Quarterly Change of Location: Midtown Alley
Last week the amazing venue we were having donated for our use hit an electrical snag in their construction, and it was possible their air conditioning might not be up and running in time for the Quarterly. Rather than risking a miserably hot show, we’ve spent the last several days tracking down an alternative space somewhere in St. Louis to hold the Quarterly. We found it.
It’s incredible. 3141 Locust (Unit 2B on the floorplan, map here). With 5,300 square feet in one room, it was the location of this year’s “Pins and Needles Alternative Fashion Show” May 17th, 2010. It’s less than a block away from The Fountain on Locust and Anatomy of Style. The developer, Jassen Johnson of Renaissance Development Associates (RDA), has almost single handedly transformed the Midtown Alley neighborhood from the dilapidated skeleton of St. Louis’s automotive industry into one of the fastest growing destinations for creative and design professionals and entrepreneurs. We participated in their annual Midtown Alley Streetfest last year, and will do so again on August 20th this year.
Working in “alternative spaces” like this can be a real challenge sometimes, but it is unlike anything else in St. Louis. Everything else will remain unchanged, and we will once again showcase some of the most exciting fine art work that St. Louis’s creative culture has to offer!
2010 Summer Quarterly Preview
On July 31st at 6:30 PM, we’ll be showcasing 11 new artists at a brand new, never-before-seen space. Sound exciting? It gets better…
UPDATE: The location for the 2010 Summer Quarterly has changed. Please go here for more info and the address.
We will be hosted by The Collective, a new business on opening on Meremac Avenue (same block as Urban Eats Cafe) with a mission to create:
The Collective: collaboration, professionalism, inspiration.
The Collective is a new space for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and freelancers who want a professional space but don’t want to pay rent for a full office. It is an historic building with restored original tin ceilings, hardwood floors, 2 conference rooms, and 3200 sqft of workable private and public space. Located at 3309 Meramec, our hope is provide small business owners and creative professionals with a natural home to collaborate, exude professionalism while hosting and working with their clients, and be inspired each time they step into their work place. Ultimately, we hope our growth facilitates and contributes a stronger St. Louis City.
The 2010 Summer Quarterly will be the very first time their doors are opened, and we will serve as an open house to launch this exciting new opportunity!
Also, having 11 artists on the bill is almost 3 times as many as we have tried in the past! But don’t worry, we will never sacrifice quality for quantity! This time around we have a solid mix of veteran and emerging artists, combining to make an exhibition of extremely good art and passionate excitement. Fashion, Paint, Photography, LIVE Art, Mixed Media Sculpture… there is definitely something for everyone in this show! Combine this with the incredible space and the hospitality you can expect at the Quarterly, and there are few events more necessary for the year!
FEATURED ARTISTS
Arlene Ligori (Mixed Media Painting)
Arushi Kumar (Fashion)
Brandon Barnes (Mixed Media Sculpture)
Hal Moran (Photography)
Jeff Kapfer (Painting)
Jennifer Roberts (Photography)
Kim Wardenburg (Printmaking)
Mark Taylor (Painting)
Mary Richards (Drawing)
Rachel Kornhardt (Photography)
Tim Wagner (Mixed Media, LIVE ART)
You can check out samples of the work that will be displayed in the gallery below.
Please RSVP on the Facebook Page here to help us get a handle on food and drinks for the evening.
2010 Summer Quarterly Details
When: July 31, 6:30 PM
Where: 3309 Meremac Avenue, 63118
Cost: Always FREE!
Call for Art: 2010 Summer Quarterly
CALL FOR ENTRY, All Mediums, AU(STL) Summer Quarterly Submissions Due by 11:59PM on June 26th.
Attention artists and creative catalysts. It’s that time again and AU(STL) is looking for local talent to feature in our 2010 Summer Quarterly July 31st! In addition to participating in this AU event, being a Featured Artist qualifies you to be sponsored by Art Underground on events you do in the St. Louis area. This includes assistance with advertising and PR, networking and professional development, and the invitation to join a community of people seeking to “create a St. Louis that ought to be.”
