:: Reading ART ::

Reading ART
published: Thursday | October 2, 2008

Michael Robinson, Gleaner Writer

'Straight Up' by Neil Williams (giclée print).

An oasis of a nook in a bustling commercial centre happens to be one of the places to catch the work of young artistic talent these days. Eye-catching pieces by Katrina Coombs, Kori Solomon, Elpedio Robinson, Neil Williams and Leopold Barnes are currently on display at Bookophilia in Liguanea, St Andrew.

Kori Solomon's 'Bleaching' is a heavily textured look at physical transformation which focuses on the detrimental effects of what has become a cultural phenomenon. The darkly hued piece sits beside 'Dermatillomania', another giclée print by the artist exploring similar themes.

Organic fabric

Katrina Coombs has a wall to herself, covered with organic fabric and wire shapes that give the passage the intimate air of a small cave or womb. Titles like 'Lady Blue' and 'Earth Dancer' explain the airy movement captured by this body of work. Neil Williams' photos start out with interesting perspectives of Jamaica then, through digital manipulation, take the scene to an almost surreal place where colour gains poignancy and emotion. 'Palisadoes Blues - Crashing Waves' turns the sunset into a visual poem.

With this assortment of giclées and original paintings from Robinson and Barnes, Bookophilia sounds more like an art gallery than a bookstore. But, rest assured, there is a wide and interesting selection for those who actually come to get reading material.

Bookophilia

Bookophilia is a six-month-old bookstore that looks like a café and feels like a boutique. Owner Andrea Dempster said the idea is to promote creativity in different forms. She believes the venue allows for the exposure of artists to people who might not make it to a gallery. It also enhances the experience for visitors to a store that boasts a snack bar and kiddie corner as well as serene pockets of space for reading.

Bleaching (giclée print) by Kori Solomon. - Michael Robinson photos

:: 80's tea break ::

80's Tea Break is the first in the series of the "Staying Connected" series. This is 1 print or a seven print edition. So yea, its a limited edition. The "Staying Connected" series is intended to remind people that whether or not they had a great past, its the past that makes who we are as an individual. Although this isnt my typical approach to my digital prints I most definitely enjoyed the process and pushed many of my boundaries. From slicing, to stitching, and incorporated text, I enjoyed it all! 80's Tea Break is intended for an annual competition at the Revolution Gallery named "Tea Glorious Tea" so hopefully I do get the opportunity to be apart of it...

:: monotype ::

Monotype: A form of printmaking in which the artist draws or paints on some material, such as glass, and then prints the image onto paper, usually with a press. The remaining pigment can then be reworked, but the subsequent print will not be an exact version of the previous print. Monotypes may be unique prints or variations on a theme.

When the monotype was completed, scanned and re-worked the image in Photoshop, where I enhanced the colours, added a little detail and cleaned it up. The final print is a digital print on heavy textured watercolour paper. (Open edition, so feel free to contact me and buy a print!)

:: gen 1: 26-28 ::

:: work in progress ::

Work in progress for a new print i'm working on for the Young Generation exhibition at the Mutual Life Gallery... This is just a section of the art work. Like about 5X6 inches... The actual piece is the regular size i work with 11X14 inches...