Valhall Arts

Blurry Pictures and other Works

2011-11-28T13:58:00.001-08:00

Pinhole Photography by Laura Brent

Opening Dec 02, 2011 | 6:00PM - 9:00PM
Valhall Arts, 201 S. College Avenue, Plaza Level 2,  Fort Collins, CO 80524

Valhall Arts is pleased to present Blurry Pictures and other Works, an exhibition showcasing the recent works by Laura Brent. Over the last year, Ms. Brent has been making pinhole images with a variety of methods, including using film, handmade cameras and multiple pinholes. This will be the first time these images have been shown together.

Why Pinhole?

I have always been interested in photography’s historical processes and classical foundations. There must be an understanding of where an art form began, how it has evolved over time, to carry it forward into the future. By playfully exploring the processes, using all the possibilities, one gains an understanding of the medium. The practice is “limitless, inexhaustible, without stepping outside the natural boundaries of the medium”(Paul Strand, “The Art Motive in Photography”, 1923, pg. 287) and only through experimentally creating imagery, can photography reach its fullest potential.

Pinhole photography is a rudimentary process, slow and meticulous, something that takes perseverance, patience, and practice to perfect. The materials involved are basic, the methods very ‘hands-on’, with the sense of getting ones fingers wet with the photons of light. The experimental successes are an epiphany, moments filled with great joy, full of surprise at what the photograph looks like, intriguing imagery that is pulled from the elements of a particular time and space to leave its mark and energies on the final unique object created.

~Laura Brent

Visit the website to learn more, valhallarts.com

Change and State of the Arts in Northern Colorado

2011-10-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad." ~C. S. Lewis
Image by surrealist painter Rene Magritte

Change is good, although some may resist it, others resent it, but none can avoid it. Growth can be a painful experience but only through change can one achieve progress.

At this juncture, Valhall Arts is undergoing a shift in the way it operates. Going forward, the gallery will no longer be showcasing other artists, but instead will serve as the working exhibition space for Laura Brent, the artist. I am hanging up my 'gallery director' and 'curator' hats for the time being. This change was brought on by the ever increasing demands on time and a prioritization of my artwork above the running of a gallery, and promoting contemporary art to Fort Collins.

The general climate in this area has been lukewarm in its support of the arts in general, and icy-cold when it comes to interest in contemporary art. Due to this lack luster reception of contemporary art in Fort Collins, I will be putting my energies into art creation, and distribution/exposure to other areas of the country. The gallery will still be open during the First Friday Gallery Walks, held the first Friday of every month, 6-9 pm, and my contemporary artworks will still be shown, however the shows will be a looser arrangement of current projects in process, instead of juried, group, curated exhibitions.

Why is there this lack of interest in the arts in Fort Collins? There are those in the community who would have this be an arts destination in the spirit of Santa Fe, but we have a long way to go to reach this high ideal, and need a better foundation, and extensive improvements in the types and qualities of artworks created, exhibited and received in our town, to make this goal a reality. There is a superficial embracing of the arts, and misguided support by a local (unnamed) arts promotional group. There are too many resources and dollars spent supporting art activities that do nothing to create lasting effects for the art community. The program supporting street entertainments over the past few summers, is, in my mind, a flip-flop of how this sort of thing should work. These opportunities, if made available to working performers through legislation, could actually generate income for the city (through license fees, for example). Instead, funds were spent to promote buskers to bring their entertainments to the migrant visitors to our city. Instead, these resources could have been better spent supporting local, existing, organizations to build a permanent infrastructure and take us further down the road toward our goal of being an "Art Town".

The wealthy donors in the region, those who give generously to these promotional organizations do not seem interested in supporting the arts, or there is a lack of understanding of art historical models and metropolitan art cultures. We do have our newly built (and almost completed) history and science museum, and the university has a wonderful arts center with world class performing and visual arts. But the private sector in general, the visual arts field in particular, is filled with amateur/hobbyist infused art co-operatives, and a few remaining commercial galleries, each offering the expected 'western' souvenirs, (landscape paintings and photographs of aspen trees in their fall colors), these mundane and tired artworks, offering little in the advancement of the arts. Art can expand one's mind, bring the world to one's community and teach us something of ourselves and our culture. Instead, it seems, our community is only interested in being entertained.

