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Face 2 Face
November 2 – December 31, 2022
Opening Reception:
Friday November 18, 2022
5:00 pm- 8:00pm
Face 2 Face
A portrait and figurative art exhibit featuring watercolor collage portraits by Gail Crosson, mixed media portraits by Allison Norfleet Bruenger, digital illustrations by Michael Plurad, portrait and figurative drawings by Douglas Simes, and silver and stone jewelry by Joe Bova Conti
Gail Crosson - Watercolor Collage
It is thrilling to me to take a blank sheet of paper and turn it into a work of art. I often think “How did that happen?” The creative process is kind of a magical thing that propels me from painting to painting. I often start in one direction and end up somewhere entirely different. I saw this happen over and over in my thirty years of teaching, and my personal style has been greatly influenced by the stunning creativity of children with their innate sense of color, pattern, design, and whimsy. As a teacher I became proficient in many different types of art media, but watercolor became my favorite. I started painting traditionally then found cutting, weaving and piecing watercolor paper together to be the answer to my interest in texture and shapes. I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, attended Ohio University where I studied graphic design, and graduated from the University of Missouri with a BS in art education. After graduation, I was accepted in the Peace Corps and spent two years in Brazil working in a small village with local potters helping them market their work. My interest in the simplicity and uninhibited creativity of folk art developed at this time. During my teaching career, I received the Emerson Award For Excellence in Teaching and the Independent Schools Teacher of Distinction Award. For over twenty years I have painted and studied watercolor with Fred Graff, one of the foremost watercolorists of today. His influence on my work has been immense. I am a signature member of the St. Louis Watercolor Society and have received recognition in their annual juried gallery exhibits. My hope is that my woven watercolors cause people to stop, take a look, enjoy what they see, and maybe smile.
Allison Norfleet Bruenger - Mixed Media
Expression without Spoken Word.
The Tilt of a head,
The Wisp of hair across the face,
The Curl of the corners of one’s mouth,
The Emotion in one’s eyes.
Each piece conveys their stories through a mixture of brush strokes, layers of pencil, combinations of found objects and fabricated components to tell their stories though sight and thought.
Allison’s newest endeavor is to create works that tell a story that pulled in the viewer to share the emotions of the subject matter with a variety of materials and traditional techniques. These are a departure from her know creations for they are works that stand alone. These works will not have a Jewelry component. They will be “Just the Art”. Come be a part of her journey to expand her creative footprint.
Allison L Norfleet Bruenger is a Mixed Media Jewelry and Fine Craft Artist. Her goal is to create truly distinctive wearable art designs that lift the spirit and inspire the soul. She uses a variety of materials such as Copper, Brass, Sterling Silver along with my “Original Drawings & Paintings” to create her lines. Most of her focus is on “Nature” & the “Female Image”. She also has a series of Assemblage creations that house her corresponding mixed media jewelry.
Michael Plurad - Digital Illustration
Growing up in Webster Groves, Michael is honored to once again join Green Door Gallery as a guest artist this season. Since graduating from Missouri State University with a BFA in Illustration and Design, he has been a freelance illustrator and participated in several art fairs in the St. Louis area. Inspired by great masters such as Arthur Rackham, the father of modern fantasy illustration, and Alphonse Mucha, a primary figure of the Art Nouveau movement, Michael incorporates elements of both their styles into many of his illustrations.
Douglas Simes - Drawing
Since moving to St. Louis from New York City three years ago, my drawings have been exhibited in numerous group shows around town and in a solo exhibition, “The Act of Drawing,” at the Parish Gallery in the Central West End. My life in the arts includes work in architecture and professional acting, disciplines that inform my drawing practice in cogent ways. With portraiture, I seek to establish a relationship with my subject as an actor would with a scene partner; then I strive for precision, both in the details of form and psychological expression.
Joe Bova Conti - Silver and Stone Jewelry
Joe Bova Conti is an artist, designer and craftsman. Joe attended Fontbonne College on an art scholarship beginning in 1975. He has apprenticed with master jewelers and worked with Native American Craftsman for over 2 decades. All the work here is completely handmade without modern casting tools. The pieces are cut out, forged, filed, hammered and assembled into wearable pieces of art. Each piece is individually made by Joe. The inspiration for his pieces can be found in nature. Many pieces are reminders of landscapes and the beauty of our world. Joe has traveled extensively through the United States and Europe. The stones used are all natural and from ethically sourced locations all over the globe, some being quite rare and all unique.
Joe works out of a private studio and shows his work through galleries in St. Louis, MO.
