Natural Tendencies, Rick Maxwell and Lisa Ehrich

The Visual Art League of Lewisville is pleased to present “Natural Tendencies” the work of Rick Maxwell and Lisa Ehrich. Both artists work with natural materials that are influenced by nature. Opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, January 24th at 7pm. Exhibition will run through Saturday, February 28th. Maxwell earned his B.A. at the University of Dallas and his M.F.A. at Southern Methodist University. He currently lives in Dallas and is a professor at Brookhaven College where he teaches sculpture, three-dimensional design and drawing. It was the human figure that sparked Maxwell’s interest in his formative years. It is the simplicity of natural form that he has grown to deeply understand. Looking, touching, materials and form are all inseparable in his sculpture. Movement, change and light are the lifeblood of nature and are some of the energies that he attempts to trap in his work. Ehrich earned her B.F.A. at the University of Texas and her M.F.A at the University of North Texas. She currently lives in Dallas and is a department chairperson and professor at Brookhaven College. Ehrich’s makes clay objects that are influenced by nature. Embedded in the layers of intention and accident are the ideas that inspire Ehrich’s work: the sensuality of form, implied volume, human touch to a natural object, symbols of fragility, healing, and regeneration. Maxwell’s work has been featured in exhibitions at Brookhaven College, Mountainview College, Barry Whistler Gallery in Dallas, Rubin/Mardin Gallery in Seattle, Washington. His work is included in numerous public and private collections such as the Los Angeles County Museum, California, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Atlantic Richfield Company, and Southwestern Bell. Ehrich’s work has been featured in exhibitions at venues such as the Galveston Community College, McKinney Avenue Contemporary (The MAC) in Dallas, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Irving Art Center, East Oklahoma University, and San Angelo Museum of Art. Her teaching experience field courses include Vermont Carving and Sculpture Studio in Rutland, Vermont. New Mexico Field Course in Sante Fe, the British Field Course in London and the Italian Field Course in Rome.

Rick Maxwell, Black Bunny, 2007, 73x18x24, cedar
Lisa Ehrich, Renewable Energy, Porcelain and metal

Ray-Mel Cornelius talk on January 6th.

There was a full house at Ray-Mel's slide presentation of his work since the 70's. Everyone enjoyed Ray-Mel's illustrative work and how it has influenced his artwork including the work in his current exhibitions at VAL and Norwood Flynn galleries.

Ken Caperton at the Lewisville Main Library

Ken's work will be on view at the Lewisville Main Library on Main Street through December 31st.

2009 VAL Exhibition Schedule

Through January 18
Ray-Mel Cornelius, “From Here to There” (Front & Middle Galleries)
“Duets” VAL member exhibition (Member’s Gallery)

January 24 – February 28

"Natural Tendencies", Rick Maxwell & Lisa Ehrich (Front & Middle Galleries)
"Transistions", VAL member exhibition (Member’s Gallery)
Opening Reception, Saturday, Jan 24, 7:00-9:00pm

March 7 - May 9

Lewisville Independent School District - Art Student Exhibitions (All Galleries)

May 16 - June 27

Michael Bales, 2008 VAL Fresh Ideas Winner (Front & Middle Galleries)

"Anything Goes", VAL Member exhibition (Member's Gallery)

Opening Reception, Saturday, May 16, 7:00-9:00pm

July 11 - August 15
"Fresh Ideas", Juried Member exhibition (All Galleries)
Juror: Martha Falsetta

August 22 - September 26
Bryce Lafferty, (Front & Middle Galleries)
"Made in Texas", VAL Member exhibition (Member's Gallery)
Opening Reception, Saturday, August 22, 7:00-9:00pm

October 2 - October 4
VAL Fundraiser Event & Exhibition

October 10 - November 14
LISD Faculty Exhibition, (Front & Middle Galleries)
"I Will Always Remember", VAL Member exhibition (Member's Gallery)
Opening Reception, Saturday, October 10, 7:00-9:00pm

December 5 - January 16, 2010
Larry Enge, (Front Gallery)
ATC: curated by David Mask, (Middle Gallery)
"Dirty Works", VAL Member exhibition (Member's Gallery)
Opening Reception, Saturday, December 5, 7:00-9:00pm

Ray-Mel Cornelius "From Here to There" and VAL members "Duets" opening

David Mask, Bruce Schiefelbein, and Chuck Hendrickson

Libby and Chris Marrs' work in the VAL "Duets" exhibition.

Ray-Mel Cornelius' paintings in the Middle Gallery.

Ray-Mel Cornelius "From Here to There" opens Saturday, December 6th

Eldorado Hill,

acrylic on canvas 36 x48 inches

Norwood Flynn Gallery

Please join the Visual Art League as we welcome Dallas artist and illustrator Ray-Mel Cornelius. Cornelius will be showing new work as well as older pieces that have lead up to his most recent work. His exhibition opens Saturday, December 6th with a reception at 7pm. Cornelius will give a slide presentation of his work on Tuesday, January 6th at 7pm. The reception and talk are free and open to the public.
A professional artist since 1977, Ray-Mel Cornelius has received commissions from clients as diverse as Boy Scouts of America, the Dallas Opera, Electra Records, Frito Lay, GTE, Minute Maid, New York Times, Ocean Spray, Samsung, Time Inc., and many others. Cornelius’ work has received recognition from the New York Society of Illustrators, Graphics, Communication Arts and Print Magazines.
Cornelius grew up in the North Texas area, and received his art degree from East Texas State University (now part of the Texas A&M system). After living and working in Los Angeles and Houston, Cornelius settled back in Dallas, where he lives with his wife, Becky, and the ebb and flow of their collection of Feline-American adopted children.
Inspired by a trip to Northern New Mexico in 1996, Cornelius started to pursue his interest in landscape painting and has been on a dual illustration/painting track since then. He sees illustration and fine art as two sometimes quarrelsome siblings of the same family, and so far has been able to keep them in the same studio without too much chaos. For Cornelius, illustration serves to visually enhance and illuminate other forms of communication, such as literature, music, news and everything else.
Cornelius paints by layering colors, one over another, to achieve a representation of light defining form. Since he sees light as an additive element, i.e. a form is totally in shadow and basically formless until light delineates its form, Cornelius begins with a dark under painting and defines the form by applying layers using lighter tonal values until the desired chiaroscuro effect is reached. The fast drying qualities of the acrylic medium best facilitates this color blending technique.
Cornelius’ paintings reflect an interest in the landscape and the mythologies that accompany it. They give him the opportunity to explore representational and abstract subjects, with occasional forays into figurative interpretations of his version of Americana and folklore.