FROM THE DIRECTORS DESK

Dear friends and visitors to Patina,

This letter is the 1st in a series of quarterly...conversations, regarding Patina, its vison, philospohy, intentions, and aesthetic choices...plus thrown into the mix, opinions/exchanges, and whatever else comes to mind...all relating to patina...and it's focus and passions. My hope is that it will compel some of you to write, and exchange thoughts and ideas, with myself as it s director, and co-owner.perhaps ask questions, or suggest topics that you would like to hear about.

I have met some of you, over the past 8 years, however I tend to stay more in the background, here at the gallery. By nature I am an introvert, and have been all of my life. Im also one of the many artists, who s works are represented, in the gallery itself. I have been a full time artist for three and half decades.

It is this unusual circumstance that I believe, truly underscores..the essence of "Patina's direction" as that place with the "soul stirring works"

Patina is one of the few ,if not only gallery of its stature, nationwide, that is owned and operated, by professional studio artists, with statures, equal to those, in the gallery itself.

The word "director" may have different connotations, in different creative settings, but basically, it does carry with it, a high degree of creative control...and patina isn't any exception. None of the "direction" itself could take place without the full support, of our entire Patina team. This of course includes my dear partner and wife Allison who most of you do know, as that amazing beautiful face, on the gallery floor. It has also taken many years to assemble a talented Patina staff, who is willing to take creative direction, and collaborate, and enhance, Patina as a place that we hope you personally feel drawn to, time again.

Ok....Im obsessed..with order/color and spatial relationships. At 60 years of age, I have spent my entire adult life in the pursuit, of "perfect" spatial relationships. " God is in the details", here at Patina, and it s pretty much a religion for me on a daily basis, from the minute I walk into the gallery, and for that matter from the moment I open my eyes, every morning.

It s really the designer/sculpture/painter in me, that allows the whole gallery space to represent, and organic work in progress, every day. The placement of each and every piece has to make sense, in my minds eye. A sculptural puzzle; a 2000 sq. ft.collage with 18ft ceilings.

Color and values need to be "timed" and paced, as does size,shape,and surface. We do not merchandise the space at patina, but rather stage and place objects, in a way that offers visual appeal and interest, for your visits. Even Patina's simple offerings of water glasses, are integrated,into the design. This means, that about once every week....blood from me must be left on the Patina gallery floor.. For me, this means.....several hours of,sculpting,and moving the objects and elements, from front to back, side to side, up and down, back and forth....mixing/measuring/skewing....creating surprise. even A stack of magazines, or exhibition announcements, must be placed to make sense, and please the eye.. In the months to come I will talk about some of the specifics, of staging our exhibitions. At the internal upstairs end of directorship...it s my responsibility to oversee and creatively art direct, both Patina's brilliant staff writer and our graphic designer..as a team the 3 of us try to bring home the patina message, in our print and web presentations.

Finally, as director, it s my responsibility...and role, to assure that patina, is the place, that continually speaks to you as our visitor and guest, every time you visit us. We look forward to your next visit.

By the way if you see a guy, on his hands and knees, cleaning marks off, the floor or pedestals...,in Patina, its me, also.

Wax on wax off!

Do check in with the website from time to time, for subsequent messages/articles,etc. And please do be in touch.

Patina Equals Beauty Over Time.

Yours truly,
Ivan Barnett/ 10/07