Greg Green, an artist from Calumet, Mich., described his technique simply.“My process is just to start killing white space,” Green said. His work will be shown at the U.P. Focus exhibit at the DeVos Art Museum, running until Sunday, April 6, with a closing reception on Friday, April 4.
The exhibit features two other Calumet artists as well, Cynthia Coté and Jack Oyler. DeVos Director and Curator Melissa Matuscak said the artists all incorporate collage, as well as drawing and painting into their work, but in different ways. Green’s works are more abstract.
“He layers paint onto his surfaces and also adheres scraps of fabric that he finds at second hand stores,” Matuscak said. “Sometimes he uses old bed sheets that have pop culture references on them and sometimes his references are not so apparent. “His newer work involves stitching canvas together and then painting on it.”
Green said he approaches his pieces without a specific plan.“I have the figure and anatomy in the back of my mind at all times,” Green said. “I try to make the composition as sophisticated as I can [while] keeping it simple. It is stressful while working on the painting because everything is up in the air.”
Then, all of a sudden, he said, it all seems to fit together. “If I let it sit for a few weeks, then look at it and it still feels okay, it is done for good,” he said. “If not, I will go back in and fix the things that are bugging me.”
Coté, who founded and is the executive director of the Copper Country Arts Center, uses her own made paper or paper from old books and dictionaries in her work, Matuscak said.“She draws on the paper in her 2D work, using family history or personal stories as inspiration,” Matuscak said. “Her 3D work, the hanging mobiles, are layered paper, buttons, string and other bits of ephemera that she finds.”
Matuscak said Oyler’s recent process involves using a scroll saw to cut shapes and figures out of plywood, which he layers onto a wood surface.
“His work is also based on personal narrative and has a unique sense of humor to them,” she said. “He sometimes references song lyrics as titles written on the frame of the work, giving more insight into his humorous outlook on life.”The U.P. Focus is a one-time exhibit for the Devos to highlight talented artists in the Upper Peninsula, Matuscak said.Green, who has had work in the DeVos’ North of the 45th exhibit, said it’s important to show artists in the U.P.
“There are a lot of great artists in the U.P., [but] they are so isolated that no one sees their ideas,” Green said. “Getting the work into a big exposure venue is great.”During the closing reception, Green said he will not be speaking, but will be available to talk to patrons and answer their questions, along with the other two artists.
“Calumet is full of really creative people and talented artists and we wanted to showcase that,” Matuscak said.The U.P. Focus reception will take place from 6 to 8 p.m Friday, April 4 in the DeVos Art Museum and the exhibit will run until Sunday, April 6.
