The Fresno Arts Council sponsors ArtHop, an event which educates the community about the local arts. In this column, freshman Ryan King chronicles his twice-a-month visits to ArtHop.
Through the confusing college parking I was able to find my way to a small gallery located at Fresno City College. The ArtHop was unique and unlike any other venue I have visited in the past because of the unusual artwork displayed.
Featured at this south ArtHop, Space Art Gallery, artist Kathy Wosika showcased mix-media art that included multicultural weaves and ceramics in her collection, Rhythms and Patterns. Wosika traveled the world to create the portfolio of art she has today.
This mix-media artist’s story is original because before art Wosika was a violinist who happened to walk into a gallery of art at her school, University of Illinois, which changed her forever. Immediately signing up for art classes, she later moved to San Diego with her husband so he could go to school. After San Diego she moved to Fresno to teach at Fresno City College and has been there ever since.
Yet her travels have not ended with Fresno, as most of her art is from different countries including Nungua Ghana and New Zealand. From these areas she was able to grow and create new raw materials for her art. In Nungua Ghana, she worked with some of the people to create paper from sugar cane leaves, which were featured at this ArtHop additionally taking artistic symbols along with the paper to add to her art.
In the middle of the room lay a structure of art unlike the others which really captured the whole room. The piece was different from the rest of hers. Since she constructs clay plates to design some of them cracked, but she did not want to throw them away and decided to build a creation out of them. Along with the plates she gathered leaves from the fall and pruned tree branches and stuck the broken clay pieces in to make this new centerpiece for the gallery.
Her art pieces lined the wall with a collection of clay pottery and weaved pieces in forms of banners. Along with the centerpiece there were sculptures formed with leaves and even one hanging banner that she weaved.
In the back were some clay pieces that hung on the wall, called The Journey and Buried with the Baggage, which told a story with each piece. The Journey had two parts to it as a story would have multiple chapters. These types of artwork were about rebirth and human struggles.
Later I was introduced to Kindred Spirits, a very interesting comparison of a Buddhist lady and the Sun-Maid Raisin girl. With the two, she found common features and decided to create an art piece. I liked that she is able to compare things that have no relation and bring them together for purposes of art.
My favorite work would probably have to be No More Hiroshimas because of it’s effect on me. The piece was very depressing because it showed the effect of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima.
The sculpture’s meaning is devastating, but also a sign of pride concerning the use of the bomb which makes it very controversial. Layer upon layer of weaved materials created the ground to the mushroom cloud of smoke above to create this destructive bomb.
The ArtHop was spectacular because of the detailed weaves and artistic designs on the porcelain clay that must have takes time and resources far greater than most other types of art. Through this experience, I was able to decipher details in the art because of the intricate weaves.
Overall, the Space Art Gallery was worth the visit with a great atmosphere including music, unique mix media pieces and the knew knowledge of paper and clay I was unaware of. Wosika’s creativity was amazing because of how she mixed and designed cultural symbols. Altogether her art was inspirational because of her out of the ordinary creativeness is what people want to see. Art is whatever you want it to be.
For more information on ArtHop, read the Feb. 23 article Landscape artists benefit Saint Agnes wing.