For this Quarterly, we are especially looking for larger pieces in any visual medium. We will have lots of space and would love to take advantage of every inch! Jump on this one fast, as we already have a few artists lined up…
If you are an artist, or know one who would be interested in this opportunity, please send the following submission requirements to AU Submissions (submissions@artundergroundstl.org) no later than Saturday, June 26th. Upon receipt of your application, we will send you further details on the event.
[SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS]
If we do not receive complete information for the following categories, your submission will not be considered. Feel free to simply copy/paste this format and replace the descriptions with your information.
- Full Name
- Contact Information
- Email Address
- Physical Address
- Daytime Phone Number
- Bio and Work Description – 50 words or less. This may describe the artist’s background, materials, and stylistic distinctions. This will be included in the slides for display at the event.
- Digital Samples - This depends significantly on the type of work, but some kind of example needs to be submitted for application and (if accepted) marketing. Pictures, videos, writing samples, etc. must be submitted with Bio and Work Descriptions. Also include the following information with each sample. This information will be plugged into AU(STL) labels for exhibiting your work:
- Title
- Size/dimension
- Value/cost (optional)
- Acknowledgement of Fees – To curb frivolous applications and drop-outs, a very modest $25 fee will be charged to accepted artists and go towards defraying the cost of food and drinks. This will be the only fee, and we will never charge a commission on anything exhibited at an Art Underground Quarterly. Simply include the statement, “I acknowledge the $25 Participation Fee” in your submission and that will suffice.
Spring Quarterly CANCELED
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the 2010 Spring Quarterly: Unseamly Talkis canceled. Having almost 250 people come through for our last Quarterly and the probability that this trend will continue brings a lot of wear-and-tear to the common space in a condo building, and the last thing we want to do is have our presence cause financial burdens for the community hosting us. Part of being “underground” means that we function without the stability of an established space or gallery, and it’s no minor miracle that we have not had a major setback thus far! Stay tuned for details on a monumental event May 15th sponsored by Art Underground and featuring Quarterly artists. And of course, the Quarterly will be coming back in a new space this July!
2010 Spring Quarterly: Unseamly Talk
Our hallmark event, the Quarterly, is coming back Saturday, April 24 at 6:30 PM. Every three months we showcase local artists in the lofts, condos and homes of St. Louis. The combination of a gallery’s professional approach and home’s warm social atmosphere make for an incredibly unique evening.
This season features an incredibly diverse array of cutting edge fashion (never-before-seen pieces worn by live models mingling in the crowd throughout the evening!), photography, 2 and 3-dimensional ink drawings, 2 video art works, and printmaking . You can find out many more details about these artists and their work here.
This Quarterly’s venue is one of the most unique in the Midwest region, much less the city of St. Louis. Hosts Phil and Becca Woods are opening up their home in a completely renovated 19th century gothic-style church called The Abbey on the Park at 1505 Missouri Ave. in Lafayette Square. Soaring 50-foot ceilings, the original organ pipes, gorgeous stained-glass windows, and a professional gallery hanging and lighting system make this loft a work of art in it’s own right! Check out some of the photos of this incredible space from our 2009 Fall Quarterly…
Join Art Underground Saturday, April 24th at 6:30 pm, 1505 Missouri Ave. unit #2E for some of our city’s best creative culture!
2010 Spring Quarterly: Artist Preview
By AU Director, Brad Edwards
It’s that time again, and the Spring Quarterly is quickly approaching this month. On April 24th, we will once again host a one-night-only gallery exhibition in the home of a St. Louis City resident. While the details are still coming together, we officially have our artist lineup!
This Quarterly will be a new direction for Art Underground. Our Quarterly Call for Art continues to attract some of St. Louis’ most talented emerging artists. Our 2010 Winter Quarterly: Positive Obsession, had a very strong aesthetic focus and was visually just stunning. While our Spring Quarterly will as well, this one is strongly content or message-driven. Each of these pieces intend to say something, and they say it through a variety of different means, styles and volumes!
Brandon Barnes
Brandon Barnes is a senior at Webster University, graduating in May. His workcombines sculpture and drawing by taking the linear qualities of ink on paper, and creating sculptures that reflect these qualities and physically branch off of the work.
