Edith London are only four of the 11 prominent North Carolina artists, both living and deceased, whose portraits and works will be featured in a special exhibition at Lee Hansley Gallery in Raleigh beginning March 13.

 

Entitled “Black & White/Color & Light,” the exhibition will include black and white photographic portraits of well-known artists by Allen Weiss, alongside examples of their work. The featured artists are: Edith London, Ted Potter, Herb Jackson, Joe Cox, George Bireline, Harvey Littleton, Maud Gatewood, Claud Howell, Robert Irwin, Francis Speight, and Sarah Blakeslee.

 

The genesis for the show began 23 years ago when Weiss returned to his native Raleigh

Sarah Blakesless and Francis Speight 1988 © Allen Weiss

after living in New York City for five years. Melissa Peden, a respected art patron and art gallery owner, suggested that he photograph “living legends of the art world in North Carolina,” he recalled.

 

Over two decades later, gallery owner Lee Hansley was made aware of the Weiss portraits and decided to show this body of work, which has taken on added historical importance since nine of the 11 artists are no longer living.

 

“This is going to be a nostalgic exhibition. These portraits capture the essence of these artists and we shall reinforce that with examples of their work,” said Hansley. “It is going to be a trip down North Carolina’s artistic memory lane.”

 

Hansley noted that the “black and white” from the show title refers to Weiss’ large-

Ted Potter 1988 © Allen Weiss

format, black and white images of the artists in their respective environments. “Color and light” makes reference to the works of art to be displayed in concert with the portraits.

 

According to Weiss, major advances in printing from original negatives have introduced a visual depth to his artists’ portraits that wasn’t possible when he shot them 23 years ago. “Simply put, I’m seeing details in these prints that I never imagined could be pulled from negatives.”

 

Weiss worked in Raleigh and New York as a professional photographer for about 15 years, including studying under and working for world-renowned photographer Arnold Newman. In the early ‘90s, Weiss’ career veered into directing and shooting television commercials throughout the US, Canada and Europe. Inspired by the opportunity to exhibit his photography again, he has made the decision to “put still photography back in the mix” of his career.

 

The opening reception for “Black & White/Color Light” will be held Sunday, March 13, from 2-5 p.m. Lee Hansley Gallery is located at 225 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27603. The exhibition will run through April 30.  For more information contact the gallery at 919.828.7557.

 

For more information on Allen Weiss, visit www.allen-weiss.com.

“Drop The Masks” Exhibit Features New Works by Jason Craighead

Categories: art, downtown Raleigh, North Carolina arts, Raleigh arts scene
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Raleigh Artist Opens One-Man Show at Gallery A

"Live In It" by Jason Craighead, 48w by 50h, mixed media on canvas

 

November 15, 2010 (RALEIGH, NC) – Gallery A in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood is hosting “Drop The Masks,” an exhibition of new works by Jason Craighead, now through December 31.

 

Gallery A is owned by Steven and Kimberly Andreaus of the Five Points Center for Aesthetic Dentistry. It is located within a historic building on Glenwood Avenue, just across from the Rialto Theatre.

 

Gallery A curator Angie Trull explained her reasons for wanting to showcase Craighead’s work:

 

“I was first exposed to Jason’s work after returning home to Raleigh after living several years outside of Charlotte,” she said. “ A number of his paintings were displayed at Frazier’s Restaurant on Hillsborough Street where I was dining with friends. I felt this immediate attraction to the work and inquired about the artist. Over the next several months, I would find myself standing in another location before a painting that I was attracted to, only to discover that it, too, was a Jason Craighead piece.”

 

Among the locations where she saw his work were the Humble Pie restaurant and The Dawson on Morgan condominium building, both in downtown Raleigh.

 

“The abstract qualities with the gestural drawings, the layering of paints, and the pale washes drew me into his paintings and gave me a sense of calm and peace,” Trull said. “I love that his paintings are ever-changing for the viewer, allowing them to continually experience something new.  Finally meeting Jason and having the opportunity to showcase his work at Gallery A was something of a full-circle moment for me.”

 

The Gallery A building at 1637 Glenwood Avenue also houses Andreaus’ dental practice. “Dr. Andreaus believes that his dental patients benefit from, and appreciate, the ever-changing interior of original paintings and sculptures,” Trull said.

 

Steven Andreaus’ first office was located on Hargett Street, where he helped establish Raleigh’s “First Friday” art walks. For more information on Gallery A, visit http://gallerya-nc.com.

 

For more information on Jason Craighead, visit www.jasoncraighead.com.

 

About the artist:

 

A professional artist for over a decade, Jason Craighead is a recognized leader in the North Carolina arts community. His work has been included in many solo and group exhibitions throughout the Southeastern United States. He has received numerous awards and served as a juror for various art shows. He has been selected as Signature Artist for major charitable art auctions, and his work has been featured in a number of publications, including Artists & Art Galleries of the Southeast. He is also a member of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission and the Raleigh Public Arts Committee. He is currently represented by Broadhurst Gallery in Pinehurst and Flanders Gallery in Raleigh. For more information visit www.jasoncraighead.com.

