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No. 32. Voice From the Studio. The Newsletter of The Art of Félix Berroa. Atlanta, Georgia, August, Sept. and Oct., 2009 |
In This Issue: |
1-
Blowing Hope -Part 2-
2-
A Bit of History in the
Artist Trajectory: Assemblage using
hanging canvas-
3- Outdoor Arts Festivals (Festivales de Artes al Aire Libre).
4.-
Pleasant
news and recent portfolios and links to
FelixBerroa that others have placed in Internet.
5- Guest in this Edition: Four friends: Marga Gavarret. Freddy Javier, Julio Susana, and Roberto Romili.
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Dear collectors, galleries, museums, art festival organizers and friends.
Welcome to another edition of the newsletter of The Arts of Felix Berroa!
This time, we bring the second part of the series "Blowing Hope" and others interesting news we hope you enjoy.
We bring, among other things some informations on the Felix's assemblage histories and, some generalities on the outdoor arts festivals.
Also, in this edition, the guests return. This time, four friends of Félix Berroa. Three of his countrymen, two artists (Freddy Javier and Julio Susana), and a psychologist (Roberto Rimoli). -Julio Susana has already had an Guest Portfolio with us-. Also, the local artist (Atlanta), original from Argentina, Marga Gavarret.
If
you no longer wish to receive this newsletter,
tell us replying this email. Also, if you doesn't
receive this Newsletter through our "emails
list", sign in. Sending us you email. Also,
if you wants any information about his work
or any specific work, write us to one of his
two emails or call.
Omaira Berroa, felbere@hotmail.com, fel_be@msn.com. Tel. 678-355-1473.
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Next
Exhibitions:
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1- August 29, 30: Grand Park Summer Shade Festival. Atlanta, Georgia.
2- September 12 , 13: Atlanta Arts Festival. Atlanta, Georgia.
3- September 19, 20: Roswell, Georgia.
4-
October 10: The Oakhurst
Arts & Music Festival. Decatur, Georgia.
5-
October 17, 18: Brookhaven
Arts Festival, Atlanta, Georgia.
6- OTHER places where find Felix Berroa's works: Pbj Gallery --- Clemens Art Gallery --- Hummingbird Lane Art Gallery.
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1- Blowing Hope 2.
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Above: Félix Berroa resting in his winter studio.
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"BLOWING HOPE 2".
To be Exhibit in the Next Two Arts Festivals.
-Click
the image to enlarge.-
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"Running Girl" . Oil on canvas. 42x48 Inches. Oil on canvas. 2009. |
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Ritual to Fertilize a Woman. Acrylic and oil on canvas. 50x90 inches. 2009. |
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Nude. Oil on canvas. 40x30 inches. 2009. |
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Also, Prints of
Paintings and Photo-Collages exhibited
last April.
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Mediodia-Salto del Mico |
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Chicamocha River 2 |
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Chicamocha River 1 |
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The series "Blowing Hope" (Soplando Esperanza) it was exhibited for first-time in April and continuous through May and June of 2009. I was surprised with the great welcome that had, in spite of the economic crisis that there has been in the country. I produce all my works in two stages in the year. The first stage begins in October and extends until April of the following year. It is exhibited during April, May and June.
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"Yesterday
Hispanish I was born, in the afternoon
I was French, at night Ethiopian I
was, today they say I am English.
I do no know what will be of me!
When I move to United States in 1981, I brought with me all my books. One of those books were the third edition of "The Blacks, the Mulattos and the Dominican Nation" of Franklin J. Franco, 1969. In that book I find the song transcribed above that he quote from Emilio Rodríguez Demorizi's work. That song inspired me to create the work below. |
The second stage begins to be created in June and it finishes in August. These recent works are exhibited in August, September and October.
The
ideas arise anytime, any hour. I transfer
these ideas to sketches in the moment
that take place (I have sketches ideas
for work in files from 2, 5, 10, 15,
30 years behind, for drawings, printmaking,
artist's books, assemblage, environments,
sculptures, etc. that have not still
been materialized). Based on that
routine of work, here I bring the
most recent, the second stage of "Blowing
Hope", part 2.
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Blowing
Hope (Soplando Esperanza) it is a
pleasant series that I begins to honor
the countryside surrounds the city
where was born my wife, Bucaramanga,
Colombia. I am not a landscape artist.
I am a communicator of feelings through
the fine arts. Therefore, my human
characters and their facial expressions
cannot be absent. In this series,
the girl and boy, the woman or the
man are blowing in a symbolic way.
In the first part, they blowing to
birds. In the second part, they blowing
smiles or the seeds that fertilize
to produce new lives, new ideas. This
symbolic blow doesn't attack, but
it caresses, it refreshes, it fertilizes,
it strengthens.
