World Aids Day - December 1, 2019

 Please join Las Manos on November 29th through December 1st for an exhibition in recognition of World Aids Day. The gallery will be featuring new work from Jeffrey Janson, Michelle Peterson Albandoz and Michael McGuire. The title ‘The Second Arrow’ comes from the Buddhist concept regarding ones reactions to difficult events. In this concept first arrow is the event itself, which can cause deep pain. The second arrow represents our reaction to the bad event in which we can exercise a choice as to our response to the first arrow. The exhibition will reflect upon each of the artists experiences around the HIV pandemic, remember those we have lost, and pay tribute to long-term survivors. Join us for a conversation with the artist on Sunday, December 1 from noon until 4pm. 

Jeffrey Janson -  Untitled (Baggie Painting) - Oil on Canvas - 8x9 inches

Michael McGuire - Untitled Polaroid Transfer

Michael McGuire - The Slides I Can't Look At - 2.25 x 4.25 x .75 inches

Jeffrey Janson, Michelle Peterson Albandoz - Untitled - 24x24x22 inches

Jeffrey Janson - Untitled - Paper Collage - 7 x 8.75 inches

Michelle Peterson Albandoz - Untitled - Concrete

New Pieces in the Gallery - Fall 2019

The gallery has been low on inventory from Michelle for a few months now. But she is back from Puerto Rico and in the studio. She also brought back a few pieces from Michigan this weekend. Two spectacular ones pictured here.

Michelle Peterson Albandoz - 2 Untitled Pieces

Michael's newest drawing. More are planned in the series.

Michael has been framing a few Bobbie Brown paintings making thoughtful use of color on the frame.

Bobbie Brown - Miles Davis - 20 x 16 inches

Bobbie Brown - Prince - 20 x 16 inches

Bobbie Brown - Billie Holiday - 12 x 9 inches

We have a large Jose Rodriguez painting on the wall from a few years back. It's scale is amazing and the painting vigorous. Looking for a good home.

Jose Rodriguez - Untitled - Found Paint on Hollow Core Doors (3 panels) - 80 x 84 inches

Jeffrey Janson - September 6 - September 15, 2019

Beginning on Friday, September 6, 2019 and running through the 15th, Las Manos will be presenting paintings and drawings from Jeffrey Janson. The show will consist of new exploratory paintings and older work that has not been previously seen at Las Manos.

This past summer Jeffrey has been mixing his oil paint with wax in order to make sgraffito paintings. The definition of sgraffito is to scrape away to reveal an underlying color and he uses this technique to depict meaningful objects of a recently departed friend. The inclusion of satellites and other space objects within these paintings is a nod to this summers 50th anniversary of Apollo moon landing, an event that acts as both a nostalgic touchstone and apt metaphor. Many of these new paintings might be described as white lines emerging out of the blackness and the color black works as a conceptual anchor in many of Jeffrey's new paintings.

In addition the show will include new plein air paintings and two early large abstract drawings. It will be a nice cross section of Jeffrey's work.

Join us on Friday, September 6 from 6 to 9 for the opening reception, the garden will be open. 

Jeffrey Janson - Alstos, 2019 - Oil on Board - 26x24 inches

Jeffrey Janson - Breckinridge - Oil on Panel

New Work From MIchelle - July 2019

Michelle has somewhat cleaned her slate here in the gallery. So for the most part everything she brings into the gallery now moving forward is brand new work. This week four new pieces straight out of her studio are on the gallery walls. Three are picture below with details. I suspect more are on the way.

Michelle Peterson Albandoz - Untitled - Acrylic Paint, Strapping on Found Canvases - 30 x 72 inches

Detail

Michelle Peterson Albandoz - Untitled - Wood, Acrylic Paint, Wood Stain on Panel - 23 x 24 x 2 inches

Detail

Michelle Peterson Albandoz - Wood, Acrylic Paint, Wood Stain - 25 x 24 x 2 inches

Detail

Bobby Get Down Brown

Las Manos will have an irregular schedule over the Holidays. Michael is heading out of town through New Years but Michelle promises to come in on the weekends. It never hurts to call ahead to be sure someone is in the gallery before heading up to Andersonville; 773.728.8910

In the meantime a few new Bobby Brown portraits. Bobby is a neighborhood artist who has had a career in the music business but now pursues painting as a creative endeavor.  And we very much enjoy his paintings too; joyful, clever and witty. We now have a collection of his portraits on the wall of the gallery which we are hoping to keep together as a group.

Bobby Get Down Brown - Group of Portraits - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 68 x 40 inches

Bobby Get Down Brown - Nina Simone - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 8 x 8 x 1 inch

Bobby Get Down Brown - John Legend - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 8 x 8 x 1 inch

Bobby Get Down Brown - Della Reese - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 8 x 8 x 1 inch

Jeffrey Janson - August 24 through September 4, 2018

Las Manos is very happy to be  presenting new paintings by Jeffry Janson. We will be holding an opening reception on Friday, August 24, 6 - 9pm. Join us if you can.

Small Studies - Michelle and Michael

We have some good small pieces in the gallery this week. As Michelle and Michael continue to use the winter months to explore recent ideas, small scale pieces result.

Michelle Peterson Albandoz - Ocean Park 16 - Wood, Acrylic Paint, Glue, Nails - 14"h x 14.4"w x 2"d

Michael McGuire - Untitled Study - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 12"h x 12"w x .75'd

Jeffrey Janson Paintings in the Gallery

Jeffrey Janson just finished up a show at Images Gallery and was kind enough to bring five of his paintings by the gallery for a few weeks. We will have the paintings on the front walls of the gallery until early June. The work ranges from plein air paintings of the Lake Geneva area, to landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park, to interiors of friends homes. There is an awesome painting depicting an aerial view of Belmont Harbor. Visit Jeffs blog if you would like to see more of his work.

Jeffrey Janson - Lake Geneva - Oil on Canvas - 22 x 18 inches (framed)

New Michelle Work

Michelle surprised me with a few new pieces in the gallery last week. From what I understand, she found a old silk screen she had made years ago and spent an afternoon 'reworking' a few old panels. The results hark back to her days as a painter, and there is a touch of the Warholian silk screen sensibility too.

Michelle Peterson Albandoz - Untitled Cityscape Panels - 24 x 24 inches each 

Detail

Andersonville Midsommarfest - This Weekend

The gallery will be open all weekend while the Andersonville Midsommarfest, the local street fair, takes place today and tomorrow. In the gallery there will be refreshments, a little peace and quiet, and clean facilities. if you need them. Stop in and see the new show 'X Marks the Spot', an amazing array of work from three artists all based on the guiding form of the X.

Michael McGuire - Untitled X Study - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 12 x 12 inches

In The Gallery Now - Jean Alexander Frater

Jean Alexander Frater - Stars Fading, But I Linger On Dear - Acrylic on Canvas - 35 x 35 inches

Up Close - Jean Alexander Frater

Jean Alexander Frater - Plans - Acrylic, Graphite on Canvas -  50 x 52 inches

Another example of art work that does not convey its essential qualities particularly well via the internet and photography is Jean Alexander Fraters work, currently in the gallery until the end of the month. For example, her 'painting' entitled Plans looks and feels very differently in person than it does here on our blog. Jean's paintings have a beautiful surface and delicate color scheme to them. Although they involve paint on canvas, they strike me as involving drawing as much painting. She works on un-streched canvas, and only when they are finished does she staple the canvas to stretcher bars. The overall effect is of a large drawing with painstaking hand-work, subtle effects and the coloring of a painting.