Fine arts
WHO’S YOUR DADA? When the mayor of Lawrence, Kan., Boog Highberger, recently declared International Dadaism Month, I thought to myself, “Self, how could the mayor of a Podunk town in the northeast corner of a Podunk state manage an act of such fabulousness?” The mayor (whose name is rather Dada don’t you think?) chose the month, which happens to be 13 days, by rolling dice and pulling numbers out of a hat, giving us the dates Feb. 4, March 28, April 1, July 15, Aug. 2, 7, 16 and 26, Sept. 18 and 22, and Oct. 1, 17 and 26.
So on Feb. 4, in honor of International Dadaism month and just because I could, I sat on all the downtown art benches in one day. It’s true. I chanted my new mantra the whole time, “Boog Highberger, Boog Highberger.” My favorite bench? Hmmm. I like the Raymond Carver bench by Dylan Tellesen for looking; for sitting I like the Erroll Flynn bench by Christen Derr—it’s those textured skate-stops. Boooooog!
THE KILLER ZODIAC I think art receptions are fun. Wear your best bubble-wrap dress with matching shoes, see some new art, meet the artists (usually), drink a little wine, fill up on brie and crackers and mingle with other art lovers. If that isn’t a recipe for fun, I don’t know what is.
Ann Pierce’s Signs of the Zodiac opened at Avenue 9 Gallery with a big bang on Feb. 17. Pierce presented the astrological signs in a palette of bright colors and fun depictions of the characters along with each sign’s dates and lucky numbers. Those familiar with Pierce’s work will find the paintings rendered in a rather unexpected style. Pierce said she’s wanted to do the series for a long time, so she finally did and had fun with it. It shows. Pierces work is at the gallery with sculpture by Enyer Buroz through March 19.
NEW BLOOD Tom McQuaid, a transplant from Santa Barbara, is being shown around the local art scene by the lovely and talented Ambassador of the Arts Marianna Love. McQuaid does large wall pieces out of fused glass that were described to me as “high end.” That just means he’ll be shipping most of his work out of Chico.
DEAD PRESIDENTS For the viewer who wishes more action and less mingling and standing around, there is always the theater. Ode to the Blue Room Theatre: Blue Room, Blue Room, roaming your stage, actors delight, while showing such rage, or fright, or doom, such doom.
Assassins, a Stephen Sondheim creation, is a bizarre examination of nine people who were successful at or attempted the assassination of a president of these here United States of America—replete with Broadway-style musical numbers (with a little carnie flavor thrown in for extra weirdness), plays at the Blue Room through Feb. 26.
Carla Resnick is a local artist, writer and musician whose day job is that of gallery director at 1078 Gallery.
