Art in the Plaza │ Wednesday, October 9

Throughout the month of October, Art Saint Louis will showcase the creative talents of St. Louis regional artists through Art in the Plaza, a weekly series of live art demonstrations in the Old Post Office Plaza at 8th and Locust Streets in downtown St. Louis. The second installment in the series features four gifted painters, each with their own style and approach to the canvas. Join us on Wednesday, October 9, 2013, from noon to 2:00 p.m. and enjoy these artists at work!
 

J E N N I F E R   H A Y E S   │   jenniferhayesstl.com
Creative Focus, Wednesday, October 9  -  Oil Painting

“Passion is what drives my creative work. You see it in the bright, bold colors that dominate both my figurative and abstract paintings. They are a celebration of texture, color and curves--an attempt to capture the allure of the female form and ultimately passion itself. Celebrity Chef Hubert Keller is one of my most famous clients, paintings are in his restaurants in Las Vegas and San Francisco. You can see my work locally at Prime 1000(downtown STL), Exotic Motors (on Manchester), Bar Napoli (Clayton)and 10Denza(CWE).”

 

H E N R Y K   P T A S I E W I C Z   │   ptasiewicz.com
Creative Focus, Wednesday, October 9  -  Painting from a Live Model

"I was an only child with a lot of imagination and was always building things, some just to look at. I made some really fun, elaborately structured, Italian styled aeroplanes, but never flew them because of the time I had invested in them they were more sculptural than practical. I drew my ideas and then began to paint in a realistic way to make real things that I couldn't build. I found success and settled in the fiberglass industry making children's play equipment, which I designed, sculpted, and built. One of the highlights was that I got to design and built a prototype boat for Jerry Dammers of the Specials, founder of the Two Tone label, a thirties gangster car which was a boat, to be used on the canals around Coventry, England, going once again back to the theme of toys, which I paint on a regular basis. I came to America in 1999 and have worked as an artist since, painting corporate and private portraits, painting around the country at plein air events, organizing parties, and making the props for them. I also went back to sculpting - this time of the figure, and overall turned my attention to painting portraiture.”
 

E R I N   M C G R A T H   R I E K E   │   divinemoira.com
Creative Focus, Wednesday, October 9  -  Oil Painting

“Since the early 1990s, my work has involved a visual journey of complex emotions, memories and felt energies. Focusing on my existential philosophy that the process and emotional journey is as important to each work as the final product, I have found myself connecting to my subconscious in a liberating, meditative state each time I approach the canvas. Utilizing my intuitive mind, my body and brush become mere vessels for raw, self-exposure. My work attempts to find the subtle, unspoken understandings of honesty for clarifying insight that inspire small changes for greater purpose.”

 

M E G A N   R I E K E   │  meganriekeart.com
Creative Focus, Wednesday, October 9  -  Oil Painting 

Megan Rieke was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. She graduated from Webster University in 1999 with a B.A. in English/ Creative Writing and a minor in Fine Art. She also has an Associates Degree in Studio Art from St. Louis Community College Meramec. After spending her early 20’s travelling internationally and domestically, working on small cruise ships, volunteering for Americorps, and morphing into a modern day gypsy, she and her husband settled down in Kirkwood, MO to raise their 3 sons and 6 chickens. (After 10 years, however, it is still unclear who is ruling the roost.)

Megan has shown in over 30 gallery exhibitions, participates in many live art events, and has been commissioned for paintings that adorn walls in NYC, Kansas City, and St. Louis. In 2012, she was selected for an Award of Excellence from Art St. Louis and was a semifinalist for RAW in St. Louis. She is slated for a solo exhibition at SOHA Gallery in 2014.

Currently, she is the co-chair of the Urban Beautification Project. The group initially banded together to paint 100 murals on the sides of refuse dumpsters for St. Louis City. The UBP has expanded its platform on how and where to create public works of art. Not only do they believe that anything can become an avenue of creative expression, but moreover, that St. Louis is ready for a little facelift.

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  Special thanks to Downtown Now!, The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank, and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation for their support of Art in the Plaza 

 
Art in the Plaza grapic design by Emily Amberger

Art in the Plaza │ Wednesday, October 23

Art Saint Louis is showcasing the creative talents of St. Louis regional artists throughout the month of October with Art in the Plaza, a new weekly series of live art demonstrations in the Old Post Office Plaza at 8th and Locust Streets in downtown St. Louis. The fourth installment in the series will feature four gifted artists working in chalk, oil painting and watercolor painting. Join us on Wednesday, October 23, 2013, from noon to 2:00 p.m. and enjoy these artists at work!
 

A M E L I A   F A W C E T T   │   be.net/ameliafawcett
Creative Focus, Wednesday, October 23  -  Chalk Art

 

J E N N I F E R   H A Y E S   │   jenniferhayesstl.com
Creative Focus, Wednesday, October 23  -  Oil Painting

"Passion is what drives my creative work. You see it in the bright, bold colors that dominate both my figurative and abstract paintings. They are a celebration of texture, color and curves--an attempt to capture the allure of the female form and ultimately passion itself. Celebrity Chef Hubert Keller is one of my most famous clients, paintings are in his restaurants in Las Vegas and San Francisco. You can see my work locally at Prime 1000(downtown STL), Exotic Motors (on Manchester), Bar Napoli (Clayton)and 10Denza(CWE).”
 

