Lavin Press Release

Special Show Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-6pm . Friday May 4 at 8 PM the artist will raffle a small study. The Proceeds of the Raffle will Benefit Prairie Renaissance Arts Education Inc. Educational Programs.

Regarding: ART SHOW OPENING and PUBLIC INTEREST STORY

Caption: Artist Inspired by Kansas Landmarks Finds Corporate Support Locally

Title of the Opening: LANDMARKS

Artists: Jamie Lavin and Doloris Pederson

Media: Paintings that celebrate your favorite Landmarks of the Kansas prairie.

Show Dates: Opening First Friday, May 4, 2007 Two month Exhibit

The Exhibit will last through the entire month of May and June as the artist adds paintings he is completing on location. Currently Jamie Lavin is working on a series of the Topeka Train Depot to be later this month; the show will stay fresh with new pieces arriving weekly.

(Above) Mural of Monument Rocks painted for Landmark Bank new Topeka Location

This latest series of works entitled LANDMARKS was inspired by a mural commissioned for Landmark Bank president Patrick Alexander for their new corporate headquarters location in Topeka, Kansas.

Jamie Lavin comments on exhibit series and inspiration:

“Last Fall Landmark Bank president, Patrick Alexander approached my art dealer Kyle Garcia, of Phoenix Gallery Topeka, and requested that she give them some ideas for original paintings in their new corporate headquarters location in Topeka. Mr. Alexander had seen one of my paintings of the Oregon Trail in her gallery and loved the subject matter and the realistic approach to regionalism I strive for in my works.

From that first meeting with Mr. Alexander he shared the belief that Garcia and I hold to as to the importance of public original works of art on view in the community. He took a large leap of faith with us when Garcia and I proposed that he begin a corporate art collection of original works. He agreed that an investment in regional art by Kansas artists is intrinsic in building the cultural foundation of the society in which we live.

Garcia stated, “making these public collections accessible to the community futures not only interest in the state of Kansas as a geographical spot of interest, but also educates the community at large as to the importance of Kansas as a leader of the national art community.”

Garcia sited the many corporate art collections available in the city and surrounding cities of Kansas that she has helped build and the pride these collections foster with employees of the institutions as well as their patrons. Currently she is working to garner funds to register and document these local corporate art collections and provide maps and tours of these collections, with permission of the collectors, through Prairie Renaissance Arts Inc. her not-for-profit educational division of the Phoenix Gallery.

This exhibit at Phoenix Gallery Topeka, celebrates the completion of two large pieces for Landmark Bank.

With the title a slight tip of the hat to the name of the corporation that inspired the series.

The first is a large mural of the Monument Rocks formation in Grove Co. and a sweeping vista of the Oregon Trail near my hometown of Garner Kansas. From these first two paintings sprung a large series of works that center around the concept of popular Kansas landmarks from my travels and painting on location all over the state.

I was so completely smitten with the subject matter. The landmarks we have here in Kansas are so varied and usual like nowhere else in the world; you stand right in the middle of natural history all around you……the grandeur, the beauty, the history, it just took my breath away. Painting these areas of our state has been a life changing experience for me and my family.”

Monarch Journey Over Kansas

Oregon and Santa Fe Trail Divide for Landmark Bank

(above) Old Highway 50 and Mushroom Rock paintings by Jamie Lavin

West of Castle Rock in Gove Co. by Jamie Lavin