Wonderland at the McLean Project for the Arts

Flight of the Chicken Wire by Amber Robles-Gordon Credit Victoria Weseley







MPA Hosts New Art Exhibits
By Victoria Weseley


Walking through the new exhibit at the galleries of the McLean Project for the Arts is like Alice walking through Wonderland - something new and unexpected at every turn. McLean Projects for the Arts opened its first group of exhibits of the new year Thursday evening, and over 50 art patrons attended. There were three distinct exhibits, that share a common theme: creating outside the box.

The Emerson Gallery houses the largest exhibit comprised of the works of five artists, “Beyond the Pale.” This vivid display of multimedia works is alive and enticing. Everything is so tactile that people have to refrain from reaching out to touch the works or art. Sea anemones made out of acrylic are mounted on a wall; there are colorful photographs of recycled objects, spangled-covered objects are displayed throughout and a giant butterfly-like creature cascades down a wall.

The Atrium Gallery features works by Bill Gusky in “Shiny New Tomorrow.” The artist combines the unconscious with pop-culture using cartoon-like images in unexpected juxtaposition. Gusky watched DVDs of cartoons from the 1960s and 70s as inspiration. He then made modifications from the source material to create his fluid dream-like imagery.
The third exhibit, “Of a Piece: Paintings by Deborah Addison Coburn,” is hung in the Ramp Gallery. Addison creates paintings which are abstract collages infused with landscape imagery. Many of the works have a grid-like structure which grounds them with infused rhythms.

A few of the art opening’s attendees shared their thoughts about the new exhibits:
Jacob Coburn (son of Deborah Addison Coburn), Bethesda, MD: “Some of the works had neat texture-like detail. My mom’s stuff is here. I’ve seen the process from drawing a model to cutting and splicing to form a new work of art.”
Heather Hoffman, Washington, D.C.: “Everything is tactile…different kinds of media, like the acrylic sculptures.”
Dawn Hebron, St. Charles, MD: “Quite a pleasant surprise. I was blown away. Quite eclectic and flows well together.”
Martin Gusky (brother of artist), St. Charles, MD: "Interesting collection of works. Diverse media – photos, oils, acrylics, sculpture.”

All the artwork exhibited is for sale, ranging in price from $350-$8,000.
What: Beyond the Pale, Shiny New Tomorrow, Of a Piece
Where: McLean Project for the Arts
McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Avenue
When: January 20, 2011 - March 5, 2011
Additional Information: www.mpaart.org