2021 Virtual Art Show

Experience work by local artists, including a culturally influenced piece created for the Virtual BGIF Art Show.

September 9, 2:00pm Live on the Downing Museum Facebook page –  “Joe Downing: Seeking Inspiration from an American Artist in France” hosted by BGIF Virtual Art Show curator Jack LeSieur of Downing Museum at Baker Arboretum.

Jack LeSieur, curator BGIF Virtual Art Show
2021 BGIF Virtual Art Show curator:

Jack LeSieur is the Director and Curator at the Downing Museum at the Baker Arboretum, located in Bowling Green, KY. A Brownsville, native, Jack attended WKU for both undergraduate and graduate studies (Interior Design & Anthropology ’12/Folk Studies ’14). He is an artist who enjoys a mixed media approach to creating, typically achieved through painting, collaging, printmaking, drawing, and stitching, to name a few. A classically-trained pianist (and a former violinist/violist), Jack was a charter member of the Bowling Green Youth Orchestra and has played both professionally and privately for over twenty years. Jack is proud to call Bowling Green home and enjoys working with regional artists from all walks of life. He recently launched a podcast, Art Actuel, where he interviews southcentral KY artists about their inspirations and creations. He enjoys advocating  for the arts and promoting the arts as a means of youth and social expression. Jack lives with his partner (Brent), dog (Edie), and cockatoo (Coco).

Yui Aono

Kimono is special clothing for special occasions in Japan. I believe all people in the world look beautiful in kimono.
Yui Aono, Kimono, 2021, pencil drawing
I drew my teachers’ portrait right before my graduation of middle school.
Appreciations for my teachers, pencil drawing
My pastor’s wife asked me to draw a picture of her brother’s lost puppy, Missy. I was glad to comfort him a little.
Missy, pencil drawing
This stamp has my Japanese name 由(Yui) and English name Yui. I’m treasuring both United States and Japan.

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Yui Aono is in the 9th grade. They moved from Japan to US in 2017. Their favorite saying is “No art no life” and states that pencil drawings have always helped them in life.

“I’m currently working on digital art, I’m not good enough but I would not like to end my dream, I will do my best on working hard. I want to live with art in the future. Thank you for this opportunity!”

Lisa Manion

LRManionArt

This submission, "Sarı Ciçek", is of a little child whose life is altered by political unrest in her home Country, Syria. She finds herself in Turkey as a refugee, having to learn a new language. She is holding a yellow flower, and must learn to pronounce the Turkish name... "Sari Cicek..."
Lisa Manion, Sari Cicek, 16x20 oil on canvas, unframed, and available for purchase
Toes in the Sand, 2020, Acrylic on Canvas, 24x48, Available for Purchase
Tennessee Early Morning Fog, 2021, Oil on Canvas, 10x20, Available for Purchase
Smooth Sailing, 2021, Oil on Canvas, 10x20, Available for Purchase
Serendipity, 2021, Oil on Canvas, 18x24, Available for Purchase
Rhythm of the Tide, 2021, Oil on Canvas, 18x24, Available for Purchase
Reflections, 2021, Oil on Canvas, 16x20, Available for Purchase
Marilyn in a Stairwell, 2020, Oil on Canvas, 16x20, Available for Purchase
Lisa Manion Artist
Fair Winds and Following Sea, 2021, Oil on Canvas, 22x28, Available for Purchase
Courage to Fly Solo, 2021, Oil on Canvas, 16x20, Available for Purchase
Boy in the Bamboo Forest (Vietnam), 2021, Oil on Canvas,18x24, Available for Purchase

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Internationally known as an Artist and Poet, Lisa R Manion has been creating vivid glimpses into the many facets of life from her time spent in Asia, Europe, and abroad. Much of her work has focused on children, from happy moments to traumatic events. Her portraits are highly emotive, bringing the audience’s interpretation inward to explore their own consciousness of societal norms.