Why this lack of diversity and interest in the arts? Is this due to an un-enlightened or un-educated art audience? With the higher educational institutions in our town, I would expect a better informed audience, with a more diverse understanding of art history and the cultural importance of showing important works to enhance of our local community. How else are we to achieve our goals, without high quality institutions and private organizations to bring this to the public? How can these organizations survive with out the support and commitment from the public?

I've been smelling something funny in my local art scene, a rotten egg is among us, and only through change can we become the bird we hope to be and fly into the future to become an art destination. At this point its all just scrambled, and I am ready for the next change.

The Fine Art of Letterpress Printing

2011-08-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Valhall Arts is pleased to announce an upcoming exhibition featuring the Fine Art of Letterpress printing by Shelby Montross of Meadowlark Creative. The exhibition will open Friday, September 2nd, with a reception from 6:00-9:00 p.m., and continue through October 7, 2011.

"Sometime in-between the invention of moveable type and the proliferation of 24-hour copy centers, the craft of letterpress printing evolved from an essential trade to a forgotten one," states Montross. "Abandoned by all but a few craftsmen, the art of letterpress printing became that of a bygone era. Printing, it seemed, had lost its soul, its beauty, and its individuality. Meadowlark Creative is bringing it back."

Printing on a 1951 10x15 Chandler & Price (one of the last ever made) and a Vandercook 317 letterpress, Meadowlark Creative meticulously designs and prints custom prints, business cards, stationary, invitations, and announcements that are as unique and memorable as the message you wish to communicate.

Shelby Montross of Meadowlark Creative will relate her experiences as professional designer interested in the creative and commercial potential of letterpress, and will introduce general concepts, terms, and processes involved in creating personal and professional letterpress work.

During the gallery walk receptions on the 'First Fridays', (Sept. 2 and Oct. 7) participants will have the opportunity to create their own print, using hand-set type and print coasters on a Kelsey 3x5 letterpress with both metal and wood type.

The Artist is not present.

2011-05-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

The Artist has....
A. escaped down the rabbit hole.
B. left the building.
C. gone buffalo hunting.
D. __________________

Installation featured at Valhall Arts for the summer.
Stop by the Plaza level of the Fort Collins Museum of Art to see it.
(201. S. College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO)

Closing Reception Friday May 6, 2011

2011-05-03T09:59:00.001-07:00

Kerry Brooks is one of eleven artists featured at the gallery for the 3rd Anniversary Retrospective Exhibition. The exhibit closes this Friday with a reception from 6-9 pm. Please visit the website to learn more.

"After Niepce"

2011-04-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

This image was created by Laura Brent, using color film and a pinhole in a body cap on a Nikon FE2. The imagery is evocative of Joseph Nicephore's (Niepce) 1826 "View from the Window at Le Gras", the first photograph ever made. It is held at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, in Austin.

In this day and age of digital cameras, and high-tech methods of gathering and printing photographs, Brent enjoys getting her fingers wet with the photons, experimenting with the pinhole medium. The image was captured in Santa Fe, NM, and the film was developed in Durango, CO at Pennington Photo, a camera store that has been in operation since 1906, and plans to close at the end of April. This work is in homage to the historic makers and methods, and a gesture that these vintage processes are still a valid art form.

Cathy Becker, one for eleven artists featured at Valhall Arts

2011-04-04T10:18:00.001-07:00

Image Credits: Volume 18, Cathy Becker, Silver Gelatin Print, toned with Sepia.

The 3rd Anniversary Retrospective features eleven artists that have been part of Valhall Arts over the years. The exhibit includes photography, painting and drawing, sculpture and a video installation. See an article in the GO magazine, published by the Loveland Reporter-Herald by clicking here.

Exhibition continues through May 6. Gallery hours by appointment.

Artists Reception Tonight, 6-9 pm

2011-04-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

Please join us as we celebrate our 3rd anniversary with a showcase of 11 artsits featured at the gallery over the years. Several of the artists will be present, including Rae Stimson (image credit, Antinea), Jennie Kiessling, Andrew Michler and Laura Brent, so stop in a say 'hello'!

Valhall Arts is located right on Oak Street Plaza, in the historic Post Office building with the Fort Collins Museum of Art. The building will be jumping tonight, with new exhibits opening on all four levels. You can find us on the Plaza level along with Kumiko Mckee, Joan Mangle and the new FRCC/FCMOA Continuing Education Program.

