Back to the birds! As we transitioned from focusing on the Bird Sanctuary for a month, the Rumpus Room stayed in place as a hub for rehearsing and recording. Fortunately the Rumpus had space on the walls, so we were able to decorate the installation with a second layer of art as the months changed. Also fortunately, we were introduced to the marvelous paintings of Erik Stenberg, and they were a perfect pairing with the Rumpus’ knotty pine walls.
On the left is the showstopper, “Hooters”, which is a cartoonishly realistic painting of 27 owls and one mouse. I could describe it further, but it’s objectively great, so just soak it in. I love all of the expressions on the owls’ faces, and Erik pulls a ton of mood and personality into each and every hooter. The ornate, hand-built frame is by none other than Ian Bennett of Anode Gallery. We keep coming back to Ian and Renee Bennett, as their effect on Nomadic Studio was enormous. To say they informed the space would be an understatement, but it all came about collaboratively. Ian and Renee introduced us to Erik, and we couldn’t believe that luck would let us showcase such cool birds.
To the right is another collaboration between Erik and Ian. “The Amazing Bubu” is a shimmering portrait of Bubo, the mechanical owl from Clash of the Titans. Initially the design of the late great Ray Harryhausen, Erik captured the imagination and charm of the original in metallic and false metallic paints. “Bubu” is perched atop a tree painted in wood on wood. The wooden canvas has been spray painted with one of Ian’s signature stencils, who of course, also built the frame. It was a real hoot (cough) to have both of these for a month. Not only did they make me laugh, they made me think about how fluidly both of these artists worked together.
Bios:
Erik Stenberg was born into an environment where creativity and originality were prized and rewarded. Imagination, ingenuity and artistic ability runs in his family. His paintings are humorous and colorful depictions of outlandish scenarios. The subjects of his works are random, yet relatable and inviting. They are technically masterful and wildly entertaining.
Ian Bennett has emerged as an artist whose selection of materials and styles inform a practice best suited to a gifted street practitioner. Working in paints, exotic woods, light, found materials and furniture, Ian builds contraptions and curiosities that equally haunt as they gratify the ageless wanderer of pawn shops and salvage yards.
