C2 The Orion Gallery stays fresh with 'New Voice JENNIFER SCHOLTES Patton's artwork often depicts doorways Staff Writer and windows, a theme that can be found in some of her selections for the exhibit. While carefully viewing some of the prints "I work a lot with architecture, so of course in the that is Janet Turner Print Gallery, Nancy Scott going to be something that catches my Patton, a printmaking and design teacher at eye," she said. Chico State and Butte College, found herself Patton said she is always attracted to certain holding a print created by one of her professors print aspects even when she is trying to look from the Kansas City Art Institute. for technique. Patton, who moved to Chico from St. "The energetic marks immediately draw Louis in 2002, was able to choose from a my attention," she said. "The large-scale is collection of more than 3,000 original prints interesting to me because of how it can draw from six centuries and more than 40 countries the viewer in." as the guest curator for the current "New Patton hopes to encourage her students to Voice" exhibit on the second floor of Laxson "push what they already know," and allow Auditorium. them to see what they can do with media. Patton heard about the museum when "She didn't choose things just because they she lived in St. Louis, and said that in the had architectural elements that she liked," printmaking world it is very well known. Sullivan said. "She chose things because they Catherine Sullivan, museum curator, were good examples of interesting uses of some often new invites faculty members in the art of the basic ways of making prints, that she department to choose the prints for specific thought would be inspirational to students." the Orion-SPENCER CROOKS exhibits so the faculty can become familiar Assistant printmaking professor Eileen Four prints hang in the Janet Turner Print Gallery's new exhibit called "New Voice." Chieo State and Butte College professor with the use as Nancy Scott Patton hand-picked prints more 3,000 of the collection and it a teaching Macdonald takes her classes to the museum from than gallery's pieces to demonstrate techniques to her students. tool. four or five times per semester. Patton chose to "If I "You can see display collagraph, monotype, taught printmaking anywhere else I the textures better, you can see lithographic posters. woodcut relief, screen and mixed media would prints, probably have to get slides of images, the choice of paper better (and) you can see the Sullivan said she likes to invite faculty because Butte College printmaking students but here it's minute detail close great because we just go right up up," Sullivan said. "from outside the obvious art areas that might are limited to these processes. the stairs," Macdonald said. Janet Turner was a print collector, artist and have some expertise and want to make some "I wanted to show professional work in Senior Shiloh educator who donated her collection'to start Kimberling, a 21-year-old commentary that provides more context for an those limited processes that were available," art major with an emphasis in printmaking, the gallery in 1981, and died in 1988. exhibit." Patton said. is in Macdonald's class and was able to By inviting faculty to curate the exhibits, Students and community members are Sullivan said that she view the "New Voice" exhibit. She said the Sullivan has always hopes the guest ensured that Turner's dream for welcome to request to view prints from the curators "include elements that are useful in gallery is a great resource for learning about the museum lives on. collection and enjoy the various exhibits teaching so that the exhibition becomes sort of printmaking. "(Turner) wanted it to stay here so that it could throughout the year. The "New Voice" exhibit a visual lecture for them." "It function the gives you something to expect," way it had functioned for her, which will be open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The prints also reflected Patton's interests in Kimberling said. "How do you paint if you've was an adjunct teaching tool," she said. until March 6. architecture, energetic marks and large-scale never seen a painting?" Sullivan has invited Kenneth Rose, a professor prints, which are often characteristics of her The in the prints are a much better way to view the history department, to participate in the Jennifer Scholtes can be reached at own work. art than a reproduction. next exhibit, which will feature World War II jscholtes@>orion-online.net
CORPORATE: Piano ballads The Men of Steel, includ¬ ing Dan Crary, will perform follow Saturday long night of rock in Laxson Auditorium band, The Academy Is... began to during the perform until the last guitar riffs of Eighth Annual International pseudo-mohawk and tattoos on his Something Corporate faded away. Guitar The audience forearms, isn't the typical picture of clapped as Something Festival. a pianist. Corporate left the stage, but did not His piano wasn't typical either. It continue cheering for an encore. had a man painted in black and white After the performance, members on the side that faces the audience of the four bands stayed around to and a bunch of messages along the talk to people, sign posters and shoes- front that look like and find out where the they were etched with a parties were. pocketknife. The piano Band members were is the McMahon's centerpiece for friendly and sung the Something Corporate. intricate praises of their tour Near the end of the mates. show, the other band piano "We were definitely members left the stage pleased when Andrew and McMahon played a arrangement asked us to open this couple of slow songs. tour," said Michael McMahon's Steel intricate along with Carden, guitarist for pickers play festival piano arrangements along his The