Editor’s note. Our new column, �See My Friends,” serves a dual purpose: to share information about young/small/hungry/idealistic galleries doing ambitious and interesting things in lesser known corners of New York and elsewhere with art aficionados and collectors; and to foster community among gallery owners and artists.
Guest Contributor Stephanie Theodore / I had heard of Owen James Gallery through a steady stream of positive press notices as well as regular kudos from a friend who worked with owner and director Owen Houhoulis for several years. By the time I met Owen in person, we’d heard so much about each other from mutual friends, it was as if we knew each other already.
[Image at top: Owen Houhoulis with a painting by Karen Marston.]
Owen and wife Isabel Roxas, an illustrator and designer, share a space at 61 Greenpoint Avenue, where they mount unusual and eclectic exhibitions. In September 2014 the gallery’s first exhibition, comprising woodcuts and etchings by Richard Bosman, reflected not just Houhoulis’s deep knowledge of prints and editions from his time at Brooke Alexander, Inc., but also his interest in narrative–in particular, the interwoven histories of America, Asia, Europe, and especially Southeast Asia. Roxas designs the brochures and booklets for their exhibitions, and helps shape the gallery’s evolving aesthetic.
The current exhibition, �Disquieting Vicinities� (closing Sunday, February 14), is an excellent introduction to a unique mix of emerging/established and local/international artists, and also reveals Owen and Isabel’s eye for thoughtful subject matter. Elin R�dseth, a Norwegian artist whom the gallery has shown in the past, contributes Wayfarers, a nine-part, one-of-a-kind enhanced woodcut, that depicts bucolic scenes of park life, both human and animal. Night Blaze, oil on canvas by Bushwick stalwart Karen Marston, and Release, India ink on paper by Colleen Blackard, both offer beautifully crafted visions of troubling vistas, while Rachael Gorchov (a member of TSA/NY) takes a more aggressive approach to getting the image �in your face� with Lake Land–a watery landscape painted on a papier-mache structure is a relief that literally broadens the horizon.
When you stop by, tell Owen that Stephanie sent you!
Elin R�dseth, Wayfarers, 2015, suite of 9-color woodcuts with hand-pressed monotype additions,
Owen James Gallery, 61 Greenpoint Avenue, Suite 315, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: +1 (718)-395-4874
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 11 AM – 6 PM
Owen Houhoulis, owner/director
Upcoming exhibition: “China Marks: Not Quite Human”
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