Above at right: "Searching Inside a Black Man". Oil on canvas. 42x48 Inches. 2009.---On the right photo: Félix Berroa in hi summer studio (a double garage) with the pieces for his two assemblages behind him. See the complete assemblages with all pieces together at the shows. |
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In this
second part I exceeded a bit with the size
of some works (the largest one measures
48x90 inches). I have also included two
assemblages that I had already left behind
toward several years. Each assemblage has
around two dozens small pieces of canvases
painted with acrylic or enamel, that hang
vetical through a wooden structure. The
assemblages is header by a canvas of horizontal
composition, as a window where the spectator
enters to that interior world of faces expressions,
forms and nature colors. The idea of renew
the assemblages comes from the year 2003,
for what some of these canvases have been
painted in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
n
Grand Park Arts Festival an assemblages
will be exhibited and at least two of the
recent paintings. The other ones, including
the painting of 48x90 inches, will be exhibited
only in the Atlanta Arts Festival, of Pidmand
Park, Atlanta. (Félix Berroa, Atlanta,
2009).
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2- A Bit of History in Felix Berroa's Trajectory: Assemblages
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"In 1979, living in Puerto Rico, I fall in love with their "plena", "bomba" and "seis chorreao" music. "Pleneros players" using hats. Then, I find the symbolic meaning of the hat in a Dictionary of Symbols. Since that, I have used "Panama" type hats of large wings, because the symbolism of this garment, in addition to protect the hair, the scalp and the face skin against the sun, it is to CONTAIN THE IDEAS, THE THOUGHTS." - Felix Berroa |
In this occasion,
I will write on my "assemblages" using
hanging canvas.
In
1979, while I studied in the Fine Arts School
in San Juan, Puerto Rico, I take the course of
"Experimental Drawing", with the conceptual
artist Antonio Navia. Although this class was
called "experimental drawing", it was
in the practice, the combination of several techniques,
because it included the use of anything that one
could reach and use as medium to express an idea:
paper, canvas, cardboard, metal, wood, nails,
oil, acrylic, enamel, spray can, etc. , to create
in drawing, painting, collage, assemblages, enviroments,
etc. This opened me the appetite to examine as
many books as I can in the library about artists
in the modern movements, as the North American
expressionists, the conceptual art, etc. , among
abstractions, figurations, environments and assemblages.
Months later, arose the fruits.
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I was no material that I was able to reach that I do no use. My weekly shopping supermarket bags became art (see photo at left). In 1980 I make my first assemblage-enviroment with hanging canvas (complemented with a pantomime). It was exhibited in my graduation exhibition and farewell from Puerto Rico in the Porto Rican Culture Institute, in San Juan, Puerto Rico (1980). After the return to Santo Domingo, the assemblages continued. They were exposed in the Paraboloide of the Modern Art Museum, in this capital city of the Dominican Republic. |
In 1981 I move to Chicago and two years late to Long Island, New York. There, the assemblages also continued, and were exhibit in the Nassau County Arts Museum. See photo at right.
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Photo 1: Puerto Rico, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, 1980. |
Photo 2: Puerto Rico, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, 1980. |
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3- Outdoor Arts Festivals (Festivales de Artes al Aire Libre).
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The
outdoors arts and crafts festivals are a
modality to exhibit that has taken an extraordinary
strengs without any precedent in the world
of the visual arts in the United States
during the last few decades.
Began with crafters and farmers decades
behind, during the time of the great economic
depression in North America. Through the
whole North American nation, there are thousands
of these festivals. Many visual artists
have discriminated against this way of exhibit
(steel been some haughty artists), due to
the condition of mix with some amateurs
artists and crafters. Imagine! Us, visual
artists, "intellectuals ", from
art academy! To mix?
During my first eighteen years in United Estate, I only exhibit in museums and galleries, as the Nassau County Arts Museum, or the Islip Arts Museum, en New York. In galleries and museums exhibitions, I have acquired art reviews (art critics) from the New York Times, the Newday and some publication from the Daily News, among some Hispanic newspapers. Exhibit me in outdoor arts festivals? No way José! Career artists thought in discredit!
One day, in Long Island, New York, was happened I try in one. Incredible! A great experience!
An exhibition in gallery could be visited by five, ten,.. persons in a day. One of these arts festivals it could attract from five to 50 thousand people between Saturday and Sunday. Some of the most famous, up to 200 thousand people. The opportunity of diffusion, of make contacts with art collectors, galleries owners, other artists, sale, it is extraordinary. Make the math! Is it worthwhile to expose in these events? Of course!
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Painting
used for the poster of the 2009 Atlanta
Arts Festival, original from artist
Richard Jacobus. Richard Jacobus and
his wife are some of my most closed
friends since I moved to Georgia from
New York in October 2004. In addition
of be a painter, he is a forged/welded
metal sculptor. Richard
jacobus has an Guest Portfolio in www.felixberroa.com.
