2023 Exhibitions

JANUARY 27-MARCH 2 2023 CURRENT STUDENT WORKS SHOW / KRISTIE EVERETT ZAMORA, JUROR

“The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center’s 2023 Current Student Works exhibition is a great visual to see what is happening inside of the BBAC. This exhibit provides a peek into the art studios and is a testament to the quality of art education and instruction by the BBAC faculty. I want to thank Annie VanGelderen for inviting me to jury this exhibit and the BBAC staff for helping to organize the jury tasks. The 300+ submissions were inspiring and a joy to view. The artwork entered demonstrates BBAC students are learning to master their chosen art material and techniques. This was a difficult jury process and took all day. In my first review pass, I was looking for works that “must be included,” then moved on to reviewing by categories: 3-D, weaving, metals, and 2-D. I was then challenged to select artwork to fit into the allocated gallery space. I was seeking a balance of styles and materials. If your work was not included, please do not be discouraged. I truly want to thank the students for their courage in submitting their artwork for consideration. This is a celebration of being brave and sharing a piece of yourself. Continue to be brave & continue to create. I hope the BBAC visitors enjoy this show as much as I enjoyed viewing the artwork.” ~ Kristie Everett Zamora, Juror

This annual, favorite exhibit features artwork in a variety of media by BBAC adult students – more than 190 pieces. Here is a sampling (click each image for larger view). CLICK HERE for more images & awards.

Junior Aviator by Richard Alonzo

Lexington Pier by Fran Levin

Across from the Nature Center by Brant MacLean

Elevated Bowl by Sonia Svensson

Dark Sky by Gary Tolman

Click here to view more images & complete list of artists in the exhibit.

Images by Annie VanGelderen

MARCH 10-APRIL 20 2023

Stan Natchez: Indian Without Reservation

Stan Natchez is known for his innovative and creative paintings. Inspired by Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, T.C. Cannon and other pop artists, his paintings exude the power of color and similar objects.

“I feel fortunate for having been raised in the city because of the perspective it gave me on modern life. However, without an awareness of our traditional heritage, we as Native Americans have no identity. By taking the best of both worlds, the modern and the traditional, we are better able to find balance in our lives.”

Supported in part by Arts Midwest & National Endowment of the Arts

Campbell’s Spray Can by Stan Natchez

Monopoly by Stan Natchez

US Hostage by Stan Natchez

Guernica to Wounded Knee by Stan Natchez

Lone Wolf by Stan Natchez

Black Robe Comes to the People by Stan Natchez

Brenda Kobs Russell: Familiar Rhythms

“As a whole, my work serves as a record, mapping an interior investigation of my surroundings and a practice of abstracting the familiar. I am interested in the congruities between organic cycles of transformation and artistic process, particularly how an image evolves through the erosion of an etching plate and is further translated by ink into paper. Through a distilled vocabulary, I make interpretive and metaphorical connections to our fluid world, showing forms as they cycle and reinvent in spatially shifting narratives.”

Surfacing by Brenda Kobs Russell

Sequence by Brenda Kobs Russell

Alchemy II by Brenda Kobs Russell

Well E by Brenda Kobs Russell

Maria Bologna: by His stripes

“The Cost. The Wounds. The Enormity. Symbolic themes running throughout this collection, that outwardly express the salvific work of The Suffering Servant [ reference: Isaiah 53 ].”

Debris 8 by Maria Bologna

Stripes C by Maria Bologna

Debris I by Maria Bologna

Debris III by Maria Bologna

Students of Donald Cronkhite

Nankin Lake, After the Storm by Donald Cronkhite

APRIL 28-JUNE 1 2023

Valerie Mann: Good Grief

“The works in this show are primarily abstract. When I look at, make and commit to the practice of abstract work, it’s a meditative and contemplative experience. I consider all the aspects that we see and experience when in the presence of each work. The pieces I make use color, light, texture, shape and shadow to express deeper ideas. The ideas I’ve been thinking about for the last few years are grief; how we individually, collectively, and communally experience grief; how we process grief and maintain some of our wholeness, or become more whole; how we learn about ourselves and our connections to the universal experience of grief.”

Detach by Valerie Mann

Hold by Valerie Mann

Lamentations by Valerie Mann

Sneak Attack by Valerie Mann

Candice Grieve: Finding Light

A master of her craft; the late Candice Grieve is recognized as a “Distinguished Pastelist” by both the “Pastel Society of the West Coast” and the “Pastel Society of America.” When asked about her style and what inspired her works, she responded: “I am a realist by nature, so it makes sense that realism would be my style. Working mostly in figures, people are my inspiration, I have always been fascinated why we do the things we do, with the emphasis on why. An expression or a posture can give me an idea for something I want to express. I like contrast of colors, highlights, and deep darks, I like to think I tell a story but that would be in the eyes of the viewer. Working on detail, is always the challenge but it is the effort that I really love.”

