Rockford artist Jeanne Ludeke will present her classic still life paintings in a Kortman Gallery exhibition titled “The Sibylline Still Life: A Return to Painting” opening Friday, June 4th. Ludeke, who is best known for her portraits, has created luscious new oil paintings of food and ordinary objects inspired by such masters of still life as Adriaen Coorte and Hovsep Pushman.
“Like Pushman, I am interested in dramatizing the relationships of objects in a meditative atmosphere,” Ludeke writes in her artist's statement. “ And like Coorte, I prefer to center and elevate my subjects on a platform to enhance and dignify the ordinary.”
Ludeke began her studies in drawing, painting and art history at NIU and the University of Salzburg, Austria, and completed a Masters in drawing at NIU in 1983. She has worked as a commissioned portrait artist and also taught art for many years. Only recently she has returned to her personal work as an artist.
Many of her current paintings include alluring images of food, such as a red velvet cupcake placed in front of a background of a well known painting. “These works are visually warm and inviting, and also stimulate your sense of taste and smell because of the realistic quality of the paintings,” says Kortman Gallery director Doc Slafkosky. “Inspired by Jeanne’s art, we thought we’d take the gallery experience a step further and have freshly baked cupcakes available at the opening. Caked, a new Rockford baking company, will be selling not only red velvet, but other artistically inspired cupcakes during the event.
The June 4th opening reception for “The Sibylline Still Life: A Return to Painting” by Jeanne Ludeke will be from 5:30 to 9:00pm upstairs in the Kortman Gallery at J.R. Kortman Center for Design, 107 North Main Street, Downtown Rockford. For more information call 815/968-0123 or visit www. jrkortman.com.
What: “The Sibylline Still Life: A Return to Painting” exhibition of classical art by Jeanne Ludeke
Where: Kortman Gallery, upstairs at J.R.Kortman Center for Design, 107 North Main, Downtown Rockford
When: Opening reception, Friday, June 4th, 5:30pm-9:00pm. Gallery open Monday–Saturday, 10am–6pm. Exhibition runs through July 15, 2010.
Free admission.
Information: 815-968-0123 or www.jrkortman.com
See images of Jeanne Ludeke's art... click on the "Current Show" option under Kortman Gallery on the left.