Seth Caplan
Seth Caplan is a senior photography major at Washington University in St. Louis, originally from New York. His work explores the idea of performance in identities and relationships, and how cultural norms affect these performances, personally and in our interactions with others.
Jeremiah Clark is a senior at Greenville College. Something that he has become particularly interested in recently is process. Jeremiah uses video as his chosen avenue to show the process that an artist can go through to produce a work of art, both literally and metaphorically (due to the nature of his medium, you will just have to wait until the Quarterly to see a sample of his work).
Arushi Kumar
Arushi Kumar is our first every fashion designer and artist! She is a recent graduate of The School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Department of Fashion Design. The focus of her work is the realm of conceptual fashion and specifically, deconstruction of common stylistic elements found in contemporary clothing. The picture shown here is an example from her last line. She will be unveiling her new work, worn by models mingling with the crowd throughout the evening, at the Spring Quarterly!
Mary Richards
For Mary Richards, Buddhism, psychotherapy, and neuroscience are the basis ofher current body of work. She is interested in how the process of drawing (the behavior itself) can link to neuroscience and the recent research contending that humans can re-wire, de-clutter, re-route and modify our synapses – our brain chemistry. Her drawings are repetitive, include mark-making sounds, are relative to the natural curve of wrist/hand/arm, involve time, are obsessive and thus extremely meditative.
Kim Wardenburg
Kim Wardenburg will complete her BFA in printmaking at Washington University in St. Louis in May 2010. I use traditional and experimental printmaking techniques to investigate covenants (specifically, their significance to the United States’ involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict) and explore connections between disparate people and places, struggling against imminent disaster and brokenness.
Spring Quarterly Call for Artists!
CALL FOR ENTRY, All Mediums, AU(STL) Spring Quarterly Submissions Due March 6th.
Attention artists and creative catalysts. It’s that time again and AU(STL) is looking for local talent to feature in our 2010 Spring Quarterly April 24th! In addition to participating in this AU event, being a Featured Artist qualifies you to be sponsored by Art Underground on events you do in the St. Louis area. This includes assistance with advertising and PR, networking and professional development, and the invitation to join a community of people seeking to “create a St. Louis that ought to be.”
If you are an artist, or know one who would be interested in this opportunity, please send the following submission requirements to AU Submissions (submissions@artundergroundstl.org) no later than Saturday, March 6th. Upon receipt of your application, we will send you further details on the event.
Submission Requirements
- Full Name- Please format the subject line of your email as follows: “Full Name (Submission)”
- Bio and Short Artist Statement – 50 words or less. This may describe the artistʼs background, materials, medium, and stylistic distinctions. This will be included in the slides for display at the event and used for marketing.
- Digital Samples (with brief descriptions if necessary)- This depends significantly on the type of work, but some kind of example needs to be submitted for application and (if accepted) marketing. The artist must submit pictures or samples of all works they intend to display. Video clips should be 5min or less.
- Acknowledgement of Fees – To curb frivolous applications and drop-outs, a very modest $25 fee will be charged to accepted artists and go towards defraying the cost of food and drinks. This will be the only fee, and we will never charge a commission on any sales made at an Art Underground Quarterly.
If you are unfamiliar with the Quarterly, you can find out all about the concept here, the description of our 2010 Winter Quarterly here, and some great pictures from that evening here.
2010 Winter Quarterly in Review
This month’s January Quarterly set a new record for success! Somewhere around 250 St. Louisans came through to participate in the Art Underground experience. Every one of our featured artists sold work, totaling $2,500 ($375 of which will be sent to Haiti relief organizations). Not too shabby for one night! Thanks to all the artists, our hosts and guests, and the many volunteers who were absolutely integral to pulling off such a massive event! Stay tuned for the upcoming call for artists for the Spring Quarterly in April!
Creating a “Haiti that ought to be.”
