Carnegie Center for Art & History

View / Review: Intaglios by Mary Lou Hess / Paintings by Carol Brenner Tobe

Mary Lou Hess
Seeketh After A Sign
2004
Color Etching

The Carnegie Center for Art and History in New Albany, Indiana is pleased to announce a new exhibit, View / Review: Intaglios by Mary Lou Hess / Paintings by Carol Brenner Tobe, on display November 7 through December 27, 2008. The exhibition brings together the work of two artists whose lives and careers have taken parallel paths for years. Mary Lou Hess and Carol Brenner Tobe have lived and raised children in New Albany, observed changes in society, interacted with the region’s art community, and distilled all of this into their individual works of art. View / Review is sponsored by the Carnegie Center, Inc.

In 1965 Mary Lou Hess and Carol Brenner Tobe met at the Studio Gallery, which was then located at 210 East Main Street in New Albany. Mary Lou was active with the gallery, where she had taken her first printmaking class. As one of the only galleries in the area, the Studio Gallery was essential to the local art community and Hess and Tobe were great contributors to its success. Carol Tobe was Director of the Studio Gallery when its activities became part of the new Floyd County Museum, which opened in the Carnegie Library building in 1971. (The name of the museum became the Carnegie Center for Art & History in 1999.) Carol served as Director of the Floyd County Museum until October of 1978. Mary Lou and Carol worked on many art exhibits together and showed their art in several of the same fairs and exhibits in the 1960s and 1970s.

Though they work in different media-printmaking and painting-both artists interpret their experiences through poignant depictions of landscapes and objects. Through this exhibition, Hess and Tobe share with us the opportunity to view the deviations and commonalities in their artworks and review a great friendship and artistic relationship.

Carol Brenner Tobe
Aloe, Teapot and Friends
2008
Oil on canvas

Carol Brenner Tobe
Datura and the Lonely House
2008
Oil on canvas

What is an intaglio?
Intaglio is one of the printmaking methods that artists use to create fine art prints. The word intaglio comes from the Italian word "intagliare," which means "to incise." In this process, the lines to be printed are incised below the surface of a metal printing plate. Mary Lou Hess mainly uses an intaglio process called etching, in which acid is used to incise the lines in the plate. For an interactive animation about printmaking, you can visit the Museum of Modern Art's website at:
http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/2001/whatisaprint/flash.html

There will be a reception celebrating these artists, their work and their friendship on Friday November 14 from 6-8 pm. Visitors can enjoy refreshments, live jazz by the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Quartet, and a chance to meet the artists at this event sponsored by the Carnegie Center, Inc. Following the reception, there will be a special exclusive screening of the public television program “Paperback Dreams” from 8-9 pm in the lower level meeting room, with a discussion to follow. “Paperback Dreams” presents the story of two landmark independent bookstores in the Bay Area and their struggle to survive. The film follows Andy Ross, owner of Cody's Books, and Clark Kepler, owner of Kepler's Books, over the course of two tumultuous years in the book business. The screening is presented by Destinations Booksellers, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, A Reader’s Corner in St. Matthews (all independent bookstores), the Urban Enterprise Association, and the Carnegie Center for Art and History. The reception and film screening are free and open to the public.

The Carnegie Center’s November “Senior Class” program includes a behind the scenes tour of the museum’s collection and will feature works by Mary Lou Hess and museum history during Carol Tobe’s tenure as director. This program is scheduled for Tuesday November 18 from 11:30 am-1 pm. Participants should bring a brown bag lunch; drinks are provided. The Senior Class programs are free but registration is required (812-944-7336). Mary Lou Hess and Carol Brenner Tobe will be presenting a free gallery talk on Saturday December 13 from 12:30-1:30 pm.

Mary Lou Hess
The World Uncertain Comes and Goes
2005
Color etching

Schedule of Events for View / Review: Intaglios by Mary Lou Hess / Paintings by Carol Brenner Tobe

Fri. Nov. 14, 6-8 pm
Artists’ Reception, featuring the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Quartet; Free

8-9 pm
Screening of “Paperback Dreams”; Free

Tues. Nov. 18, 11:30 am-1 pm
Senior Class Program, “Behind the Scenes in the Carnegie Center Collection”; Free, but registration required (812-944-7336)

Sat. Dec. 13, 12:30-1:30 pm
Gallery Talk with Mary Lou Hess and Carol Tobe; Free

The Carnegie Center for Art & History
201 East Spring Street
New Albany, Indiana 47150