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Visual Art: Theater: Morsels:
Cruson's
Colorful Landscapes
In "Where the Road Leads Me," an exhibition of acrylic landscapes at the White Lotus Gallery through May 29, Jon Jay Cruson seeks and extracts the patterns of the land. When he lived on the Oregon Coast and painted seascapes, Cruson spent countless hours studying and sketching waves. Born of rigorous observation and understanding, those sketches mapped the dynamic patterns and shapes of ocean waves. Moving inland, Cruson examined the patterns inherent to landscape during several months spent on the road each year. We may more readily think of the dynamics of water than of landmass, but Cruson's analytic eye discerns it unerringly in the types of landscapes he favors: gently rolling, open rural land with its agricultural markings and few trees. While remaining representational, Cruson's paintings tend to the abstract, a double pull that is one source of creative tension in his art. Composition and design have primacy over precise representation. He plays with shape, line and color to create vibrant yet serene patterns, and his concern with composition leads him to ultimately question the nature of representation, especially perspective, in some works. Cruson's compositions are based on almost geometric patterns of well-defined color areas corresponding to hills, fields, hedges, roads, rivers. Space is constructed as a series of tight-fitting, colored shapes, flat rather than shaded areas of color with little sense of volume, reminiscent of space in traditional Japanese art. Except for trees, there is no modeling, no representation of light and shadow. Notwithstanding the cast shadows of trees, light imbues these landscapes uniformly. It is the land itself and its properties, independent of light, that interest Cruson. Similarly, line even when indicating contours is not meant to suggest volume. Rather, line dynamically defines both landscape and composition. His travel sketches are all about the dynamic, rhythmic lines of landscape, as if he were mapping the directions in which its energy flows. Cruson makes both analytical and expressive use of line. Linear patterns divide the canvas into broad tonal areas. Although Rising Ground #2, for instance, relies on strong alternative diagonals forming triangular areas, most of Cruson's compositions are dominated by horizontal lines complemented, contrasted or accented with verticals and diagonals. In Patterns. Natural curves (hills, contour lines, ponds, rivers) play against straight, man-made lines (fields, hedges, furrows, roads). Contour lines, rows, furrows, tractor marks — variously and contrastingly oriented — create strong rhythmic patterns. The rounded forms of trees act as a counterpoint to line. In The Lone Tree, the dot patterns of grouped trees fill a diamond-shape area in the center of the painting. With diagonal accents, the dot patterns present a dynamic counterpoint to the strong horizontals of the composition. Cruson's colors also obey laws of composition, rather than being strictly realistic. Skies may be black or pale yellow. Fields and hills are blue, green, mauve, purple, pink, yellow, ochre, brown, black — tender or intense, in tints and in shades. The complex relationship of echo and contrast among colors is one of the dynamic patterns that inform Cruson's paintings. Mauves and purples often dominate, contrasting with yellow accents to which Cruson adds a little purple. Areas that seem chromatically uniform often actually contain traces of other colors that appear elsewhere. Edges or outlines often consist of repeated lines in different colors borrowed from the rest of the canvas as in Evening Blue. Another crucial structural element is perspective, and Cruson toys with its conventions. The paintings in this exhibition fall into three broad groups in terms of their approach to perspective. Farmland #1 and #2, Ridge Line, Green Field #2, Near the Ravine, Near Green Field loosely follow the rules of traditional Western perspective, such as diminishing scale, aerial and linear perspective. Rural Landscape is most naturalistic and unique in that it even models in subtle chiaroscuro the folds of the hill in the foreground. However, Cruson's familiarity with Asian art influences his treatment of perspective in a large number of paintings. In traditional Japanese paintings and prints, the sides of a represented object remain parallel, or even diverge, as they recede. The same scale is used to represent height and width, but depth is reduced. In Cruson's work, parallel lines don't necessarily converge toward a vanishing point either. In paintings such as Lavender Fields, the viewer's vantage point appears to shift as we move our gaze from the bottom to the top of the canvas. In the foreground, the viewer is looking down at the hills below as if from a promontory. As our gaze moves up, the plane appears to tilt up. As we face the background at eye-level, we perceive it to be much closer than if linear perspective were used. Cruson described this as "a tilted or lateral perspective, where things appeared stacked on top of each other." In a few of the paintings, Cruson frees himself further from the constraints of both Western and Asian perspective. Such a breaking away from conventions is hinted at in The Oaks. Although the work as a whole follows traditional rules of perspective, one area eschews perspective altogether: A hill rises straight and flat as deck card, flush with the picture plane, its vertical furrows aligned with the sides of the canvas. In Tilted Orchard, the geometry of the composition goes a step further in thwarting the illusion of perspective. The middle-ground seems closest to the viewer. In a reversal of scale, trees there are larger than those in the foreground. As indicated in the title, the orchard in the middle-ground tilts at an unexpected angle in relation to the rest of the landscape. Finally, in paintings such as Steep Incline #2 and Burnt Fields, Cruson's most abstract compositions, the idea of perspective is itself subverted. In his other works the viewer's gaze is first instinctively drawn to the view of the foreground below, then slowly makes its way up the canvas. But here we feel the need to start from the top, at the horizon, where a few horizontal bands of sky and land offer a measure of stability. Then we face a sheer vertical drop. If we follow the logic of representation, we need to accept that a whole section of the landscape has folded 90 degrees along a straight line like a paper construction. In an orchard — now tilted at a sheer vertical flush with the picture plane — we get almost a full side view of trees placed in a neat row. In this way, Cruson slides the ground from under the very notion of representation. Cruson clearly enjoys his journey. Do not miss this superb exhibition.
