Waterstreet Studios Art Exhibition: “Riverbank” by Gar

My first Art Exhibition

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Last May I was invited to show some of my AI artwork at our local Art Studio: Waterstreet Studios. It was most of the exciting experiences I’ve had. Below is my Artist statement along with backstory videos on several of the peices.

Artist Statement

I have been documenting my bike rides along the enchanting Fox River over the past 15 years. Most of these moments were captured with my trusty iPhone 6.

I used AI to transform each image into a unique artistic rendering to demonstrate the accessibility these tools provide those who may not traditionally be considered an artist.

My mission is to help people build connections and audiences with these tools.

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Backstories behind some of the pieces.

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Introduction

On the first day of summer, I'm going to share with you ten backstories behind ten art pieces that I submitted to my very first art show here in Batavia at Water Street Studios this past May. And this is my artist statement. I've been documenting my bike rides along the Enchanting Fox River over the past 15 years.

Most of these moments were captured with my trusty iPhone 6. I used AI to transform each image into a unique artistic rendering to demonstrate the accessibility these tools provide those who may not be traditionally considered an artist. My mission is to help people build connections and audiences with these tools.

And now the art pieces.

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Blue Moon

The first meal I had at a restaurant in Batavia after we moved here 17 years ago was at where today is Pal Joey’s.

We walked into it’s entrance on Riverstreet, through the dinning room and out onto the outdoor patio with a view of the Fox River.

As I stood at the bar feeling a bit like I was at a Key West establishment, I asked the barkeep for her recommendation and she suggested a Blue Moon with an orange wedge. Sounded good to me — never had it.

I never dreamed I would be able to walk to a place like this from my home and every time I pass it, like here on my bike from Peace bridge at sunset. I was riding, stopped, snapped this shot, then continued on over to the stairs, down and back on the trail, gliding by life music and laughter.

And this all began with a Blue Moon.

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Easter

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I was walking with my daughter down to the river an early Saturday morning when we were passing by the Congregational Church of Batavia. It was the weekend after Easter and they had hung these beautiful wreaths.

I switched my phone camera to front facing, then positioned my phone on the ground pointing up at the greatest angle I could achieve — literally the thickness of the phone to the ground — to get the entire building in one frame. Placing and aiming these phones in ways people don’t typically try, gives you amazing views of the world that many don’t see until you show them.

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Otsuka

T. R. Ōtsuka (Ōtsuka Tarō) was a Japanese garden builder who emigrating from Japan to the United States in 1897 and and moved to Chicago around 1905. He built Japanese-style gardens and rock gardens, mostly in the Midwest, between 1905 and the mid-1930s. His most notable project were the Japanese-style garden of George and Nelle Fabyan in Geneva.

This is picture I took with my phone that has been taken probably 10,000 times over the years, but this AI tool Prisma, shows it in a new light.

This piece pays homage to its designer.

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Windshield

When questioned during a congressional hearing about what the activity carried out at Fermilab was doing for the national defense, Robert Wilson, Fermilab’s founder replied:

It only has to do with the respect with which we regard one another, the dignity of men, our love of culture…. It has to do with, are we good painters, good sculptors, great poets? I mean all the things that we really venerate and honor in our country and are patriotic about. It has nothing to do directly with defending our country except to help make it worth defending.

Robert Wilson created this sculpture called Broken Symmetry out of steel plate salvaged from the aircraft carrier the USS Princeton.

I took this picture through the windshield of my friend’s car as we drove in through the west entrance.

I believe the fact that I can pull a device out of my pocket and capture this at a moments notice is as profound as what this sculpture stands for.

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Linnea

“From the Water Comes My Bounty,” is a Bronze Sculpture donated by a gentleman named Buzz Miller in honor of his late wife Linnea who was a former alderwoman and a passionate advocate for the Fox River and the Riverwalk1.

The sculpture is described as representing the life-giving energy that water brings to all things and the connection between Buzz and Linnea, who died from breast cancer in 2010.

I actually met Buzz at the Waterstreet opening and learned first hand about that connection. What an absolutely beautiful tribute.

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Chloe

This is my daughter Chloe when she studied dance in high school. She honored me by asking me to take dance themed pictures over on the Fox River by the dam.

I will never forget learning how a dancer’s body and how it moves is their canvas. The most human art there is — dance.

Pairing that with the river grounds my soul in connection.