Virgo by Candice Grieve

The Cool Kids by Candice Grieve

Badlands by Candice Grieve

Terry Matlen: RAW

“I am curious about the inner world of imagination, psychology, dreams, fairy tales, and symbolism. My intention is to pose a story or allegory of the human condition by integrating ideas, personal memories and beliefs, contrasting humor with the serious, and exploring irony through the juxtaposition of objects, all while considering the impact of color, composition, light, and texture. Weaving symbols, gender expectations/roles and conflicts, childhood memories, traumas, and fantasies- along with my unconscious and free associations – I tell a story often injected with humor. Most of these pieces arrived with no conscious planning, much like waking up and remembering an odd dream. In addition, I’m aware of and concerned about social injustices that also play out in some of the pieces in this series. Mostly, I am revealing my own self in ways I’ve never done publicly. Thus, the title “Raw” which I chose for this particular show.”

Schuyler and the Flying Dutchman by Terry Matlen

The Parisian by Terry Matlen

Scout Envy by Terry Matlen

Jamie and Choo-Choo Wait for the Golden Egg by Terry Matlen

Students of Kim Fay

“As a mentor and teacher to aspiring artists for over 10 years, my diverse work experiences combined with 30 years in an art practice can greatly assist developing artists at any stage in their journey. I evolved in to the tech revolution so in addition to traditional art making techniques, particularly in drawing and painting, I am familiar with using fundamental tools of design. As a published art critic, I have years of experience deconstructing and interpreting elements of good composition combined with a prodigious command of color, their relationships and how to use them to a desired effect. As a teacher, I’m easy in the classroom with a warm, genuine approach. I offer every resource at my disposal to expand a student’s frame of reference, encourage exploration, help them discover their strengths in order to craft their unique visual voice to become as successful as they can be going forward.”

Genesis by Kim Fay

JUNE 16-AUGUST 17 2023 42ND MICHIGAN FINE ARTS COMPETITION

Juror: Cris Worley

Cris Worley is the founder and owner of Cris Worley Fine Arts, one of Dallas’ premiere contemporary art galleries. She holds a BFA and MA, both in Art History, from The University of the South and Southern Methodist University, respectively. Cris has over 20 years of experience in the fine art business as director for other art galleries, including Pan American Art Projects, and launching her own in 2010. Cris is an active leader in the arts in Dallas. She is a founding member of The Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas (CADD) and has served on the advisory committee for the Town of Westlake’s Public Art Program. She continues to juror exhibitions, act as guest speaker to universities and mentor artists in the early stages of their careers.

Unload and Lock by Susan O’Connor

CLICK HERE to view the artists juried into the show.

AUGUST 25-SEPTEMBER 28 2023

John K. Bunkley: Solitary Melodies: A Visual Symphony of Urban Solitude

John K. Bunkley is a painter, sculptor and musician. He was born and raised in Detroit Michigan.

“Solitary Melodies: A Visual Symphony of Urban Solitude”, is a collection of watercolor paintings and musical score that communicates commonness and solitude without alienation or objectification. The paintings depict figures in candid vignettes in their everyday lives. “I am looking outward to the lives of my people, and elevating their daily ordinary moments to canvas. However, in remote locations, solitude takes on a different character; it is not an absence but the presence of something else—a unique and gentle silence, like a comforting hum.”

Birdwatcher by John K. Bunkley, watercolor on paper

Saturday Chill by John K. Bunkley, watercolor on paper

Rainy D by John K. Bunkley, watercolor on paper

Birmingham Society of Women Painters: As We See It

View from M-119 by Ellie Gause, oil-cold wax

A Bird in Hand by Lesley Kutinsky, oil

Imoasto Study by Denise Lipusch, oil

Philip Ruehle: Familiar Strangers

Philip Ruehle received both his Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts from Kendall College of Art and Design. He has taught painting and drawing at many different levels of education throughout the Mid-Michigan area since 2008. Ruehle’s studio practice mostly consists of portraiture and abstract painting. Philip currently resides in Owosso, MI.

“In developing this body of work, I experimented with a range of styles to depict the likenesses of my family members, some of whom lived in the distant past, while others are of the present day. With a timeline that stretches back over a century, many of these portraits are of relatives I never had an opportunity to meet. When looking at their images from aged and deteriorating gray and sepia photographs, I’m often left feeling curious about their personalities and histories. While there’s always an aim to capture these individual traits and stories when creating a portrait, I’m also interested in letting them manifest into larger themes regarding the ironic and ephemeral nature of life. It seems absurd that over a hundred years can be observed in just a matter of minutes when flipping through the pages of the family album. I suppose this is not so different from how an artist can spend months on a painting to only have it experienced by the viewer for a few seconds. Perhaps it’s a sign to pause and reflect on the efforts of those who brought us here.”

WTF (Wrinkle, Tumors & Finitude) by Philip Ruehle

Passing the Torch by Philip Ruehle

Patina by Philip Ruehle

Students of Laura Host

OCTOBER 6-NOVEMBER 2 2023

Monica Rickhoff Wilson: Earthy Assemblies

Monica Rickhoff Wilson is an American artist, born in Colorado. She earned a BFA from Eastern Michigan University in 2003, where she studied Ceramics and Sculpture. Her ceramic work has been exhibited throughout Michigan, in Chicago, and New York – most recent exhibitions include WSG Gallery, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, Michigan; and the Muskegon Museum of Art. Residencies and workshops include Penland School of Craft, Penland, North Carolina; Centro de Arte Curaumilla, Valparaiso, Chile; Maker Works, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Kripal Kumbh Pottery in Jaipur, India. Experience in glaze chemistry, photography, and plaster mold-making supplement her studio art practice. She works at the Potters Guild and from her home studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan.