Arts Alive San Antonio

“SQUARE FOOT SHOW” at the KAPEJ GALLERY
By Jean Hackett

The Square Foot Show which opened at Kapej February 1 is a celebration of colorful creativity and positive energy. Artist Laura Lopez came up with the idea for Kapej, (“coffee” in the Mayan language), five years ago as a gallery to display local art.  The cozy spot at 415 Camden also includes bistro fare by her fiancé, Rudy Lopez. The exhibit, organized by Lopez, Vera Smith, and Linda Simone, features works by nine San Antonio artists: Alexis Bierman, Shea Daniel-Youngblood, Robin Gara, Mark H.W. Hiebert, Laura Lopez, JT McMahon, Miosotis Saldaña, Linda Simone, and Vera Smith.  It runs through March 28.  All pieces measure 12” x 12” and cost $300.Alexis Bierman and Vera Smith contributed unusual pieces to the exhibit.  Bierman explains, “All of my art involves the creative joy of rescuing and re-envisioning discarded objects,” often broken jewelry and plates. “Mother of Monarchs” and “Mother of Falfurrias” are collages which include “spirit dolls,” inspired by her mentor Lyn Belisle.  The dolls can be removed to reveal hidden boxes revealing gifts or hidden messages.  The back of each collage features “A Mother Endures,” a poem by Lisa Brown.

Vera Smith tells me, “I grew up with Mondrian’s art, but somehow it is missing something realistic, so I added three cats.”  “Mondrian Cats” combines the famous twentieth century artist’s geometry with portraits of three cats Smith has known, including “Pushok,” a black kitten the artist rescued after a hawk dropped him.

Robin Gara and Mark Hiebert showed abstract works.  Gara states, “Inspiration starts after I begin paining when memories appear.”  “Flamenco Nights” captures her response to watching flamenco dancers in Seville in a magical explosion of vibrant reds and blues with black swirls representing the performers’ motion. “My hope,” she adds, “is that others can connect my paintings to their own experiences.”

Hiebert “works across mediums and disciplines with the aim of finding some trace of what is true and (with luck) joyful.  “No More Wait Time We Go Yesterday” includes three layers of glass segments.  He observes, “As light hits each piece of glass, it casts shadows [which emphasize] what gets obscured and what gets revealed,” yet bold strokes of silver and red resonate powerfully through this piece.

JT McMahon explains, “Because I’m from San Antonio, I am inspired by the colors and vibrancy and energy of this city.”  “Caprichoso” (Spanish for “whimsical”), also brings to life the wild horses the artist saw during seven years in Sedona. In this painting, a single animal is posed in front of an abstract combination of yellows, reds, and blue to emphasize McMahon’s observation that horses “are like children, wild and temperamental, each with its own personality.

”Serbian-born Laura Lopez created “Beginnings Wrapped in Teal” and “Flowers in Yellow” because “The shades, colors, and textures of random wildflowers express a range and intensity like human emotions.  You never know what you will find because they grow as they go.”

Panamanian Miosotis Saldaña painted the floral “Summer,” because “I love to have gardens and miss summer during winter” while “Looking Fabulous,” features a young girl wearing a hat.  This piece was inspired by the artist’s hat collection and the frequency of this theme in art from her husband’s home country of Sweden.

Shea Daniel-Youngblood looks “to tell the story of a subject as it’s being experienced.”  “Classic,” is a photo-inspired painting featuring an Edsel set against a Southern California landscape at sunset.

If you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day gift that helps support local artists or wanting to eat breakfast or lunch surrounded by upbeat art stop by Kapej.  The coffee drinks and smoothies are delicious, the bread homemade.——————————————————————————————————-
Kapej Gallery, 415 Camden. 78215; 210-838-8681; kapejgallery@gmail.com