"Navajo Rug," by Gerald A. Johnson

In its continuing series of exhibitions addressing Art and Wellbeing, Spiva Center for the Arts opens Fibers of Wellbeing, an exhibition featuring the work of two fine arts weavers, Rebecca Bluestone and Gerald A. Johnson. The exhibit opens to the public Saturday, October 28 and continues through December 1.

For New Mexico artist Rebecca Bluestone, her first encounter with a four-harness loom awakened her passion for weaving. For Gerald A. Johnson, who spent part of his boyhood growing up in Joplin, weaving was another medium in his creative repertoire as a New York painter and master printmaker. In the midst of their careers, both artists suffered major health challenges.

Bluestone is a cancer survivor; Johnson is battling Alzheimer's. Works by these accomplished artists suggest the powerful connection between art and wellbeing, whether it’s the experience of making art, the viewer’s experience of encountering art, or—as in Johnson’s case—comfort in revisiting work and rediscovering the accomplishments of a creative life.

Bluestone’s exhibition and traveling schedule was interrupted in 2001 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Although she canceled most of her engagements, she left one very important exhibition on her schedule: a retrospective of her work at the Denver Art Museum.

She completed eight tapestries while undergoing six months of chemotherapy treatments and recalls that “sitting at the loom a few hours each day was very comforting and healing.” Bluestone finished the pieces for the Denver show, and states that the exhibition “became a symbol to me of the power of art in the healing process.”

Bluestone fully recovered and continued pursuing her fine arts weaving career, gathering international accolades, commissions, and recognition for her finely woven tapestries of gradient color. Additionally, she and her classical guitarist husband Robert Bluestone formed a collaboration called “Woven Harmony.”

The husband-wife team tour universities, hospitals, and senior centers, with Robert providing the musical performances and Rebecca providing calm, beautiful weavings as a backdrop. Thanks to the joint sponsorship of Spiva Center for the Arts and Pro Musica, the Bluestones will be Joplin for a week long residency. Robert will perform at the Pro Musica concert on Thursday, October 26, 7 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church. Rebecca opens her exhibit with a reception for Spiva members and friends on Friday evening, October 27, 5:30-7:30pm. She will present a slide talk at Spiva on Saturday, October 28, 2-4 p.m., which the public is invited to attend. (Call Spiva 623-0183 for additional details.)

Gerald Johnson’s career in art took off in 1967 when the PSU graduate moved to New York City. For the next 34 years Johnson worked among the masters of 20th century painting and printmaking, and pursued other media as well: clay, collage, and fiber.

Produced on a Navajo loom, Johnson’s weavings blend the Modernist Bauhaus look of stark, clean lines with the feel of “the Great Plains…vastness of sky, earth, space, and solitude” of Gerald’s South Dakota roots. A statement from the narrative, “Dyeing in the Wool” might describe Johnson’s life and current situation: “As in any endeavor, changes occur, and organic materials do not stand still. The weaver must make changes and improvise; react and deal with unexpected twists and turns…”

It has been six years since Gerald Johnson has actively pursued his art. When a multitude of pieces are taken out of storage and revealed, he nods appreciatively and relates stories about their creation and the New York City art scene that surrounded him, obviously enjoying that lengthy and vital part of his life again.

Concurrently in the Regional Focus Gallery, photographer Mary Ann Soerries and sculptor April Davis Leiter share a love of nature and an eye for detail in the exhibit, Nature's Details.

Mary Ann’s love of flowers was inherited from her mother who maintained a flower garden on the farm in Arkansas where Mary Ann grew up. However, Mary Ann’s love of photography was innate. “I was always the one taking the pictures at family gatherings,” she recalls. Now Mary Ann has her own garden full of flowers to photograph as a resource for the "flower portraits” she captures with her 35mm camera.

The daughter of noted painter Lowell Davis, April Davis Leiter has always preferred sculpture as her medium. Twenty years ago, an artist-friend introduced her to polymer clay which April has used ever since. Her intricate sculpture of plants, flowers, and birds begins as a traditional wire armature structure with the clay added and layered to “flesh out” the forms. The pieces are “fired” in a kitchen oven and then painted with oil pigments.The sculptures are exquisite and complicated and labor intensive, usually taking several weeks to complete. Asked why her work is so complex and detailed, April replies, “Well, there’s no boring spot in Nature.”

Fibers of Wellbeing and Nature’s Details are sponsored by Freeman Health System, with additional support from Friends of St. Avips and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

Spiva Center for the Arts is located at Third and Wall in downtown Joplin. Spiva galleries and gift shop are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sundays, 1–5pm. Admission to the Main Gallery is by voluntary contribution. Suggested donations are $2 for adults, $1 for students. For additional information, please call 417.623.0183.

George A. Spiva Center for the Arts
222 W. 3rd Street
Joplin, Mo 64801
Tel: 417-623-0183
Fax: 417-623-3805
www.spivaarts.org