Visit www.valhallarts.com for more information.

Opening April Fool's Day!

2011-03-28T17:35:00.000-07:00

3rd Anniversary Retrospective Opens Friday April 1, 2011, 6-9 pm

Featuring:

Thom Bator
Cathy Becker
Laura Brent
Kerry Brooks
Camellia S. El-Antably
Jennie Kiessling
Griffin Marsh
Andrew Michler
Frank Stanley
Rae Stimson

www.valhallarts.com

Image credit: Andrew Michler, Phase Change, Video Still

3rd Anniversary Retrospective

2011-03-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

In a nod to all the artists that have helped to make Valhall Arts a success, I am pleased to announce the 3rd Anniversary Retrospective, opening April Fool's day, 4/1/2011, with a reception from 6:00-9:00 p.m., at the gallery.

Artists included are;

Thom Bator
Cathy Becker
Laura Brent
Kerry Brooks
Camellia S. El-Antably
Jennie Kiessling
Griffin Marsh
Andrew Michler
Frank Stanley
Rae Stimson

Your continued support over these last 3 years has helped Valhall Arts grow and prosper. With the recent changes in our local art community, we are proud to continue to bring thought provoking contemporary art exhibitions to you, the audience. Your participation is required for success, so please stop in, and say ‘hello’, and be a part of the art world.

We are located at 201 S. College Ave, Fort Collins, CO, right on the Oak Street plaza, in the historic Post Office building, with the Fort Collins Museum of Art.

Valhall Arts is proud to support the Fort Collins Music eXperiment, April 8th and 9th, visit their Facebook page, or website to learn more.

New Work - A Million Little Pictures: Photomobile

2011-03-08T18:22:00.000-08:00

This is an image in my project for Art House Co-Op in Brooklyn, NY, "A Million Little Pictures: Photomobile". My theme was 'the meaning of a photograph'. Shot in Colorado in February 2011 by Laura Brent.

Contemporary Explorations of Vintage Photography, Opens Feb. 4, 6:00 pm

2011-02-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

Image details: Untitled (pillow fight), by Laura Brent, "Cliche Verre", Silver Gelatin Print, 2011.

Cathy Becker, Laura Brent, Griffin Marsh, and Rae Stimson are four artists featured at the exhibition opening Friday, Feb. 4th at Valhall Arts, 201 S. College Avenue, Plaza Level 2, Fort Collins, CO. The exhibit offers a unique look at contemporary art by regional photographers using historical techniques and materials.
Opening Reception Friday Feb. 4, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.
Exhibition continues through March 4th.
Visit www.valhallarts.com for more information.

Cathy Becker, another artist featured, from Casper Wyoming.

2011-01-31T15:25:00.000-08:00

Cathy Becker's photographs demonstrate various processing techniques, including toning with selenium or sepia, and black gum and Van Dyke printing.

Image Detail:
"Reverie du Seul"
5 1/4" x 5 1/4
Silver gelatin print
Split toned in selenium and brown

Griffin Marsh, "Ghost House"

2011-01-30T10:13:00.000-08:00

Griffin Marsh, a student from Casper, Wyoming, is one of four artists featured in the upcoming exhibition at Valhall Arts, "Contemporary Exploration of Vintage Photography", opening Feb. 4, 2011 with a reception from 6-9 pm.

Rae Stimson one of four artists featured at Valhall Arts in February

2011-01-29T10:51:00.000-08:00

Rae Stimson, an artist from Boulder, CO, makes haunting little images, the small works evoking a feeling of times long since past, but with a contemporary twist.

Image detail: Specter, Hand colored vignetted silver gelatin print on matte fiber paper, 2010

Contemporary Explorations of Vintage Photography, Opens Feb. 4, 2011

2011-01-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

Getting some great photographs for the upcoming exhibition. Open call ends Jan. 26, visit CraigsList to enter. http://denver.craigslist.org/ats/2156931286.html

The exhibit will feature a broad range of styles, including black gum, cyanotype and other printing techniques; with pinholes, photograms, and hand colored silver prints, the old is new again!

Opening Reception Friday February 4th from 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Closing Reception Friday March 4th, 2011 from 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Visit http://www.valhallarts.com for more information.

