“There seems to be a vacuous spiritual sense in our society.” — Sabra Crockett

Artists have painted nature and animals since the cave paintings at Lascaux, France. Those early renderings are documents of time: season by season, lifetime by lifetime, they are the first recorded history; but over the ages of time artists moved away from sociology and began capturing the complex beauty of other species as a means of expressing a reverence for nature. Art was also used to recognize the divine, and the natural world was often where they found it.

These paintings by Sabra Crockett are well-observed studies of specific birds, but they are placed in specific, idiosyncratic visual context for the purpose of conjuring a spiritual connection. The artist explains:

*"Deception" by Sabra Crockett, 8x10in, acrylic and metal leaf on canvas (2017)*

“My goal is to be a mechanism for shifting people's awareness towards nature. I believe that we have become disassociated with nature, therefore becoming disassociated with ourselves. There seems to be a vacuous spiritual sense in our society. Religion has become a sense of identity, rather than a transcendent self-discovery, and tuning into the higher self. Personally, connecting with nature has always been my way of connecting to the divine. Now I feel that our beautiful parks, wildlife, and habitats are being threatened even more. It feels like an assault these days. So I focus on imagery for people to create a connection with our natural world in hopes there will be a connection within themselves.”

*"Exaltation" by Sabra Crockett, 12x12in, acrylic metal leaf venetian plaster on board (2017)*

In January 2017, Crockett was a recipient of a Great Meadows Foundation Professional Development Grant, and currently is a participant in Gridworks Revisited, Lexington, KY. She will open a solo show on March 31 at Downtown Pilates, Louisville, KY, and will be included in SALON International, in New York City April 12 -16. Summer will bring exhibits at Dragon King's Daughter in May, and at Evolving Gallery in June, both in Louisville.

Hometown: Rochester, New York
Age: 43
Education: BFA, Rochester Institute of Technology
Website: http://www.sabralynne.com

*"Judgement" by Sabra Crockett, 10x8in, acrylic and copper leaf on canvas (2016)*

*"Pride" by Sabra Crockett, 8x10in, acrylic and plaster on canvas (2016)*

*"Balance" by Sabra Crockett, 8x10in, acrylic and metal leaf on canvas (2017)*

Are you interested in being on Artebella? Click here to learn more. — *Are you interested in being on Artebella?* *Click here* *to learn more.*

Photography

Vignette: Mark Lenn Johnson

Josh Jenkins · April 11, 2017

"Lesedi" by Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies — *"Lesedi" by* *Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies*

Artist, Mark Lenn Johnson — *Artist,* *Mark Lenn Johnson*

Mark Lenn Johnson’s Fountainfalls series are photographs of drops of water impacting onto a liquid surface with startling drama and beauty. The extreme close-ups show us something we don’t see every day, and the highly reflective dispersal patterns shot through with intense color look more like glass than water. As Johnson is also a glass artist, this makes sense.

“All of my work, whether it is in glass, creative photography or abstract painting, is the physical manifestation of my intrigue, my captivation, my obsession with color,” explains the artist. “I see my glassmaking process as being much more rigid, orderly, patient and well defined while my painting, in all of its abstract audaciousness, requires a much less systematic and structured approach. My creative photography harnesses aspects from both of these processes. In its own right being systematic and methodical while, at the same time, yielding a completely random, arbitrary and ungovernable outcome. All three, however, are equally important to me and equally necessary and contribute to an all-important sense of balance in my life. Ultimately, I aspire to create art that stirs viewers to a deeply emotional response, even if it's only subconscious – a fitting acknowledgment to work that I hope is considered beautiful by everyone while at the same time being significant to the individual.”

"Cia" by Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies — *"Cia" by* *Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies*

Several images from Johnson’s Fountainfalls Creative Photography Series were added to the permanent collection of Eastern Kentucky University's Library System and placed for display at the John Grant Crabbe Main Library. He is represented in Louisville by Kore Gallery at Mellwood Art Center, where his most recent solo art exhibit, "Nothing But Color!!!" was held in December 2016.

"Masika" by Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2016), price varies — *"Masika" by* *Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2016), price varies*

Johnson is being honored by Art Tour International Magazine as one of its Top 60 Contemporary Artists of the Year, in an Award Ceremony to be held in Florence, Italy on May 27, 2017.