Our vision is to create a “St. Louis that ought to be,” yet this vision reflects a local initiative that is part of a broader, global movement to create a “world that ought to be.” In light of the crisis in Haiti, a crisis that was further exacerbated by a second earthquake measuring 6.1 that hit Port-au-Prince last night, this Quarterly’s Featured Artists will be donating 15% of any works sold to a charity or NGO providing emergency relief to our neighbors in Haiti. Each of the individual artists have chosen an organization, and you can find out more about their choice this Saturday night.
We also discussed taking donations at the exhibition, but would instead encourage you to donate directly to a charitable organization. Quite simply, it can reach the hands of those who need it much faster if we stay out of the way. Below are a few links to trusted and effective organizations that already have a presence in the country, as well as considerable knowledge of what it will take to strategically aid Haiti long-term.
World Vision
World Vision has worked in Haiti for 30 years and has more than 800 staff on the ground. Your gift will help them meet the immediate, urgent needs of earthquake survivors, and also enable World Vision to help the people of Haiti in the weeks and months to come.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
MSF has been working in Haiti for 19 years, most recently operating three emergency hospitals in Port-au-Prince, and is mobilizing a large emergency response to this disaster. Their immediate response in the first hours following the disaster in Haiti was only possible because of private unrestricted donations from around the world received before the earthquake struck. They are currently reinforcing our teams on the ground in order to respond to the immediate medical needs and to assess the humanitarian needs that MSF will be addressing in the months ahead.
Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
If you don’t know where to donate, this is a great option that funnels donations to only reputable and effective organizations.
Winter Quarterly: Positive Obsession
Our hallmark event, the Quarterly, is coming back Saturday, January 23. Every three months we showcase local artists in the lofts, condos and homes of St. Louis. The combination of a gallery’s professional approach and home’s warm social atmosphere make for an incredibly unique evening.
This season features an incredibly diverse array of live abstract painting, photography, “urban pop abstract mixed mediums,” and illustrations. You can find out many more details about these artists and their work here.
This Quarterly’s venue is one of the most unique in the Midwest region, much less the city of St. Louis. Hosts Phil and Becca Woods are opening up their home in a completely renovated 19th century gothic-style church called The Abbey on the Park in Lafayette Square. Soaring 50-foot ceilings, the original organ pipes, gorgeous stained-glass windows, and a professional gallery hanging and lighting system make this loft a work of art in it’s own right! Check out some of the photos of this incredible space from our 2009 Fall Quarterly…
Join Art Underground January 23rd at 7:30 pm in unit #2E for some of the city’s best creative culture!
2010 Winter Quarterly Artist Preview
Art Underground is pleased to invite St. Louis artists Mike Bolton, Jen Everett, Angie Griffith and Missy Hanson to be featured at our next Quarterly, January 23rd. Details for the event will be posted soon, but here’s a preview of the artists to satisfy your burning curiosity while you wait!
While our first artist, Michael Bolton, will not be displaying any of his current works at this Quarterly, he will be painting live throughout the evening (more on this in an upcoming Featured Artist Interview). As an abstract painter, he rarely uses a paint brush. Instead, pallet knives and screwdrivers are more often included in his repertoire. Many of his paintings consist of ordinary house paint, housing caulk, and other everyday materials. His exposure to and understanding of art has certainly changed over the years, but the fun and satisfaction in creating something for himself and others to enjoy has never diminished. He now encourages this same passion in others as a fourth grade teacher in the Normandy School District.
Photographer Jennifer Everett was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1981. She studied architecture and gained a reverence for space and form, but was also intrigued by stark, urban landscapes which often included decay and gentrification. Her work forces the viewer to face this landscape and challenges them to find beauty.
Urban Pop Artist Angie Griffith has been 
drawing and creating as long as she can re
member. Each aspect of her art tells a story – from the colors, to the marks, to the medium(s) she chooses to use, to the emotions she pours into every second spent on a piece. She is inspired by music, movies, and people, as well as past struggles, present strife and personal breakthroughs.She is inspired by artists such as Bankse, Warhol, Basquiat, Ad Reinhardt, and Judith Supine to name a few.
