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Saratoga Sampler
Middlebrook sculpture--seeing is believing, or is it?
By Mary Ann Cook
NOT TO BE BELIEVED: Sculptor David Middlebrook has a new piece that's not to be believed--even after you see it. It looks to be a wooden crate suspended in air with parachute straps hanging down from all four sides. In the center of the crate a granite rock is suspended.
And another rock hangs in suspension from a strap close to the ground. Actually, the entire piece is made of bronze, no matter what material you think you're seeing. The sculpture, titled "Haywire," made its debut at a reception at Middlebrook's studio attended by more than 300 amazed onlookers.
After that, it was boxed up and sent to the El Paseo Invitational Bienale at Palm Desert, where it will be on display for two years. The piece has environmental concerns, a recurring Middlebrook theme. "This piece is a visual alarm system that makes you question things you've always taken for granted," says the artist. "I want people to question what they're looking at and question their world, to be more observant."
Since gravity is the most pervasive force, he settled on outwitting gravity with this work. "Systems that have always been in place are being altered because of environmental catastrophes, both natural and man-made.
"Artists have a responsibility to give people an experience they haven't had before. That's why I deal with the absurd and the unbelievable. I want to entertain and provoke so that people will ponder, will stop and look at their world." And what's being done to it, presumably.
Other Middlebrook work is on display at the Linda Durnell Gallery in Los Gatos.
ART WINNERS: Sandra Jones won the Juror's Special Recognition award in this year's LG Art Association members' juried show for her charcoal called "Voice of Conscience." There are no rules governing the Juror's Award. Something about the piece captures the juror's fancy or heart.
The artist receives both the accolade and $200. First-place winners included Ed Lucey, in painting; Leslie Lambert, water media; Maralyn Miller, dry media; Kenneth Johnson, 3-D; Rose Lee, printmaking/mixed media; and Kelly Bryant, photography.
Seconds were won by David Hunt, Jan Grady, Mark Danitschek, Marina Povalishina and Sandra Jones, for the same piece that won the Juror's Award. Winning thirds were Donald Neff and Kathleen Mitchell. Claire Schroeven Verbiest was the juror, and Laurie Barna the show chairman.
My personal favorites were Mai Shei's "Meditation," acrylic, watercolor, gold leaf and sumi ink; Mary Ann Henderson's pastel, "Tamales Bay;" and Patty Montgomery's mixed media "Enough." This piece is an eyecatcher--full of falling shopping bags, as though descending from the sky.
A wry comment on our consumer culture? Both these last two pieces received honorable mentions.
PLAYING AT WORKING: The Saratoga High youngsters who brought Working to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, stayed in the University of Edinburgh dorms, which was easy walking (or bus pass) distance to most venues. Besides walking, workouts for the teens included morning runs up the nearby mountain, Arthur's Seat.
One group went to the Edinburgh swimming pool on campus and had a grand old time lustily singing out songs from the play while swimming and shocking the proper Scottish lifeguards. The lifeguards got a kick out of it, too, despite being taken aback by the frolicking Yanks.
In London the Saratoga group attended a workshop at the Globe Theater given by an actor from the Royal Shakespeare Company. Chaperones on the trip included Michelle Arroyo, Sylvia Chen, Aviva Garrett, Yvonne Harter, James Hilmer, Adrian Stapleton and Mark Stevens.
Some 600 U.S. students representing 37 high schools were chosen for the Fringe, including Westmont, so the West Bay was well represented.
FIDDLERS: Fiddler on the Roof is playing at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts Nov. 11-19, and a handful of local youngsters are in this Peninsula Youth Theatre production. They are Leah Cohen, Karina Fathi, Laura Hannibal and Chelsea and Max Venuti, all of Saratoga.
Erin Dowd and Alex and Chelsea Prather of Los Gatos are also in the cast. Next up is Many Moons, adapted from a James Thurber story, Nov. 17 and 18, daytime performances only. Peninsula Youth Theatre box office is 650.903.6000.
INDIAN DANCE: "Kalidasa's Ritusamhara," the latest Abhinaya Dance production will be performed Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Mexican Heritage Theater, 1700 Alum Rock Ave., SJ. Another performance will be held Nov. 19 at 4 p.m. at Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.
Kalidasa is the ancient Sanskrit poet, and his verses in Sanskrit offer a lyrical description of the seasons in the Indian subcontinent. Projected supertitles will help audience understanding of the lyrics. For tickets at $10-$25, call Abhinaya Dance Company at 408.983.0491 or at www.sulekha.com/bayarea.
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