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Age: 49
Education: B.S., Mathematics - University of KY, Glassmaking instructional classes with Laura Hallock (Hallock's Stained Glass, Lexington) and Brook White, Jr. (Flame Run, Louisville), Photography instructional classes with John Snell (John Snell Photography, Lexington)
Website: Marklennjohnson.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/MarkLennJohnson
Instagram: Instagram.com/MarkLennJohnson

"Dayo" by Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2016), price varies

"Fontana" by Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies — *"Fontana" by* *Mark Lenn Johnson, multiple sizes available, photography (2017), price varies*

Special, Mural, Painting, Photography

Feature: 1619 Flux

Josh Jenkins · April 7, 2017

1619 FLUX is re-opening for our One-Year Anniversary on April 15th, 2017 with a new Exhibition about Revitalization in West Louisville, and other surrounding neighborhoods.

“1619 Flux is NOT an art gallery.” — Kara Nichols

Neighborhood Revitalization & The Creative Flow Exhibition Co-Curators:  Jesse Levesque, Kara Nichols, and Gwendolyn Kelly — Neighborhood Revitalization & The Creative Flow Exhibition
Co-Curators: Jesse Levesque, Kara Nichols, and Gwendolyn Kelly

Kara Nichols and Jessie Levesque did not want to open an art gallery on West Main Street. Not that there’s anything wrong with that notion, it’s just that the pair had something else in mind. The full name they gave their venture, 1619 Flux Art + Activism is actually fairly direct in announcing the mission, but once you put art on the walls with a price tag, “gallery” is the easy assumption. People get it – they know what that is and they can feel good about it. But the real mission – the second part of that name – is an idea that still struggles to gain currency in the mainstream. What exactly does it mean to use art to effect social change?

Part of the problem is that it can mean so many things. “We want to engage artists who are solving problems creatively,” explains Levesque, “and, of course, part of that engagement will include exhibiting art, but there’s more to it.”

Nichols, who holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Louisville, never saw herself in the role of “curator”, but she and Levesque are inventing a new role for themselves, step-by-step. The first step was to make a home. The building is a humble, low-slung bungalow-like edifice that sits back off of Main Street between 16th and 17th Streets. It seems utilitarian on the outside, and the interior is open and efficient; a good space for a reception. When 1619 opened its doors one year ago, there was a party attended by a host of Louisville VIP’s: Mayor Greg Fisher, Ghislain D’ Humeires, Teddy Abrams, and many others. The high profile event drew a large crowd and the owners engaged a valet parking company to handle the traffic. That doesn’t seem unreasonable for such a glittering night, but later they heard negative comments from the neighbors. “They said to us, ‘seeing valet parking told us we weren’t welcome,’” says Nichols. “Which is exactly the opposite of what we intended.”

*"Portland Car Show" by Adam Horton, 8x11in, photograph*

Which just underscores the challenge of trying to focus creative social activism through a physical location designed to pull people across the mythical 9th Street divide.

*"Consume" by Bryan K. Holden, 48x72x9in, Plastic Liquor Bottles, Cardboard Homeless Signs, Wood, Resin, Ink, Paint, Liquor, Cigarette Butts, Pills, Syringes, Keys and Wedding Ring*

Hoping to clarify their intentions, Nichols and Levesque invited artist and West End resident Gwendolyn Kelly to co-curate a new exhibit that opens April 15, Neighborhood Revitalization & The Creative Flow. Although it does feature artists: Adam Horton, Randall Webber, Anne Huntington, Gwendolyn Kelly, Bryan K. Holden, Scott Vinson, D.R. Stewart, REMI, Kacy Jackson, Dwayne Whidby, Josh Ison, Shaun Sargent, Andrew Cozzens, and Erik Nohalty will all have work in the show, it will also highlight people and businesses that are making a creative difference in neighborhoods in transition: Algonquin, Butchertown, California, Chickasaw, Germantown, NuLu, Parkland, Park DuValle, Park Hill, Phoenix Hill, Portland, Russell, Shawnee, Smoketown, and SoBro/SoFo, among others.

One of the ways they accomplish this is by devising categories for people who affect change through creative action. In the statement for the exhibit, the curators state: “Creative people help to revitalize neighborhoods as architects, artists, connectors, employers, muralists, navigators, and witnesses. Art and activism emerges when creative people invest their time, money, and energy in neighborhoods in flux.”