Contemporary Explorations of Vintage Photography

2011-01-12T15:11:00.000-08:00

The new exhibit planned for February will feature images made using vintage styles and modes. In anticipation of the new dark room at Valhall Arts, photographs made with pinhole cameras, photograms and 'cliche verre' images will be exhibited. I am opening the exhibit to other local artists who would like to participate and are working with these historic techniques. See the call on Craigs List

Visit the website for more details.

Photogram image, The Circus, by Laura Brent

Expansion Opens at Valhall Arts

2011-01-07T14:10:00.001-08:00

Opening Tonight, January 7, 2011, with a reception from 6-9pm, Valhall Arts has expanded! Tonight will feature a video installation by Laura Brent, "Moving Pictures", As well as the exhibition organized by the young curators from TR Paul Academy of Arts and Knowlegde, "Religions Around the World".

Stop in to see the new space, say hello and toast the New Year! This is also the closing reception of the TPAAK Young Curators, "Religions Around the World", so it will be the last chance to see this great show.

Visit http://www.valhallarts.com for more information.

TPAAK Young Curators and Artists Statement

2010-12-01T15:13:00.001-08:00

For years and years wars have been fought over religion. In all of the art research that we have done in class on various religions, we found that artists work together to create beautiful symbols of unity and of peace. In our 4th grade classroom, in the small town of Fort Collins, Colorado, we have come together to re-create symbols that are found in religions throughout the world. As we created the artwork, our goal was to educate the community by displaying the different types of art that represent the most prevalent religions of the world. We took the symbols of the religions and we created art, together. Through unity, understanding, and learning from one another, we learned how to work together and in the midst of all this, we created something beautiful. In our seven canvass series, we hope that you too will discover what we have learned during the creation process. We are all in this together, loving, caring, helping, teaching, learning, creating, and understanding. Some times we have to step back in order to view the bigger picture. We hope you enjoy.

TPAAK Young Curators Install the Exhibition

2010-11-30T15:29:00.001-08:00

Today was a blast with the entire 4th grade class installing the 7 artworks they created, researched, and curated. The groups all worked together wonderfully, and the show looks great!

Be sure to stop on in on Friday, Dec. 3, from 6-9 pm, at Valhall Arts, 201 S. College Ave, Plaza Level 2, Fort Collins, CO, and meet the students at the opening reception. The exhibition continues through Dec. 17. Visit www.valhallarts.com to learn more.

TPAAK Young Curators at Valhall Arts

2010-11-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

Young Curators Group: A project of Front Range Community College and T.R. Paul Academy of Arts and Knowledge, Exhibition opens at Valhall Arts, Friday December 3, 2010, 6-9:00 pm

With help from Front Range Community College's Museum/Gallery Studies, Ms. Mockerman's 4th graders at T.R. Paul Academy of Arts and Knowledge have been working hard at becoming young curators. The Young Curators Group meets every Monday afternoon, with students, faculty and community artists that are part of the the Museum/Gallery Studies collaborative from Front Range Community College. All visit and attend field trips with TPAAK students to explain and engage in the process of a museum curator’s job.

Ms. Sarah Mockerman’s 4th grade class is learning about the art history of cultures around the world and more specifically, the symbols that are represented in each religion. In the spirit of the holiday season, TPAAK students have recreated pieces of art from each culture and will, as the Young Curators Group be curating and installing an exhibition of the work at Valhall Arts that will open Friday, December 3, 2010. The Exhibtion will run through Saturday, December 18, 2010.

Exhibition Theme ~ Religions From Around the World

Names of the artworks ~ Hindu Color Splash, Buddhist Prayers, Judaism Night Sky, Knots of Christianity, Islamic Crescent, The Short Days and Long Nights of Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa

Learn more about the T.R. Paul Academy of Arts and Knowledge, click here.

The American Dream: A Juxtaposition

2010-10-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

Just entered my video into an exhibit in Chicago.
Below is my statement:

How does one define the American Dream? Is it the attainment of a collection of priceless objects, living the lavish lifestyle of wealth and fame? Or is it attained through our accomplishments? The often touted goal of "having it all", is this possible? How does one maintain the delicate balance of family, career, and personal accomplishments, without losing the personal sense of themselves? True happiness comes from the intra-personal relationship with one’s self, and the inter-personal relationships with others, through the interactions of a small community of close contacts. Ultimately, we are defined by our dreams. The American Dream is a personal institution, one that suffers in our disconnected, wired world, with its fast paced modernity. We offer only passing glances to others as we go about in our media focused consumerist culture, missing the greater things of value, a true awareness of the moments, and real connections. Only through living a valid life, doing what one loves, contributing to civilization in a lasting way, and engaging with others, can the American Dream be realized.

