KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR MFA SHOWS!
by Todd Camplin
If you’re a beginning art collector, a gallerist, or someone that wants to see the next up and coming artists; then you should keep an eye out for MFA shows. The Metroplex has several MFA programs that create focused artists who are already making a cultural impact. TCU, UNT, TWU, UTD, UTA, UDallas, and SMU all have Master of Fine Arts programs in some kind of visual arts discipline. The MFA season of shows is gearing up, but some TCU students who are about midway through their program have thrown together a show at Fort Worth Contemporary Arts. On January 19th, you can see works by Kacie Baker, Daniel Bernard Grey, Bella Jones, and Laura Vasyutynska.
Ukrainian Laura Vasyutynska, tackles politically charged issues in her paintings and sculptures. From American headlines to her home country’s turmoil, Vasyutynska slashes into the politicians with scathing imagery. When reviewing her images, I am reminded of Thomas Hart Benton’s American scene style of storytelling with paint. Only Vasyutynska’s work seems more playful and less melodramatic than Benton’s paintings.
UK native Bella Jones is an artist interested in the ideas and processes of drawing. Sure she uses watercolor and acrylic sometimes, but even these works feel like her pen drawings. She has a funky aesthetic, thus it is no surprise she has shown at RO2 during their Chaos show. Jones is one to take her drawn line out for a walk just to see where it might go. Bodies seem to emerge from her drawings and remind me a bit of the Chicago Imagists.
Out of San Marcos comes the artist Daniel Bernard Gery. From the work I have seen, he is interested in texture. All his forms and objects make you want to reach out and feel the art. Of course, you as a viewer shouldn’t. I am sure the artist enjoys making these very tactile art pieces. He also works in the tradition of non-narrative video art. The images and sounds seem to counter any attempt to apply a story.
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Coming out of Atlanta Georgia with a BS in Biology and minor in art, Kacie Baker’s focus is the landscape. Baker seems to be an outdoorsy artist. Her photography informs her paintings which I am sure informs her cyanotypes. I see a bit of John Baldessari’s influence with the painted landscape contrasting with an unnatural solid bright color. The unnatural color seems to pollute the landscape, yet makes the painting more attractive.
The show opens at TCU’s Fort Worth Contemporary Arts on January 19th. With a reception from 6 to 8. I want to see more of what is coming out of the schools this year, so hopefully, you will be like me and check out these up and comes along with all the other MFA shows this spring.
featured image: Laura Vasyutynska – Ukrainian Parliament (diptych) 2017