Pink Pearl

Pink Pearl September 22-October 25, 2018. FREE opening reception Saturday, September 22, 5-7 p.m.

Please join Art Saint Louis for our new juried exhibit, Pink Pearl, featuring new artworks by 34 St. Louis regional artists from Missouri and Illinois.

Pink Pearl is a multi-media visual art exhibition featuring 47 artworks that focus on both drawing and erasing. Drawing is the foundation of all art making, however, erasing what has been drawn often comes in to play in the process, too. This exhibit examines drawing as well as the erasing process and how the additive and subtractive part of creating art can also be a conceptual feature of art making. This juried exhibit was open to St. Louis regional artists, including artists in the 200-mile radius. Artists must be 21+ in order to be considered for our shows. For Pink Pearl, 258 artworks were submitted by 108 St. Louis regional artists for consideration by Jurors Mary Borgman and Brigham Dimick, from which they selected 47 artworks by 34 artists from Missouri and Illinois for the final exhibition. This exhibit includes artworks in a variety of media, including ceramics, collage, drawing, fiber, metal, mixed media, painting, paper, photography, printmaking, sculpture, textiles, wood, and more. Please join us on Saturday, September 22, 2018, from 5 to 7 p.m. for a free reception for this new exhibit where you can meet the featured artists and our exhibit Jurors. The exhibit remains on view through October 25. We invite you to view images of all of the artworks featured in this exhibit, gallery views of the show, and highlights from our opening reception in our Facebook album here. The Gallery is free & open to the public Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. & Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. We are closed Sundays & major holidays. We are very honored to have the opportunity to work with local artists Mary Borgman and Brigham Dimick as our exhibit Jurors for Pink Pearl. Artist Mary Borgman has served as lecturer at Washington University, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts since 2004. Her large-scale charcoal portrait drawings have been exhibited in galleries & museums across the U.S., including the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. She holds a MFA in Drawing, Fontbonne University (2001); Associate in Arts Degree, Deaf Communications, St. Louis Community College Florissant Valley (1986); and BFA Washington University in St. Louis (1982). Her work is represented by Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL. Mary's work is currently featured in a solo exhibit at Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO from September 13 to October 13, 2018. Her works are included in numerous public & private collections across the U.S. Internationally exhibited artist Brigham Dimick is Professor, Art & Design, Head of Drawing, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where he has taught since 2002. Brigham holds a MFA in Painting, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (1991), and BFA in Painting, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Elkins Park, PA (1985).

Pink Pearl Jurors' Statements



"I am grateful to Robin Hirsch-Steinhoff, Artistic Director of Art Saint Louis, for the honor of inviting me to serve as co-Juror for the Pink Pearl exhibition with artist Brigham Dimick, Professor and Head of Drawing at SIUE.

It was a pleasure to view such compelling works from so many talented artists, and I was impressed by the diversity of responses in terms of subject matter, concept, media and process.  

Brigham and I began the jurying process by doing a round of elimination viewing the jurying presentation independently. Two weeks later, we met in-person to discuss our choices for further editing. While we agreed instantly on many artworks, we occasionally had different opinions, and then we would advocate for the piece we liked, often influencing each other. Brigham and I tried to be open to all styles and media and considered the theme of  “drawing and erasing” in the broadest sense.

I first saw all the works as thumbnails on my small laptop, and the best works jumped out even at that small size. I then examined each piece on a large monitor and made several passes over the course of several days before deciding. There were admirable aspects to all the works, so this was a difficult decision.

I ultimately chose pieces that I responded to on a gut level. Most of these works had some or all of the following: a unique vision, an intriguing concept, a powerful image, appropriate craft, a command of the media, strong composition, and innovative use of materials.

I think the “beholders” who attend this exhibition will find themselves responding to many of the works; some are haunting and mysterious, some bold and incisive, others tender and sensitive, still others exquisitely obsessive, deeply moving, or stunningly elegant.

Thank you to all the artists who submitted work for consideration and congratulations to those artists whose work was selected for this exhibition.

I look forward to seeing these works in person when I will be able to receive the full impact of scale, mark, texture, and materiality."

