Exhibit celebrates former Poet Laureate
The art exhibit “Impact,” part of the 2011-2012 Gallery Series, is on display in Memorial Hall’s main gallery. The 23 pieces on display, ranging from paintings to glass sculptures, were created by Nebraska artists in response to poems by Ted Kooser, a Nebraskan who was the United States Poet Laureate from 2004-2006. The art exhibit is on display from Jan. 9 – Feb. 3.
Kooser has written 12 books of poetry and received several dozen awards and honors for his writing, including the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 2005 for his book of poetry “Delights and Shadows,” according to his official website. He currently lives near Garland.
A couple of the pieces in the art exhibit are displayed with the poems that inspired their creation. One of these pieces is “River Bottom,” a glass sculpture of three fish by Jeanine Pesek, which is displayed next to a copy of Kooser’s poem “Carp.” Kooser refers to carp as water-monks that gather in the tapestries of weeds at the dark bottoms of rivers.
Pesek’s sculpture captures the image of silent fish floating in the murky depths of a river. The fish are black with flecks of gold and appear to be suspended in an underwater current. The medium of blown glass, sheet glass, and gold leaf conveys the texture of wet, cool fish.
“November 15” by Sharon T. Ohmberger is another sculpture that is coupled with the poem that inspired its artist. Kooser’s poem “November 15” describes the flight of an “anthem of geese,” while the blue, yellow, and red earthenware dish has simple etchings of geese that resemble hieroglyphics. A pattern of geese tracks decorates the inside of the dish.
The other paintings and sculptures are not displayed with Kooser’s poems that inspired the artists, so viewers have to use their imaginations and the clues left in the works of art to discover the poetry behind the art. The exhibit contains a range of paintings from rural scenes to abstract patterns to a mysterious woman with auburn hair. These brief glimpses into Kooser’s life and poetry are tantalizing.
Some of the paintings are more self-explanatory, such as rural scenes that are reminiscent of many parts of Nebraska. “Near Garland in June,” an oil painting by Ben Darling, shows the Nebraska countryside. Most of the painting depicts a grey sky with sweeping clouds, evoking the open sky and wind in Nebraska. The landscape consists of low hills with fields and sparse windbreaks of trees. It feels like a summer thunderstorm is brewing in this painting. Kooser resides near Garland, so this painting offers a glimpse into what he might see outside his window. Other rural paintings show mailboxes on a dirt road, cows meandering home in the afternoon, and farms.
In “Garage Sale,” an oil painting by Carlos Frey, a man with a blue fedora and cigarette absentmindedly peruses a panoply of items at a garage sale, from worn boots to a bicycle. Is one man’s trash another man’s treasure? Perhaps the seemingly random objects tell someone’s story.
Some of the paintings are more abstract, such as Julia Noyes’ painting “Spring,” which consists of streaks and splashes of greens and indigos. “Tessellation with Circles,” an acrylic painting by Susan J. Brasch, consists of interlocking geometric shapes that create a detailed pattern of muted gray, sienna, and turquoise.
“A New Spin on Spring Plowed Fields,” a painting by Patsy Smith, has an evanescent feel created by the dusky purples, oranges, and blues. In one corner of the painting, a golden moon illuminates the silhouette of an owl perched on a skeletal tree branch, while three silhouettes of rats scurry along the bottom of the painting. A road snakes across the painting and into twilight in another corner of the painting.
In the watercolor painting “A Happy Birthday,” artist Howard Kaye depicts Kooser, an older man with glasses and a serene face, in front of a window. Another part of the painting shows his wrinkled hand resting on an open book, further clues into the writer who inspired this collection of art.
