"Is it real?"
Logan County Arts opens 2019 show season

 

[February 07, 2019] 

LINCOLN 

In February, Logan County Arts will embark on its seventh season of providing regular monthly art exhibits for the local community.

Their first event will open on Thursday, Feb. 14 with a reception from 5 to 8 pm at the Lincoln Art Institute, 112 S. McLean St, Lincoln. In creating the artworks for this show, LCA members have asked the question, “Is It Real?” Besides viewing the artworks and enjoying refreshments, visitors will be able to discuss the works with the creators themselves.

The artists will address this theme in a variety of ways. Photographer Mitch Douglas will present vintage advertising photos – or are they really vintage? Douglas pays special attention to details of his images to make them “real” for the time period displayed. Another photographer, visiting artist Lawrence Gray, goes in a completely different direction with eerie fantasy photographs that suggest glimpses of a glowing dream world.

Several artists, including Jason Hoffman and Jan Carleen Villarreal, will contribute paintings. Hoffman uses special treatments to produce patinas on the surface of his work, turning it into sheets of time-worn metal. Villarreal will include her signature landscapes in oil, easily recognized for their vibrant palette.

Moses Pinkerton and Pam Moriearty will be among those offering three dimensional works. Moriearty will take the viewer to a high end boutique for a glimpse of chic stiletto heels, and to a carnival where the shells in the shell game may hide more than the usual pea.

Pinkerton’s contribution shows how in the not-quite-real world, something can be both melting and frozen in time. He sums it up as, “a whimsical piece that will make you smile – a factor that in itself makes it priceless!” Several other LCA artists will also participate in the exhibit.

After the initial reception, the “OPEN” flag flying in front of the Institute will indicate when the gallery is open. Otherwise, the show will be available for viewing until early March by appointment. To schedule a viewing, people may call Pinkerton at 217-651-8355. As in past seasons, nonmembers can also contact Pinkerton to contribute pieces to future LCA exhibits by paying a small hanging fee.

[Pamela Moriearty]