New Exhibit in the Works

2010-10-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

The new exhibition planned for November is called "Moving Pictures". It is an installation with two video works by Laura Brent, that look more like photographs. It is an experimental piece, and the videos, in which very little happens, will make the viewer wonder about what they are seeing.
The title, used before in a 2002 exhibit at the Guggenheim (NYC), included works by Marina Abramovic, Vito Acconci, Kara Walker and Shirin Neshat, among others. The exhibit explored the affects of this new reproducible media in art making, it ability to render visible conceptual concepts and questioned the supposed objectivity of representation in itself .
This small solo presentation could never attain the drama of the museum's show, but I want the viewer to gain a sense of themselves, their youth, and their mortality. This piece follows my ongoing study of how we see things, how our media saturated culture has affected our way of looking, and visually experiencing and interacting with our environment. It is similar in feel to Brent's previous exhibits, Public Practice, and "pinching the light fantastic".

Surprises

2010-09-28T08:47:00.001-07:00

The surprise mentioned on my website, is that I've included the piece, "Heads for Sale" by Kerry Brooks, in the exhibition at the gallery this month. (2.25" x 2.75", Graphite on Bristol Board). This is a new addition to my personal art collection, and a favorite at that! Brooks is a very talented and gifted artist.

See more of her work here, www.arcadiafinearts.com

2010-09-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

"In the Attic"

Promotions

2010-09-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

So, I must do a bit of self promotion, wearing the gallery director 'hat', and promote the artist. Seems I do a better job with promotions of other people's shows vs. my own shows, so I have kicked myself in the rear and am doing a bit of marketing before the exhibit closes. Here is the new postcard; I have created it in the theme of the Polaroid, a few of which appear in the gallery.

New Black and White images from the Glendo Derby

2010-09-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

The annual "Derby", held at Glendo (Wyo) state park marina.

New Photographs by Laura Brent, opens Friday!

2010-08-30T09:31:00.001-07:00

Putting together the new exhibit of my latest photographs, opening this Friday, Sept 3, with a reception from 6-9:00 p.m. The works included feature new images in two previous series, both the "White Dress" and "Toyland". Also, I will be showing some more personal photographs, images taken of my family and our times spent over the summer. To exhibit these intimate family pictures is challenging for me, as I am a very private person and try to keep my professional and personal images separate. The quality of the images is inspiring me to share the work with my audience. I only hope they will enjoy them as much as I do.

Also included in the exhibit are some Polaroid images, both new and old, and digital images formed in the 'polaroid' style, using the latest technologies.
Photo Credit: "River", taken in Fort Collins, Colorado, 2010 by Laura Brent. All images copyright of the artist.

Back to School

2010-08-17T05:45:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again, the alarm wakes us up, a good breakfast to start the day, then off to catch the bus. Studying, Homework and the like, ahhhh, learning.....
The image was created with a pinhole camera, the original image on the left, the inverted image on the right.

Maasai Exhibit Closing Soon!

2010-07-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

Don't let this exhibit pass you by! The summer exhibition at the gallery, "Through Our Eyes: An Exhibit of Maasai Photographers", will close with a reception on August 6, 2010 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Visit the website for more information. ValhallArts.com (All images copyright of the the artsits.)
Photo Credit: "Children without Mothers", Musa ole Shenaai

Short Film Showing at the Lyric Cinema and Cafe

2010-07-12T10:03:00.001-07:00

Valhall Arts is pleased to announce our first formal venture into the world of film. A showing of the short documentary film, "Through Our Eyes: A Maasai Photographic Journey" will occur on July 17th at 1:00 pm at the Lyric Cinema and Cafe, (300 E. Mountain Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80524), in conjunction with the current exhibit featured at the gallery. The film, created by Lindsay Simpson and Joana Roque de Pinho, documents the project organized by Roque de Pinho, in which she placed cameras into the hands of the Maasai people of Southern Kenya, allowing them to creatively document their lives and culture. Please visit the website, www.valhallarts.com for more information.