*"Pharoah Sanders" by Kacy Jackson, 48x24in, acrylic and spray paint on board*

Nichols, Levesque and Kelly came up with a series of identities:

Navigator
Architects
Witnesses
Connectors
Muralists
Employers
Artists
Evolvers

They see these terms as establishing entry points for individual to become a part of the discussion. “There is so much going on,” says Kelly, “but if people can identify with one of these roles, then they are involved.” The roles encompass people, businesses, social agencies, and art non-profits. “Connectors are churches, school, organizations like Louisville Visual Art,” explains Levesque, “Employers are obvious, but some of the other categories are more subtle in their definition, and, of course, we are all witnesses.”

It may seem surprising that Nichols and Levesque opened their space while still trying to figure things out, but their lack of arrogance and willingness to learn and grow provides an important example for people of means who want to make a difference in the community. It’s too easy to talk yourself out of taking such a risk, and nobody wants to look foolish, but perhaps in the territory where angels fear to tread is exactly where we might find the greatest opportunity for change.

Grand Re-Opening and One-Year Anniversary!
1619 FLUX: Art + Activism’s
Neighborhood Revitalization & The Creative Flow Exhibition
Saturday, April 15th, 2017
5:00pm - 10:00pm

Meat from Superior Meats, BBQ by Boss Hog, wine & beer, sides and desserts from The Table, Farm To Fork, and Sweet Peaches

Live music with WoWuWoo & Krew from 8:00pm to 10:00pm

*"Phoenix Hill" by Adam Horton, 8x11in, photograph*

"Sweet Peaches Restaurant Mural" by Resko, Photo by Randall Webber. 8x11in — *"Sweet Peaches Restaurant Mural" by Resko, Photo by Randall Webber. 8x11in*

*"Smoketown Teardown" by Adam Horton, 36x36in, photograph*

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery: art[squared]

Josh Jenkins · April 5, 2017

*"Untitled" by an anonymous artist, 8x8in (2017)*

The simple, ubiquitous square - Some artists are uncomfortable with it: better to occupy the expanding horizontal form, which feels as if it matches our comprehension of the world around us, yet this year’s call for artist’s to donate original work to art[squared] has resulted in 300 pieces – a dizzying array of images of inestimable range and appeal.

On April 7 and 8, Louisville Visual Art will offer these 8” x 8” pieces from local and regional artists at the 4th Annual art[squared] Sale. All of the work is displayed anonymously and available for $100 and all proceeds support the Children’s Fine Art Classes.

Friday, April 7th - Preview, Sale & Party - (Ticketed Event)
Pre-sale: $20 members/$25 guests, At the Door: $25 members/$30 guests
7:00pm-7:30pm – Preview
7:30pm – Sale Begins

Saturday, April 8th - Public Sale - (Free Event)
10am-1pm – Sale open to the public

For Tickets: http://www.louisvillevisualart.org/artsquared2017/

Special

Q&A: Abbie Springer

Josh Jenkins · April 4, 2017

"We are poised to bring our aerial cube, stilt walking, juggling, contortion and hand balancing and possibly some other “hot” things not normally seen!" — Abbie Springer

As part of the 4th Annual art[squared] Sale Launch Event on April 7, CirqueLouis will be performing before the sale begins, and will present ongoing performance entertainment throughout the evening. To shed some light on this type of circus/theatre format, we asked some questions of Abbie Springer, one of the founders of CirqueLouis and currently Director of Monies & Donations.

Springer has performed in CirqueLouis’ productions, Bootleg “Untapped” (2015) and A Midsummer Night’s Circus (2016). Springer is also a part of the company’s event performance troupe appearing at prestigious venues all over the city.

At what age did you know you wanted to be a circus performer?

It wasn’t until I was in my mid 30’s that becoming a circus performer ever occurred to me☺. I was pulled into it by my friend (and CirqueLouis co-founder), Lynley Elliott, who had been studying and performing the circus arts her entire life. She and I had cheered together, winning national championships in cheerleading, at the University of Louisville many years before that. We began partner stunts and she excelled at being one of the first women in the country to be able to “lift” females in the cheerleading world. Our natural partner stunt skills and rhythm has aided us in many circus arts like adagio, acro-balancing, duo trapeze and other partner acts.

