Bars

Through the bars of a brass bed, we witness the scene. Yet through the bars, the window exposes the open night sky with infinite space. Perhaps this symbolizes their hearts, their mind? A dream of freedom?

2019 Leslie Peterson Sapp Bars 16x20

This is inspired by a movie scene, but I changed the room, positions and the genders. My original idea was to have the person in the foreground have an ambiguous gender but is didn’t work out, so ah well! Depicting same sex drama intrigue is something I have done a lot of, but this is the most explicit image I have done. My work is set in the past, so the story I have in my head is that these men are forced to meet secretly in a clandestine manner. We view them through the headboard of a brass bed, so that we see the headboard and the footboard. The bed forms series of interlocking bars fencing them in. This is symbolic of the jail societal rules place them in, enclosing and restraining them. Bars is also a reference to drinking establishments, which was one of the only places queer folk used to be able to find one another. 

This is a bitty video where I talk about "Bars" at my opening at RiverSea Gallery. I discuss the inspiration behind the imagery.

Backlight

 Although the man looms large in the picture, the woman seems to dominate somehow. Is the man leaving or just arriving? Is he being sent on an errand of sorts? Is there an agreement between them, or is this a confrontation? There is a sense of urgency- is it inspired by passion or fear?

2019 Leslie Peterson Sapp Backlight 38x48

There are two previous versions of this general image entitled Egress and Egress II

In this video I discuss how I developed all three from the original inspiration from the classic film noir "Nightmare Alley" through several sketches, to multiple complete images.  

2017 Leslie Peterson Sapp Egress 16x20

2017 Leslie Peterson Sapp Egress II 38x48

 

Story Without a Plot Artist Talk

Through the month of August, I will be the featured artist at RiverSea Gallery in beautiful Astoria, OR.

Show dates: August 8th - September 8th
RiverSea Gallery 1160 Commercial St, Astoria, OR.

The opening night for Story Without a Plot was a wonderful success!
Thank you to all the people who attended my art opening at RiverSea Gallery last night, online or in person.
In association with the show we held an artist talk. Times being what they are, we did it online in a zoom call. This is an edited video of the artist talk. I talked about why I am inspired by film noir, discuss how I develop an image, then open the “room” up for questions.

Additionally, a portion of the opening was filmed, and you can watch the video embedded below. In it you can see the art up on the wall, and listen to myself and other people talk about the work.

 

 

Story Without a Plot

Here it is! The official show announcement.  Through the month of August, I will be the featured artist at RiverSea Gallery in beautiful Astoria, OR. Opening: August 8th, 6-8pm and on Facebook Live from 6-6:30pm. Show  dates: August 8th - September 8th RiverSea Gallery 1160 Commercial St, Astoria, OR. For those of you who cannot make it in person, I will be broadcasting on Facebook Live from 6-6:30pm. Go to my Facebook art page to see it. Don't do Facebook? Have no fear! You do not have to have a Facebook account to view it. I will be sending out an email the day before the opening with details and a link. (You can sign up for my newsletter by clicking on the lovely lady with the gun just to your right...) In addition, on August 13th at 5pm I will have an online artist talk, probably in the form of a Zoom call. I will provide a short talk on exhibit, then open the “room” up for questions. I will be sending out an email the day before with details and a link to the event. We will be presenting my collage paintings along with intaglio and woodcut prints. The work is inspired by classic film noir and pulp fiction covers, full of romantic longing, drama and adventure. Populated with femme and homme fatales, they evoke mysterious narratives. Come bathe yourself in the intrigue and glamour of a bygone era! RiverSea Gallery is dedicated to the safety of all it's visitors. Therefore masks and social distancing are required (fortunately it is a very large space!)We hope to see you there!

Art in the Time of Covid

I have been fortunate that my life has gone fairly smoothly during the Covid-19 crisis, despite upended expectations and uncertainty about the future. Despite it all, I have an exhibition coming up on August 8^th at RiverSea Gallery in Astoria, Oregon!

As is the case with every art show there is a lot to do, accompanied with the anxious hope that the opening will go well. Will it be well attended? Will there be any sales? But art in the time of Covid has brought these typical concerns to a new level.

Riversea Gallery has reopened with the changes that all business now require, such as masks and social distancing (fortunately it is a very large space!) But this opening is going to be like none I’ve ever had before. Attendance is impossible to predict. The normal wine and snacks will not be served. And this time there will be extra efforts made to share it all on the web. Watch for videos uploaded onto my Instagram account, maybe even Facebook live. Like so many of us, I am frantically ascending the steep learning curve of online technology!

Additionally, I will provide an artist talk, but this time it will be virtual, probably in the form of a Zoom call. I will provide a short talk on exhibit, then open the “room” up for questions.
Although the opportunity to interact in physical space will not be there, there are some terrific advantages! For one, you can participate from your home, and if you are not presentable, you can block out your video camera and still participate, grubbies and all!

I will be keeping you all apprised of links and times to participate in my newsletters, social media and on my website home page.