“Made in China”

                                      a collection of work by

                                                Kevin Ames

• Opening Reception:  Thursday, January 5th, 2012 6-9pm.

Join us at Yummy wine bar & bistro for the opening reception of “Made in China” on Thursday January 5, 2012 from 6-9pm to enjoy Kevin’s new work and to meet the artist.

• "Made in China" runs from Thursday, January 5th, 2012 through Wednesday, April 4th, 2012.

Artist Statement:

Raised in Warrenton, local resident Kevin Ames found that one North Coast staple kept him focused on his creativity, rain. “For a kid just wanting to play outside, rain was a major down,” yet because of the rain, he discovered drawing, painting, and coloring. “Countless yards of my grandparents butcher paper fell victim to hours of drawing, messing up, crinkling up, and then more drawing.” Animation also inspired Ames and upon graduating from high school, he studied the art of animation at The Art Institute of Portland. It was here he was introduced to his passion, the artistry of graphic design and typography. “I found a connection with this art form which people and businesses need.”

Ames first gallery exhibition, ‘Made in China’ is a vibrant, contemporary, and impressively bold body of work created from a variety of mediums, spray paint on sheet aluminum, paint on claybord, and paint on Plexiglass to recreate the effect of classic animation cells. “I had a lot of ideas for the mediums and materials I wanted to use,” says Ames, “many of which I had never tried, so I just went for it.”

“The content for ‘Made in China’ started with the idea of when robots become everyday household items, which made me think they will probably be Made in China.” Ames studied the working conditions of some factories in China and found the harsh conditions an ironic juxtaposition to the products they produce, which we as consumers use everyday to make our lives easier and even entertain us. “The show is not at all a statement for or against things Made in China, but showing that’s just how it is and we live with it.”

• title: the bolts revolt
• medium: acrylic spray paint on ground aluminum
• size: 20"w x 24"h
• year: 2011
• price: $426

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• title: head honcho
• medium: acrylic spray paint on ground aluminum
• size: 18"w x 24"h
• year: 2011
• price: $421

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• title: world's best boss
• medium: digital on stretched canvas
• size: 18"w x 24"h
• year: 2011
• price: $276

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• title: quality craftsmanship
• medium: multiple layers of plexiglass, transparent paints, and water color in metal frame
• size: 17"w x 11"h
• year: 2011
• price: $271

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• title: the evolution of robot
• medium: acrylic spray paint on cradled claybord
• size: 36"w x 12"h
• year: 2011
• price: $423

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• title: mother 2.0
• medium: acrylic spray paint on cradled claybord
• size: 24"w x 24"h
• year: 2011
• price: $376

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• title: working hard to serve you
• medium: digital on canvas in custom frame
• size: 36"w x 18"h
• year: 2011
• price: $273

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Future artist reception & show are scheduled with & for:

Brian Cameron, Gearhart, Oregon.  Artist reception will be Thursday 05 April 2012 & the show will run until 04 July 2012.  www.briancameronart.com

Darren Orange, Astoria, Oregon.  Artist reception will be Thursday 05 July 2012 & the show will run until 03 October 2012.  www.darrenorange.com

Past Shows:

30 May 2007 thru 29 August 2007 - Maura Cluthe & Jimmy Pickering -www.frag-ment-ed.com & www.jimmypickering.com

30 August 2007 thru 28 November 2007 - Lucas Martin, Portland, Oregon

29 November 2007 thru 27 February 2008 - George Perrou, Portland, Oregon - http://www.georgeperrou.com

28 February 2008 thru 28 May 2008 - Ada McIntach, Seaside, Oregon

29 May 2008 thru 27 August - Jimi Harmon, Seaside, Oregon

28 August 2008 thu 19 November 2008 - Maura Cluthe, Kansas City, Missouri & Jimmy Pickering, Seaside, Oregon

20 November 2008 thru 25 February 2009 - Rob Burns, Manzanita, Oregon & Jeremy W. Johnson, Astoria, Oregon.

26 February 2009 thru 24 June 2009.  Susan Lura Macdonald, Portland, Oregon - www.susanmurals.com.

25 June 2009 thru 23 September 2009.  Ada McIntach, Seaside, Oregon.

24 September 2009 thru 06 January 2010.  John Payne, Portland, Oregon -   www.jopaart.com.

07 January 2010 thru 31 March 2010.  Jimmy Pickering, Seaside, Oregon  -  www.jimmypickering.com. 

01 April 2010 thru 30 June 2010.  Liz Layman, Austin, Texas.

01 July 2010 thru October 06, 2010.  Don Frank, Seaside, Oregon - www.donfrankphotography.com.

07 October 2010 thru 05 January 2011.  Carol Riley, Gearhart, Oregon - www.carolriley.com.

07 April 2011 thru 06 July 2011.  Gary Wallace, Washington. 

07 July 2011 thru 05 October 2011.  Robin Powell, Gearhart, Oregon.

06 October 2011 thru 04 January 2012.  Jorjett Strumme, Seaside, Oregon - www.jorjett.com

05 January 2012 thru 04 April 2012.  Kevin Ames, Seaside, Oregon - www.runningfreedesigns.com

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                                                            ON GOING SHOW

Deroy (Deacon) Sharp

You might describe Deacon much as you would a fine painting: "an original" - or, at the very least, a special edition. Originality and individualism have become underlying objectives for him, and categorizing his work seems a bit of a challenge.

A sculptor, painter and maker of masks, he has worked in traditional realism as well as technical and impressionistic styles. His subjects cover an equally broad range: horses, cowboys, jazz musicians, large and intensely colored pastoral landscapes, and small animals that wildlife artists who portray majestic game might overlook. After viewing a few of his pieces in either medium, however, you see a singular style.

Born and reared on a Kansas wheat farm, Deroy Sharp ("Deacon" is a boyhood nickname) saw farm animals and wildlife daily. He began painting and carving their images. Always knowing he wanted to be an artist, he studied fine arts at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, exploring design and impressionism in depth.

For a time Deacon earned some money painting portraits of prize-winning livestock. After college, he worked for a while as a technical illustrator in the defense industry and later as a design technician for an electric utility. Deacon says he resisted his natural inclination toward impressionism because, "I thought the public was looking for something else and, you know, you kind of want to be somewhat successful," he explains. However, doing traditional realistic sculpture didn't give him personal satisfaction or prove financially lucrative.

One day, in discussing the situation with his wife, Jodi, he decided, "I'm gonna take a bold step. I'm gonna go and do what I want to do and what I was trained to do and what I am drawn to do. If it's just for ourselves, so what. We'll have art for our home."

He began by designing a few masks, instilling his work with greater stylization, and to his surprise, the masks started selling. "Not only did the public gravitate to what I was doing," Deacon recalls, "but I was freed up to do what I really enjoy."

• title: andante #8 of 36
• artist: deroy (deacon) sharp
• medium: bronze
• size: 27.5"h x 6"w x x11"d
• year: 1996
• price: $4550.00

• title: mykee #9 of 36
• artist: deroy (deacon) sharp
• medium: bronze
• size: 22.5"h x 8"w x 6.5"d
• year: 1996
• price: $4550.00

• title: harry j #6 of 36
• artist: deroy (deacon) sharp
• medium: bronze
• size: 29.5"h x 8.5"w x 6"d
• year: 1997
• price: $7150.00

                                                    WANT TO HAVE A SHOW

If you are interested in having a showing at "The Gallery @ Yummy wine bar & bistro", please email me (do not call or solicit me in person) your information and some images of your work.  I will review them and let you know if we make a good fit.  Thank you for your interest.