OnTheCusp.org

Over the Bay Bridge

When I lived in San Francisco, my friends in Oakland would complain that I would never come see them where they lived. It was true, I never left the city. If the A's were in the playoffs, I might go two extra stops on BART to go to the game. If the Berkeley Art Museum was having a good show, I might even go a little further. And the reality was, I usually enjoyed myself.

Here I often get in the same rut. Rarely do I go north of 16th Street, yet alone beyond I465. But last week I had a chance to visit Lee Marks of Lee Marks Fine Art in Shelbyville (or Chelsea West as I affectionately call it). Lee is the only dealer I know of in Indiana who is actively promoting and selling her work nationally and internationally. Focusing on photography, I highly recommend looking at the work of emerging photographers Jen Davis and Mike Smith (photographs below). Ok, Smith is not exactly emerging being in the collections of the Met, SFMOMA, Art Institute, etc. But the rest of her roster is very impressive as well. Artists such as Lucinda Devlin, Diane Arbus and Walker Evans are but a few names you will recognize. Having known Lee for a couple of years now I can't believe it took me this long to go take a look.

She's open by appointment only, so you'll need to call ahead to take a look (and get directions). It's an easy drive from there to Columbus, IN to look at our little architectural jewel of a town. Both well worth the trip.

Yet just as I think about moving to the country, I happily stumble across articles like this that reminds me that city livin' really is for me.

(images below from leemarksfineart.com)