A
Day to Remember
Welcome to the funhouse — UO's intimate and funky Arena Theatre that is, where David Lindsay-Abaire's off-the-wall dark comedy, Fuddy Meers, is currently playing. Focusing primarily on the action and the characters themselves, the crew makes good use of the small space for kitchen, basement, bedroom, and automobile scenes by using minimal props — simple boxes that easily morph from bed to couch to car. Further enhancing the funhouse feel is a wacky blend of music and sounds — from "Sesame Street" and "PeeWee's Playhouse" themes to well-timed "Loony Tunes," and a slideshow projected on the wall that flashes a random sampling of amusing factoids. The play centers on Claire, who suffers from a rare medical condition called psychogenic amnesia, in which she wakes up every morning with virtually no memory of the previous day. Every morning her husband Richard must re-explain her situation. He's even compiled a handy reference book to help her get through the day. But when an unexpected limping, lisping caller sporting a ski mask, bright orange coveralls and a handcuff suspiciously dangling from one wrist pops out from under her bed, this day promises to be unlike any other. Claiming to be her brother, limping man convinces Claire that he is rescuing her from her dangerous husband and whisks her away to their mother's house in the country. Meanwhile, Richard and his angry, punk son Kenny set out in search of Claire. At the mother's house in the country, pandemonium ensues, but the chaotic action takes a serious turn as revelations and memories merge, allowing Claire to begin peeling back the layers of her disjointed psyche. Claire's "blank slate" reveals, among other things, the wretched devastation of domestic violence and the defense mechanisms victims use to justify further manipulation. Still, it certainly was a day like no other for Claire. Many secrets are revealed and questions answered — all except one, will she remember any of it tomorrow? Director j. nick dickert has assembled a talented and energetic cast. As the play's hapless heroine Claire, Stacy Douglas exudes a sweet and natural innocence that immediately draws the audience squarely in her corner. Likewise, Sean Andries puts in a first-rate performance as her deceptively amiable spouse, Richard. Daren Lundeen is hilarious as the pathetic and disfigured Limping Man, and Kyle Warren is perfectly cast in the over-the-top role of the conflicted Millet. His manic musings with sock puppet Hinky-Binky steal the show. Jennifer Thomas does a good job playing the stroke-challenged Gertie, although at times she seemed to struggle with it. To her credit, however, it's hard enough remembering regular lines, let alone gibberish ones. Rounding out the cast is Stevo Clay as angst-ridden teen-ager Kenny, and Danielle Kardum as lady cop Heidi. Both put in fine performances. Entertaining and full of surprises, Fuddy Meers runs through May 1.
Berry
Treasure
THE BERRY BIBLE by Janie Hibler. William Morrow/Harper Collins, New York. 2004. To such an extent do I love blackberries, I penned and managed to get published an essay about them. After hearing me read that essay aloud last summer, Robert Leo Heilman, venerable writer, essayist and chronicler of the old Northwest, squinched up his nose, tugged his beard and said, "I can't much stand blackberries anymore. Taste to me like poverty, like bein' broke and eatin' 'em from the sides of the railroad tracks when there was nothin' else to eat, fillin' my belly 'til it hurt." There are a two things I took away from that sobering feedback, maybe neither of which Mr. Heilman was actually trying to convey. First, it's stunning how complicated our relationships with food are, how primal from person to person, how visceral from food to food. Second, if you have to eat anything from the sides of the railroad tracks, if you have to eat anything for free until you're insides are full to bursting and you're sick to your stomach, let it be the juicy, sweet glory of berries. In defense of my unwavering love for this food, check out The Berry Bible by Janie Hibler. Part cookbook, part natural history guide, part coffee-table-book beauty, this book will teach you everything you want to know about berries along with nearly countless ways to prepare them. There are recipes for good old-fashioned jellies, jams and preserves (chapter called "Putting Berries By"), as well as recipes for sophisticated Pavlovas, sangria, cocktails, and even berry soups. Hope hard for this warm, sunny weather to hold, and we'll be thick with berries of all kinds come summer.
Blackberry-Chile-Mint
Preserves Have washed and hot eight 8-oz. jars. Prepare lids according to the manufacturer's directions. Combine berries and sugar in a pot and let macerate for 15 minutes at room temperature. Set pot over medium heat; when mixture is warm, add peppers. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add butter to stop mixture from foaming. When mixture reaches a rolling boil that can't be stirred down, stir in mint and pectin. Return to rolling boil and cook 1 minute. Ladle jam through wide-mouth funnel into hot jars. Process in boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Makes seven to eight 8-oz. jars.
Leftovers: Thai food typhoon! Lucky Eugene is getting two new Thai places: Thai-HOP is back — in a couple of weeks, "B" from Chao Pra Ya will be opening Tararin Thai Cuisine at the 1200 Oak St. location, and KB Deli, 1010 Harlow Rd. in Springfield, will be focusing on Thai cuisine and changing its name to Aiyara Thai Café.
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