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There
are festivals of low, medium and superior
quality. The artists are selected by applications
that are evaluated by a jury. While but
famous it is the festival, but difficult
it is he/she gives to be accepted. The most
famous the festival, the most difficult
it is to be accepted. The most noted arts
festivals in Georgia are The Atlanta Arts
Festival, Dogwood, Virginia Highland, Decatur
Arts Festival (of Decatur Arts Alliance),
and others that go from major to smaller,
as Inman Park Festival. Artists arrive from
the whole United Estate.
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"Summer
Shade Festival" is
a medium level festival that takes
place in
the Atlanta's oldest public park,
where share lands with the History
and Geography Museum and the Zoo.
The park is located in the middled
of a very attractive community, that
combined with the museum, zoo and
park conservancy, makes this festival
a good candidate to end up being one
of the Major Festivals of Atlanta.
In the above pictures: Félix's last
year exhibition, when he win the a
"Best in Show" prize (officially
announced by the flag-poster behind
the sculpture), and the History and
Geography Museum, located exactly
beside the Zoo.
The
"outdoors exhibitions",
are carefully organized, by institutions
and qualified teams (some exceptions),
and in the major festivals, outstanding
artists travel from different estates
of the American nation in an encounter
of "auto-representation".
In
addition to meet dozens of artists
from the different American states,
of other nationalities, the most varied
medium of visual art expressions,
art genres, an encounter with the
collector that buys the works,.....
Once in a time, somebody recognizes what is created and prizes are obtained. Only between 2008 and this 2009, I obtained first prize in the Virginia Highland Arts Festvail, Gum Tree Arts Festival, Decatur Arts Festival, Summer Shade Arts and Crafts Festival, Roswell Arts and Crafts Festival, and others.
See you at the shows.
Felix Berroa |
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Photo 1 -Above Panoramic-:The Atlanta Arts Festival in Pidmand Park, Atlanta |
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Photo 2: Close up, Felix Berroa exhibition in the Atlanta Arts Festival. |
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Photo 3: Close up, artist Domi Williams's paintings, from Florida. Behind, the work of Charles Strain, 2008 winner of First Place in sculpture in the metal category.
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Photo 4: At right: the sculptures of the artist from African origin, Nnamdi Okonkwo, con el que tambien Felix tuvo encuentro en el Atlanta Arts Festival and the Decatur Arts Festival. |
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Félix Berroa in the main cover of the most important newspaper of Tupelo, Mississippi, the"Daily Journal". There, Felix setting his exhibition the day before. |
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4- Pleasant news and recent portfolios and links to FelixBerroa that others have placed in the web |
I like to
be up-to-date with what happen with my work in
the different places where has arrived. The Internet
is a good source for that. Each month, I write
my name among quotation marks ("felix berroa")
in google, msn, etc. , to find out who has added
me, or who is using bad my. Sometimes I find pleasant
surprise, sometimes with the nerve of some people.
A couple years
ago, in one of those searches, I find that somebody
was selling in eBay.com an small works that I
had painted in the decade of the 80's, from the
series "Apatucos". I thought of buying
it, but two days later, somebody already get it.
Days later that salesperson seems to have liked
the demand that had the small painting. In his
web page of eBay, he announced another small work,
supposedly mine. When I see the image, I can no
believe how far can go the nerve of some people
to get a few dollars. There was a problem. The
problem consisted that the painting was signed
horizontal and on top with my name and last name
(have my name, but no my way of signing), but
the work was not mine. It was hand-painted, but
no in my style. Was painted in the style of Graciela
Rodo Boulanger. Of course, I denounce such a salesperson
to the eBay administration. That was a felony!
A colleague
artist tell me that, walking through a Tupelo,
Mississippi's street, (the city of Elvis Presley),
she observe a young lady driving a beautiful open
convertible car, carrying in the back seat one
of my large paintings -42x48 inches-. Probably,
she was returning from the framing shop. The pleasant
thing was that the painting stood out half on
the back seat, leaving uncover a great part of
the image, what woke up the curiosity of everybody
during the driving back home through the Tupelo
streets. I had loved a picture of that moment!
During the opening
to the exhibition "Inner Journeys"
in the Pbj Gallery, I meet somebody that
was tell me about his vacations in Punta
Cana (Dominican Republic). Excited he told
me that he had seen one of my squares for
sale there. Surprised, I told him that was
not possible, since I had no representation
in any part of the Dominican Republic, unless
one of the very few collectors of my works
in Santo Domingo have put it in sale ( I
have lived in the United States for 30 years).
