The Artists "Review" Artists Project was launched on June 30, 2008. Below is a "review" of Molly Norris' work, Nat "King" Cole, written by Lisa Klow. Molly provided the second jpeg, an image of Paper Mulberry Tree, as well as a brief response to Lisa's "review."
Molly currently resides in Seattle, WA, and Lisa lives in Laurel, MD.
If you would like to participate in this project, please email me at jtkirkland [at] gmail [dot] com.
Nat "King" Cole
Paper, ink, wire, glue, foamcore
30"h x 60"w x 8"d
2008
The "Review"
When I first viewed the image of Nat "King" Cole, I thought, “Wow!” It’s a visually stimulating piece. I was then fascinated by the process of creating the piece, which must have taken a lot of time creating the images, perhaps from printmaking, then cutting all the shapes out of paper and assembling them. I looked at the image before I looked at the title. If the artist intended that the face in the piece is Nat “King” Cole’s, I didn’t recognize him. Sometimes artists give pieces titles that don’t really describe the piece. Personally, I don’t think titles are too important, not as important as the artwork itself. This piece is exciting and dynamic. I wonder if movement is also an element, as I can picture a breeze ruffling the loose edges of the paper. The bright colors and stylized repeated face makes me think of graffiti – not typical street graffiti, but more the type of artist graffiti you tend to see in or around art schools, like the one I attended in Memphis, where students take advantage of walls, sidewalks and parking lots, with stencils and/or spray paint (present company guilty). The piece’s title also made me think of Memphis – I know Nat isn’t from Memphis, but was raised in Chicago, but anything Jazz or Blues-related makes me think of Memphis. A title using the name of a famous person is bound to create associations with that person, whether intended by the artist or not. My husband commented that the piece is like a visual representation of being lost in the music. Also, I’ve had “Unforgettable” going through my head for two days now. Not that that’s a bad thing.
By Lisa Klow
Paper Mulberry Tree
paper, paint, glue
72"h x 144"w x 60"d
2008
The Response
Lisa’s review (no parentheses) energizes me. I didn’t consider the graffiti angle which rings true because the marks are spray painted through stencils. I also appreciate her comments on subject matter because I was lazy. While working on this piece there just happened to be a stencil of Nat Cole I’d made for a previous mural commission about Route 66 and I grabbed and used it. I’m glad the spirit of the piece transcended this near faux pas for Lisa who went to art school in Memphis where people drive crazy because they have one hand on the radio dial.
By Molly Norris
Previous "Reviews":
Pam Farrell on Ken Weathersby
Paula McCullough on Aric Calfee
Lee Gainer on Leigh Waldron-Taylor
Aric Calfee on Paula McCullough
Matthew Ballou on Heather Levy
Giovanni Garcia-Fenech on TJ Norris
TJ Norris on Giovanni Garcia-Fenech
Susan Tolbert on Mary Klein
Heather Levy on Gail Vollrath
Sharon Butler on Matthew Ballou
Mark L. Power on Steven Alexander
Steven Alexander on Mark L. Power
Molly Norris on M. Trigos
Ken Weathersby on Joseph Barbaccia
Sondra Arkin on Susan Tolbert
John M. Adams on Sharon Butler
Michael Paul Oman-Reagan on Brent Hallard
Daniel Mafe on Pam Farrell
Joanna Knox on John M. Adams
John Lucien Grillo on Joanna Knox
Brent Hallard on Lisa Klow
Joseph Barbaccia on John Lucien Grillo
M. Trigos on Michael Paul Oman-Reagan
Mary Klein on Imants Ozers
Richard Schemmerer on Michael Konrad
Michael Konrad on Richard Schemmerer
Jennifer Mawby on Lee Gainer
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