DISTURBING

The July 2017 exhibit at The Dolphin Gallery features Ron Bolander.  Working in collaboration with Bolander is his long-time friend and fellow artist Doric Jemison-Ball II who is also having his first two-person show at The Dolphin.  The show’s title, “DISTURBING,” is most appropriate as both are noted for their unorthodox creations meant to provoke thoughtful responses in the viewer. The opening night reception is on Saturday, July 1, 2017, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm and the show runs through Sunday, July 30, 2017.

Ron Bolander

Since moving to Gualala Ron Bolander has retired from doing commercial photography.  Instead, he now focuses on fine art photography with a touch of social commentary.  In this show, he strives to explore new areas.

Bolander says, “ ‘DISTURBING’ is a show that does not pander to the taste of summer tourists.  There are no pictures of lighthouses, weathered fences or barns, of Bowling Ball Beach or cows standing on a clifftop.  There are no shiny, oversaturated, over edited sunsets at the beach, no glossy aluminum pictures of harbor seals, breaking waves or gamboling sheep.  This show will be diametrically opposite to what one conventionally sees on the coast.”

Born in Manhattan, New York he grew up in a family with a rich artistic background.  His father taught art at Penn State and was a renowned graphic artist and painter as well as a cartoonist and staff artist for “Stars and Stripes” and “Up Front,” two military newspapers published during World War II. 

Ron Bolander grew up with access to works on display at the Guggenheim, the Whitney, the New York MOMA, the Metropolitan, and other world class venues.  His family moved to California in 1961 where he felt somewhat disappointed in what passed for art on the West Coast.  He says, “Much of what I saw was work that the ‘artist’ had made to be outrageous, but it all looked like what a high school student thinks is groundbreaking.”

Bolander’s hope is that his experiences over the years including his technical and creative proficiency will provide the viewer with an opportunity to see something different, original, and, hopefully, even thought-provoking.  He adds, “If this does not appeal to you, then please don’t come to this exhibit.”

Doric Jemison-Ball II

It is impossible to view the ceramic pieces of Doric Jemison-Ball without either a knowing smile, a quizzical expression or possibly a scowl.  Well known as a gifted artist with an unconventional approach he has been an active member of the local art scene for a number of years and has had numerous shows in the area, but this is his first appearance at The Dolphin.

Best known for his quirky ceramic pieces, Jemison-Ball takes the traditional craft a step further by adding a variety of figures from cartoon rabbits to baby doll faces.  He might even crack open a pot to reveal an interesting interior.  In fact, the person who introduced him to ceramics had him smash his first 14 pots to remind him that the process of creation was more important than attachment to the piece.

Since 2009 he has won first place in ceramics at the annual Art in the Redwoods (AIR) show four times.  His work stems organically from his background more than from the two years of formal study he completed in ceramics.  As a child growing up in Europe and later as a youth haunting galleries and museums in San Francisco he absorbed a lot of what comes out in his work.  His art draws heavily on what he calls the “outsider-brut-naïve-folk art” tradition, but the pieces also demonstrate skill with glazes and firing techniques.

He is active in the art community and a founding member of the Discovery Gallery Artists’ Collective in Gualala.  He has served as president of the North Coast Artists Guild, is a lead volunteer at the Gualala Arts Clay Arts Center, and a participant in the annual Studio Discovery Tour. More can be found on-line by googling “Doric Jemison-Ball”.

Occasionally, Jemison-Ball feels motivated to work in acrylics and drawings.  His “AF-PAK Dead Duck IV” painting was awarded “Best Local Work” in the 2011 AIR exhibit.  Whether he is throwing a pot, creating a sculpture, painting, or drawing he is guaranteed to engage the viewer in challenging ways.