Academy Is... with his crooning Carden crooning voice said everyone KYLE BUIS and trade policy," Crary said. "They from the university made the lyrics sound voice made in his band thought Assistant Entertainment Editor were there for the music, though" and it has enough sincere and heartfelt. Something Corporate was From that side of the Atlantic hipness even when The first song, "I the lyrics great and had seen them A musical extravaganza spanning Ocean is Scotsman Tony McManus, the students aren't Want to Save You" in concert before four countries in two continents the man they will respected by many for his here. They have a was a sound hit melancholy love joined the tour. The two Laxson Auditorium Saturday ability to bring the guitar into Celtic more adventurous song. McMahon's voice bands sincere and got to hang out, night when the Men of Steel follow music. He's been able to translate taste in music." was reminiscent of The have serious talks, as well up last year's performance for the bagpipe and fiddle tunes on his six- "For a city of Counting Crows' "A heartfelt. as party together while on Eighth Annual International Guitar string guitar. His busy schedule left (Chico's) size, it Long December." tour, Carden said. Festival. him unavailable for comment. is amazing how Before playing The The four-man A little further this Academy Is... put group will have two south is the soft- many people are song, which was from out a new CD, "Almost performances to benefit Northstate spoken Italian flatpicker Beppe into the music," the band's 2002 album on Here" the day of the Public Radio KCHO and KFPR. Gambetta. Thinking about the first Crary said. "Dan show. The second "We're a "Leaving Through The band, non-profit radio station," guitar he saw and heard on the streets DeWayne creates Window," McMahon said he Armor for said just Sleep, will release a new Jack Brown, KCHO general of Genoa still leaves him nearly an audience where started doing the song on this tour album on Tuesday entitled "What To Do manager. "We only do a couple of speechless. every time we play to When You Are Dead." these give something new to people who Straylight Run, events a year and they provide "Beppe brings a European it's sold out and had seen them a few times. the third band, released their self-titled important funds we wouldn't have." sensibility to Americana and folk the crowd is there to hear some good This short session of slow songs album in October. The steel-string guitar band isn't music," Don Ross said. guitar." was more interesting and unusual "North," released in October just the headline act for the festival Ross is the fourth member of Men DeWayne, director of University than the band's other material, but 2003, is - it's the Something Corporate's most only act. of Steel and is the only two-time Public Events, has some ties dating it didn't to everyone in recent album. The appeal the diversity of their musical U.S. National Fingerstyle Guitar back to before his days at Chico. audience. Some started to The band also released a DVD people background makes the $16 student Champion. Ross said what he plays "I put on music festivals in one of walk out once the first mellow entitled "Live at the Ventura Theater" ticket song price worthwhile. is popular but "you can't define it as my other lives," DeWayne said. began, but it could have been because in November. "I'm someone who hit my head Americana or folk, though it's mostly He met Crary in 1982 and the rest of the excessive length of the show. when I was a child so I went into funk and exploring new sounds" of the group through a series of other The concert lasted just under four Jessica Brouwer can be reached at flatpicking," Dan Crary said. "I do this modern Canadian festivals. hours from the time that the opening jbrouwer$>orion-online.net Crary hails from Kansas where he fingerstyle thing," Ross said. "I've "When they play together, first picked up flatpicking, a guitar kind of tried to develop a very extraordinary things happen technique where the pick plays the individual style." musically," DeWayne said. lower notes between the index finger When the four come together Before their performance in Laxson and thumb while the middle and ring though, they lay their differences Auditorium, Men of Steel will host fingers play the middle notes. aside. "Everyone has a good sense on a guitar workshop where they will He started playing in 1952, how to collaborate," Ross said. demonstrate and discuss their art. when the "We are large-body, steel-string planning to do a fun "It's a great opportunity for anyone guitar was a mostly background (concert)," Gambetta said. "The interested in string instruments - instrument in country music. It was only problem is some of the guys specifically guitars," DeWayne said. later are popularized when Elvis Presley so funny we have a hard time Crary summed up the performance made an appearance on "The Ed practicing." for those who missed it last year. Sullivan Show." Why would such an internationally- He said, "We fly faster than a Crary found music to be a great renowned group of musicians come speeding bullet, we're slower than unifier despite people's different to Chico when Redding is just up a locomotive and able to leap tall the backgrounds and philosophies. road and San Francisco is a few in a The Orion-JASON HALLEY buildings single bound." "In Europe, during our election freeways away? Josh Partington (guitar), Clutch (bass), Brian Ireland (drums) and Andrew McMahon (piano/ season, there was an unpopular "Chico and I are old friends," Ross Kyle Buis can be reached at vocals) of Something Corporate play to fans Feb. 8 in the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium. sentiment about (American) politics said. "It has so many savvy people kbuis