Anne’s Visual Art Studio continues to showcase exhibitions that elevate the discourse of visual art as a living, breathing and evolving mode of creation. Specifically, mixed media artists Francis Scott Horner and Nickolai Walko have come together to deliver turn the Broad st. gallery into an experience that highlights moments of quietness and calm.
“What I would like for people to take away from [the art in the exhibition] is the beauty of new approaches to traditional techniques and ideas as well as just quiet moments, quiet peaceful moments with new works of art,” said Francis Scott Horner, an artist based locally that doubles as a VCU AFO Lab technician and adjunct professor in the Communication Arts department. “Especially with my work, I would hope that people can take away the interesting mix of classical ideals, new and unique approaches to traditional concepts in art and traditional media as seen through the lens of the contemporary period.” Cut by Cut() opened on April 6 and will continue to run through April 29th, this Saturday.
“Enigma #12” via Horner’s website
Anne’s Visual Art Studio dons the best of both worlds in terms of this exhibition- the gallery itself serves as a strong conduit for creativity. Situated in the midst of Richmond’s Broad St. Art Walk and the exhibition opened just before Richmond’s April First Friday.
While Cut by Cut caters to what Richmond art aficionados are used to, it also pushes the bill, so to speak, by showcasing art that delves into unique mediums. Horner creates and assembles his cut-paper in a back-lit, shadow box fashion, Walko creates tape drawings on painted panel, then cuts designs with an X-acto blade to reveal images.
This concerted focus on mixed-media via each artist, as well as overall in the exhibition, is aimed at raising the appreciation and discourse on mixed-media as a fine art within the gallery-sphere.
“With mixed media, it’s a style of work that has always been coming and going as the discourse of art has evolved… the way we think of it today, really came into being with the Dadaist movement as we know it and the collaging concepts and the ideas of that,” said Horner. “It’s a style that allows artists to quickly and effectively communicate using materials that are inherent to the culture around them. Also, collaging or mixed media allows for a broader spectrum of tools to be utilized in any given piece, rather than necessarily being focused on one very specific tool.”
For Horner, the work with materials around him stems from his fascination with disposable forms of art.
From his past installations to more recent shows, his affinity for materials that are not commonly used is a running theme.
“Typically, I either work in paper or cardboard. Any traditionally disposable material,” he said. “The reason I really enjoy this type of material [is because this is] material that is not normally given credibility in the arts community. When it is, it is given credibility as a medium to work on, not with… it has a great number of properties that you don’t see in other materials.”
Specifically, for the work displayed in Cut by Cut, both Walko and Horner utilized layering methods.
“Now, with art it is always a good thing to be extremely knowledgeable in your given skill set- having multiple tools at you times allows for a more varied [and] broader palette in your work and allow people to see a variety of different interesting things,” said Horner. “As you might note with Walko’s piece, “Saint George The Dragon,” he delved into the idea into multiple different layering. I delved into that unique joint piece when I produced the rose in the hand of the hand, the piece “Untitled,” at the exhibition.”
“Anatomie Du chat Noir II” via Walko’s website
These two artists, although affiliated with the School of the Arts at VCU, met each other at a First Friday event on the Art Walk.
“Walko was somebody I had met through Anne’s Visual Art Studio during an exhibition of his about two years ago,” said Horner. “He and I started speaking about the materials in both of our works. About a year ago, he and I really started discussing either having a joint show or show around paper and disposable art. This chance here at Anne’s Visual Arts Studio kind of fell into our lap, oh six months ago, and he and I decided to go all in on this type of show.”
Anne, the owner of the Anne’s Visual Art Studio has been praised as being an integral piece in the showing of a diverse array of exhibitions challenging the mainstream or norm.
“Anne, being who she is, is always welcoming and always open and always willing to have conversation with any person who comes through the door. The relationship there is really evolved and the artists that really sort of gravitating towards Anne’s studio space… are a people that are either looking for a venue that is open to new ideas or new artists in the area looking to have their first exhibition,” said Horner.
Anne’s Visual Art Studio is free, open to the public and located at 208 W Broad St. For more information, you contact the gallery via phone at (804) 644-1368 or by emailing Anne at anne@visualartstudio.org.
