West of Center: Art that Pushes Boundaries at the Northville Art House
West of Center: Art that Pushes Boundaries
September 6 – 28, 2019
The 11th annual juried all-media exhibition West of Center: Art that Pushes Boundaries at the Northville Art House will showcase 0ver 60 contemporary artworks created by 35 talented artists from Michigan and around the country.Juror Tony Roko made selections based on art and artists that pushed the boundaries of art imagery, practices, and theory. Boundaries include those set by traditional techniques, materials, concepts, art history, genre, subject matter, personal experiences, and societal norms. Artists were also encouraged to explore and employ new techniques, technologies, and media to create compelling two- and three-dimensional artworks.
West of Center received over 160 submissions from 58 artists. The selected artists include: Jean-Paul Aboudib, Emily Adelman, Jim Aho, David Bartlett, Kathleen Boettcher, Irina Bondarenko, Stephen Boni, Marian Burghiu, Keith Christmas, Christina Czaja, Pamela Day, Took Gallagher, Naomi Hart, Claudia Hershman, Peggy Kerwan, WanChuan Kesler, Viviane Kluska, Zach Koch, Maria Latour, Rosemary Lee, Travis Matchulat, Janet McClintock, Patricia O’Brien, Heather O’Donnell, Vickie Peterson, Dean Rogers, Gayle Sanchirico, Zedekiah Schild, Tricia Soderberg, Pat Vartanian, Mary Vertrees, Bob Wesley, Carrie ‘Care’ Wheeler, Danna Wolke-Bowersox, and Jessica Woodard.
West of Center opens at the Northville Art House, located at 215 W. Cady, Northville, MI, with a reception on Friday, September 6 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm with an awards presentation at 7pm. Cash and honors totaling more than $800 will be awarded. The exhibition runs through Saturday, September 28 during regular gallery hours, Tuesday – Friday 12 – 5 pm and Saturday 12 – 4 pm.
About the Juror, Tony Roko
From factory floors to gallery walls, Tony Roko’s signature portraits celebrate the human figure with vivid, brilliant colors inspired by Detroit’s industrial past. Roko’s career began when he was pulled off the Ford assembly line to paint murals in an effort to boost plant morale. With exposure to industrial coatings, brilliant safety colors began to appear in his work – becoming his unique, emotive voice.
In addition to being named Detroit’s Best Fine Artist for five consecutive years, Roko has painted commissions for Jay Leno, Lady Gaga, and the Holocaust Museum. Roko was selected to create a series of paintings to act as the new face of Atwater Brewery, bringing the Detroit company’s signature brews and spirits to 30 states and European markets.
In 2017, Tony founded the Art Foundation, a non-profit organization fostering creative minds. Roko’s enthusiasm and passion for his craft have helped him to connect with diverse groups through the medium of painting, including partnerships with the Karmanos Healing Arts Cancer Survivor programs, the Rhonda Walker Foundation for young women, and Wolverine Human Services’ Juvenile Detention program.
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