B. Sakata Garo: Jack Ogden Exhibit

Jack Ogden C.S.U.S professor emeritus recent show at B. Sakata Garo  (gallery). Located at 923 20th street Sacramento, California is simply brilliant. And when asked about Ogden's work Tom Montieth current painting professor at C.S.U.S who studied under Jack Ogden stated, "He is the real deal". And indeed he is.  As I described to Professor Montieth. Ogden's paintings are "all even-handed". Brush marks are controlled and strategically planned to suit the mood of the painting. This is the sum total of masterfully painting layers of paint to complete the painting so it may gel as one. However, only the human eye can see this and can not be seen in photos. The painting in the picture below is title Axon. My first impression of the painting is composed of a single brush. The brush painting a line in atmospheric space that is giving the impression of it resting on a horizon line plane acting as a surface. The artist leaves some of the raw material open on the edges of the painting and the frame is a wood trim  also has paint marks. The wonderful blue drips on the bottom of the canvas offer spacial variation as if to compose a 4th wall to invade the space of the viewer and gel with the audience. The brush being the embodiment of the artist and the drips speaking in a neo-expressionists manner; thus, the title Axon.

Axon- photo credit | Moises Castillo

Partial installation view|  Photo Credit | Moises Castillo

The solo show is highligjted with a family portrait of the Kennedy family- Once Upon a Time. The neo-expressionistic style is also a interesting composition reministint of a Diego Velasquez composition. The solo show also exhibited elaborate figure sculptures and wonderful fluid paintings that will stand the test of time as a painter who is the "real deal".

Photo Courtesy | B Sakata Garo

Art Commuion.

April 7, 2018.

As I was visiting City College of San Francisco for documentation and research of the Diego Rivera Mural The Marriage of the Artistic Expression of the North and of the South on this Continent is when I passed a sculpture by contemporary Artist Aristides Demetrios. Mr. Aristides Demetrios is a Harvard graduate and served 3 years in the Navy as an officer. His work is reduced down to geometric shapes and resemble figures. His father George Demetrios was a student of Antoine Bourdelle who studied under Auguste Rodin. Aristides Demetrios has works all over the world. Including public artwork in Roseville, California and Sacramento, California.

The sculpture titled Sentinel was done in 1973 for the Arts Commission in San Francisco and is on permanent loan to City College of San Francisco. The work is of hollow bronze and appears to have a spray paint patina. While I was taking pictures of the sculpture. A facility service man yelled at me in a semi-serious tone- Hey why are taking pictures of that thing!? I said for my blog as an educational project... He continued- but why? How is that Art? We exchanged our passionate point of views. After 20 minutes of conversation, he invited me over to hug the sculpture. He said- we need to feel it to get an idea of what is going on. At that time the man who stood about 6 feet 2 inches and weighed about 280 pounds placed his large hands on and reached into the sculpture. The dull thud from the hollow bronze echoed inside. I placed my hands on top of the piece as well, as if it was some holy communion between to strangers engaged in a piece of Art.We stood there like this for about 2 minutes talking about the piece.

After. We laughed, talked politics, family dynamics and Art.

Aristides Demetrios sculpture- Sentinal served a specific purpose at that point. As to unite two individuals together and talk about Art. As if we are the watchmen of the campus grounds exchanging thoughts and feelings of life and Art. It was the artist work and that of a worker at the school who provoked meaningful conversation, and he probably did not know this at the time. Truly an experience that I will never forget. And is something I am usually accustomed to by now from visiting San Francisco many times. People have opinions. We share them and is usually because I am around Art or culture when I visit that city.

Photos by Moises Castillo.

Sentinel- Side View.

Sentinel Side view.

Sentinel front view.

Artist's signature.