Matthew Brandt’s latest series of photographs and prints, Lakes, Trees and Honeybees, will be on exhibit from May 24 until June 30, 2012 at Yossi Milo Gallery, 245 Tenth Avenue
(between 24th & 25th St.). There will be a reception , with the artist, Thursday, May 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. This is the artist’s first solo exhibit in New York.

Brandt’s prints are a combination of physical elements of the subject and are inspired by photos of the American West. Brandt uses traditional photographic techniques and processes. These include handmade paper and gum-bichromate. And that isn’t all. He uses a variety of other, now unusual, techniques.

Brandt’s process is fascinating. He takes photos of Western U.S. lakes and resevoircs and submerges the print in water collected from the subject of the photo. These C-prints are soaked for days, weeks or months depending. And, obviously the process impacts the photo in many way. The prints come out of the water when Brandt thinks they are ready.

If you are near, be sure to have a look at these exhibits.

Ellen Miller Gallery (Boston) now represents the work of  Niho Kazuru’s unusual works. Kazuru, originally from Japan and now living in  Boston, works with odd materials. The most recent sculptures, including the one pictured here, focus on architectural, botanic and industria form—often using cast rubber.

Her work is, from what I have seen, captivating and truly unique.

Kozura was born in Fukuoka, Japan and graduated from Parsons. Art is also in her family as she is descended from generations of ceramists.  Her work has been shown in the USA and Japan in galleries and museums.

Jason Bard Yarmosky’s first solo exhibition with Lyons Wier Gallery, Elder Kinder, opens May 3, 2012. There will be an artist’s reception at 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday May 3, 2012 at Lyons Wier Gallery, 542 West 24th Street, New York, New York.

The gallery hours are Tuesday from Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Yarmosky’s paintings are of elderly folks—and his aim is to, with some humor, let us know that age is not a “deterrent to living fully.” Great sentiment and wonderful work. The paintings are incredibly real. Yarmosky chose to do this project with two people close to him—his grandparents.

  

A major retrospective of French abstract artist, Georges Folmer,  opens at Waterhouse & Dodd, at 16 Savile Row in London,  and runs April 24 through May 11. Selected works will also be displayed at the gallery at 26 Cork Street (an exhibit by Ingolv Helland opens the same night at the Cork St. Gallery). For more information go HERE.

The exhibition consists of sculpture, paintings and roto-peintures which are 3D pieces with panes that move. All the works were created between 1928 and 1968. The exhibit is accompanied by a 60 page catalog.

The exhibition is titled Φ, the Greek letter  Phi—which is a symbol that was integral to Folmer’s work beginning in the 1930s. It is the symbol of the mathematical theory, The Golden Ration. It signifies the balance of all things. Folmer used it to sign many of his works.

I met Linda Troeller during Art Basel week 2011. I interviewed her (look for that here in a week or so). Troeller is a wonderful photographer who specializes, if she has a specialty because she has a large body of work, in the self-portrait. Troeller is leading a series of workshops from August 26 to September 1, 2012 at Maine Media in Rockport, Maine.  The workshops are for intermediate and advanced photographers on the self-portrait. To find out details of the classes go HERE. Space is limited.

The self portrait is more than just holding a camera away from your face and snapping a way. In Troeller’s work it is a way to understand where we are in life and where we fit in the world. The workshops Troeller is teaching will take students to another level using a mirror, roll playing and creative narrative. Every photo we take tells a story and we can create those stories.

Troeller has led other workshops; at Yale, Bournemouth College (UK), University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Parsons and the School of Visual Arts. Her work has won many awards and she has been exhibited worldwide.

She was inspired into being a photographer by Georgie O’Keeffe. She was an
and assistant at the Ansel Adams Workshops with Adams and Annie Leibowitz and model for such photographers at Lucien Clergue and Eikoh Hosoe.

Her book , Mucalinda- Self-Portrait + Self-Reflection, was released last year.

For more information on Troeller head to www.lindatroeller.com.

Robert Bills Contemporary in Chicago present , The Kipper and the Corpse, a group exhibition featuring; Lauren Anderson, Mike Andrews, Jessica Labatte and Montgomery Perry Smith.  The exhibit opens April 20 and runs through June 2, 2012.

There will be an opening reception Friday, April 20, 2012 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 222 North Desplaines Street at Lake Street on the lower level.

The artists exhibited use trickery, transformation, deception and humor and numerous media to make their art, and their point.  They use collage, sculpture, animation, drawing and photography to abstract and disguise images.

Find out more information at the Robert Bills Contemporary website.

David Klein Gallery at 163 Townsend in Birmingham, Michigan, presents an exhibit by Betty Woodman, one of the most important ceramic artists out there today. The exhibition opens April 28 and runs through June 2, 2012.

Woodman makes exuberant ceramics with an strong influence from Roman architecture and wall paintings. She is known for the balance of form and decoration in her work. Her ceramics reference sculpture and architecture. This is the first exhibit of Woodman in the Detroit area in over 25 years. She has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you are in the area, be sure to check this out.

More information at www.dkgallery.com.

La Fondation Valette is holding an exhibition of the work of Alexander Kaletski from Thursday, April 26, 2012 to May 1, 2012 at Foundation to Valletta in Ardon. The exhibit is open Thursday to Saturday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m..

The official party begins Thursday at 6:30, at 7:00 there will be a dedication of Kaletski’s wonderful book, Metro (I just finished it).

The program also includes a screening of Kaletski’s film, Song of Silence, at 7:30 p.m. This is the European premiere of the film.

The address is Fondation Valette - Vieux Village 71 - 1957 Ardon.  For more information head to, www.fondation-valette.ch.

Varnish Fine Art, in San Francisco, is now showing the work of Mike Davis. Davis, also known as a tattoo artist, is a modern surrealist. His work is, he says, partially inspired by watching his mom’s craft projects when he was a kid. But he is also inspired by ancient art and the art of the Netherlands (from the Renaissance period).

His work has humanity and humor and shows a wide knowledge of art—and Davis is also self-taught. Shows are coming. Keep an eye open.

If you read any underground or outsider art publications you have likely seen Davis’ work. He has appeared in Juxtapoz, Art Ltd., Pop Surrealism: The Rise of Underground Art, Tatt Book: Visionaries of Tattoo and a number of online art publications. His work has been featured in exhibitions in San Francisco, Rome, Montreal, Los Angeles and New York.