Artists Marty Gordon, Robin Harlow, and Terence Healy provide a rousing poke at seriousness in ArtsWest’s exhibition, The Descent of SockMonkey, from April 5 through May 9. 
 
The exhibit was curated specifically to complement the concurrent stage production at ArtsWest, "Gutenberg! The Musical!" running April 15 through May 17.
 
“The artists all apply a sense of satiric whimsy to vintage objects and imagery,” said Gallery Director Nichole DeMent. “So the exhibit really compliments Gutenberg! as an imaginative spoof of “historical” musicals.”
 
The Descent of SockMonkey is display from for free noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. There will be a wine and cheese artist Rrception Thursday, April 9, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Minister turned artist Marty Gordon collages vintage images from books, religious materials, and encyclopedias for a comic book style commentary on the many ironies within human nature.  Gordon will be one of forty artists featured in the upcoming Lark Books publication, “Masters: Collage” coming out in May 2010. For more on his work, visit his Web site: www.WhatWouldJesusGlue.com.

Terence Healy’s paintings on salvaged wood are an anthology of U.S. culture via toys.  His ongoing search at thrift stores for misplaced toys provides us with whimsical juxtapositions of Barbie and sock monkeys as well as the infamous Magic Eight Ball in this delightful selection from his Toy Life series.  

Robin Harlow paints surreal illusions of the dreams, and nightmares, of youth with a proclivity for 19th Century Victorian imagery.  Her large scale paintings employ a sweet sadness as a winged goat with party hat pronounces he is “Feeling Lost Without You” in the title.  True to surrealism, she works unencumbered by social restrictions and creates freely from her imagination. 

The ArtsWest Gallery is always free, handicap accessible, and continually enhancing the total “ArtsWest experience” by combining stimulating visual art alongside compelling performances. Dates and artists subject to change.

The ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery is located at 4711 California Ave. S.W.