Galleri Urbane/Marfa

Representing Emerging and Established Contemporary Artists

JULIE SPEED

Galleri Urbane/Marfa...announces “TALKING ROOM” an installation of Julie Speed's†large new†graphite and gouache drawings on Arches watercolor paper.) I enjoy working in pencil but it’s usually the under-drawing for the oils so it’s lost almost as soon as I find it,” says Speed, when asked about her temporary departure from painting. “Last year I did a series of small pencil and oil drawings of heads which became the book HEADS.   This year I was ready to come back to it and give the heads some hands.” 

The images in TALKING ROOM are both ethereal and haunting.  In “Fat Chance” a corpulent infant flails his chubby arms and wails in grief. In “The Persistence of Lunacy” an old man wields a missile launcher over one shoulder, using a forearm crutch to stabilize his meager frame. As with all of the figures in the series, the infant and the old man are silent, muted by an inaudible medium, and yet they are also nearly deafening with the words coming out of their ouths. 

“After finishing the first three or four of these pieces I lined them up on the studio floor and saw that they were talking to each other,” says Speed. “That interested me so I kept going. As more of them entered the conversation I started thinking of them as an installation and wanted to crowd them into a small plain white room where it seemed they would be louder. †I enjoy imagining what they’re saying but even more I enjoy imagining what other people imagine they’re saying.”

The dialogue is seductive, as are the beautiful lines and bizarre imagery that fills the room and follows you home. They seduce you with the sheer mastery of Speed’s technique and her signature zingers – the extra eye, the third row of teeth, the harrowing asymmetry. As with Speed’s paintings, there is a dichotomous quality to the work. It is playful and solemn, pulling you back and forth between characters, as if they’re telling you which drawing to listen to next.

Galleri Urbane proudly present the work of Texas artist Julie Speed

 
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Galleri Urbane are representatives of emerging and established contemporary artists,

Painting, Photography and Sculpture

We also have works available by:

Bret Aaker, Michael Berman, Gail Peter Borden, Candace Briceno, Glen Erler, Suzanne Sbarge,

Mike Slack, Sarah Spengler, Peter Voshefski, Jason Willaford and Andrea Zuill

Galleri Urbane is located at 212 E.San Antonio ST /Hwy 90 Marfa Texas 79843

For more information contact Ree Willaford

art@galleriurbane.com

432.729.4200

www.galleriurbane.com

JULIE SPEED

“ Bible Studies Etc.”

 
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Born in Chicago and raised for most of her life on the East Coast, Speed first learned to paint and was inspired by her high school teacher whom introduced her to Goya and Francis Bacon, Later Speed entered the Rhode Island School of Design, at the time of color field and conceptual art at its peek, they weren’t teaching Classical oil painting thus Ms. Speed dropped out of art school. After a period of traveling and working odd jobs she arrived in Austin Texas in 1978. Julie, devoted to teaching herself to paint, worked in her studio full time and continues to this day. Ms. Speed has shown in prestigious art spaces such as Gerald Peters Gallery N.Y, and The Austin Museum of Art.

Julie Speed’s masterful and poignant book was published by The University of Texas Press and is available online through the university or at The Marfa Book Co.

At first glance many focus on the subject of Julies work the multiple eyes, the objects in small places, the juxtaposition of objects, whether it is spiritual, or a laughable nightmare, but the artists first focus is on shape, line and composition, Then the story evolves.

Ms speeds work takes the viewer to many places in ones subconscious, Religion, Laughter and, Spirituality and for some fear. Ms Speed is perplexed that anyone would see unhappiness in her work as she enjoys every moment, every brush stroke, every happy accident.

The Current exhibit at Galleri Urbane will consist of Ms speed’s recent etching series “Bible Studies”, which started with a stack of pages from an 1870’s Swedish bible. The Dore` engravings were greatly damaged and were of poor quality,  Ms Speed cuts out paper with an exacto knife and then glues it together. Then uses gouache with little brushes to alter and add to the image.Pen and Ink is used on many of the works, She also uses pen and pencil along with the gouache to do the faces . When it's  finished Ms Speed then works with Master printer, Katherine Brimberry, at flatbed Press in Austin, Texas.

Also included in the show will be Ms. Speeds Constructions and Collages. Julie searches yard sales ,flea markets and antique stores to collects objects ,paper and books to begin the process. Working in mixed media is the same kind of game to her as the etchings and her paintings, only in three dimensions. The collage and constructions captivate the viewer to look closer and perhaps see into the artist’s psyche.

The world in which she lives with humor, mystery and intrigue.

The gallery will have over 20 works in this solo show “ Bible Studies, Etc. ” .the reception for the artists is Feb 10th 2006 from 6:00- 8:30 p.m.Visit the website: www.galleriurbane.com to view a portion of the show.

 

Solo Show Featuring New Large Oil Paintings by Andrea Zuill
Artist Reception - April 21 2006 6:00-8:30p.m


Solo Show and Book Release/signing  featuring Nationally known
Photographer Michael Berman
Click for info read about the book