The line-up will be as follows:
1:00 PM Opening short film, "Grasping the Grey Ghost" (Simpson's goshawk documentary set in Arizona on the Grand Canyon, approx. 15 mins.)
1:15 PM Featured Presentation, "Through Our Eyes: A Maasai Photographic Journey" (approx. 30 mins)
1:45 PM Bonus Feature, "Fort Collins Music Experiment" , by Nic Tapia, (approx. 30 minutes)

A suggested donation of $2 is requested.
Hope to see you there!

National Pinhole Day

2010-05-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

After much delay, I have finally scanned and uploaded the images taken on National Pinhole Camera day, which was April 25, 2010. The image was made using a hat box, with three pinholes, and three separate sheets of Ilford photo paper. The photo negatives were scanned and inverted. You can see all the images at www.pinholeday.org, over 3400 images, from all over the world.

Paintings available through silent auction

2010-03-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in any of these paintings, please email me with your bid.
Auction closes May 1, 2010.
(1. The Woman with Abaya and Head Scarf, 2. Girl in the Garden, 3. Eye of Society, 4. The Village Woman)
See more information at www.valhallarts.com

Curatorial Statement

2010-03-08T16:04:00.000-08:00

Outsider art is often idiosyncratic, but its merit comes from the pure, spontaneous gestures by the artist, and is created with an “imaginative process generally untouched by external influences”. (John Beardsley, “Imagining the Outsider”, Vernacular Visionaries, edited by Annie Carlano, 2009). Nagma Mohammed Omer, is a Middle Eastern artist who has gone ‘outside’ in her own culture. The beautiful oil paintings, unveiled figurative works, go against the societal and religious expectations of her region, and show the bravery of her creative pursuits with their bold color, expressive lines, and compositional choices. The paintings offer a unique vision into the culture and community of her region. The exhibit is a peaceful and quiet conversation between two cultures, a brief encounter and a chance to gain valuable insight into another way of life.

The traditions of Muslim dress for women in the Middle East have changed throughout history, depending on the region, the ruling leaders, and the political environment. A woman’s dress was often dictated by external factors, and a woman had no personal choice as to how she would present herself in her community. “When this is forced upon people against their will, it is coercive and likely to create a backlash.” (Armstrong, Karen, Islam: A Short History, Great Britain, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2000.) However, many Muslim women still chose to wear the abaya, and surprisingly, many of these women have progressive views on matters like gender. They feel “that veiling is a symbolic return to their pre-Columbian period, before their society was disrupted and deflected from its true course.” (Armstrong, K., 2000.) The Islamic faith encourages modesty in dress, for both men and women, and the “shrouded body declares that it is orientated to transcendence, and the uniformity of dress abolishes class difference and stresses the importance of community over Western individualism.” (Armstrong, K., 2000.)

Nagma’s statements indicate that this is an important issue to her, and she is experiencing various pressures from the spiritual and political forces of her culture. The ability for her to express her feelings through her art is unique, and only allowed due to the progressive nature and support of her husband, friends and community. “The fact that Muslims have not yet found an ideal polity for the twentieth century does not mean that Islam is incompatible with modernity.”(Armstrong, K., 2000.) It is through interactions like this exhibit, that a balance between the differences of our cultures, the secular and spiritual values, can be found, and that all people can live freely and pursue their dreams and prosper.

The Middle East is challenged in many ways in this modern age; societal, political and spiritual issues are all close to the heart. In a true spirit of peace, the world must find a way to co-exist, to try to understand and tolerate different mindsets, beliefs and rituals. We must generate an environment where individuals can come together, to exchange knowledge with another culture, and progress to a peaceful future.
~Laura Brent, Director
Valhall Arts

2010-03-01T16:29:00.000-08:00

Experiencing the Veil

2010-03-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

In preparation for the upcoming exhibition featuring the artworks of a Middle Eastern woman, I don the abaya, getting a glimpse of life in her culture.

2nd Happening, 'pinching the light fantastic" video installation event at Valhall Arts

2010-02-25T17:59:00.000-08:00

Well, the second happening went well I think. I added a few minor additions to the installation, and broadcasted the event live, (or almost live) on www.ustream.tv. This time, I had the power cord for the iphone to do this, but with my inexperience, I was unaware that the video would not shoot in the panoramic mode. (I was able to see the video fine on the phone, but...live and learn!) So, all the documentary videos are flipped a 1/4 turn. Agh! So, if you are on a laptop, you can witness the event by visiting the site on Ustream, http://www.ustream.tv/myvideos/1/4986290,
good luck, and pinch back with any comments! Thanks to all who made it out on a Wednesday night, and for the rest of you, You Missed It!

