X-Y-Z, Living at the End of the Alphabet

The Marjorie Rose Art Gallery, located upstairs at Mark's Daily Grind at 86 Baltimore Street in Cumberland, hosts the exhibition “X-Y-Z, Living at the end of the Alphabet.” This rotating exhibition, curated by Christina Collins-Smith for host Mark Rose, features the Budapest-inspired assemblage and heritage metalsmithing of Linda van Hart, and fine art collage by Robert Waddell, exquisite metal work by Kenny Braitman, along with returning visual artists and live, original music by Dhruva. The work will be on display November 22, 2008 through February 21, 2009.

The public is invited to the Opening Reception on Saturday, November 22, from 6-8PM. Christina Collins-Smith is curator of this show that celebrates Eastern European inspired collage and metal sculpture. Several artists will feature additional sale items for gift-giving specifically during the opening.

Linda Van Hart talks about her exhibit, “I have been an artist all my life. I taught a mixed media course called Visual Poetry, while living in Budapest for four months. I encouraged my students to define their sense of self, sense of place and sense of humor outside known parameters of parents, family, friends, familiar language etc., and found myself doing the same thing. ‘X-Y-Z, Living at the End of the Alphabet' is a result of this experience. My mixed media collages explore mis-communication through selection of previously disparate images chosen for color and content, carefully cut and arranged to heighten the feeling of frenzy released or repressed.”

Van Hart's friend and art partner, Robert J. Waddell, joined her in Budapest for three weeks. Waddell is a collage and mixed media artist using his day job of planning commercial/industrial and retail spaces in affixing images and color fields into organized surroundings.

“I use mass produced images of a few or many objects. Images may be "old" or fresh from the mass media and advertising. Recent time spent in Eastern Europe is evidenced in the currently used themes of aloofness, damaged and defied architecture with the juxtaposition of the seen and unseen such as insects, gravity, non-emotion and loneliness. My intent is to visually ask the viewer to leave with an image etched in their mind and questioning the construction used in producing the art works. Much terrain is covered because we live at the end of the alphabet.”

Local metal sculptor Kenny Braitman will also open at Mark's. “My metalwork is a tangible result of my process of exploration, discovery, trial and error and success. Sometimes I go to work with a deliberate intention and the result often takes me places never anticipated and surely not reflecting the original design. Finding the randomness and unpredictability in nature is often expressed in my work.” Braitman features his fabulous sculptures each November in the Mountain Maryland Studio Tours and encourages visitors to experience working with hot metal at his studio near Finzel in Garrett County.

Van Hart, Waddell and Braitman will be on hand Saturday night to chat with the public about their work. Light refreshments will be served. In addition, returning gallery artists Jeri Eaton, Donna Whitford Housel, Shawn Mara Lockhart, Amy Shuman, John Shuman, Gordon Wickes and Susan Williamson will share new “X-Y-Z” creations. Background music will be provided by Dhruva'. Sponsors for the evening include OneTree Productions, Maggie and Sam Torres and Jennifer's Desserts. For more information, please call owner Mark Rose at 301-724-0276.