Eric Vaughn Holowacz Archives

Archives Items Relating to the Life, Times, and Cultural Engineering Work of Eric Vaughn Holowacz of Wellington, New Zealand and Sedona, Arizona

January 04, 2008

The blue thread / one life, beautiful life
Artist Eric Anfinson to exhibit at The Studios of Key West


While perhaps invisible to the eye, there is an ethereal thread that ties our life's experiences together. For painter Eric Anfinson it is also one that runs through all the paint in his confident and solid new body of work to be presented from April 4th to April 25th at the Studios of Key West. Anfinson’s exhibition,“the blue thread—one life/beautiful life,” will feature more than twenty original oil on canvas paintings and a special installation for the opening reception on Friday evening, April 4, from 7-9 p.m.

“The blue thread is the path,” says Anfinson, “while one life/beautiful life is the intention of healing.”

Anfinson, who often weaves in dreams, myths and archetypes while at work at his canvas, also allows his subconscious to guide him. In between these two spaces of linear and non-linear process, the depth of chaos, difficulty and emotion reveal themselves through his paint.

It is in this process, he says, that the healing takes place—for himself, for the subjects, and quite possibly, he hopes, for the witness.

For the last several years, the former Lemonade Stand Art Studio artist has chosen women more often than not as his subject. And for a dignified reason.

“The feminine is a healing aspect, which I am so often drawn to. My greatest depth of healing is in discovering the feminine within myself. It’s what we all do,” he says. “We try to heal ourselves.”

“There’s nothing more gracious than someone offering themselves (to be painted),” he continues. “Both of you have the opportunity to be healed—through being vulnerable. It takes courage, for both the artist and the subject,to say, “Ok, here it is….”

In his fourth solo exhibition, Anfinson’s work offers a unique perspective of portraits—the “blue” image, which the painter refers to as “in the vapors,” and the full spectrum counterpart painting, offering the physical manifestation with life’s experiences. However we choose to interpret the work, one thing is certain: Anfinson’s paintings are more bold and beautiful than ever.

"As our organization moves into its second year, we hope to celebrate the extraordinary range of creative work going on in our community," says Eric Holowacz, director of The Studios. "Our campus and facilities exist to foster creative ideas, provoke cultural dialogue, and reveal bold artistic statements like Eric Anfinson's blue thread.

The opening reception promises to be a unique experience for all who attend. Guests will be asked to enter the back door of the Studios, where they will be greeted by the music of Karen Heins, who was commissioned to create a CD based on Anfinson’s new images.

Anfinson's exhibition will transform the main hall Armory space into a sort of “salon,” harkening back to the era of literary and philosophical gatherings of the 17th and 18th century. The opening reception on April 4 is heavily inspired by the notable literary salons of Paris, where the original “les bas-bleues” gathered. This nickname, blue stockings, continued to mean “intellectual woman” for the next 300 years.

"That ethereal blue thread lingers on in the form of a three-dimensional mixed-media installation," explains Anfinson, "That aims to enhance the paintings and create a deeper sense of intimacy and the essence of a giant womb."

For those unable to make the Friday opening, the special installation will be part of the closing reception as well on Thursday, April 17 from 6-9 p.m., during The Studios of Key West’s monthly Walk on White event.

For more information about cultural events and opportunities at The Studios of Key West, please visit the website, or call 296-0458.

January 01, 2008

Cultural Manager Residency at TSKW

IT’S NOT A JOB, IT’S A CREATIVE ISLAND ADVENTURE

The Studios of Key West, an emerging creative community at America’s Southernmost Point, seeks cultural managers and innovative arts administrators for 1 to 2 week residencies in our Mango Tree House. This residency requires no work, no problem solving, no meetings or presentations, and no reporting of any kind. Directors, program officers, and Alliance of Artists Communities’ leaders: Tell us your dates, plan your travel, and think Zen.


