One of the reasons to attend openings other than the food is to see who the artist attracts.  When I walked in the Weilworks Gallery I noticed a crowd of women sitting on the couches and immediately thought, must be friends of the artist.  Then I was helping myself to the grapes when a woman approached me and said "I don't know you".  Figuring this was a game I said "I don't know you, either".  Her response was "No, I really don't know you, what's your name?" and the back forth repartee ended.

I found out this was the artist's mother.  Lee Lee is a gifted painter (www.painterleelee.com).  I was taken both with her subject matter and the colors used in her work.  I was also intrigued by her mother's tenacious manner.  We began discussing the body of work.  I told "Mom" that in many instances artists or businesses try and show one of two sides of a foreign culture.  They either show poverty and instability making a social or political statement or like the tourist industry, they show only the glorious little nooks and expensive hotels to attract clients.

The show is titled "Weave: Evocative Paintings by Lee Lee".   I felt that the show was a depiction of what factory workers in Detroit would have experienced about twenty years ago.  I must have been on to something because "Mom" was taken with my interpretation...I bet it met Lee Lee's view.  We discussed the life of the artist and artists in general about the idea of success and that's where we differed.  I have some very strong views about what makes a successful artist and she became over simplistic.  I guess we couldn't see eye to eye forever.

I love that the show was at Weilworks (www.weilworks.com).  It's a great venue because once you look at the main gallery area you can begin to climb the stair to see more art.  If you've determined enough you can make it to the birds nest where you have 360 degree views.  The building is a work of art.

Intrigued by her views...
Greg

coaching artists to success