Rewarding
Beauty In The Big Onion
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| 54 Common Bricks |
There is no mistake that Chicago
has countless nicknames, and The Big Onion is one of them. Now in the land of journalism,
reporters are trained to peel back the onion of truth. In this essay, the
central idea is to compare and contrast two artists living or dead and explain
their compositions, uncovering a deeper meaning. Artists are everywhere. They are a Legion,
soon to be erased by the sands of time just like the rest of society. Perhaps
that is way Nancie King Mertz and Robert Sebanc practice their craft, knowing
that life is very short and that creating something is the most powerful and deliberate
act that a human being can achieve.
Nevertheless, all things begin with
a dream and the key to one’s imagination can unlock many doors. One door was opened on October 9, 2015 at the
Locallective Gallery that displayed Robert Sebanc’s work titled: “Scoundrel.”
Against a 72in x 72in charcoal black backdrop, several folks playing cards, a
woman wearing a dark red dress and a small child sits in her lap. But before we
go more into detail about this oil and pigment canvas let’s review Sebanc’s
credentials as both artist and visionary.
In “Liquor, Sausage, And Lies About Her
Future,” a solo exhibition featuring Sebanc at the Locallective Gallery in
Chicago, IL most of the works are dark in composition. For example, “It Might
Just Be A Window” invokes some metric patterns, as the eye draws closer to the
three small red dots on this piece. “The Boys” and “54 Bricks” are just few a
captivating works, some using oil and pigment on canvass. Born in Milwaukee Wisconsin, and now
teaching as an Art Professor at Wright College, Sebanc began his career as an
artist. He is best known for his works at Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art,
Itri, located in Latina, Italy, along with countless contributions to various
art galleries national and internationally. Holding a B.F.A and M.A.A.E from
The Art Institute of Chicago and his MFA from the Lesley University College of
Art and Design (Cambridge, MA) (Bio) Above all, there is no method nor
inspiration to Sebanc’s artistic madness and during our interview he stated, “I
don’t know if I was captivated at any one point, however my earliest memories (Sic)
of doing art in some form or another. Growing up our house was a creative place
to be, there were art supplies on hand at all times and my mother encouraged a
creative environment.”
By the same token, “Scoundrel”
touches on those emotions and family values that resembles a basement of a
Chicago Bungalow. For a moment, I entered a daydream sequence, thinking about
my grandmother’s house and sitting on my mother’s lap as a young boy. Card
games such as Rummy and Bullshit were played with my aunts and uncles as they
jibber-jabbered about work and politics in this blue-collar setting. Ah yes.
The good old days when gas was .75 cents a gallon and when candy bars cost a
quarter. But that was many years ago and today the value of life is more
important with the moral principles as its true currency. I awake from my daydream and say my goodbyes
to Alexandra Wright (Director of operations) and to Mr. Sebanc.
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| Lazy Sunday |
Subsequently, Nancie King Mertz was
gracious enough to open the second door, inviting me into her Gallery full of
Chicago style paintings. It is always good etiquette to contact someone by
phone and make an appointment before you show up unannounced. That is just down
right rude, and very unprofessional. Anyway, the day was quite pleasant for
being the first day in November. The sun was bright, excellent weather compared
to that crappy Halloween yesterday. Boarding the 78 Montrose bus, child
strollers and grocery carts clutter the passage way as folks hustle and bustle
on and off the crowded transport unit. I
arrive at the Art De Triumph, introduce myself and walk around.
“Lazy Sunday” captures my attention
first. This 24 x 28 pastel is a very masculine panting using a pure pigment
with no oil stick form. The orange rusty color of the “L” train dominates this
pictures that may in fact be Clark & Lake Streets. A blueish gray sky appears
in the right-hand-corner and the eye is drawn toward the street with a taxi cab
waited for a fare. “I took some photos of that area on a Sunday,” explained
Mrs. Mertz. Ordinarily it is very congested, she adds to say. Nancie King Mertz was born and raised in
Central Illinois, where she began painting and selling her work. (Bio) Studying
art and receiving her B.A. from the University of Illinois and obtaining a
master’s degree in painting from Eastern Illinois University, Mertz is not
looking back. In fact, this year she has traveled to nine states to paint on
site for the Arizona to Albuquerque Exhibition that was featured in June of
2015.
Mertz’s professional affiliations
include: Pastel Society of America, Oil Painters of America and the Philanthropic
Council Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, just to name a few. No
stranger to an abundance of accolades, Mertz has received Best in Show, (CPP),
Award of Merit 2014-2015 (IAPS) and took home 5th place for the Bill
Creevy Award in 2015.
“Lazy Sunday” is yet another award
winning masterpiece, earning 5th place in the Joe Hing Lowe Memorial
this year. The saturation of colors are warm and bright. Red brick buildings,
silver skyscrapers and pale blue sky are wonderfully illustrated, as two pedestrians
stroll pass two locked bicycles. You may ask yourself, “How does he know that
these bikes are chained down? Well, as beautiful as Chicago may be, crime is yet
another key factor. And if you are native to the concrete jungle, you will soon
learn that if things are not locked or bolted down, some cowardly whore-beast
on crack will steal your shit faster than a New York minute. That is 45 seconds
to those who reside in The Jewel of the Midwest and should you approach these
mean streets, use extreme caution when walking down them at night. Ah, but
never mind that if you have a conceal and carry permit. The appetite for a
Chicago lead salad is not a fine cuisine by anyone’s standards.
In this final analysis, both works
by Sebanc and Mertz have captured my imagination. I have relinquished myself to
their creations and absorbed the natural talents. The Universe has granted them
a gift and my soul has been filled with joy.
Fireproof, passionate and dangerous are just few words to describe the soul of my life-long friend Harold Thurber.Always calm, consistent and filled with a powerful fire that will warm anyone's heart with joy and laughter. Not everyone believes this, of course, and those who doubt me, are without wisdom. It is no accident that Harold has many friends and in private conversation, he'll tell you how he really thinks. With that in mind, we wish Harold a happy 47 years on this Earth.
