Justin B Williams’ strange image landscapes are at once familiar and foreign, nostalgic and alien, like a well-worn recurrent dream or a new favorite quilt at the thrift store. Populated with unknowable situations, projected desires and the like, they seemingly unearth subconscious thoughts, deja-vu sentiments or unknown anxieties. Justin’s works function like maps, organizing and reorganizing his own inner tangential philosophies, experiences, fever dream thoughts or esoteric rants. His work calls to mind the representational work of Philip Guston, infusing cartoonish imaginative interpretations of personal narratives with a sincere sense of wonder and a mild sense of irony. On a purely formalist level, Justin has an impeccable sense of color and composition—if Matisse were alive today and knew about rock n’ roll, Freudian theories, cartoons and Raymond Pettibon, this might be what his paintings look like.

To read the Interview, go to Anthology

Noah posted a bunch of cool stuff on his site.
Go here to check it out --> http://www.retardriot.com/shows/?p=150

Heaven Gallery Call For Entries

Heaven Gallery is having a collage show in April. We want your submissions! Artists of all types, walks of life, & career levels are invited to send us work. When we say collage, we are using the term somewhat loosely. We are looking for pieces that range from traditional to video and mixed media collage to new media! To submit work to us please visit http://www.heavengallery.com/contact and send us an email with a link to images of your work.

Note: This collage show is a juried show by a panel of judges.

Our friend Scott Murray from Twenty Twenty Gallery

Jen Stark's "How to Become a Millionaire in 100 Days" at Twenty Twenty Gallery

"More thought-provoking work was found at Twenty Twenty, a scrappy gallery that opened near vacant lots where prostitutes and drug dealers ply their trade. It was started by Scott Murray, a 27-year-old with tousled hair and a sunburn who was wearing skinny jeans when he greeted me outside. Inside, scattered on the floor, was a piece called “How to Become A Millionaire in 100 Days.” The artist, a 24-year-old named Jen Stark, spent 100 days tearing a million scraps of colored paper — a not-so subtle statement about the hyper-commercialized art market.

Hoping to see more, I accidentally pushed through a white curtain and ended up in Mr. Murray’s tiny bedroom."

Read full article here -->
http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/travel/03miami.html

http://www.heavengallery.com/image/tid/46

Critic's Choice Smile

The art world has forbidden touching for so long that the idea of interactivity, however tainted by the icky proselytizers of techno-topia, can seem like a door opening from a cold, stifling box onto a golden playground. Aay Preston-Myint has merged his work in fiber and printmaking to create the installation Smile, a gleeful array of ornate masks and interchangeable backdrops that lets visitors enter elaborate fantasy vignettes. You can try on a crocheted green beard with teeth made of miniature arms harvested from soccer trophies, an “inside-out face” made of yarn and shellac, or a giant knitted headpiece reminiscent of McDonaldland’s psychedelic purple Grimace. The silk-screened fabric backdrops include one with missiles shooting through the night, another featuring eyes and hairy nipples, and one showing condos built on cute but suspicious brown clouds. Preston-Myint’s installation is a fully realized, approachable example of young Chicago artists’ fusion of fashion, craft, and participatory performance. Photographer Jennifer Brandel documented last Friday’s opening; the closing event will include a slide show of those images and a mask-making workshop. If you drop by before then, bring a friend and a camera. Through 1/19, Sat 1-5 PM and by appointment, closing event 6-10 PM, Heaven Gallery, 1550 N. Milwaukee, second floor, 312-208-9228. —Bert Stabler

http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/art/080110/

Heaven Gallery’s Classical Series aims to present a variety of Classical music to a diverse audience in an intimate setting. Organized by Chicago flutist, Jennifer Swanson, the series allows performers to choose a program that will teach something to an audience that hopefully includes individuals who may not be familiar with Classical music. The regular post-concert receptions provide time for audience and performers to mingle and further any discussion prompted by the performance. Barriers between musicians and music lovers are non existent. Heaven’s Last Sunday Series is a part of this Classical series but is aimed at young professional musicians.

Heaven Gallery’s Last Sunday Series aims to give young Classical musicians-- college students and young professionals alike-- a regular place to perform music of their choice in an ensemble or solo format. In association with the gallery’s regular Classical series, musicians come with music they can talk about and share in a way that can teach something to the diverse audience that is attracted to the gallery. The main goal of this particular series is for young musicians to be able to grow as performers in an accepting environment and to be a starting ground for building connections between these musicians.

War Is Over!

(if you want it)

Happy Christmas from Heaven Gallery!