Joe Newton - Mike Leavitt, Dec 10 - Jan at Roq la Rue, Seattle

For its last show of 2004, Roq La Rue is pleased to present a new show of works by two Seattle artists, Joe Newton and Mike Leavitt. ~ see the gallery ~

Joe Newton returns to the gallery with a new series of paintings, based on a lullaby called " Babes In The Woods"- a somber and cautionary tale of two children who wander into the forest and don't come out again. Newton has made a name for himself with his bold graphic sensibilities combined with a melancholy sweetness in his work. He paints his imagery, heavily influenced by Japanese and American underground comics, on found wood with acrylics and automotive primer, adding a rustic touch that can be well summed up as "Appalachian Superflat".

Early on in his career, Mike Leavitt developed a distaste for popular artists who pander to the lower common denominators in order to make a buck, and started to appreciate the efforts of artists who, commercially successful or not, kept true to their individual vision to create purer forms of art. Creating figures of these artists allowed Leavitt to create a kind of totemistic fetish for the energies of each artist, a sort of "Art Army". He also includes figures of artists he feels has fallen under the spell of "The Man"- artists who have sold out, in his estimation, to the allure of mass commercialism and money.

These small sculptures have a look of a mass produced object yet are meticulously made. No paint is used, meaning each minute detail down to the tiniest dot, is carved out and applied in different colors of clay. Even in accessories that are examples of an artist's artwork (such as the recreation of Van Gogh's 'Starry Night" on his 2 inch long palette, to the "Rat Fink" graphic on the "Big Daddy" Roth sculpture is recreated entirely in different colored fimo.) All the figures are jointed and moveable. Each figures comes with it's own accessories, a stand, and a vitrine.

Opening FRIDAY December 10th 6-10pm
Roq La Rue Gallery, 2316 Second Ave, Seattle WA 98121

More info and lots more images available:
contact Kirsten Anderson at (206) 374-8977
or at kirsten@roqlarue.com