Retro Row Features Evening Of Art

By Julian Bermudez
Gazette Arts Writer

Last Saturday turned out to be a successful art night for Fourth Street’s “Retro Row.” Throngs of artists, musicians, gallerists and the public-at-large took part in an evening filled with art, entertainment, food, drink and dance.

First on the list was Open. Their latest exhibit, “Sound!” displays works by Andy Carey, who interprets the sonic landscape of music through paintings. Carey’s works visually depict sound through geometrically abstract displays of painted discs positioned side-by-side. Each pattern uses a different color to convey a unique mood, which is akin to what music does.

“Musical sounds can evoke certain emotions, but I have always been in awe of how it can create color and form in my mind’s eye,” Carey said.

Carey’s works depict the tonal quality of the singing voice, but the work itself is absent of any lyrical influence. Apparently, each piece was created with a certain question in mind: What does the artist visualize for each sound?

The works are fun, colorful and lyrical in the sense that they force the eye to move about the “canvas” with ease. If you need a visual, imagine “Lite Brite” where colored pegs are used to create varying shapes and moods.

The show ends July 20.

Next on our list was “What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been” at Artistic Edge.

The gallery presented recent works by Phil Yeh, a cartoonist whose work and humor is used to promote literacy, the environment, creativity and other positive issues.

For instance, in his recent book, “Dinosaurs Across America,” a crew of wacky, time-traveling dinosaurs explores America, today. In his other book, “The Winged Tiger,” Yeh explores the whimsical world of multi-racial harmony and brotherhood.

Yeh’s stories emphasize non-violence, positive messages, world-views and are a fun way to teach history, geography and socialization to children of all ages.

Original works used to create the books as well as new works are on view at the gallery. The works are filled with color and lots of activity.

For example, “The Ferris Wheel” depicts an amusement park with colorful animals waiting in line for a chance to ride. Elephants, a rhinoceros, rabbits, a hippopotamus, moose and dogs assume human roles, each enjoying an evening under the stars.

Each piece in this show is wonderful to observe and fun for everyone.

The exhibit ends July 19.

Finally, I viewed a new photo exhibit at Portfolio Coffeehouse.

“American Rust: Photographs by Steve Mauer” displays a new series created to emphasize the beauty of corrosion. Seriously. The works are interesting in that Mauer zooms in on specific items that have rust on it.

Subject matter is not entirely covered, but the surface area that has been oxidized makes up the larger part of the positive space within the photo. Earthy and gritty, the exhibit is an enjoyable one.

The show ends June 30.

This week’s exhibits were at Open, 2226 E. Fourth St., call 499-OPEN or visit www.thestoryofopen.com; Artistic Edge, 2105 E. Fourth St., call 433-5169 or visit www.artisticedge.addr.com; and Portfolio Coffeehouse, 2300 E. Fourth St., call 434-2486 or visit www.portfoliocoffeehouse.com.