THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011 ◆ 8PARADISEElio Hinds and David Laughlin ‘Two Artists’ at Fleming Street GalleryThe opening reception for<strong>the</strong> show “Two Artists” atFleming Street Gallery onSaturday, April 30, from 6 to 9p.m. is an excellent opportunityfor <strong>the</strong> many fans of ElioHinds and David Laughlin tomeet <strong>the</strong> artists and see <strong>the</strong>irnew works.Hinds paints <strong>the</strong> tales we’vetold each o<strong>the</strong>r for centuries,stories of corn, stars, light andlife. Her <strong>the</strong>mes are universal;stories of where we comefrom and of what makes ushuman. Full of life and hiddenmysteries, Hinds’ paintingsreveal an alternate realitybeneath <strong>the</strong> evident surface.Layers are peeled back toreveal unexpected spaceswithin.We’re drawn into a world‘Horizon’ by Elio Hinds.of dreams, old visions ofo<strong>the</strong>r times and places. Someimages seem vaguely familiarlike fragments of half-forgottenmemories, o<strong>the</strong>rs are anunexplained cipher.Hinds’ art is experienced,felt as much as observed.Vivid color, vitality and passioncharacterize her work.Her universe is huge, encompassingeverything from <strong>the</strong>PHOTO BY BO LJUNDSTRÖMDavid Laughlin with ‘Girl Looking Through Window.’340285ScottKirbyApril 26 ~May 1330273c<strong>enter</strong> of <strong>the</strong> earth to <strong>the</strong> far<strong>the</strong>streaches of space.“New Work,” Hinds’ latestpaintings and “Embracing <strong>the</strong>Eye,” David Laughlin’s collectionof new paintings, share<strong>the</strong> space at Fleming StreetGallery through May 19 at 830Fleming St. on <strong>the</strong> corner ofMargaret. The gallery is opendaily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.or by appointment. For detailscall 305-296-9000 or visitFlemingStreetGallery.com formore information.Have a tip or story ideafor Paradise?Email Paradise EditorNadja Hansen atnhansen@keysnews.comWeeklyParadise<strong>enter</strong>tainment guidefor <strong>the</strong><strong>Key</strong>s
PARADISE9One on one — Artist David Laughlin talks with writer/wife Ann BoeseBY ANN BOESELet’s set <strong>the</strong> stage. I marriedDavid Laughlin adecade ago in <strong>Key</strong> <strong>West</strong>at <strong>the</strong> Oldest House. I hadknown him for maybe nineyears before that, and I methim when I bought one of hiscartoons for publication inSolares Hill, which was <strong>the</strong>na monthly and for which Iwas <strong>the</strong> editor. In those days,David mostly drew pen andink one-panels, strips andillustrations for local publications.He also worked on lotsof o<strong>the</strong>r commercial jobs,including T-shirt designs,signs, murals, and after wemet he turned to <strong>the</strong>ater sets(painting fast and furiously)but not his own art. It wasn’tuntil we became involvedromantically that he started topaint on canvas.David was born to paint.Endowed with varied artistictalents, he can createjust about anything and hisunderstanding of color andlight floors me. I can tell youthat David reads constantly— classics, tomes about artand science, old NationalLampoon magazines. Healso takes long walks aroundSavannah’s historic districtwith our dogs Sherlock andGnatalie, and mentions thingsthat catch his eye … but hedoesn’t talk much about hisart.AB: You don’t sketch yourpaintings out. You just startpainting. Isn’t that unusual?DL: When I was very, veryyoung, two of my favoritepainters were Dali and[Norman] Rockwell, and Ithought that if you were amaster artist — that’s how youdid it. You just sat down andpainted <strong>the</strong> final painting.AB: What were your firstattempts at art?DL: I was drawing before Ican remember; my folks toldme that. Comics were <strong>the</strong> firstthings I copied — Peanuts, LilAbner. I thought <strong>the</strong> newspapercomics were done at <strong>the</strong>size that I saw <strong>the</strong>m in <strong>the</strong>paper, so that’s what I did.—Then I just got so used todrawing and painting like thatand that’s how I do it.AB: Where do you get <strong>the</strong>ideas you paint? Have youever painted your dreams?DL: Well, it’s how you definedreams. Sometimes you havean idea. For [<strong>the</strong> paintingtitled] “Meds” I saw this personwith a unique look and Ihad a strong feeling about it… it also just seemed naturalthat she should have snakes inher hair. But that wasn’t reallya dream … sometimes, I letmy idea shift or expand from<strong>the</strong> original thought. Thatcould mean changing <strong>the</strong>whole picture, or just changing<strong>the</strong> colors or whatever.Sometimes elements, patternsor images come out that Iwant to explore but are notright with <strong>the</strong> work at hand.So I’ll save <strong>the</strong> thought forano<strong>the</strong>r painting or drawinglater. But <strong>the</strong>re’s o<strong>the</strong>r thingsthat can happen.AB: Like what?DL: Well, one of <strong>the</strong> piecesfrom this show I had in mindto do for years, but when Istarted, it still didn’t feel quiteright with <strong>the</strong> canvas size andcolors. So I tried splitting it upDavid Laughlin’s ‘Meds,’ 3-by-4-foot acrylic.into four larger canvases — aquadtych I guess you’d call it— with a very very loose styleand basically two colors. Itseemed right that way. There’snot just one way to do this.AB: I find your understandingand use of color to beexceptional. Do you think youand I see color differently?DL: Apparently so (laughing)!… Someone I reallyadmire for color is [<strong>Key</strong> <strong>West</strong>sign painter] Henry del Valle.He told me that as a youngboy in Cuba he would usewhatever paint he could find.He would actually use dog4/29 & 4/30Damon FowlerFri. & Sat. 7-11pmand cat hair to make his ownbrushes. A born artist. Eventhough he works in signs, heis a master with an inherentknowledge of color.AB: Do you think yourbeing self-taught vs. formallytrained has made a difference?DL: I don’t know.AB: In <strong>the</strong> last few years,you’ve read a lot about artistsand <strong>the</strong>ir lives.DL: I’ve always been curiousabout some artists, eventhose whose work I don’t like… I like Hogarth. Goya — Iexplored more of his works,his times … Dali? The softclocks — he and his wife anda friend were going out for <strong>the</strong>evening but he began havinga terrible headache and<strong>the</strong>y went without him — <strong>the</strong>leftover camembert that hadbeen part of <strong>the</strong>ir dinnermelted, he noticed with a littleinterest, and that became <strong>the</strong>inspiration for <strong>the</strong> famoussoft clocks, which he finishedbefore his wife and friendsreturned. You just never knowwhere inspiration comes fromor where it will take you.AB: Words of wisdom?DL: A good artist knowswhen to stop.AB: Who said that?DL: Me.A show of David Laughlin’snew works, “Embracing <strong>the</strong>Eye” opens April 30 at FlemingStreet Gallery with a receptionfrom 6 to 9 p.m.Ann Boese has written aboutart for various publications,including ARTnews, and RawVision.340451 329650◆ THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011