Illustrator and Photographer Missy Sue Hanson dreams too much. If there is such a thing. I smile at strangers and love to hear their stories. She believes that everyone is beauty personified and is passionate about pretty much everything. Her 
work is emotionally driven. Being self taught in all of her chosen mediums (photography, illustration & mixed media) has helped her develop a unique and personal approach to her work. Much of her work, especially her photography, is indicative of vintage eras and memories stilled.
Winter Quarterly Call for Artists
Calling all artists and creative catalysts! It’s that time again and AU(STL) is looking for local talent to feature in our 2010 Winter Quarterly on January 23rd! In addition to getting valuable exposure and having the opportunity to sell your work for absolutely zero commission, being a Featured Artist qualifies you to be sponsored by Art Underground on events you do in the St. Louis area. This includes assistance with advertising and PR, networking and educational opportunities, and the invitation to join a community of people seeking to “create a St. Louis that ought to be.”
AU has grown by leaps and bounds in our first year, and we are excited to unleash new creative works on St. Louis with this Winter’s Quarterly. We’ve attracted the interest of amazing hosts and donors to make it a show you won’t want to miss! If you are an artist, or know one who would be interested in this opportunity, please send the following submission requirements to Brad Edwards (brad@artundergroundstl.org) no later than Sunday, December 27th. Upon receipt of your application, we will send you further details on the event.
Submission Requirements
- Full Name- Please format the subject line of your email as follows: “Full Name (Submission)”
- Bio and Work Description – 50 words or less. This may describe the artistʼs background, materials, and stylistic distinctions. This will be included in the slides for display at the event and used for marketing.
- Digital Samples - This depends significantly on the type of work, but some kind of example needs to be submitted for application and (if accepted) marketing. The artist must submit pictures or samples of all works they intend to display.
- Acknowledgement of Fees – To curb frivolous applications and drop-outs, a very modest $20 fee will be charged to accepted artists and go towards defraying the cost of food and drinks. This will be the only fee, and we will never charge a commission on any sales made at an Art Underground event.
If you are unfamiliar with the Quarterly, you can find out all about the concept here, the description of our 2009 Fall Quarterly here, and some great pictures from the Fall edition here.
Fall Quarterly in Review
The Fall Quarterly was a hit! Almost 100 people from all parts of the city came out to view some incredible pieces of art and enjoy the warm and unique social atmosphere of the Woods home. Many thanks to artists Jake Amundson, Dail Chambers and Tracy Kodner! Pictures from the evening are below. Artwork pictured in the gallery is for sale. For purchase or commission inquiries, contact Art Underground and we will connect you with the respective artist.
2009 Fall Quarterly
Our hallmark event, the Quarterly, is coming back Saturday, October 17. Every three months we showcase local artists in the lofts, condos and homes of St. Louis. This Fall will feature Jacob Amundson, Dail Chambers, and Tracy Kodner.
Jake is a St. Louis based artist working in a plethora of media. Using video, performance, and installation; Jake combines humor and gravitas, popular culture and high culture, the grotesque and the sublime, the brain and the belly, the abject, the absurd, and the absolutely relative. Jake is currently an MFA candidate at Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles and teaches in the Art and Digital Media departments at Greenville College. Because Jake’s work is digital media (video), you’ll just have to wait until he releases it at the Quarterly.
For Dail, all is intertwined. Copper and clay, known as the blood and body of earth, make up merely a representation of our existence in forms and sculptures; current works include collage and drawings. Chambers is a mixed media artist, grounded in ceramics. Post-colonial and community based representation fuels her artmaking.
Tracy’s paintings are created using a combination of acrylic washes, charcoal and pastels. Some of the imagery is recognizable, but for the most part she leans toward the abstract; creating moods and stirring the imagination. One of her favorite aspects of her work is the response stimulated by her work.
This Quarterly’s venue is one of the most unique to ever exhibit artwork. Hosts Phil and Becca Woods are opening up their home in a renovated gothic-style church called The Abbey on the Park in Lafayette Square. Soaring 50-foot ceilings, the original organ pipes, gorgeous stained-glass windows, and a professional gallery hanging and lighting system make this loft a work of art in it’s own right!
Join Art Underground October 17th at 7:30 pm in unit #2E for free food, drinks and art exhibition!