The Art Bank used to be a bank. Really. A really really old bank that John Dillenger supposedly robbed back in the Depression. It's not your average gallery, either. Appearance-wise, they have left all of the interior walls up, all of the bank fixtures inside, this place really is an art...bank. The teller's windows are in place, even the 'drive-up' window on the northeast side of the building. If it weren't for all of the, you know, artwork around, you could easily picture yourself walking up to a teller and asking to make a withdrawl (or, in John Dillenger's case, demanding a withdrawl, seeee, put it right here in the bag! And no funny stuff!)
From left to right: 1) Carmen and Dan in the 'drive-up' teller window. There are a few art pieces in this small space, but it's more like an impromptu chill-spot for now. 2) The Book Nook, AKA the bank's old vault. A cozy space selling locally published books which are displayed using the drawers from the small safe-deposit boxes inside the vault. 3) Art fans examining Mark Patrick's work, as seen through the bars of the teller's window. Imagine me, the photographer as the bank customer, and one of these ladies as the teller. An excellent example of how every surface is utilized in The Art Bank.
There are some strong characters at The Art Bank. I didn't get a chance to snap a pic of amazing oil artist Kim Estes (she left before the camera came out!). It's to her credit that I 'discovered' this place. She was the featured artist this last July, with a show of paintings based on Hubble Space Telescope photographs. Of course I was a moth to a flame as far as space paintings were concerned and they were amazing! But for the double-win, I made some new art-friends and enjoyed the really wonderful atmosphere that is The Art Bank. This is not your average gallery with a 'stuffy' stigma. This place is more like an art-party on First Fridays, with bands and activities in the parking lot during warmer weather. There's alot of high traffic even in the winter, so the Bank is always hoppin'.
The first character I'll introduce (that I actually got a pic of!) has to be Carmen Hurt: The Internationally Unknown Artist and a true CHARACTER. On my first trip to the Bank, I was drawn to her dramatic colors. She uses alot of bright oranges, yellows, and that bright turquoise-y blue that I love to use so much, so, once again, about as moth to flame as I could be for not having space stuff around. She uses oils for her large paintings, blended and blended and smoothed until it looks like acrylic. She does use acrylic for her lil boxes and lil paintings. The lil boxes contain "round-tuits," perfect gifts for procrastinators.
From left to right: 1) This is Carmen Hurt. See her brightly-colored artwork over her shoulder? Crazy-dazzling. 2) These are Carmen's shoes. A lady this colorful, what, did you think she wore penny-loafers? 3) These are some of Carmen's lil paintings. They are minis of her "Some Flung Blue" series that features...blue paint flung around on orange and yellow backgrounds. These are acrylics and the larger versions are also in acrylics. These lil guys are displayed on the counter outside the tellers' office. 4) Inside the tellers' office, a large oil by Carmen covers a storage space and more lil paintings and lil boxes cover the top. 5) This is Carmen's wine, chilled in the snow on a table outside the Bank. Told you this place was hopping, even in the bitter January winter.
Next door to Carmen is Mark Patrick. He's a recent addition to the Bank, displaying his oils and watercolors on the counter and in the cubbies used by the tellers. I'm honored to say that Mark saw my show at Clowes this August, by coincidence, and, once he figured out it was me, said he had wanted to meet the artist behind that show. I was humbled and I marveled at how small the world is sometimes. I envy Mark's loose style, and all the colors that blend to form, say, just the petals of a flower.
From left to right: 1) Mark Patrick and his art. See how every space, every nook and cranny is used to display at the Bank? 2) A close-up of one cubby, used by Mark Patrick, with some of his florals displayed inside.
The last character I'll introduce this time is Preston Karns. Preston is a glass-artist based out of the Shelbyville area, so he has quite a commute to the Bank. When I first met Preston, his art occupied the space that Mark Patrick is now using. Preston's art involves fused glass, etched glass, glass-glass-glass of all kinds. This last First Friday, he showed me a photo of a counter top he created, using beer bottles (it was for a bar in Ohio) that were melted until they formed an interesting surface.
From left to right: 1) Preston Karns, glass artist. That's his artwork on the stand in the background by the window. 2) Preston's turtle, a close-up of the piece that's on the stand. This is a many-layered piece, with the ground looking like its in one spot, the turtle a little closer, and the fish a little farther away. A neat 3-D effect. 3) Jellyfish from the same piece. Some of the jellys are closer, some farther away, and a piece of sea-weed right up front.
There's something interesting about that room that Preston's standing in, on the second floor of The Art Bank. Very soon, some of my art will be displayed on a portion of wall in that room! I'm going to The Art Bank! I can't wait! I'll post details as soon as I get them, and dance happily around until then. Thanks Preston!
Next time: There's an issue out of Better Homes and Gardens and I'm totally captivated by it. Really. Tetris-themed curtains anyone?