A N G E L A   M I R C S O V   │   angarstudio.com
Creative Focus, Wednesday, October 23  -  Acrylic/Watercolor Painting

 

C H E L S E A   S O R O N E N   │  chelseamariecreative.com
Creative Focus, Wednesday, October 23  -  Chalk Art 

"My illustrations are composed mainly of one central train car, with seemingly infinite arrows, body parts, gears, and symbols that work together in an attempt to find the balance between organic elements and harsh machinery. Deemed “Dream Machines”, these trains are powered not by coal, but by people, visions, and big ideas-because isn’t that what truly moves society? I am obsessed with gears, because once assembled together, one cannot move without affecting the others. These illustrations are the result of a meditative practice, where I try to never lift the pen from its initial marks on the page. There is no such thing as a mistake, because every line has intention and meaning. Whether I’m painting a mural, illustrating a dream, or chalking a sidewalk, I fervently believe that all art is interactive. By looking at any art, we immediately become participants in its theatre."

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  Special thanks to Downtown Now!, The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank, and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation for their support of Art in the Plaza 

 
Art in the Plaza grapic design by Emily Amberger

Art in the Plaza │ Thursday, November 7

Thursday, November 7 marks the final installment of Art in the Plaza, our new weekly series of live art demonstrations in the Old Post Office Plaza at 8th and Locust Streets in downtown St. Louis. Join us from noon to 2:00 p.m., to enjoy live art demonstrations by St. Louis regional artists working in a variety of styles in chalk and oil painting.
 

R U S S E L L   C O N K L I N   │   theartfuldodgerstl.com
Ceative Focus, Thursday, November 7  -  Chalk Art

 "I am an independent artist from New York City living here in St. Louis; going on 13 years and loving it. I wear many hats-I am an Interior Designer, muralist, performance artist, carpenter, theatrical set designer, antique dealer, painter, chalk artist, crafter, and makeup artist. I have worked for many amazing clients and my job just keeps getting better every year. My claim to fame is a painting on the ceiling of the entry foyer of The National Arts Club in Gramercy Park in New York City. I am a creator of visions and when I run out of canvas I am the medium!"

 

M U R I E L   E U L I C H   │  murielwatercolor.com
Creative Focus, Thursday, November 7  -  Chalk Art 

As a trained art therapist, Muriel spent many years working in prisons, community centers, hospitals, and in private practice, and also taught at the college level. In recent years she has renewed her commitment to her own watercolor painting; as she works in her studio each day, she feels gratitude and joy for the chance to explore more deeply the beauty and mystery of the world around her, and the world within. In her watercolors Muriel wants to capture the essence of the human spirit. From rugged cowboys, to indigenous peoples, to mothers and their children, Muriel seeks out the poignant beauty of faces, glances, moods. She has a special love of color, and is fascinated by the tension between colors. Characterized by an intensity of pigment unusual in watercolor, Muriel's work shimmers with vibrancy and vitality.

 

E R I N   R I E K E   │   divinemoira.com
Creative Focus, Thursday, November 7  -  Oil Painting

"Since the early 1990s, my work has involved a visual journey of complex emotions, memories and felt energies. Focusing on my existential philosophy that the process and emotional journey is as important to each work as the final product, I have found myself connecting to my subconscious in a liberating, meditative state each time I approach the canvas. Utilizing my intuitive mind, my body and brush become mere vessels for raw, self-exposure. My work attempts to find the subtle, unspoken understandings of honesty for clarifying insight that inspire small changes for greater purpose."
 

M E G A N   R I E K E   │   meganriekeart.com
Creative Focus, Thursday, November 7  -  Oil Painting

Megan Rieke was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. She graduated from Webster University in 1999 with a B.A. in English/ Creative Writing and a minor in Fine Art. She also has an Associates Degree in Studio Art from St. Louis Community College Meramec. After spending her early 20’s travelling internationally and domestically, working on small cruise ships, volunteering for Americorps, and morphing into a modern day gypsy, she and her husband settled down in Kirkwood, MO to raise their 3 sons and 6 chickens. (After 10 years, however, it is still unclear who is ruling the roost.)

Megan has shown in over 30 gallery exhibitions, participates in many live art events, and has been commissioned for paintings that adorn walls in NYC, Kansas City, and St. Louis. In 2012, she was selected for an Award of Excellence from Art St. Louis and was a semifinalist for RAW in St. Louis. She is slated for a solo exhibition at SOHA Gallery in 2014.

Currently, she is the co-chair of the Urban Beautification Project. The group initially banded together to paint 100 murals on the sides of refuse dumpsters for St. Louis City. The UBP has expanded its platform on how and where to create public works of art. Not only do they believe that anything can become an avenue of creative expression, but moreover, that St. Louis is ready for a little facelift.
 

