‘Autumn X’: Langford Art Gallery hosts collaborative exhibit of valley artists

Published 10:01 am Monday, November 11, 2024

The creative worlds of 15 artists have collided at the Langford Art Gallery in Phoenix, with each artist bringing their own flavor to the newly opened “Autumn X” exhibit.

The exhibition holds no particular theme, but includes artists’ works in many techniques and media such as painting, sculpture, digital art and more.

The new exhibit opened Nov. 10 with music, food and drink and a bronze pour provided by gallery owner Jack Langford.

Artists whose work is included in “Autumn X” include: Jim Thompson, Brooke Nuckles, Gary Mercury, Laurie Gadbois, Lynda Hoffman-Snodgrass, Pam Haunschild, Beca Blake, Jack Langford, Lindy Kehoe, Isabelle Rosier Alzado, Zoriya Blalock, Cindy Triplett, Masha Shipovshaia, Oleg Siderenko and Doug Wallace.

Organizers will host an artists’ reception at 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 with each artist discussing their art pieces and answering questions from the audience. The Langford Art Gallery is located at 4850 S. Pacific Highway in Phoenix.

The exhibit will be available for viewing 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, through Dec. 1, with the gallery occasionally staying open beyond 4 p.m.

Those interested in checking out the art can call the gallery at 541-292-1790.

“It’s wonderful to be in a group show that’s quite eclectic in age and diversity and work, and so it’s really about a community art endeavor,” said Lindy Kehoe, a painter in the region for close to two decades. “It’s wonderful to connect with other painters that aren’t necessarily in my social circles, and it builds a stronger artistic community in the valley.”

Kehoe’s flowing, dreamlike paintings evoke a sense of mystical wonder, connecting nature and people and animals in many of her works.

“I’m just an imaginative painter and I like to consider these ‘PictOracles;’ picture-oracles that tune in with the energy and the medicine of what we are needing in this time,” Kehoe said. “I love to create from that playful space and create work that’s uplifting and healing to look at, so my beings are ambassadors of that.”

Talent-based artist Laurie Gadbois fashioned two mosaic mirrors for “Autumn X,” exploring grief, beauty and the taboo nature of humans’ relationships with death.

“I wanted to convey pain and loss and also some of the beauty of life and hopefulness with rebirth and regrowth,” she said. “It’s a big subject, but I wanted to try to put those things in there.”

Both of Gadbois’ pieces are filled with mosaic pieces and beads, offering a stained glass-like aesthetic with multiple symbols of death and the cyclical nature of life.

“My spouse died in February, and so this was part of my therapy for my grieving process,” Gadbois said.

Inspirations behind her works include the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos as well the bejeweled religious relics and remains of Catholic saints.

Watercolor artist Cindy Triplett provided a few paintings for the show, demonstrating the transition and connection of the natural world with large-scale, abstract works.

“My aim was to have a questionable transition between earth and water and air, so with the colors there I feel like I was able to have that transition and the movement and the feel of the marsh or underneath the stormy sky,” Triplett said of one of her works, “Marsh Tide.”

The Langford Art Gallery’s ample space gives artists like Triplett more room to fully express themselves, especially with work series.

“This is the place for large art,” Triplett said. “The high ceiling, it’s perfect for very large works.”

Ashland artist Doug Wallace offers ornate art reminiscent of the Byzantine era, with gold, colors, scenes and subjects inspired by the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

“It draws from classic art and puts a new spin on it,” Wallace said.

Many of Wallace’s works touch on mortality and the impermanence of life, and the artist also created sculptures from repurposed materials to add to the show.

Digital artist Jim Thompson’s works explore many sides of art, with the creative dipping into surrealism, digital pencil pieces and exploring extraterrestrial landscapes.

Thompson’s subjects touch on his past experiences as a hot air balloon pilot, piano player and other hobbies and interests.

“This is a new technique I use that had a lot of detail and handwork in it called digital pencil, and if you look at it very closely, you can see the little pencil strokes there,” Thompson said of one of his works, “Arch Warrior.”

Artist Beca Blake was the key force behind putting “Autumn X” together.

“‘Autumn X’ — the ‘X’ is just for exhibition — is something that came together as a result of a community meeting among community leaders in the valley that happened here at Langford Art Gallery earlier this year,” Blake said.

Blake and others’ approach to the exhibit and future shows is to build out a sustainable art community and break down exclusivity and barriers typically associated with the modern art world.

“What we want to do here with the Langford Gallery and with Phree Gallery 144, and what I see with consensus of other galleries here, is it’s a little different,” she said. “We’re taking more of a creative society approach where we’re welcoming people who are enthusiastic about showing their work to participate.”

Phree Gallery 144, a free contemporary gallery space, opened Nov. 8 at the Phoodery in Phoenix.

Blake and other organizers intend to have another exhibit in the spring at the Langford Art Gallery as well as involving other organizations and groups such as local high school artists.

“I’m excited to be part of something that’s more about shaping the community based on voices that want to participate, and I’m grateful that Jack (Langford) offers his space for that,” Blake said.

For more information on future shows and events with the Langford Art Gallery or Phree Gallery 144, visit phoenixhelio.com.