Austin
American Statesman Review
Lauren Levy
Lauren Levy’s fanciful sculptures are constructed
from steel wire, buttons, and other nontraditional
objects. Although they are vibrant and playful
on the surface (many are designated as garments
“for” various regional birds), there is a deeper,
and sometimes darker, undercurrent to Ms. Levy’s
work. A successful wedder of art and craft, Ms. Levy
says of her work, “I am inspired by materials when
they are abundant and non-precious. More is always
more rather than less. I use buttons and wire clothing
forms to explore the dichotomies of the human
condition: Physical/psychological, verbal/non-verbal,
seen/unseen and natural/constructed.” Ms. Levy has
degrees in studio art and nursing from the University
of Texas at Austin, and recently had a solo show at
Women & Their Work. She lives in Austin with
her husband and two young children.
To view Levy's work click here
Susan
Whyne
Susan
Whyne paints colorful, semi-abstract narrative scenes
in oil and gouache. The work from this series,
“Fancy Plans,"
reflects the dramatic confrontation between
civilization and nature which looms at civilization's
boundaries. Inspired by a recent trip to Venice, Ms.
Whyne employs images such as a waterside cafe scene in
which the tables are poised at the brink of abstracted
water swirling out of control. Ms. Whyne’s paintings are usually unpopulated;
rather, the presence of people is suggested by a chair
just vacated or dishes on a table. With this lack of
presence, she explores such ideas as loss, pleasure,
the end of pleasure, and facing or not facing the
inevitable.
Ms. Whyne, who has a BFA from Cooper Union School of
Art & Architecture and an MFA in painting from San
Francisco State University, has been a member of the
studio art faculty at the University of Texas since
1977.
To view Whyne's work click here