Inspired Art Denver

2010-02-10T11:42:00.000-08:00

I am happy to be involved in another charity art exhibition. The Inspired Art Project takes poems written by Denver's youth and asks local artists to create original works inspired by their words. The Inspired Art Show exhibition and auction will be on April 29th, 2010 at the Space Gallery with proceeds going to support America SCORES Denver and Think 360 Arts. This project offers a new way to show the power and impact of the words of Denver students, and brings to life their creativity and imagination. See their blog for more info, http://inspiredartdenver.wordpress.com/

I am creating a new work for poem #6, Red Brick, and entering a photograph from my Water series for poem #10, Untitled. See their blog to read the poems.

2010-02-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

The installation/happening 'pinching the light fantastic' was a success last night. Some visitors were startled and disturbed by being recorded, others relaxed in the playfulness of it all. Most were confused at first, but enjoyed the novelty of the installation.
I also did a few live streaming videos of the happening on Ustream, and uploaded live via Twitter. You can see the videos at this link http://www.ustream.tv/myvideos/1/4481557. I apologize in advance for the poor quality of some of the recordings, it is hard to talk about the work, while recording the work, without being rude.
Due to several requests, a second event has been added. PTLF will have a reprisal performance on Wednesday, February 24 from 6:00-8:00 pm. I will attempt to stream live again, and hopefully with better results.

Feb. 5, 6 pm a video installation event

2010-01-15T18:46:00.000-08:00

'pinching the light fantastic' - to bend light with a body, distorting the perceptions of believed realities, seeing and not seeing, enlighted and confused at once.

Friday, February 5th, from 6-9 pm
at Valhall Arts
201 S. College Avenue, Plaza Level 2
Fort Collins, CO 80524
(@ Oak Street Plaza, in the old post office)

visit www.valhallarts.com for more information

2010-01-13T18:34:00.001-08:00

"pinch the light fantastic" a video installation event at the gallery, opening Feb. 5, 2010 at 6:00-9:00 pm

2010-01-10T18:08:00.000-08:00

Latest Press, in the "SCENE" Magazine- Entertainment and Lifestyle for the Northern Front Range

