HotArt in Hotlanta: SATURDAY

Appointments for Kembra and Karen meant our schedule started early -- and in three vehicles! We arrived at the busy Buckhead neighborhood which houses the Lagerquist Gallery and could feel the creative energy as we rode past. Even on a Saturday morning, there was a buzz on the street of former homes now converted to interesting businesses, shops and restaurants.

As is the custom at Lagerquist, the door was opened for us and we were greeted and made welcome. Our friend Karen (Jacobs) has been represented by Evelyn Lagerquist and Kay Lagerquist Bragg for a number of years and it was her show which we had come to see. Her work was mostly in the front gallery, the large canvases filling the walls.

Linda, Kembra and I wandered through the three story space, noted the lovely garden views out the windows and spotted more of Karen's paintings while she handled a little business with her gallery team concerning inventory and sales. Karen's work is among the best and we could have stayed quite a while looking at each piece: studying compositions, surface textures and color subtleties; but after a photo op, we were off for more adventure.

We located the Trinity Gallery which is now The Alan Avery Art Company and were overwhelmed by what we found -- as we had been yesterday at the new Lowe Gallery and which I forgot to mention. The staff was busy, yet warm and welcoming. They knew we had come to look and also knew that we were probably not buyers (they were quick!) The contemporary feel to the space was enhanced by excellent work in many genres. And the room of exquisite sculptures by Frederick West was breathtaking. They told us not to miss the ArtHouse and to look for the Chuck Close and Robert Rauschenberg paintings and the large collection of West sculptures.

We lunched VERY well at BRIO to celebrate Karen's show. Kembra departed for her appointment as we said our good byes to Karen who was driving back to Birmingham to prepare for her upcoming retrospective. Linda and I headed for the ArtHouse with our tickets in hand. We had learned that there were more than enough rooms for the 28 members of the Atlanta Gallery Association to have a space, so we were excited about seeing what each one considered their best.

As we crossed the lawn to the "Pink House," the tall trees swayed gently and the sounds of fabulous piano music floated on the breeze. The house itself deserves its own visit (not the decorator show house kind) with its beautiful windows and open spaces; its painted walls and contemporary bathrooms and its wine cellar which is fit for any soireé. But to see a Warhol sketch next to a bathroom and the Rauschenberg in the breakfast room slows the step and stops the eye.

Tew Galleries' Corky Davis was in the house for the afternoon and continued to pop up in the rooms we were viewing. At one point, he found us excitedly taking pictures of the room where we had found one of Karen's paintings! It was in small suite with a large arch connecting the bedroom and an adjoining the bath (with a sunken tub and a fireplace) which opened onto a rooftop terrace. It was a perfect place for the long narrow painting.

At the top of the house, we decided we could just stay: there was a marvelous studio with kiln and excellent pottery and skylights with spaces for easels and long, lovely tables and benches for projects in the works and . . . and . . . . A kitchen and a perfect little suite of rooms truly made it an artist's hideaway. Finally, we wandered back through our favorite spaces and listened to the music once more. It was time to leave.

Linda and I then took some time to stroll through shops in the tiny square in Decatur before heading back to home base and a supper of odds and ends. We talked a little about our collaboration for a future show, wondered how we might pull it off with the miles between us and finished the evening with random conversation about what we had seen.

And so ended Saturday. . . .

Photos:
Evelyn and Karen @ Lagerquist
Close-up of Karen's painting at ArtHouse
2 views of the Suite at Art House showing Karen's painting near the carved armoire

BushStrokes (c) AAB