The Michigan Daily -Monday, April 13, 1987-- Page9 Six mature artists grace the Rackham galleries By Charles Oestreicher Last Wednesday a B.F.A. show for six degree candidates opened at the Rackham Gallery of Art which concentrated exclusively on the fine arts, primarily painting, earthen - Fie Arts '8 Degree Shows wate and various forms of priiitmaking. There are many ab - stract and figure study pieces, but thane are no design, illustration or industrial arts pieces on display. Thdse six female graduates are "serious" artists, and their work is much more than an exhibit of technical virtuosity. Their creations convey ideas as we are accustomed to seeing in the work of the masters; through line, tone, light and color. The messages are very subtle if they are there at all, but overall the art in the show is mature and confident, and never loud or obvious. In terms of subject matter, Molly Blythe is one of the show's more diverse artists. Landscapes, still lifes, figure studies and more all appear in her paintings. Her unique way of using color to simulate light aids her in creating mood and establishing a sense of place in each piece. "Apples and Chair I" is a thoughtful comparison and, contrasting between the natural and man-made worlds, while her "Self Portrait", with its eerie green tone, is suggestive of a darker side within the artist. The painting is neither effacing nor complimentary, and it is this quality of emotional ambivalence with which Blythe's paintings get across to the viewer. Greta Dongvillo's work resembles Blythe's in many respects, although Dongvillo is more of an experimentalist. In the show, her modes of expression range from painting to drawing to printmaking, each medium seemingly used with different intent in mind. In general, the paintings seem emotionally mixed, while the drawings are light-hearted and the prints very abstract. Dongvillo's "Self Portrait" in charcoal is indicative of her more buoyant side. Laurel Prafke is represented in the show by only seven pieces, all of them untitled, and it is in that context that her work takes on a sense of humility. A bleak gray tone overshadows a lot of the work, all of it well composed and containing both known and abstract elements. Colors are able to distinguish and separate themselves yet at the same time work together. Katherine Johnson's work in the show differs greatly from that of her colleagues in its completely abstract nature. Her experimentation with color, shape, depth and light give her lithographs and collages credibility and visual interest. Many of her etchings and lithographs resemble works by noted artists of the past, particularly Max Ernst. "Window Series: Morning through Venetian Blinds" is a brilliant collage experiment in colors and how they can be played off one another. Her "Color Phenomenon" lithographs, though, are much brighter, more trivial and less successful. Ingrid Butterer has a lot of earthenware on display, much of it very weathered looking. In her style of execution, the work resembles that done by the ancient Greeks, Indian tribes and other civilizations. Though the objects are bowls, plates and other seemingly functional items, they are meant as art pieces. The decorations range from the very serious to the childlike; the most successful are the small portraits, of both personal friends and historical figures. Annette Gates has a bolder style of painting than the other women in the show. Images are displayed graphically, with clear expressions on the figures. Gates is not afraid to bring everything about her subject out in the open, suggesting an inner confidence in her own skill. Light is handled well in her work, particularly in a series of pastel figure studies. Light is represented in a variety of colors, as if the spectrum had become visible to the viewer. This exhibit is the most confident and thought provoking of the degree shows which have been presented so far. It blends subtley, maturity and enthusiasm into pieces which represent fine art in the truest sense of the word. These works do not cater to anyone but the artists themselves; none of these women is begging for attention or shouting to be heard. This show represents art for art's sake, which is art in its most noble form. It is for that reason that this show is commendable and should be seen. It is open until April 14 at the Rackham Gallery of Art, Monday through Saturday. t S - i Records Jo.n Hassell' Power Spot Steve Tibbets Exploded View ECM Records In some ways these two new ECM releases tread the same ground. They are both what I call New Traditional music. Distinct by virtue of genuine substance from typical New Age music, these recordings actually explore the ways .in which traditional musics can coincide with the most modern technologies. A certain sameness could be attributed to both LPs, but this is largely due to the sylistic vision of the principles and never approaches the tedious. Jon Hassell is something of a magician. he has one of the most recognizable trumpet sounds that I have ever heard. Only you don't recognize it as a trumpet.' After prcessingit is sort of a windlike spectral whine. It is an eerie, mournful wraith. Power Spot is a collaboration with folks like Brian Eno that. weaves itself into a mystical suite for organic rhythms and prepared electronics. It is the rain forest in. full bloom. With neon birds of paradise. Hassell's sirensong trum - pet dances elegantly throughout this glorious garden of sound like a perfume made tangible. Honest. Steve Tibbets has been banging away as a homegrown studio genius for a long time. Several critically acclaimed LPs featuring his guit - aristics in some very eclectic settings made their way out of his basement studios before he was signed to ECM. Exploded View blends his outrageous, often searing guitar voice, with Indian instru - ments and AfroAsian chantings. Lots of percussion on this LP, and the vocal work is given more than equal time. This is a rewarding record. It is busier than the Hassell effort and more accessible by virtue of its relatively "normal" electric guitar sounds. Both of these LPs merit our,. attention, and would make excellent bookends to any New Age/New Traditions record collection. Tibbets for the adventurous guitar freak; Hassell for the moonwatchers. Big Fun. -Marc S. Taras Imagine summer '87 by our pool! University Towers can give you a place in the sun next, to our heated swimming pool. 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