Bob Cross leads into his upcoming exhibit at the Garrett Museum of Art with this philosophy:
“This is an exciting time to be an abstract painter in the Midwest, one in which the public interest in contemporary art exceeds all previous expectations.”
In a meeting with his friend, Liz Shenk, and a fellow painter, Christian Smith, last year, a plan was created to deliver an art show which would highlight one of the dynamic aspects of non-representational painting which would be larger than average in scale. Shenk came up with the show title, More is More. The Garrett Museum of Art agreed that this was a show that the public would want to experience.
Expect to see large scale works, but there are some smaller ones, also. Large paintings catch the eye in a gallery, commanding a room, and the smaller ones are also worthy of interest by virtue of their size.
Cross says,
“There’s nothing small about the human spirit, and I’m hopeful that with time the physical scale of art across northern Indiana will increase in proportion to that dynamic.”
Bob Cross is a Goshen, Indiana native, who was educated at Ohio University, receiving an MFA in painting. He also attended Atlanta College of Art, where he earned a BFA in sculpture. Cross is the co-owner of Haselrick & Cross, Inc., a company that restores murals and unique painted finishes inside modern and historic properties.
He has shown in numerous exhibitions across the United States and internationally. His work is in collections at Lincoln Financial, Baker and Daniels, Indiana Tech, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Scripts Howard, The Bank of Ann Arbor, and many more.
Christian Michael Smith is a native of Elkhart, Indiana. Christian has established himself as an artist in the abstract expressionist movement. His studio is located in downtown Elkhart and he is very involved in events in the midwest region of Indiana as he continues to shed light and color in his city. He is known for his generosity as he has donated art to fundraisers for various organizations in Northern Indiana.
Smith enjoys the improvisational aspect of art and how it evolves from a complete standstill and a blank surface to a whirling canvas full of color and emotion. Christian uses multimedia techniques with acrylic/oil paint and highly textured materials to create abstract works of art. His bold artist statement includes the thought
“Art is not made to be good, perfect, or exceptional. It is made to cause a viewer to be aware of their surroundings.”
Join us at the Garrett Museum of Art, located at 100 S. Randolph Street in Garrett, on Friday, November 20, 2020 from 6PM – 8PM to celebrate the opening of our next show featuring artwork by Bob Cross and Christian Smith in the show, More is More.
The artists will also be giving a talk that night.
The Opening Reception is free, open to the public, and all ages are welcome. The show will run from November 20, 2020 through December 20, 2020.
A Note About COVID-19:
We will have hand sanitizer available in various locations throughout the museum. We will not have snacks and drinks available during the Opening Reception. Please remember to practice social distancing to keep yourself and other guests safe and healthy while viewing the artwork on display.
A kind reminder: per Governor Holcomb’s order, face masks are required at this time to help combat the spread of COVID-19. You must wear a face mask to enter the museum and view the exhibition. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Regular Museum Hours:
Friday 5PM – 8PM
Saturday 4PM – 7PM
Sunday 1PM – 4PM
Private tours are available Monday through Thursday by appointment only. Please call 260-704-5400 to schedule yours today.