Britt Festivals Unveils 2008 Fine Arts Poster Thursday, May 8 (5-5-08)
JACKSONVILLE, OR — Britt Festivals unveils its 2008 Fine Arts Poster at a reception on Thursday, May 8, at the Britt Pavilion in Jacksonville from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. This year's work is an oil by Rogue Valley artist Gabriel Mark. He will be in attendance and available to sign posters. This year's poster is the 25th in a series celebrating Britt through the visual arts.
Gabriel Mark's frozen moments in time capture the ineffable. The people and architecture he encounters on his travels become his subjects. He paints the lonely cobblestone streets of Prague, the romantic architecture of Venice and the hills of his home in Ashland, Oregon. Marks paints the calloused fishermen in Greece, the mischievous girls of Tokyo and our American hipsters. In a culture obsessed with youth, Mark's art examines the charm and beauty of the elderly. His work celebrates the timeless antiquity of the world.
Unmoved by most of modernism and unable to take much of the avant-garde too seriously, Mark discovered Semyon Bilmes, a classically trained mentor in the schools of Russia. Mark studied the craftsmanship of classical sculpture and painting. Drawing single still lifes for 12 hours at a time and filling dozens of sketchbooks, Mark emerged from this period of study with the confidence and skill of a young master painter. He speaks excitedly about the bold colors of the Fauves and the strong use of value and form of John Singer Sargent: "The purity of their paintings combined with the subtle narratives of the everyday is what inspires the direction of my work." Although these masters may have shown him what is possible, Mark stays true to his own style.
At 32, Mark has caught the eye of collectors and galleries worldwide. With several public murals and paintings housed in numerous collections, Mark takes care to balance his time between commissions and his own work. When asked which he prefers he replied, "It's all painting. Painting's what I love."
The 2008 poster may be purchased at the gift booth during Jacksonville concerts at the top of the Britt hill or at the Medford main office after May 9 for $20. Limited edition signed prints are also available for $35. Call 779-0847 for more information.
In addition to the fine arts poster reception and as part of Britt Festivals' longstanding school-business partnership, winners of this year's Jacksonville Elementary spring musical poster competition will also be honored. Winners are chosen from each grade level and then an overall grand prize winner is awarded. Jacksonville School's production for 2008 is We Will Rock You. It will be performed on the Britt Festivals stage May 15 at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $3/person or $10/per family at the door.
Now in its 46th year, Britt Festivals is a non-profit organization that presents and sponsors performing arts and supports those activities through on-going education and audience development programs, and through cooperation with educational, civic, cultural and governmental organizations in Southern Oregon. In addition to presenting concerts, Britt Festivals maintains a formal education program through the Britt Institute. Established in 1985, the Britt Institute hosts a wide variety of learning through a multi-faceted approach of summer camps, workshops, artist residencies, grade school programs, lectures and adult learning opportunities.
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