A SHORT TROPICAL RETREAT FOR ARTS ADMINISTRATORS

As a companion to our longer-term Artist-in-Residence program, this short-term stay in Key West’s Old Town can include project research, program planning, networking and collaborating; or it can simply be a retreat-like hermitage on a warm and libertarian island, away from the usual workaday environment. TSKW is currently considering the short-term residency needs of academics, cultural managers, critics, instituional officers, museum professionals, and other professional people involved in forging high, low, popular, and obscure culture.

Time and space in Key West will provide new influences and fresh experiences, and an appreciation for life here in the Conch Republic, 30 leagues North of Havana, America’s Mile Marker 0, Cayo Hueso.


CHARMING OLD TOWN COTTAGES

Our Mango Tree House is a renovated 2-floor townhouse with a lush native garden, bedroom and bath upstairs, kitchen, bath, and lounge downstairs, and a studio room that can be used as a work space, office, rehearsal room, or 2nd bedroom. It is furnished, and comes with two beach cruiser bicycles, a laptop computer, mobile phone, and other good stuff. TSKWalso has three additional furnished cottages in Old Town, managed in partnership with their owners and and also available for vistiing cultural managers.


AN ISLAND SETTING RICH IN HERITAGE

The surrounding island community is small, 2 x 4 miles, and most people get around on bicycle or foot. There are Cuban groceries, sandwiches, and cafe con leche on every other corner. It is 80 degrees in the winter, and a beach is never far away. Flowers bloom year-round, fruit trees proliferate, and lizards and geckos rum rampant.

Long a home to artists and creative people, the ghosts of Hemingway, Robert Frost, Wallace Stevens, Elizabeth Bishop, Tennessee Williams, Mario Sanchez, and Shel Silverstein still haunt our Old Town neighborhood. And on any given day, it’s not unusual to run into modern-day creative people, such as Judy Blume, Billy Collins, Jimmy Buffett, Meg Cabot, Seward Johnson, and Annie Dillard. Our winter season, November to April, is rich in cultural events, salon and social gatherings, and interesting small-scale creative projects. There is a ubiquitous population of chickens scattered about the island, as well as cruise ship tourists by day, Bacchic revelers and lively bar scene by night, fishermen, divers, native Conchs, outlaws, divorcees, beach-goers, and free-spirited libertines.

The Studios of Key West is proud to offer a handful of 1 to 2 week residencies for America’s Cultural Managers and Arts Administrators each year. If you have time off to travel to the Southernmost Point, and are interested in a singular retreat opportunity, please contact us for details on how to proceed.


IS THIS A VACATION?

Yes, but it’s also a new form of professional development, in a place that will welcome and honor your presence, at a new kind of creative community. Learn about us herewww.tskw.org, then contact Eric Vaughn Holowacz Executive Director at eric@tskw.org


THE FINE PRINT

Cultural managers, arts administrators, artistic directors and producers, program officers and curators who can get away from their busy roles for a week or two are welcome to express interest in the TSKW Cultural Manager Residency. Participants must be able to cover travel to and from Key West, as well as some living expenses while on the island.


ABOUT THE STUDIOS OF KEY WEST

TSKW is a new kind of creative community, based in a quiet neighborhood at America’s Southernmost Point. Formally established in June 2006, we’ve been developing facilities, programming, residencies, and partnerships ever since.

Our current campus is headquartered at the island’s Historic Armory, and comprises a dozen artist studios, an outdoor sculpture garden, a main hall exhibition and workshop space, four affordable housing apartments for local artists, and the Mango Tree House for visiting artists-in-residence, lecturers and workshop instructors, and cultural managers. Off-site, we are involved in the redevelopment of Key West’s Old City Hall, and have partnerships with the owners of three other Old Town cottages.

Over the coming years we hope to expand the mandate of the artist colony, forge innovative cultural partnerships around the world, and enhance the remarkable heritage of Key West. We invite you, loaded with ideas and a sense of adventure, to join us.


Link to posting on Alliance of Artists Communities website