How did you begin your training?

Almost 8 years ago at Turners Circus with Lynley on Swinging Ladders – considered one of the easiest, yet most terrifying of the aerial apparatus. I also trained and performed on Spanish Webs during my first year and began training on Silks soon after that. Aerial arts really spoke to me on many levels – I was used to flying but usually by being thrown in the air. With aerial arts I became the one in control of every aspect of my flying, and I think I took to it so quickly because of this.

A lot of other skills have also transitioned well from competitive cheerleading, but I also study with a number of women, and men, with completely different backgrounds than cheering. Some have been athletes, gymnasts, dancers, or began circus arts training with no related background at all.

What was your first circus job?

As a performer, in 2010 in the annual Turners Circus spring production (a 67 year old tradition located off of River Road). My first professional job as a performer was as an aerialist at a Black and Diamond event and an event for Zappos.

How did CirqueLouis begin?

With the lifelong circus arts knowledge and performance history of Lynley, the artistic visionary brilliance of Christine Moondancer, and my ever-lasting energy for getting things done, CirqueLouis was created as a way to get the circus arts out of the gym and into the community.

Its official conception was in May 2015, but this group of circus freaks has been performing together for more than 5 years now. CirqueLouis was born out of a love of performance art and a strong drive for giving back to our community. We work and train hard, and want to give our city experiential “cirquetheatre” productions, entertaining events, unique and intensive instruction, and social outreach activities that filter circus “love” back into our city.

What separates your company from a traditional circus?

For much of its history, traditional circus companies traveled from place to place, putting spectacle, humans and animals on display. Eventually many of the traditional circuses left their tents behind for arenas, but the content remained virtually the same. Contemporary circus companies (which began emerging in the 1970’s) rely on a storyline or theme rather than on 3 rings and animals. CirqueLouis is essentially a blend of both, utilizing traditional circus arts within a contemporary circus setting. With our form of cirquetheater, we strive for originality in show concepts, dramatic costuming and unique presentation at events that is unlike anything else happening in this area.

We also launched ourselves as a non-profit in Louisville to stay true to our belief system and honor our compassion charter (effective January of 2016). The heart of our company beats for social outreach and very quickly established the city’s first social circus program, CirqueCompassion, which has been operating in the Portland area since May 2015. This is the program we are now running out of our new home at Louisville Visual Arts and our hope is to maintain a consistent presence there to help foster self-esteem, confidence, teamwork, trust, discipline and opportunities through circus arts for people seeking meaningful connections and growth.

Traditional circus has been the focus of a lot of criticism from animal rights groups, and Ringling Bros. announced in January that they will be shutting down for good after May. How does CirqueLouis fit into what seems like a turning point for this form?

There has actually been a ton of press about this lately with the closing of Ringling Brothers, the selling of Cirque du Soleil and the demise of many “tent” traveling circus troupes. Whether you are delighted or saddened by this change, it is evolving and we hope to be part of the evolution of what circus can do for a community.

The future looks to include even more performance art coupled with fantastic storylines, costuming and music. We are working hard to pioneer this in our city!

Tell us about the company’s education initiatives?

While we provide upper level training in the form of workshops and intensives for those already on the performance path and eventually have plans to open the area’s first comprehensive circus arts academy, our current education initiatives operate without walls. We are bringing circus arts education into schools and centers around the city. Our teaching artists use a variety of measurable skills such as juggling, stilt walking, plate spinning, rolo-bolo, diabolo, and basic acro-balancing during 6-8 week sessions.

Obviously you have to be in great shape to do this type of performance, but how have you made fitness a specific part of the company mission?

For performance, yes. Training our skills (for performance or instruction) actually does keep us in the best shape we can be. But circus arts can also be used as a fun and exciting way to get fit.

We will also be launching our fitness program, CirqueIt, in the next few months as a way for anyone who wants a great workout to be able to do so utilizing modified circus arts.

What can we expect to see during LVA’s art[squared] event on April 7?

What do you want? No, seriously – we are poised to bring our aerial cube, stilt walking, juggling, contortion and hand balancing and possibly some other “hot” things not normally seen! We are getting so comfortable in that space and that comfort allows us to present our best versions of our performance art, so we can’t wait to join you!

Vignette: Sabra Crockett