Stocksdale gallery – The Hilltop Monitor

A look at “The 3rd Annual Liberty Public Schools Art Showcase”

Koda Rose — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0000

The Stocksdale Gallery is exhibiting the “Third Annual Liberty Public Schools Art Showcase” from Mar. 21 through May 13. This exhibit is notably distinct from the previous artwork held at the Stockdale Galley, “The Elegant Line.” The works in The Third Annual Liberty Public Schools Art Showcase offer art from various ages and mediums, ranging from kindergarteners to high school seniors, while “The Elegant Line” featured work from one singular established artist.

The bright colors within the artwork paint the walls around the gallery. The sculptures made of clay, cardboard and more all create a unique environment pleasing to the eye. There was so much to look at, and every piece in the gallery drew my attention.

A collection of artwork from the eighth grade class at Heritage Middle School. Photograph courtesy of Koda Payton.

The sculpture that first caught my interest was “Leaf Basket,” created by sophomore Addie Shields from Liberty High School. I was immediately attracted to the simplistic design. Although “Leaf Basket” was just made from clay, jute and stain, the unique textures and techniques from the artist give the illusion of real leaves and a real wooden basket.

“Leaf Basket” by Addie Shields, a sophomore at Liberty High School. Photo courtesy of Koda Payton.

Another favorite piece of mine was a drawing by Kaelyn Greer, an 8th grader from Heritage Middle School. I love frogs, but it was the structure of this piece that drew me in. The soft colors contrasted with the black and white ink, giving the drawing a professional appearance. This was true about all the art from this section within the showcase. It was very well done and executed perfectly.

A frog drawing by Kaelyn Gleer, an eighth grader from Heritage Middle School. Photo courtesy of Koda Payton.

Seeing such a range of talent within our Liberty community and youth is exciting, and I hope to see many of these young artists in our gallery again.

A Look at “The Elegant Line: Three Artists, One Show”

Koda Rose — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +0000

A glance at the setup of “The Elegant Line” by Koda Payton.

From January 16 through March 9, the Stocksdale Gallery is holding an exhibit titled “The Elegant Line: Three Artists, One Show” featuring the work of Cathy Broski, Kēvin Callahan, and Marti Dodge.

Walking into the Stocksdale Gallery, I was mesmerized by the vivacious colors and mood filling the room. A perfect balance of metals, woods, paintings and ceramics came together to form a mellow aura and relaxing environment. I felt as if I had entered a separate dimension of calm and bliss.

The piece that stuck out to me the most was Marti Dodge’s wooden sculpture titled “One World, Same Boat.” It was unique and playful. The simplicity of the artist’s style juxtaposed to its message made it easy to admire, yet thought-provoking.

Marti Dodge’s “One World, Same Boat” by Koda Payton.

Although I have visited many exhibits around the Kansas City area, I have never been as immersed in the art around me as I was when viewing “The Elegant Line.” This exhibit is by far my favorite I’ve seen at the gallery, and I hope to explore more of Marti Dodge’s works in the future.

Bent Over Backwards: A preview of the current Stocksdale gallery exhibit

Claire Henry — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Artist Alicia ‘Lish’ Hoerman, who also goes by the artist name, “Brokenlishbone,” will have their work displayed throughout the Stocksdale gallery until Dec. 16. The show is titled “Bent Over Backwards.”

A series of illustrations of a character named “The Fool.”

Hoerman’s work is predominantly digital, stylized as bright and playful while maintaining dark undertones. In their artist statement, they refer to their work as “macabre with a candy coating.” Oftentimes, Hoerman’s illustrations feature invented characters with corresponding environments around them. In one piece, a character named Pesto the Possum boxes with a mantis named Marrow.

A colorful digital illustration and the sketch that proceeded it.

Hoerman uses a variety of mediums throughout the collection. One mixed media piece titled “Create Xing” is a deer-like creature painted on cardboard, holding a metal stop sign. They use ink and graphite to show their creative process. Next to their finalized digital pieces, they display sketches they made on paper. Allowing the audience to perceive the beginning of an idea before the final polished piece shows a certain amount of vulnerability from the artist which not only contributes visually but is also conceptually appealing. Displaying their process is fitting, as the show is meant to depict the intimate thoughts and feelings of Hoerman.

A mixed media piece titled “Create Xing”

“These pieces are my dreams, my hopes, my fears,” Hoerman details in their artist statement. “These are my defying thoughts and defining memories.”

They also refer to the works as a collection of memories. Hoerman invites viewers to explore these memories in hopes that onlookers might find joy in the works or even relate to them personally.

Photos by Claire Henry.

A Look into the Stocksdale Gallery

Claire Henry — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Claire Henry takes us into the Stocksdale Gallery and gives us a peek into “The Artwork of Taylor Crites and Maxx Militscher.”