RIVER COLLABORATIONS
After an invitation to exhibit at the Norfolk Arts Center from December 1919 through February 2020, colleagues Lori Elliott-Bartle, Tom Quest and I spent a good part of the preceding year creating additions to "River", expanding this multi-panel piece to approximately 40 feet in length:
The additions created:
(Five of the river vignettes below are now in the collection of the Omaha P:ublic Library, Downtown Branch. They are on display on the second floor ramp area.)
My individual "Riversquares" and "Riverdiamonds" -- Created for the Norfolk Art Center exhibit:
"River" was also on display at Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Nebraska City, NE from March 11th through April 26th 2019
"RIVER"
("River" channel detail)
Mixed Media: clay, oil & beeswax, glass, mirror, ball chain, collaged paper, acrylic paint on plywood
From November 3rd through December 30, 2017, artwork by Marcia Joffe-Bouska and colleagues Lori Elliott-Bartle and Tom Quest was on display at the Michael Phipps Gallery in the Omaha Public Library's downtown branch.
Along with the artists’ individual works, also on display were two collaborative pieces centered upon the relationship to the Missouri River. “Rivers, Roads, Remains,” (2015), intertwines the river channel, historical maps of the metro area, and the design of the Bob Kerrey bridge while exploring relationships between the natural and manufactured environment along the river. The second collaboration, “River”, was a year in the making and created specifically for this exhibit. A 21foot long undulating channel of richly colored and textured ceramic, and mixed media wood “river stones” filled the east wall of the gallery. Eight mixed media panels fit above and below the channel and further articulated and expanded upon themes of place, memory and connection.
From the library's news release:
"As a new iteration on the theme, each artist's hand plays a role in shaping this work. Elliott-Bartle’s expressionist painting style flows past Joffe-Bouska’s glass tiles and found objects, while Quest’s ceramic work adds naturalistic texture all in various forms and in multiple moments. Together and separately, each artist complements and further explores our connection and multiple perceptions of place."
Along with the artists’ individual works, also on display were two collaborative pieces centered upon the relationship to the Missouri River. “Rivers, Roads, Remains,” (2015), intertwines the river channel, historical maps of the metro area, and the design of the Bob Kerrey bridge while exploring relationships between the natural and manufactured environment along the river. The second collaboration, “River”, was a year in the making and created specifically for this exhibit. A 21foot long undulating channel of richly colored and textured ceramic, and mixed media wood “river stones” filled the east wall of the gallery. Eight mixed media panels fit above and below the channel and further articulated and expanded upon themes of place, memory and connection.
From the library's news release:
"As a new iteration on the theme, each artist's hand plays a role in shaping this work. Elliott-Bartle’s expressionist painting style flows past Joffe-Bouska’s glass tiles and found objects, while Quest’s ceramic work adds naturalistic texture all in various forms and in multiple moments. Together and separately, each artist complements and further explores our connection and multiple perceptions of place."
"RIVERS, ROADS, REMAINS"
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(Now in the collection of the Omaha P:ublic Library, Downtown Branch. It is on display on the first floor.)
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RIVERS, ROADS, REMAINS
(triptych) each panel 20" x 40"
Mixed Media: glass, clay, oil & beeswax, acrylic paint, paper collage, twigs, brass, acorns, snail shells, found objects, pine cones, walnut shells, rhinestones on birch plywood
From June 2 through the 28th, 2015, artwork by Marcia and colleagues Lori Elliott-Bartle and Tom Quest was exhibited at the Artists' Cooperative Gallery in Omaha's Old Market.
Quoting from the news release:
"Beginning with wide-ranging conversations in the fall of 2013, Lori Elliott-Bartle, Marcia Joffe-Bouska and Tom Quest considered collaborative and individual ways they could create works resulting in an integrated and meaningful exhibit. Shared interests and characteristics of their artwork played into their conversations and resulting work. A three-panel collaborative piece bears the mark of each artist while synthesizing an exploration of the landscape around the Missouri River for the show’s signature work. This trio of 20x40” panels shares the show’s title of “Rivers, Roads, Remains”. It is a 60x40” mixed media piece of ceramic, mosaic, collage, found objects, oil colors and beeswax on a birch support designed by the artists and built by Tom Quest. The artists explore connections between nature and manufactured structures along the river and in the metropolitan area. Using old maps as well as the design of the Bob Kerrey bridge, the artists riffed on shapes, textures, colors and materials to create the piece, which marks a level of collaboration new to this gallery. Each artist contributed a distinct perspective as well as a willingness to cede control."
Quoting from the news release:
"Beginning with wide-ranging conversations in the fall of 2013, Lori Elliott-Bartle, Marcia Joffe-Bouska and Tom Quest considered collaborative and individual ways they could create works resulting in an integrated and meaningful exhibit. Shared interests and characteristics of their artwork played into their conversations and resulting work. A three-panel collaborative piece bears the mark of each artist while synthesizing an exploration of the landscape around the Missouri River for the show’s signature work. This trio of 20x40” panels shares the show’s title of “Rivers, Roads, Remains”. It is a 60x40” mixed media piece of ceramic, mosaic, collage, found objects, oil colors and beeswax on a birch support designed by the artists and built by Tom Quest. The artists explore connections between nature and manufactured structures along the river and in the metropolitan area. Using old maps as well as the design of the Bob Kerrey bridge, the artists riffed on shapes, textures, colors and materials to create the piece, which marks a level of collaboration new to this gallery. Each artist contributed a distinct perspective as well as a willingness to cede control."