The Southwestern Invitational is an exhibition in which I’m one of the artists. It’s a traveling exhibit, starting in Yuma last Spring & ending at the Sky Harbor International Art Museum in 2016. Last weekend was an opening at Prescott College at Sam Hill Warehouse Gallery, the third stop for this traveling show.
I knew that Bruce Horn, printmaking instructor from my art student days at Northern Arizona University, was one of the artists included in the show. I wasn’t able to make it to the first opening of the exhibit in Yuma at the Yuma Fine Art Center. Bruce was there. Jim & I attended the opening at the second gallery, the West Valley HQ Gallery in Surprise. Bruce didn’t go to that one. The third opening was the charm. We were both at the opening at the Prescott College at Sam Hill Warehouse Gallery. Neither of us could remember when we’d last seen each other in person, although we’ve been in touch via email. Maybe 30 years?
At any rate, it was fantastic to spend some time with Bruce & his wife Pat. And nice for Jim to finally meet the fabled Bruce Horn. It amazes me how crystal clear my memories are of the years of being in the printmaking studio at Northern Arizona University, Bruce’s lectures & demonstrations, and my hard work toward accomplishing his demanding assignments. Although I don’t do much printmaking these days, the discipline required and his great teaching and love of art continue to benefit me.
Bruce has also turned into a painter although he works in oils as opposed to my work in acrylic paint. In kind of an amazing coincidence, his painting & my painting were shown adjacent to each other in this beautiful, large gallery space. So Jim took the opportunity to photograph us catching up on old times.
Bruce’s painting is on the left, mine on the right.
And not to overdo it, here’s a third photo:
Photographs courtesy James Cowlin.