The matter is that if one of those collector
wanted to sell my painting, will be no in
a tourist resource area, but in a gallery.
When he described me the painting, including
the sizes, I could not help and I began
to laugh. It was a painting 42x49 inches
named "The Music Maker", with
the image of Elvis Presley. When I show
him a print of that painting, he scream,
"That is!" That painting was sold
last May 2009 in Tupelo, Mississippi. I
don't believes that excited collector who
purchase that work wanted get-out so quick
of that painting and, much less, to travel
until Dominican Republic to sell it there.
Therefore, we are talking of "copycat",
a copyist, felony that has been very popular
in the Dominican Republic, by amateur artists
who search for a view dollars, especially
in the tourist areas. Careful! If you have a similar experience, take a photo of the situation and send to me by email for my file.
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First, if
you speaking directly with the artist, request
him or her some printed material as "art
critic" or "art reviews" from an
acretitable newspaper There you will be able to
confirm his age, oldest dates where this artist
has painted in that style, galleries or museums
exhibitions, etc. . That will tell you enough.
However, before that, look well. Some people do
not know to "see" well. Sometime, there
is no even any resemblance, yet only a "round
or oval-shaped face". There are several artists
that paint with round or oval faces. Most has
different characteristics. If you doesn't have
enough knowledge on my past and the artist you
are observing in that moment, maybe you will no
perceive, because you doesn't have both works
together to compare them. You don't have them,
but I do have file of the most well-known who
work with round or oval faces. Write me! To conclude,
if you have doubt about the originality of one
of my work, send me a picture in high resolution.
No only I will confirm the authenticity of the
work, but rather I will send you a hand signed
"Certificate of Authenticity".
I find another nice news in the Internet
with the painting "Awakening Minds Project",
that was sold last year in the Grand Park
Arts Festival to an youth couple (a Columbo-American
married with a North American). After some
months to have bought that painting, they
had to move. They published some information's
on the moving in their blog, and among other
photos, was the one at the right.. http://alittlebitofchristo.blogspot.com/2009/05/never-say-never.html.
There
are hundred of web links about "Felix
Berroa", -the artist-. Galleries, art,
cultural, general, personal, etc. websites,
that kindly publish us portfolios, images
or they place a link on our websiste (www.felixberroa.com).
Thanks you all.
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5- Guest of this Edition: Marga Gabarret, Freddy Javier, Julio Susana and Roberto Rimoli.
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Freddy Javier, A Dominican Republic artist with a long trajectory in the art. A friend from the 80's in Santo Domingo.
During
my studies in Puerto Rico, only two persons
visited me from Dominican Republic: my brother
José and Freddy Javier. My respect and
admiration for this great artist that is
already considered in the Dominican Republic
as a Master.
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Julio Susana, a Master in the Dominican Republic Fine Arts who lives in the United States for many years. He maintains a constant communication with me, allowing me to know each of his journey in the art.
Last year I publishes a Guest Portfolio of his works in felixberroa.com Now we are adding to that portfolio some of his most recent works.
My admiration and respect for this artist that doesn't cease to create, perseverance that stimulate me for not decaying in the difficulties produced by the age, the time, the economic, the cultural chock,... in this difficult task of the Spanish art worker in this great North American country.
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The
friend Roberto Rimoli publishes his new
book (in Spanish), "Addendum it has
more than enough dysfunction for deficit
of attention and hyperactive and motivation-learning
in children. (Approach to a new methodology
of analysis) it is the title of the work
of the clinical psychologist and journalist
of the Dominican Republic Roberto Rimoli,
who posee a vast experience working with
infantile patients with this problem in
well know psychiatric hospitals and he are
ventures to capture it through the literature.
(la Vida. Geraldine Diaz).
Books for sale at the Librería Amengual, CxA, (frente al Palacio de los Deportes), Santo Domingo, D.N., Rep. Dominicana. Can be order in his website: www.rimoli.galeon.com. |
Marga Gavarret, an Argentinean artist with a lot of talent who lives now in the city of Atlanta for years.
She is part of a "art investigation project" in which I have been working with other artists, the African-American Corey Barksdale and the Dominican Jose Peña.
Click here to open her Portfolio |
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Newsletter created and copyright by Felix Berroa, August 2009.
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Other Galleries from Colombia - Otras Gallerias de Colombia |
Other Galleries from Dominican Republic- Otras Gallerias de Republica Dominicana |
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| About Félix Berroa - Acerca de Félix |
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| Felix Berroa's Works - Trabajos de Felix Berroa |
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| Outdoor Shows - Exposiciones al Aire Libre |
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| Contact - Estableciendo Contacto con Felix Berroa |
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| Santo Domingo, San pedro de Macoris, Republica Dominicana |
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| Travel - Viaje - a Bogota, Colombia |
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