— Mary Borgman
artist, Senior Lecturer,
Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts,
Washington University in St. Louis

 
"While the term Pink Pearl literally refers to the iconic drawing eraser, many artists in this exhibition responded to the theme in ways that expand the notion of drawing and erasure. If we regard the word drawing as a verb, it suggests the act of forming ideas in a way that is not medium specific. In this spirit, many on the works in the show embody a dynamic relationship to art making, where images and sculpture seem to live in a state of suspended animation. Whether such an effect is due to the trace of the artist’s hand made evident, or by cultivated accidents that showcase a medium in flux, a majority of these exhibitors offer welcome antidotes to the static image.

Since success is never guaranteed, such an active pursuit of dynamism requires risk-taking. Hence, many of these artists have no doubt developed an inner resolve to work after a series of failures.

I am drawn to artwork that reveals a sense of freshness of vision combined with a command of materials and form. Without a freshness of vision technique is a means to no end. Without a command of form and materials, a good idea does not communicate convincingly.

It is a privilege to act as co-juror for Pink Pearl at Art Saint Louis. While not every artist was chosen for inclusion in the exhibition, all who submitted work are commended for choosing to participate and for subjecting yourselves to evaluation."

— Brigham Dimick, artist,
Professor, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Pictured: works by Emily Mueller, Rachel Reinhard, Michael Rudolf & Miguel de Aguero. Meet these 4 artists on October 20 at ASL.SPECIAL EVENT
COFFEE WITH THE ARTISTS: SATURDAY GALLERY TALK
Saturday, October 20, 10 a.m.    FREE

Please join us at Art Saint Louis on Saturday, October 20, at 10 a.m. and meet four of the featured artists in Pink Pearl.

Guests can enjoy complimentary coffee tastings courtesy of Catalyst Coffee Bar while the artists talk about their works on view in the exhibit, discuss the media that they use and the various techniques that they apply to making their form of artwork. The artists may also bring in samples of their other works or also present a demo of their particular media & techniques. Guests will walk with the artists through the Gallery as they talk about their works on view in the exhibition. This event is FREE & open to the public.

Four artists will speak in the Gallery at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Saturday, October 20:
• Emily Mueller
• Rachel Reinhard, Award of Excellence recipient
• Miguel de Aguero
• Michael Rudolf

The 34 featured artists in Pink Pearl are:

Some of the 47 artworks featured in Pink Pearl:

Jim Burwinkel, St. Louis, MO. "Exit 2." 2017. Powder Coated Steel, Light, 48”x11”x11”. $800. This artwork was selected by the exhibit Jurors for an Award of Excellence.	Miguel de Aguero, Sullivan, MO. "Manifold Series-Cataline II. 2018. Pen, Acrylic, Charcoal, Colored Pencil, Pastel on Mylar, 20”x26”. $550.	Larry Page, Ballwin, MO. "In-Ter-Lude No. 1." 2018. Folded, Formed Paper Construction, Graphite, 36”x24”. $1,500.
Roxanne Phillips, Richmond Heights, MO. "Water Tower." 2016. Pen & Ink on Paper, 26”x26”. $1,500.	Emily Mueller, St. Louis, MO. "Untitled (Capriccio)." 2018. Graphite on Matte Board, Yarn, Mesh, 23”x27.5”. $600.	Scott Schlapkohl, Godfrey, IL. "Six Stages." 2018. Wood, 4.5”x8.5”x7”. $100.
Ainura Ashirova, St. Charles, MO. "With apple." 2017. Etching, Intaglio on Paper, 14”x11”. $250.	Madeline Aubree Brenner, St. Louis, MO. "Changing Tides 3." 2018. Cyanotype on Paper, 11”x8”. $85.	Angie Myers, Dardenne Prairie, MO. "Gong Bath." 2018. Oil on Canvas, 22.5”x22.5”. $400.
Tracey Farmer-Luster, Fairview Heights, IL. "All is Illusion." 2018. Photograph on Paper, 18”x18”. $300.	Garrett Clough, St. Louis, MO. "Wall Erasure." 2018. Acrylic on Plaster, 6.5”x7”x1.25”. $150.	Deanne Row, St. Charles, MO. "The Eye of the Hurricane." 2018. Papier-mache, Encaustic, Construction Materials, 21”x7”x13”. $900. This artwork was seleceted by the exhibit Jurors for an Award of Excellence.