TALKIN’ ART Artist Rand Hardy describes his approach to sculpture while fellow artists Lisa Hoke and Buzz Spector, and Catskill Art Space Director Sally Wright listen. Reporter Adriana Serafino attended the CAS opening and shares her observations on page 15. Adriana Serafino photo
CAS show hosts an eclectic trio
By Adriana Serafino | Manor Ink
“Let me just say how pleased I am to be showing here. And this is a remarkable place in Livingston Manor,” said Lisa Hoke at the Catskills Art Space and its most recent show of artwork that opened on Saturday, Jan. 18. Hoke’s work is on display along with two other unique artists, Rand Hardy and Buzz Spector.
Hoke’s installations are made from recycled packaging and disposable ephemera. “My work is always about how I respond to an object, and what potential I see in that object, whether it’s a cup, a button, a piece of cardboard or piece of scrap. Usually, the way I look at the item is how is that going to work as a multiple?” Hoke said in describing her art-making process.
During an artists’ talk in CAS’s River Gallery, sculptor Rand Hardy described his work in monumental terms. “The basis of my work is form, specifically volumetric form.” Hardy uses aqua resin to create his abstract sculptures and moves the pieces to different locations, from the floor to the wall, to find the positioning that works best. He will often give his creations whimsical titles: “Pearl River Pony,” “Scribbler” and “Pilot.” These pieces are included in the show.
Buzz Spector’s abstract installations are made from ordinary books. Spector started back in the 1980s primarily using the dust jackets from hardcover books in collages. Among his latest work, shown at the gallery, is a frieze created from scores of author photos from the flaps of discarded library books. “When I started working with books, it was beyond my imagining that I would be embarking on this project at the end of the age of the book,” said Spector. He was referring to ebooks and digital readers which have begun replacing physical volumes.
“You understand that turning the page is a movement through time, so time and representation are the two most important things you get from books, and also the two of the most important things you get from life,” he said, explaining his way of seeing books and what they represents. “I will continue to endorse the existence of pages, and whatever mechanism you enjoy.”
The exhibit continues through Mar. 1. Catskill Art Space is at 48 Main St. in Livingston Manor. For more information, visit catskillartspace.org.
