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6C - The Daily Iowan - Iowa City, Iowa - Thursday, September 25, 2008 80 hours By ELIZABETH TIMMINS [email protected] Amy Cutler’s work may be small, but her prestige is not. The native New Yorker’s gouache-on-paper narratives are displayed in the perma- nent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, span the pages of Artforum, have been com- pared with the works of Henry Darger, and were included in the 2004 Whitney Biennial. Gouache is a paint used much like a watercolor, but it contains more pigment and when layered, it produces opacity. Cutler — scheduled to lec- ture today at 8 p.m. in W151 Pappajohn Business Building — acquires inspiration from everyday life: a subway ride, current news, and items from other cultures. She’ll take what she hears or sees and let her imagination take over to create a detailed painting. Quirky, mysterious, her nar- ratives thrive on tension. Although each painting tells a different story, the fictional world of her pieces often fea- ture women in obscure situa- tions. “The work invites you in because it’s narrative and illustrative, so the viewer feels comfortable with that,” Cutler said. “And then once you enter the realm of the characters there is always something a little off, psychologically.” The paintings are “snap- shots of a larger scenario,” she said. She believes the ambigui- ty of each illustration allows the viewer to step in with her or his own associations to the piece. Cutler attributes her success to consistency, hard work, and luck. In 2000, her persistence paid off, and she exhibited her work in the Drawing Center in New York, a goal she set for herself after graduating from college. Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects, a New York gallery, has represented Cutler since then. She has painted gouache narratives on paper since col- lege, at the Cooper Union School of Art, while studying under Susan Chrysler White, now the UI Art School’s head of painting and drawing. However, Cutler has not always used gouache. After she discovered she was allergic to oil paints, she began experi- menting with alternative methods. That exploration eventually led to the use of gouache, an opaque material that absorbs rather than reflects light, creating a matte look. The nature of the medi- um allows her to create small- scaled, precise paintings. White praises Cutler’s strong work ethic and vision, and she noted that Cutler’s paintings were quite distinc- tive when she first created them. Since then, other artists have used the intimate narra- tion that Cutler helped to pio- neer. “I think in the last 10 or 15 years, works on paper have been given as much impor- tance as the more muscular paintings on canvas,” White said. The UI faculty member believes that Cutler has been central to the resurgence of drawing and works on paper in the art community. “I think that this younger generation of artists has made this real inroad with works on paper,” she said. “It isn’t about transforming it later into a larger work.” Past graduate students have asked Cutler to visit Iowa City and lecture, White said, but because of commitments, Cut- ler had been unable to come. In this visit to Iowa City, Cutler will not only give a free lecture to the public, she will also meet one-on-one with graduate painting students in their studios. White believes that people will be quite interested in Cut- ler’s work. “This is stuff they don’t get to see that often,” White said. The public lecture and in-class forum allow people to ask Cut- ler questions about her art- work and understand the process. “I like the idea of mixing it up and having younger artists that the graduate students feel real kinship to, and I think it’s important for them to see someone making work and becoming very, very successful in doing so,” White said. Big doings in a small medium New York-based artist Amy Cutler will talk about her gouache narratives today at 8 p.m. ARTWORK “Passage,” 2005, Amy Cutler, Gouache on paper ARTWORK Amy Cutler’s “Trial” (2004) is one of her many narrative gouache illustrations. Cutler will lecture today at 8 p.m. about her work with gouache — a type of heav- ily pigmented paint used like watercolor to produce an opaque effect. LECTURE Amy Cutler When: 8 p.m. today Where: W151 Pappajohn Business Building Admission: Free ARTWORK “Elephant Ferries,” 2006, Amy Cutler, Gouache on paper

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6C - The Daily Iowan - Iowa City, Iowa - Thursday, September 25, 2008

80 hours

By ELIZABETH [email protected]

Amy Cutler’s work may besmall, but her prestige is not.

The native New Yorker’sgouache-on-paper narrativesare displayed in the perma-nent collection of the Museumof Modern Art, span the pagesof Artforum, have been com-pared with the works of HenryDarger, and were included inthe 2004 Whitney Biennial.

Gouache is a paint usedmuch like a watercolor, but itcontains more pigment andwhen layered, it producesopacity.

Cutler — scheduled to lec-ture today at 8 p.m. in W151Pappajohn Business Building— acquires inspiration fromeveryday life: a subway ride,current news, and items fromother cultures. She’ll takewhat she hears or sees and lether imagination take over tocreate a detailed painting.

Quirky, mysterious, her nar-ratives thrive on tension.Although each painting tells adifferent story, the fictionalworld of her pieces often fea-ture women in obscure situa-tions.

“The work invites you inbecause it’s narrative andillustrative, so the viewer feelscomfortable with that,” Cutlersaid. “And then once you enterthe realm of the charactersthere is always something alittle off, psychologically.”

The paintings are “snap-shots of a larger scenario,” shesaid. She believes the ambigui-ty of each illustration allowsthe viewer to step in with heror his own associations to thepiece.

Cutler attributes her successto consistency, hard work, andluck.

In 2000, her persistence paidoff, and she exhibited her workin the Drawing Center in NewYork, a goal she set for herselfafter graduating from college.Leslie Tonkonow Artworks +Projects, a New York gallery,has represented Cutler sincethen.

She has painted gouachenarratives on paper since col-lege, at the Cooper UnionSchool of Art, while studyingunder Susan Chrysler White,now the UI Art School’s head ofpainting and drawing.

However, Cutler has notalways used gouache. After shediscovered she was allergic tooil paints, she began experi-menting with alternativemethods. That explorationeventually led to the use ofgouache, an opaque materialthat absorbs rather thanreflects light, creating a mattelook. The nature of the medi-um allows her to create small-scaled, precise paintings.

White praises Cutler’sstrong work ethic and vision,and she noted that Cutler’spaintings were quite distinc-tive when she first createdthem. Since then, other artistshave used the intimate narra-tion that Cutler helped to pio-neer.

“I think in the last 10 or 15years, works on paper havebeen given as much impor-tance as the more muscularpaintings on canvas,” Whitesaid.

The UI faculty memberbelieves that Cutler has beencentral to the resurgence ofdrawing and works on paper inthe art community.

“I think that this youngergeneration of artists has madethis real inroad with works onpaper,” she said. “It isn’t abouttransforming it later into alarger work.”

Past graduate students haveasked Cutler to visit Iowa Cityand lecture, White said, butbecause of commitments, Cut-ler had been unable to come.

In this visit to Iowa City,Cutler will not only give a freelecture to the public, she willalso meet one-on-one withgraduate painting students intheir studios.

White believes that peoplewill be quite interested in Cut-ler’s work.

“This is stuff they don’t getto see that often,” White said.The public lecture and in-classforum allow people to ask Cut-ler questions about her art-work and understand theprocess.

“I like the idea of mixing itup and having younger artiststhat the graduate students feel

real kinship to, and I think it’simportant for them to seesomeone making work andbecoming very, very successfulin doing so,” White said.

Big doings in asmall mediumNew York-basedartist Amy Cutlerwill talk about hergouache narrativestoday at 8 p.m.

ARTWORK“Passage,” 2005, Amy Cutler, Gouache on paper

ARTWORKAmy Cutler’s “Trial” (2004) is one of her many narrative gouache illustrations.Cutler will lecture today at 8 p.m. about her work with gouache — a type of heav-ily pigmented paint used like watercolor to produce an opaque effect.

LECTUREAmy Cutler

When: 8 p.m. today Where: W151 Pappajohn

Business BuildingAdmission: Free

ARTWORK“Elephant Ferries,” 2006, Amy Cutler, Gouache on paper