In French modern art movements landscapes was used for plein air paintings by the Impressionist. Fauves such as Braque, at one time, depicted boating scenes. Post-Impressionist often painted luncheons, and Cubists painted the Eiffel Tower, still lifes,and figures. Soutine of School of Paris painted from still lifes, figures, and landscapes. The immediacy of the technique, the bold use of color, and frantically applied paint in the case of Soutine- all have I been aware when creating art in the contemporary world. As stated earlier, Gorky led into Abstract Expressionism and he was admitted to the Surrealist group led by Andre Breton. I have been influenced by French Surrealist painters wanting to reveal the unconscious. My paintings are largely abstract, but open to interpretation as images, at times. The French also had a form of Abstract Expressionism called Tachisme.
Frank Wesley, Cottage in Landscape, 2021, Oil, impasto gel, and plaster on canvas
Meant too illuminate an inner world. With cubist framework and expressive movement and speed of line
With Earth Reds, 2021, oil on canvas
Cubist like with biomorphic expressive shapes
February Afternoon, 2020, oil, impasto, plaster on canvas
This work has a verticality that suggest an imaginary mountainscape or hillside
Impetus and Motion, 2021, Oil, impasto, sand on canvas

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Frank Wesley is an Abstract Expressionist painter living and working in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Paintings are semi-automatic where impasto mediums, plaster and/or sand are used in his art making process. Gestural brushwork bring about forms from habit and chance that can be felt as a sort of psychic inner landscape. The paintings are indebted to many French modern art movements from Matisse and Fauvism, to Picabia and Cubism, and to Soutine and the School of Paris. Mixtures of these art movements were used by Arshille Gorky who used biomorphism in improvised works. This then led into Abstract Expressionism . Frank Wesley studied at W.K.U. and S.A.I.C. in Chicago.

Robert Ellis

Modern Tribal Primitive

Title
Instagram
Influenced by Mexican culture, specifically the cult of Santa Muerte and its loose ties to the Catholic faith. Saint Death, or "Holy Death" being a niche part of catholicism. After being raised in the church and departing from it, my spiritual journey eventually led me to "Holy Death" and I've always found it to be an interesting piece of the faith.
Rob Ellis, "Santa Muerte" - 140lb Watercolor paper, watercolor, ink, 2021. contact artist for purchase.
Influenced by Mexican culture, specifically the cult of Santa Muerte and its loose ties to the Catholic faith. Saint Death, or "Holy Death" being a niche part of catholicism. After being raised in the church and departing from it, my spiritual journey eventually led me to "Holy Death" and I've always found it to be an interesting piece of the faith.
"Santa Muerte" (detail) - 140lb Watercolor paper, watercolor, ink, 2021, contact artist for purchase.
Influenced by Mexican culture, specifically the cult of Santa Muerte and its loose ties to the Catholic faith. Saint Death, or "Holy Death" being a niche part of catholicism. After being raised in the church and departing from it, my spiritual journey eventually led me to "Holy Death" and I've always found it to be an interesting piece of the faith.
"Santa Muerte" (detail) - 140lb Watercolor paper, watercolor, ink, 2021, contact artist for purchase.
Influenced by Mexican culture, specifically the cult of Santa Muerte and its loose ties to the Catholic faith. Saint Death, or "Holy Death" being a niche part of catholicism. After being raised in the church and departing from it, my spiritual journey eventually led me to "Holy Death" and I've always found it to be an interesting piece of the faith.
"Santa Muerte" (detail) - 140lb Watercolor paper, watercolor, ink, 2021, contact artist for purchase.
Influenced by Mexican culture, specifically the cult of Santa Muerte and its loose ties to the Catholic faith. Saint Death, or "Holy Death" being a niche part of catholicism. After being raised in the church and departing from it, my spiritual journey eventually led me to "Holy Death" and I've always found it to be an interesting piece of the faith.
"Santa Muerte" (detail) - 140lb Watercolor paper, watercolor, ink, 2021, contact artist for purchase.

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I am Rob Ellis, a self-taught, independent artist born in Upstate New York and raised in Kentucky. Heavy influences in my artistic techniques include Picasso, Basquiat, Thoreau and artists within my personal collective. I sell art under the title of Modern Tribal Primitive, work in many different mediums and am always looking to expand my knowledge and capabilities.

Emmanuel Boamah

We may be from different leaves, but we all come from the same tree (all cultures).
Emmanuel Boamah, The Tree of Nations, 2021

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My name is Emmanuel Boamah, I am a freshman and I have always liked drawing but started taking it serious 2 years ago

Da’lin Boamah

This is a Ghanaian woman I made wearing traditional kente cloth.
Da’lin Boamah, International woman, 2021

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Hi I am da’lin, I am in the first grade and I wanted to show u my art.

