The James Douglas Gallery welcomes the symbolic imagery of
Peter Cody, the fantastical creatures of Shanie Z. and the whimsically
nostalgic clocks of Keith Nieto for the month of October. Three
good friends together for a group show that takes us to other
worlds.
Newburgh
resident Peter Cody has a deep well of experience from which
he summons his metaphorical artwork. Influenced by primitive
symbols and attitude, the images reflect on a time when spirit
and life worked in harmony. Art in nature, and a strong reverence
for Earth and the spiritual world, are common threads in all
of his art. Peter's theory of balance presents itself in his
art - light and dark, organic and geometric, positive and negative.
He refers to this theory as "orgametric." Simple is
very complex.
Peter
Cody studied painting, sculpture, film and photography at the
School of Visual Arts in New York City. He renovated lofts for
artists during the SoHo renaissance of the early 1970's. To
support his artistic endeavors, he built stretcher bars for
major artists, fabricated sculpture, drove a taxi and bartended.
He also worked as a photographer and filmmaker for the city
of New York, documenting an inner city summer camp program.
Peter's
varied interests bounced him across the country in the 1970s-80s,
from New York to California, back to Connecticut, and from there
to Washington State, just outside of Spokane. Carpentry, house
painting and teaching art at a local community college sustained
him on the west coast. An award-winning parade float and a passive
solar house were among his larger creative accomplishments.
In 1983, Peter had a mental breakdown, and spent several months
in a hospital in Seattle. Seeking a new direction after his
release, he found a loft in downtown Seattle in a block-long
building housing 48 artists, photographers and sculptors and
began to seriously create his artwork. He collaborated with
a storefront owner and opened an alternative gallery for artists
not represented by major galleries. As curator, Peter initiated
"one-month exhibits" over a course of two years. During
this period he conducted his first solo show.
In
1987, Peter railed to Massachusetts, settling in Cape Cod. Influenced
by his varied life experiences, his artwork had begun to take
on the unique characteristics for which he is known. He found
immediate work curating and managing a gallery in Wellfleet,
where his paintings were featured. He was also represented in
nearby Provincetown.
The 1990's brought Peter Cody to New York to do museum construction
and design work, first in the Binghamton area, and then in Newburgh
for the "Dinosaurs Alive" exhibit, and several other
projects. Peter has continued to work as a carpenter and painter,
while doing printmaking. He prefers the monoprint, as it is
both original and affordable. His work is featured in many restaurants
and homes in the Hudson Valley.
Natalia
Zdanovskaia creates her art under the name of Shanie Z. She
is direct and colorful in the creation of her art, as well as
in its description: "In my characters I try to blend real
life and fantasy - mythological tales told in grotesque, childlike
simplicity. I draw with the logical side of my mind, and paint
with the emotional side. There is always a little performance
before an imaginary audience in each of my pieces."
Natalia
grew up in Krasnodar, Russia, where her artistic inclinations
lead her to enrollment in the School of Visual Arts, and later
to the Kuban State University. She graduated with a degree specializing
in arts and crafts. During her time in university, Natalia also
pursued her theatrical interests as an art director and character
actress in an experimental theatre group at the Maska Theatre.
The
theatre became her life for ten years. The repertoire was to
her liking, from Twelfth Night to Twelve Chairs. Natalia traveled
with the theatre in Moscow and Leningrad, and was invited to
the Sovremennik Theatre in Moscow, and to act in movies. During
this time she also taught art at the Academy of Culture and
then at the Center of Children's Art Creativity, both in Krasnodar.
In
1997, Natalia came to the U.S. and started a career in art and
antique restoration with Millart Studio in New York City. She
is currently an assistant to sculptor Stuart Sachs in his studio
in Newburgh. She has exhibited since the 1990s on both sides
of the Atlantic, including several solo shows.
Keith
Nieto's artwork has always focused on Hollywood imagery. "The
powerful images that stay with us throughout our lives we often
see in film". With altered photography, crystals and hand
finished woods he uses these images to reflect how society can
elevate or destroy human beings placed upon pedestals - film
legends. Keith's contribution to the October show features fine
jeweled cases housing clocks; virtual shrines framing vivid
Hollywood moments and historical figures.
Born
and raised in New York City, Keith was an only child, affording
him the luxury of doting parents with open minds. He studied
film at Hunter and continued his studies in Boston. Always attracted
to the study of film, the arts and history, he began his professional
journey as a window dresser for both Bloomingdales and Bonwit
Teller of New York in the 1980s.
Keith Nieto lives in the city of Newburgh and loves his community.
He has curated several large art exhibits throughout the valley
himself, often giving currently recognized artists their first
opportunity to exhibit. Keith is president of Downing Park Planning
Committee and sits on the Architectural Review Commission for
the city.
