Red Ribbon
Group show of Contemporary Paintings
May 1 – May 22, 2020
Opening Reception: May 1, 6:00-8:00 PM (free to the public)
This May Robert Lange Studios (RLS) in Charleston, SC has asked twenty world renowned artists to take a single piece of red ribbon as their painting inspiration. Each artist will create one painting that exemplifying their specific style, genre and subject matter. The exhibition will hang through most of the month of May. A reception, featuring music, wine, and hors d’oeuvres will take place on May 1 from 5-8PM and is open to the public.
These annual themed group shows at Robert Lange Studios have been developed to connect artists from the Charleston area with not only collectors but also other painters practicing in their field. Artists will present their best work in Robert Lange Studios’ 2 Queen Street gallery space. Included in the show are artists Candice Bohannon, Chambers Austelle, Erik Johnson, George Ayers, Jessica Gordon, Joshua Flint, June Stratton, Kerry Simmons, Matt Bober, Mia Bergeron, Michelle Jader, Nicola Johnson, Patrick Kramer, Patrick Nevins, Robert Lange, Sandra Flood, Timur Akhriev, Anne Marie Kornachuk, Natalie Featherston, Karen Paavola, and Anthony Waichulis.
Gallery owner and artist, Robert Lange says of this new body of work, “Each artist was sent a red envelope and inside was a yard of satin red ribbon. They then were asked to do anything they wanted with it and I can’t wait to see what they decided to create.” For the show Lange has created a large scale close-up painting of a honey bee on a flower, a subject matter he has painted previously, however, this piece has a red ribbon wrapped around the entire painting as if it is a present, “a gift,” for the viewer. Lange said, “The natural world is so precious and these moments where you get to experience something like a bee on a flower are meant to be cherished. It’s truly a gift to us all that we get to live in this world.”
Another trompe l’oiel artist that was invited to the show is Patrick Kramer, who recently began to extensively incorporate elements of trompe l’oiel into many of his hyperrealist works. Each subject is very personal for the artist in both selection and execution, fo the show he created a perfect replica of a burnt stack of letters wrapped in a red ribbon. He says, “Being a perfectionist, I have always been considering art as an outlet for my slightly obsessive personality. I studied painting in college, and experimented with hyper realism as a way of perfecting my craft. I never intended to pursue the style, but found it hard to give up, as it suited my nature.”
After the success of numerous group exhibits, Lange says, “The audience here in Charleston and I think online in general has a desire for diversity, so group shows are a great way to give audiences a well edited, yet varied group of paintings.“
Artists like figurative realist Kerry Simmons, who created a paint of a single female wearing antlers that have been criss-crossed by pieces of red ribbon. She said, “It’s always a challenge but more so an inspiration to work within a theme.”
Anne Marie Kornahuck, recently named one of the top 16 female contemporary artists by American Art Collector, is best known for painting realist figures flowing in fabric. She, like Simmons, created a figurative piece for the show. She says, "I set out to use the red ribbon as focal point, a decorative embellishment and as a mysterious element."
Artists participating include: Candice Bohannon, Chambers Austelle, Erik Johnson, George Ayers, Jessica Gordon, Joshua Flint, June Stratton, Kerry Simmons, Matt Bober, Mia Bergeron, Michelle Jader, Nicola Johnson, Patrick Kramer, Patrick Nevins, Robert Lange, Sandra Flood, Timur Akhriev, Anne Marie Kornachuk, Karen, Paavola, Natalie Featherston, and Anthony Waichulis
The gallery is open 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. everyday and by appointment.