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Artist Carla Bartow’s display celebrates contemporary mixed media

Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Updated: Thursday, February 24, 2011 14:02

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KATIE PETERSON/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

“Winter” is mounted on a dual pane window and utilizes ink and watercolor both directly on the attached paper and on the window itself. The fluid watercolor on the glass creates a translucent, foggy sky that is juxtaposed by the crisp, detailed edges of the man, bird, fence and cityscape. A piece of wood runs down the center of the window, defining the depth of the piece as the bird placed at the edge of the frame tries to make an escape. “Winter” is on sale for $250.

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“Danger Gold,” like many of Bartow’s pieces, is mounted on a window and contains two prominent images that are repeated throughout the series. The first image is a centered print of a man’s profile done in gold leafing, and the second is a pen and ink mouse located in the lower left hand corner. The crumbling edges of the leafing complement the peeling paint of the window frame, staying true to Bartow’s eclectic style of printmaking.

"Camera Bike Slims" | Open through March 10

Kinetic Gallery Hours: M--Th: 12 - 8 PM, F: 12 - 5 PM, Sat: 1 - 3 PM

 

"Camera Bike Slims," Carla Bartow's wonderfully dynamic collection of work, is currently on display in the College Union's Kinetic Gallery.

Bartow's work ranges from highly expressive acrylic illustrations with text overlapping to lithographs and linocuts, two different types of printmaking.

Displayed along with Bartow's pieces are the linoleum printmaking blocks and sketchbooks she used. They are included to help viewers better understand the artist's creative process. Some prints even incorporate the original pen and ink drawings that inspired them.

Many of Bartow's pieces are created directly on recycled windows; the glass panes act as a canvas and the window frame contains the image inside. Many of the windows have retained their antique feel, with peeling paint and locks and screws still attached.

In the majority of Bartow's pieces, the images spill out onto nearby frames as if the art were too energetic to permit constraint. This quality allows the artist to work "two and one half-dimensionally," meaning that her pieces are mounted on the wall, but the imagery exists on more than one plane. An example of this style exists in "Urban Fiddle," a dual pane window with paint on both layers that creates an interesting depth to the piece.

Most of Bartow's larger works are for sale, and her smaller prints are available for purchase in the gallery for $20.

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