The small, encapsulated worlds currently on view in New House Gallery by Ido Yoshimoto immediately remind my of one of my favorite books. Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonders is a (supposedly) non-fictional account weaved by Lawrence Wechsler of the displays found at the Museum of Jurassic Technology where art meets science as traditional natural history museum dioramas and science-heavy displays account for what Wechsler calls “an intellectual hall of mirrors.” Explaining further, he provokes: “Some of the displays…are hoaxes. But which one’s?”
Like Wilson, Ido’s works blur the line between art and science. Ido presents natural curiosities he has found during treks around his home in West Marin. Only slightly altered from their original state, the objects assume a higher power as Ido preserves them within beautifully crafted boxes. As I peer through ancient beveled glass I am drawn to closely examine a pleasing mix of beauty, horror, and intrigue – carefully frozen moments of the natural world. A few small boxes dot the walls under austere lighting; further cementing the importance afforded these seemingly tiny moments. The piece “Dispossessed”, a 4” cube, holds a nest and the skeleton of a small bird reminiscent of a baby opening its beak awaiting a gift of food from its mother. The work is further highlighted by a ray of light focused through a magnifying oculus in the top of the box. The magical light reinforces the oddity of the specimen; the gesture heightens an emotional response to thoughts of the delicacy of life and the brutality of nature. The whole leaves me curious—how was this found, preserved, and what liberties has Ido taken in its current presentation?
Our annual project between students and a local practicing artist began in early January with a discussion of the Exhibition of Chris West’s drawings and paper cuts in New House Gallery. Chris provided great insight into his process and practice with Advanced and Portfolio level visual arts students. 
Student creations will join Chris’ in the gallery the week of February 27.
Under the Big Top, Mixed Media on Paper, 22 x 36 in, 2009
The drawings, and some of the prints, start as the cover on my work surface; a collection of doodles, marks, spills, stains and notes ensues. From there the central and supporting characters are developed and brought forth. My goal is to create a sense of “orderly improvisation”. The comically grotesque and cartoonish characters operate as stand-ins or archetypes of various moods, emotions and actions; my current favorites are Death, The Fool and The Madman. The vibrant and playful colors add a sweetened outer shell to the bitter pill of human folly. Rather than suggesting a clear-cut linear narrative, the drawings demonstrate the characteristics of elaborate, large scale, pages torn from my artist’s journal.
Wendy Anne Crittenden is a San Francisco based artist who works in both photography and drawing. This exhibit is composed of 25 of her more recent drawings. Most of the works are small (under twelve inches square) requiring close inspection. Crittenden’s wonderful sense of line is enhanced by the delicate paper surfaces that wrinkle and warp around the ink emphasizing the tension between the two.
39 Fernhill Ave.
Ross, CA 94957415-454-3612Privacy Policy