Valhall Arts: The bleeding edge of artistic practice
By Sarah Vaeth

Laura Brent, Director of Valhall Arts, has just wrapped up the audience-interactive phase of Public Practice. Brent used sketches and fragments of writing from old journals of her own as creative seeds, peppering the walls of the intimate basement gallery. These pieces together with a mysterious video playing against one wall, invited responses from the audience, who were encouraged to type out short statements (whatever came to mind) on an ancient typewriter.
These responses were added to the walls and in turn elicited new responses, and the artwork grew unpredictably. Alongside the evolving textual piece, a photo booth was set up, inviting a paralleled self-presentation. The 300-some gallery goers who formed the “medium” of the art piece were likely too immersed in the playfulness of the project to notice they were the art. Brent explains: “The moment the audience member interacts with the work, they become a part of it. This is in contrast to those who remain only traditional audience members simply witnessing the exhibit...”
Brent defines the structure of Public Practice as post-postmodern because of the emphasis on relationships out of which the artwork is created. Here, a touch of theory is warranted: Modernism posited the talent-endowed artist as the creator of art objects, which should be judged according to formal aesthetic merits. Postmodernism cast doubt on the boundaries between art object and non-art object, artist and non-artist; it introduced new forms of art that didn’t result in objects at all – like performance and happening. New (or post-postmodern) frameworks take an orchestrated event, like a happening, and shift it into a conversation between artist and audience; where the audience has authority to change the artwork. Collaborative relationships are key to a range of new approaches belonging to social practice. Creative projects arise out of partnerships, often between art professionals, professionals from other fields, and non-professionals. Often there’s a social benefit to these projects – cultural, political, or environmental.
Valhall Arts’ contemporary framework extends to Brent’s own blended role. Artist-as-curator? Curator-as-artist? Each exhibit requires something new from her. When she opened the exhibit space in the basement of M.O.C.A. in 2007, it was a place to show her own photography. But Brent was soon frustrated with the demands of exhibiting every month. She started looking around for co-exhibitors who meshed philosophically. Now an exhibit at Valhall Arts may be Brent’s work, or a collaborative piece between Brent and other artists, or the work of an invited artist or group. The requirements for an exhibit have evolved as Brent’s own relationship to art making and theory has deepened. An involvement that began with drawing, painting, and photography has shifted to greater emphasis on process and dialog. Visitors to Brent’s exhibits will still see art objects in addition to art actions... but not necessarily ones you can buy, and not necessarily ones you can regard as “art-for-art’s-sake.”
Future projects include a performance piece designed to force confrontation with myths and superstitions that persist in our culture. Audience/participants will face their own latent fears, and tempt fate by breaking superstitious taboos. Brent is still working out the details, but mirrors will definitely be smashed. Look for this event in August; that’s when the next Friday the 13th occurs. Meanwhile, Brent has several irons in the fire. She’s working on a second phase of Public Practice in which images from a photo booth are video-collaged in a multimedia “public portrait,” to be included in Masks at M.O.C.A. in April. She’s also capitalizing on a family connection in Yemen to seek Yemeni artists to exhibit and share their culture.
Most intriguing to me is an exhibit of photographs by the Maasai Photographers for Conservation (date TBD). The photographers (not professionals) communicate their own experience of coexistence with wildlife in the Amboseli ecosystem, and the devastation of drought brought on by climate change. The exhibit and newly formed NGO come out of a research project by Joanna Roque de Pinho, a PhD student in Ecology at CSU. De Pinho’s work engages multiple perspectives in a dialog about conservation, ultimately with aims of shaping policy and creating the conditions for social sustainability. De Pinho’s project comes out of a scientific discipline, but the case can be made for framing the entire project as social practice art. The ingredients are all there: A relationship is created between professionals from multiple fields and members of a community where change is to be affected, and at the heart is a creative action (photography), which serves to benefit the community. I suppose the question of whether such a project is “art” depends on the context in which you encounter it. The conservation project becomes social practice art when it’s presented in a gallery. At the same time, by hosting this kind of project, Valhall Arts is offering new answers to the question, “What is an art gallery?”

Valhall Arts is located at 201 S. College Avenue, Fort Collins, in the basement of the Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art. Open the first Friday of every month, 6-9 pm or by appointment.
See the article at www.scenemagazine.info or for gallery information visit www.valhallarts.com

Public Practice Exhibition

2009-10-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

Well, my new exhibit went off with a bang, even if it was last minute. I was fine tuning the particulars up to 3pm Friday, but everything worked out well. The photo-booth was a fun time, with people making faces, and laughing behind the curtains. The typewriter was a huge draw to young and old alike. Some new and amazing comments were added to the walls, and for some, it was a first time experience to use such an ancient machine (ha!). The videos, put into a loop and projected onto the wall/corner, were quite intriguing, and it will be interesting to see the creative abstraction one continue to grow and change. The gallery will be open Thursdays 12-2pm or by appointment. The exhibit will be on display through November. Visit www.valhallarts.com for more information.

"Los cuatro cabezas"

2009-09-25T16:32:00.000-07:00

So this group of ladies from my contemporary art class (this past summer) get together regularly to discuss the book "7 days in the art world" and other art events/ideas etc. Of course last night was another stimulating experience. We discussed chapter two, which is about the art critique. How is a professional artist suppposed to get this feed back, which is required to see ones own work with a more universal perspective? Is it the curator responsibility? Or perhaps the public must step up to the duty of giving the feedback required? Who is the final expert on what is 'good' art and what is not? Is there a difference between good art and marketable art, and is the marketability a requirement for the work to be successful?
We also talked about the Warhol exhibit that is at the CSU museum, which features his photographs as well as several of the flower prints in all their technicolor wonder. The Warhol Foundation has recently donated large collections to many university institutions around the country. The goal, I suppose is to encourage research into his life, his process etc. But how much research can be done by just looking at the images? Warhol was always with his camera, shooting his whole life, and to say what his thoughts were behind any individual image is merely conjecture. Some I am sure where very thought out composed pictures, while others may have just been taken spontaneously, just part of his daily routine.
So this is only a brief summary of our conversations, and thanks to all the great ideas, and blood to the brain! cheers,