C H E L S E A   S O R O N E N   │  chelseamariecreative.com
Creative Focus, Thursday, October 7  -  Chalk Art 

"My illustrations are composed mainly of one central train car, with seemingly infinite arrows, body parts, gears, and symbols that work together in an attempt to find the balance between organic elements and harsh machinery. Deemed “Dream Machines”, these trains are powered not by coal, but by people, visions, and big ideas-because isn’t that what truly moves society? I am obsessed with gears, because once assembled together, one cannot move without affecting the others. These illustrations are the result of a meditative practice, where I try to never lift the pen from its initial marks on the page. There is no such thing as a mistake, because every line has intention and meaning. Whether I’m painting a mural, illustrating a dream, or chalking a sidewalk, I fervently believe that all art is interactive. By looking at any art, we immediately become participants in its theatre."

 

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  Special thanks to Downtown Now!, The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank, and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation for their support of Art in the Plaza 

 
Art in the Plaza grapic design by Emily Amberger

Local Artists Take to the Plaza Downtown

ART SAINT LOUIS, DOWNTOWN NOW!, AND U.S. BANK
PARTNER TO CONNECT PEOPLE AND ART

ST. LOUIS — The newly renovated Old Post Office Plaza at 8th and Locust Streets in downtown St. Louis will be the setting for a new series of live art demonstrations presented by Art Saint Louis. The series, Art in the Plaza, will showcase local talent as St. Louis regional artists practice their craft in the Plaza and interact with the public.

Weekly visual art demonstrations in a variety of mediums will take place midday, from noon to 2 p.m., beginning Wednesday, October 2, and continuing throughout the month, on October 9, 16, 23 and 31. The series is free and open to the public.

Art in the Plaza will include demonstrations in chalk art, watercolor, oil painting, encaustics, face painting, acrylics and body casting. Featured artists include Michael Anderson, Angélica Avendaño, Russell Conklin, Muriel Eulich, Amelia Fawcett, Jennifer Hayes, Henryk Ptasiewicz, Katie King, Erin McGrath Rieke, Megan Rieke, Angela Mircsov, Julie Snidle and Chelsea Soronen.

The program adds to a growing collection of cultural offerings downtown spearheaded by Art Saint Louis, and is made possible through sponsorship from Downtown Now!, The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, the St. Louis-based community development subsidiary of U.S. Bank.

Adding to its 25 years downtown, Art Saint Louis recently renovated a 2,700 square foot retail space on the south side of the Park Pacific building at 1223 Pine Street, where it has opened a gallery/café hybrid in partnership with local coffee roaster Mississippi Mud Coffee Roasters. The organization also recently launched Pop-Up STL (http://PopUpSTL.com), a pop-up gallery program modeled after the Chicago Loop Alliance’s popular Pop-Up Art Loop program and similarly aimed at celebrating the work of contemporary artists while strengthening businesses and catalyzing urban renewal. Pop-Up STL currently showcases regional art in four retail spaces on Washington Avenue.

About Art Saint Louis

Art Saint Louis is a nonprofit organization that has promoted the work of contemporary visual artists in and around St. Louis for over 28 years. Core services include a year-round series of exhibitions in the organization’s gallery and café at 1223 Pine Street in downtown St. Louis as well as a number of rotating exhibitions in offices and public spaces elsewhere in St. Louis.

About Downtown Now!

Downtown Now! is a non-profit organization created to develop and implement plans and programs for revitalizing Downtown St. Louis. Downtown Now! manages the award winning outdoor venue, the Old Post Office Plaza, which was designed to be activated and programmed throughout the year.

About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), with $353 billion in assets as of June 30, 2013, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the 5th largest commercial bank in the United States. Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, the company operates 3,087 banking offices in 25 states and 5,032 ATMs and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

About The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank

The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank is a provider of comprehensive wealth management services for high-net-worth individuals, families and foundations with investable assets of more than $1 million. Highly experienced wealth management advisors lead client-focused teams that deliver forward-thinking, customized strategies including investment management, private banking, personal trust and estate administration and financial planning services designed for each client’s unique goals and needs. The Private Client Reserve is a part of U.S. Bank’s Wealth Management Group. For more information, visit www.reserve.usbank.com.

About U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation

With more than $11.7 billion in assets as of June 30, 2013, U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, a subsidiary of U.S. Bank, provides innovative financing solutions for community development projects across the country using state and federally sponsored tax credit programs. USBCDC's commitments provide capital investment to areas that need it the most and have contributed to the creation of new jobs, the rehabilitation of historic buildings, the construction of needed affordable and market-rate homes, the development of renewable energy facilities, and the generation of commercial economic activity in underserved communities. Visit USBCDC on the web at www.usbank.com/cdc.

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 Special thanks to Downtown Now!, The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank, and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation for their support of Art in the Plaza 

 

 Art in the Plaza grapic design by Emily Amberger