Well, he's done it again. George Milliken's new watercolor show is simply superb. All artists share their experiences with viewers, but George goes one better. He transports the viewer to faraway realms where the land and sea and flora and fauna become palpable. He did it with British pubs and Vietnam and the south of France and now South Africa.George and his wife, Barbara, travel extensively, spending weeks at a time absorbing a particular destination. George takes photographs galore to refresh his memory when he returns home to Florence to his studio. It is always difficult to stop painting, because one idea leads to another.
The South Africa show debuted Sunday afternoon May 30 at The River Gallery in Old Town, which coincidentally celebrated its first anniversary in Florence. Owners Jan and Brian Jagoe opened up the entire first floor to the reception, with the pristine gallery in front and George's watercolors in the spacious living room in back. Champagne and hors d'oeuvres flowed along with a steady stream of visitors admiring the artwork - including Jan's award winning lavender-blue lizard pencil sketch. The celebration was accompanied by Pancho Clark a fine artist as well as a musician.
Contrary to the black and white news of an Africa plagued with famine, disease, and civil war, George's watercolors are colorful, gentle, and serene. The city of Cape Town, against the massive mountain, is shown thrice, once at misty dusk, once at bright dawn, and once from an island beach across the water. Scenes of the grassy veld and farmlands lure the eye with color and contentment. Is it really like that? Viewers asked the artist. George and Barbara visited the animal parks, where the inhabitants are free to graze without threat from their predators. The big-eared elephants were mostly friendly, allowing landrovers full of tourists to approach up close and personal. The pachyderms, however, are uneasy when humans approach on foot.
George had never painted animals before, at least not wild animals, but his talent captured the blissful creatures, even the best view of the unfriendly elephant who is seen swishing her derriere headed into the bush. Also roaming the veld are playful giraffes and frolicking kudos, which technically may be elands or antelope, according to a gallery visitor who had lived in Africa.
There are no people in the paintings, perhaps accounting for the serenity. There is a cheerful street scene - a row of multicolored block houses and tiny cars - a wonderful exercise in perspective. The show moves to the gallery's bright hallway. Don't miss the chance to take a safari to South Africa.
Kudos also to the art show at the FEC Gallery, which features the advanced watercolor classes of local artist Susan Weathers, obviously an excellent teacher who allows her students freedom to explore their creativity. Susan roams the easels, telling them when to stop or when to add dark colors or when to strike that quintessential brush stroke- such as Carol Jolley's shining Maui Jewel, Derek Payne's Rock of Ages, and Pat Romanov's bright trees. Not only is Pat a cultivator of Magnolias, she's a swinger of birches!
The show includes a wonderful dockside impression by Susan and one of her recent abstract arrangements, Framed. The display case bursts with Ursula Dittl's incomparable fiber art. Who could ever imagine turning slimy hunks of beach kelp into such rare beauty.
Speaking of those Magnolias, kudos once again to the entire cast and crew of Steel Magnolias, playing June 4, 5 and 6 at the FEC, in two rooms on the flat floor with unique arena-style intimate theater staging. Directed by Pat Romanov, all six actresses are brilliant.
Veteran of the stage Virginia Korosec is a class act, at ease with her patrician character, delivering some of the funniest lines. Trish Young, who wowed us as Hodel in Fiddler On The Roof, returns in a completely different role, a flourishing Magnolia. Cricket Crowder steals your heart, and Julie Galleton melts your soul. Nancy Walter claims beauty is not natural, but her stage presence is genuine. And Cathy Dupont is a riot. If you haven't yet seen this remarkable show, go. And take some Kleenex.
Kudos always go to Florence's musicians, who keep the waves swinging and the tides on time. That gargantuan jazz fest in Sacramento was held last weekend, but Florence had its own jazz masters with Chuck and the Wildcats on Friday's happy hour at the Grape Leaf. The quintet - Chuck Cassey, Devern Pinnock, Phil Sands, Ron Adkins, Dan Pavlis - is about as wild as George's grazing elephants, but do they ever swing! And you know it don't mean a thing without it.
A whole lotta shakin' continued at the Cove Sunday night with Paul Biondi, monster mano-a-mano Steve McCallum wrenching rockabilly rhythms from all 88 piano keys, bass man Derek Crossman riding herd on Mustang Sally, and Cherry Poppin' Tim Donahue trapping the tiger.
It was a weekend of Southern Hospitality Florence style - framed with Sweet Georgia Brown and Georgia On My Mind with side trips to South Africa and Chinquapin, Louisiana. A round of mint juleps for all! Not to mention kudos.
- Burney Garelick
© 2005 All Rights Reserved. Burney Garelick, The Siuslaw News, Florence, Oregon.
This article may not be reprinted or linked to without permission from the writer, Burney Garelick, and The Siuslaw News.
