Art Venture preview

Work is beginning in Art Venture, our interactive and educational gallery, and we plan to have it open in early 2009.

Last week, we had Gary Panter and Joshua White in town for them to get a better sense of the space, and for us to get a better sense of the work they will be doing.  Their presentation has me excited for what will happen in Art Venture — the opportunities that our visitors of all ages will have to explore and create art is going to be amazing.

First, Gary Panter is going to mural the entirety of the 2000 square foot space.  He’s best known as the head set designer for the successful kid/adult TV show Pee Wee’s Playhouse, a job which brought his jagged art and surreal cartoon ideas into the homes of America and bagged him three Emmy Awards.   His work for Art Venture will explore sketching and drawing techniques, deliberately vivid and simple enough to inspire and enlighten.  His use of color is really going to make an engaging and vibrant space.

Joshua White, who has created light shows for the likes of Jimi Hendrix and the original Woodstock,  is creating a mesmerizing and immersive light show installation where visitors will be able to go behind the screen to manipulate and play with the exhibition to create a unique and personal light show.  Just his small scale model was incredible.  This one piece of Art Venture alone is going to be worth the price of admission.

Both Gary and Joshua were so engaging and enthusiastic about their work it was impossible to come away from their presentation without a sense of excitement for how Art Venture is going to take shape.

There will also be ten or so interactive and educational stations created for us by Ellen and Allan Wexler to complete the Art Venture experience.  They will be here in the coming weeks to being installing their pieces, and before you know it we’ll have Art Venture ready and open for visitors!