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Artomatic - The Rest of the Story

June 12, 2009

Art Enables' Charles Meissner

How shall I sum up Artomatic 2009? I have already used every synonym for overwhelming and huge, so we’ll take that as said. I stopped counting skulls at 22 (there is a special place in art hell for people that draw skulls. You are tied in a chair while Michael Bolton albums play forever.)

Chuck Baxter's masterpiece

But, oddly, there are far fewer guns and other ordinance than in previous years, hardly any reference to war and there are probably almost as many Obamas as skulls. Lots and lots of Obamas, presented in a decidedly non-ironic way and lots of references to the kids and the family inspiring your work and even photos of a delivery. I mean, that’s sweet, but enough already. Even with 1000 artists, two showing their kiddie lunchbox art seems a lot. Ms. S was getting violent.
On the whole, the thing did feel generally more upbeat and – dare I say it – optimistic.

Susan Finsen

Susan Chapin - nails and wax (I think)

Some art that I liked and/or that caused me to stop and think: Chuck Baxter’s lounge chairs made from plastic bags – Chuck, my man, you have outdone yourself!; Susan Chapin’s sculptures made of nails and her wonderful sales scheme – pick a piece, pick a price, mail me the money – so touchingly 1960’s; the Art Enables display of the work of its cadre of disabled artists, especially Charles Meissner’s precise rendering of a scene from his past, complete with narrative.

Edward Johnston

Edward Johnston’s sculptures are gorgeous and intriguing, but buddy, you need to tell me something about how these were made and what they’re made of. It makes me crazy.

Megan Maher

Marina Reiter

And some more: John Guernsey’s dense, churning drawings of an invented cosmos; the same for Ben Tolman, who always gets me looking closely; Susan Finsen’s colors; Megan Maher’s energetic bursts of squiggles, alive and wriggling; Marina Reiter’s new pods – they look brooding to me; Patrick Finley’s provocative drawing of a woman’s pelvis and what looks like a manufactured vagina; the graffiti walls. a project which began small at the Children’s Museum and has grown and grown.

Ben Tolman

Finally, I love the garden of recycled bottles, cans and other discards, made by Virginia school kids under the direction of Torpedo Factory artists – notice that my picture of it shows the ballpark all lit up and pulsating right outside. That’s the best part of this site.

Trash park and ballpark

John Guernsey

So, thaaaaaaat’s all, folks. Tomorrow bright and early I’m off to beautiful Truro, MA, from where I will report on art and life on the ragged end of Cape Cod.

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