Page 10-THE NEWS-November, 1988
— Art at Shalom Park —
Series of “Shows of Local Artists” on Display
G.G. Kosch and Ethel Gordon’s Artwork Featured for November
Preheat 375* III by Ethel Gordon.
December Features Works
By Florence Jaffa and Herman Kosak
Florence Jaffa and one of her paintings.
During this month you will
see hung on the walls of the
Speizman GaUeries the art
work of G.G. Kosch and Ethel
Gordon. An artists’ reception
will be held Sunday, Nov, 6
from 2-5 p.m. All are invited to
attend.
Ethel Gordon studied art at
the Washington University
School of Fine Art, St. Louis,
Missouri and later graduated
from UNCC with a Creative
Arts baccalaureate. She shows
her work mainly locally but
her work is in collections
throughout the country. In
competitions, she has been
awarded £ill levels of prizes
from 1st to honorable men
tion.
Ethel works in abstract and
realistic styles depending on
her mood. The realistic works
are usually subjects in which
she is very familiar. The latest
representations are figurative.
She may have come to these
subjects due to sentimentali
ty. She became a grandmother
last spring. Colors play an im
portant role in her artwork as
well. During stressful periods
dark somber colors predomi
nate; lighter, brighter hues
surface at other times. She will
be showing prints and pastels
at this show although she also
works in oils.
She is employed as a drafts-
person at a Charlotte ap
praisal firm, is chairperson of
the Visual Arts Committee of
the Foundation, is on the
board of the Jewish Communi
ty Center and active in several
arts organizations in Char
lotte.
G.G. Kosch works in a
number of media: acrylic
paintings, mixed media, col
lages, Raku waU plaques and
R^u jewelry. Her present
show at Shalom Park will con
sist of collages and ceramic
wall plaques. For the collages
she combines ordinary ob
jects, such as paper and cloth
scraps, cutouts from maga
zines, ribbons, threads, etc. in
a manner that piques one’s
curiosity and imagination. The
ceramic wall plaques are glazed
Raku-fired clay in abstract
patterns and colors.
Her studies include Queens
College with Philip Moose;
UNCC with Maud Gatewood
and Eric Anderson; the late
great watercolorist Eliott
O’Hara, University of Guana
juato at Instituto AUende,
Mexico and Penland School of
Carfts, Penland, N.C. She has
studied with private teachers
at many workshops. Also a
part of her art background are
solo and two-artist shows in
Longboat Key, Fla.; States
ville, Winston-Salem, Greens
boro, Salisbury and Charlotte,
N.C.
Her work has been accepted
in competitive shows locally,
regionaUy and nationally. In
addition to many first, second
and third place awards, she
has receiv^ numerous hon
orable mentions.
G.G.’s work is in many pri
vate collections in Charlotte,
Florida, New York, Maryland,
Michigan, California, and in
public collections at The
Southport Public Library,
Southport, N.C., First Union
National Bank in Charlotte,
and just last month The Char
lotte Branch of The Federal
Reserve Bank of Richmond
purchased three of her collages
for their art collection which
will hang in their new building
on Trade St.
G.G. quoted the following,
originally said by an 80-year-
old man on “Images,” Chaimel
58, on Feb. 11,1976: “You are
alive twice, once by being
alive, and once by being aware
of it.”
She said, “Paraphrasing the
above, I am alive twice, once
by being alive, and once by
working at my art. I work in
tuitively. My work reflects my
response to life, which is con
stantly in a state of flux. It is
a labor of love, necessity and
anxiety.
Collage by G.G. Kosch.
The Visual Arts Committee
of the Foundation and the
Jewish Community Center of
Charlotte are sponsoring this
show as well as the continuing
series “Shows of Local Artists.”
Florence Jaffa and Herman
Kosak will exhibit their art
work in the Speizman Gal
leries at Shalom Park. The
show and sale wiU open with a
reception from 2-4 p.m. on
Sunday, Dec. 4 and wiU be on
display through Sunday, Jan.
15.
Florence Jaffa has lived in
Charlotte since 1952. She
began her art education in
New York and at Brooklyn
College. She received a degree
in Commercial Art and Adver
tising Design from Central
Piedmont College and later
returned there to paticipate in
its Fine Arts classes. This led
to an interest in hand print-
making. Florence has ex
hibited widely in the area and
won awards in competitions.
Her work is also in many cor
porate and private collections.
Florence is currently paint
ing in oils and this exhibition
represents a collection of
realistic paintings with the
emphasis on composition and
color relationships. “I feel
these paintings go beyond the
subject matter to create a feel
ing of emotion, space and the
presence of light.” Some of her
prints will also be available at
the exhibition.
Hermann Kosak, a native of
Vienna, Austria, studied at
the Royal Academy of Brus
sels, Belgium. He also holds
degrees in Fine Arts from the
U. of Michigan and Michigan
State.
Hermann has been in this
country since 1947. After serv
ing three years in the U.S. Ar
my, he devoted himself to
painting and the teaching of
art subjects. He was head of
the Art Program at Ferris
State U., Art Director in
Residence at Michigan State
U. and head of photography at
the U. of Georgia. Exhibitions
in the U.S., Europe and the
Far East have earned him
numerous distinctions and
awards. He has paintings in
Herman Kosak
public and private collections
here and abroad. Currently,
his work is represented by the
Contemporary Art Galleries in
Raleigh.
Hermann, who works pri
marily with oils, does not
favor any particular style, but
believes that all have merit
and each is a worthwhile
thoughtful exploration. “To
try to express a reflection of
the human experience with
brush and paint is a never end
ing challenge. To me the sub
ject matter, or its absence, is
but the vehicle and not the ob
ject of my efforts.”
Hermann, and wife Kath
erine, who teaches in the
Department of Business at
Wingate College, have been in
Charlotte since 1983.
Special Event Is Coming To Charlotte!
Quality Israeli Art & Artifacts
Gorelick Hall Shalom Park
Sponsored by the Visual Arts Committee
of The Foundation of Charlotte Jewish Community
SINCE 1883. IT HAS BEEN OUR PRIVILEGE TO
SERVE THE JEWISH FAITH.
FUNERAL DIRECTORS
u
500 Providence Road 332-7133