Jason Craighead Joins Flanders Gallery

Categories: art, downtown Raleigh, North Carolina arts, Raleigh arts scene
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Jason Craighead

The Raleigh gallery will represent the artist in the Triangle region.

 

October 30, 2010 (RALEIGH, NC) – Jason Craighead, an award-winning artist whose work has been feature in solo and group exhibitions throughout the Southeast, is now represented by Flanders Gallery in Raleigh.

 

“As an artist, it’s important that your representation reflects your thought processes and philosophy about art,” Craighead said recently. “The Flanders gallery shows and represents only serious artists, and is serious about educating the public about contemporary art. I’m delighted to be associated with Flanders.”

 

Craighead’s work is currently part of a major group exhibition at the Green Hill Center for NC Art in Greensboro, NC, entitled “Drawing Revisited.” Running through October 21, the exhibit, entitled  “Drawing Revisited,” showcases over 50 North Carolina artists.

 

An active participant in the North Carolina arts community, he is a member of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, the first municipal arts commission created in the state.

 

Owned by Kelly Flanders McChesney, Flanders Gallery currently represents 13 contemporary artists whose work includes installation art, painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, and photography.

 

Flanders Gallery is located at 302 South West Street, Raleigh, and open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Other times are available by appointment. For more information, visit www.flandersartgallery.com.

 

For more information on Jason Craighead, visit www.jasoncraighead.com.

 

About the artist:

 

A professional artist for over a decade, Jason Craighead is a recognized leader in the North Carolina arts community. His work has been included in many solo and group exhibitions throughout the Southeastern United States. He has received numerous awards and served as a juror for various art shows. He has been selected as Signature Artist for major charitable art auctions, and his work has been featured in a number of publications, including Artists & Art Galleries of the Southeast. He is also a member of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission and the Raleigh Public Arts Committee. He is currently represented by Broadhurst Gallery in Pinehurst and Flanders Gallery in Raleigh. For more information visit www.jasoncraighead.com.

Triangle Arts & Entertainment Makes A Run For Pepsi Refresh Grant

Categories: art, business, entertainment, news, North Carolina arts, Raleigh arts scene, Triangle music scene
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Online magazine could win major money through readers’ votes

September 2, 2010 (RALEIGH, NC) – Triangle Arts and Entertainment, a nonprofit online magazine devoted to supporting the visual and performing arts in the Triangle region and surrounding counties, is in the running for a $25,000 grant from The Pepsi Refresh Project.

It’s going to take readers’ votes to seal the deal, however.

Pepsi is giving away millions each month to fund “refreshing ideas that change the world”. The ideas with the most votes will receive the grants.

Robert Morrow, owner and editor of Triangle A&E, hopes the thousands of folks in and around the Triangle who rely on his online magazine as a free media outlet for all the arts and entertainment news and events in the Triangle will take the time to vote at http://www.refresheverything.com/triangleartsandentertainment.

Triangle A&E is the only publication in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill region that focuses solely on arts and entertainment and offers a free media outlet for artists, arts organizations and venues, from the largest shows to individual emerging artists. Updated daily, the magazine spotlights all performing and visual arts, design arts and artisans, music, film, culinary arts and literature. These stories are simultaneously published on the Triangle A&E Facebook page and Twitter.

“I started Triangle A&E because of the rapidly declining coverage of the arts in the media,” Morrow said. “I wanted to give the smaller organizations an opportunity to have a voice in the media — a place where visual and performing arts organizations can be seen and heard – while sharing the headlines with the larger, well known, performances or events.”

He noted that Triangle A&E includes a community calendar “where you can post your event yourself, or if you have someone who is doing publicity for your organization it can be submitted via email.”

Morrow considers the Triangle region “our testing ground. If we’re successful, we plan to grow within the state.”

In less than one year, Triangle Arts & Entertainment has achieved a Google page rank of 5, which Morrow attributes to consistently updated, quality content and growing readership.

Voting for the Pepsi Refresh Program grants ends September 30th. For more information, go to www.refresheverything.com.

For more information on Triangle Arts & Entertainment, visit www.triangleartsandentertainment.org. Voting is available at http://www.refresheverything.com/triangleartsandentertainment.

Jason Craighead To Participate In Major Group Exhibition

Categories: art, North Carolina arts, Raleigh arts scene
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The Raleigh artist will show four works-on-paper in Green Hill Center show.

"Studio Floor Drawing 3" by Jason Craighead

August 30, 2010 (RALEIGH, NC) — Raleigh artist Jason Craighead has been invited to participate in a major group exhibition at the Green Hill Center for NC Art in Greensboro, NC, entitled “Drawing Revisited.” The show will run from September 10 through October 31.