Suzanne Menck

Instagram
While I was in Guatemala in 2016 I was captivated by the conflict between the vitality of the artwork on the buildings and the weariness of the elderly as they struggled to do simple tasks, such as shopping. The building itself seemed to mirror the wear of the old woman, while the mural portrayed a different life. This difference is not readily shown unless a disaster occurs, then all that is shown is the destruction. The culture of Guatemala showcased to me the ability of people to continue to be self sufficient even at an advanced age. I was struck by the disparity between that world and mine, which ultimately made me appreciate where I am fortunate enough to live.
Suzanne Menck, Who I Once Was, 2021, watercolor
Recycled Flatiron, 2020, Mixed Media
Dark House, 2019, Watercolor
Evening Glow, 2020, Watercolor
Flatiron, 2019 Watercolor
Goldfish, 2021, Watercolor
Momentum, 2019, Mixed Media
Morning at Torquay, 2021, Oils
Shorebreak, 2020, Acrylic
1770 Beach, 2021, oils
Windswept, 2021, oils

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As a watercolorist, I try to let the medium tell me what it wants to do. Not forcing the paint to follow my wishes, I think of the process as a dance, where I give guidelines to the paint and let it do what it wants within those parameters. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it is always an interesting journey.

More recently I have branched out into oils and acrylics, using these mediums to play and experiment with color and texture, making more of the decisions and having more control over the work. I’m not entirely sure control is a good thing, which challenges me to find interesting ways to balance control and chaos.

As an artist, I like to experiment, not restricting my creativity by limiting the mediums I use, or the subject matter. Anything I see is fair game to paint and play with to create an interesting piece of art. Enjoy the journey of creativity, rather than being focused on creating a “masterpiece”.

BJ Jordan

BJ Jordan Images

When traveling to Ireland in 1919/2020, I along with others I traveled with were introduced to Smithwicks Red Ale, Ireland's oldest continuously brewed ale. We all knew Guinness and Harp, but fell in love with Smithwicks. Upon returning home, we were disappointed to find out that it was not available in the states. Not until Guinness purchased the brand did they make it available in the U.S. beginning in 2004. The draft version is still much better than the bottles and while difficult to locate can usually be found on tap in better Irish Pubs. I have many memorable places from various countries that I could have painted, but something that can still be enjoyed and bring back the fun of Ireland was my choice. Cheers!
BJ Jordan, Pinting, 2021, acrylics on canvas, 24x18
BG Icons, 2021, Acrylics on Canvas, 18x24, Orig-$700, Glicée Print $150
BabyOwl, 2020, Acrylics on Canvas, 16x20, Orig-SOLD, Glicée Print $100
Sunset, 2020, Acrylics on Canvas, 20x16, Orig-$300, Glicée Print $100
Morris Snow, 2021, Acrylics on Canvas, 16x20, Orig-$600, Glicée Print $100
Capitol Snow, 2021, Acrylics on Canvas, 24x20, Orig-SOLD, Glicée Print $200
DragonFly, 2021, Acrylics on Canvas, 18x24, Orig-$500, Glicée Print $150
FloralSkyview, 2020, Acrylics on Canvas, 16x20, Orig-$300, Glicée Print $100
StreetRain
StreetRain, 2020, Acrylics on Canvas, 16x20, Orig-$350, Glicée Print $100
Travelers Cellar Big Red, 2021, Acrylics on Canvas,16x20, Orig-SOLD, Glicée Print $100
TCW Vineyard, 2021, Acrylics on Canvas, 36x24, Orig-SOLD, Glicée Print $200

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I am BJ Jordan, a lifelong resident of Bowling Green and have been drawing and painting all of my life. I graduated WKU with a degree in Technical Illustration, but professionally I have been a graphic artist for over 23 years. When the COVID quarantines began in spring of 2020, I started watching one of my favorite artist, Roger Dean live streaming while he painted the cover for the latest Yes album cover and influenced me to pick up my brushes, pull out some canvas and jump back into acrylics. I have painted over 14 pieces since, with 11 shown here including “Pinting”, my latest as the cultural entry with Irish influence. I am primarily into photography and love shooting live music events, but have covered sports, weddings, astrophotography, wildlife, flowers, and just about anything that appeals to me. I shot photos of the last BG International Festival and have been asked to shoot, again, this year. This is one reason I went with “Images” versus “Photography” as I also do computer graphics, illustrations, and fine art.