“Drawing Revisited” will showcase over 50 North Carolina artists who work “in a medium, which, in the digital age, may appear to be a slow and intimate art form,” according to the Center’s website. “Over 200 works on paper in graphite, watercolor, artist’s crayon, wash, charcoal and ink will attest to the ongoing vitality of drawing.”

Craighead will contribute four 22 by 30 mixed-media-on-paper works that he created “one Saturday morning on my porch while a friend was playing his guitar.” These particular pieces first appeared in a 2008 exhibit at the Fayetteville Museum of Art.

“These particular works represent a very specific moment in my past as an artist and human,” he said, “a moment of clarity and honesty — becoming confident in ‘feeling’.”

The opening reception for “Drawing Revisited” will be held Friday, September 10th, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Jason Craighead will present a lecture on the subject in the Center on October 13.

Jason Craighead is currently represented by Broadhurst Gallery in Pinehurst (www.broadhurstgallery.com) and by Flanders Gallery in Raleigh (www.flandersartgallery.com). For more information on the artist, visit www.jasoncraighead.com.

The Green Hill Center for NC Art is located at 200 North Davie Street, Greensboro, NC 27401. For more information visit www.greenhillcenter.org.

About the artist:

A professional artist for over a decade, Jason Craighead is a recognized leader in the North Carolina arts community. His work has been included in many solo and group exhibitions throughout the Southeastern United States. He has received numerous awards and served as a juror for various art shows. He has been selected as Signature Artist for major charitable art auctions, and his work has been featured in a number of publications, including Artists & Art Galleries of the Southeast. He is also a member of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission and the Raleigh Public Arts Committee. www.jasoncraighead.com.

Jason Craighead Contributes “Recycled” Art to Green Frame Exposition

Categories: art, charity, downtown Raleigh, North Carolina arts, Raleigh arts scene
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"Self & System" by Jason Craighead, mixed media on encyclopedia and column.

April 12, 2010 (RALEIGH, NC) –  Jason Craighead, an artist and the newest member of the Raleigh Arts Commission, is one of only 16 local artists who were invited by Builders of Hope to recycle discarded materials into works of art for “Green Frame: An Exposition in Reclaimed Materials” fundraiser. His composition, entitled “Self and System,” will be up for auction on April 24 at the Raleigh City Museum in downtown Raleigh along with the other artists’ works.

Builders of Hope CDC is a non-profit, tax-exempted corporation that works to provide quality affordable housing in cities and towns across the United States to stimulate revitalization and develop health, safe communities. “Green Frame, An Exposition in Reclaimed Materials,” is a fundraiser that, according to the website, “celebrates the mission of Builders of Hope through the vision of local artists. Using materials reclaimed from Builders of Hope, 16 invited artists have created unique interpretations of what it means to recycle, rebuild, and renew hope.”

Craighead and the other artists were asked to use items and materials that would otherwise be thrown away to create something of beauty and function. “Self and System” is a mixed media on encyclopedias and column sculpture. The artist describes his inspiration:

“This piece is commenting on education and the renewal of belief in the human self, how we lose it in our educational system and our efforts to achieve ‘status,’ then find ourselves feeling empty, even worthless, by this society’s definition. Returning focus to the self and not the struggle can bring about a community that works collectively and honestly. Less division and competition….no more good, better, best….education vs. inspiration.”

An accomplished artist who has been exhibited widely in galleries and museums, Jason Craighead was appointed to the Raleigh Arts Council earlier this month. Before that, he served on the Council’s Public Art Program. He has also donated numerous paintings to charitable art auctions for many years, including the Works of Heart auction for the Carolina AIDS Alliance and Visual Art Exchange’s annual fundraiser.

Builders of Hope’s Green Frame Exposition began with an “Official Opening Bash,” free and open to the public, at the City Museum on Friday, April 9. The Auction Party will be held in the Museum at Saturday, April 24, from 7-10 p.m. Auction tickets are $100 each or $175 per couple. The City Museum is located at 220 Fayetteville Street. To reserve tickets, call 800-277-6138 or email: Emily@buildersofhope.org.

For more information on the event, including the list of all participating artists, visit www.buildersofhope.org/events/green-frame.

For more information on Jason Craighead, go to www.jasoncraighead.com.

About Jason Craighead:

Jason Craighead has been named Best Artist in Raleigh Metro Magazine’s annual MetroBravo reader’s poll for five consecutive years. His paintings have been featured in numerous gallery exhibits and belong to many public and private art collections. An active member of the North Carolina arts community, he has worked with the Raleigh Arts Commission on its plans for future public art and frequently donates his paintings to charitable causes, including Works of Heart, the Triangle area’s annual premiere art auction to benefit The Alliance of AIDS Services – Carolina. For more information visit www.jasoncraighead.com.