Infinite Space means something different to everyone. To Craig Hawkins it means a spiritual space and unification. That’s what he has accomplished in his 16 set charcoal paintings. Each 29x43 paper stretched on canvas is of someone he knows and facing what; another person, openness, nothingness, God? The photos are on white area, and open to free access. When asked why they aren’t behind glass Craig states, “ To do that would create a barrier I was trying to break with the art in the 1st place.”
In contrast to the openness of the charcoals are painting of people in various sitting and standing positions inside boxes. The boxes are colorful and the paintings portray an applicability factor of more about asking questions than giving answers. It is about two people in the same box (life) sharing the same life every day but each going about their own separate way and never really communicating to the other completely. The boxes represent many things Craig said. “Lies, false beliefs, false personas, what are people hiding, mental space, whatever is personal to you.”
Two other life sized paintings were of a man and woman’s face blind folded. The thing you noticed about them is they were not upset. It seemed they were comfortable being blindfolded, as if a child would be playing pin the tail on the donkey at a birthday party. They were comfortable by their surroundings. Craig calls this series, Walking by Faith Not by Sight.
The concert after the art show had 2 sets. Brian Aught, who sings with the group Jubilation, opened the show, and he is a good singer. He had an excellent song in “Dragon” and the crowd seemed to react to that one extensively.
Ghost House, a local garage band that reminds you of a mix of ShaNaNa and the Turtles closed the set. The group was active and the dance antics of singer Keith Miller who also plays guitars, keyboard and bass had the crowd going on a couple of occasions. Drummer Phillip Miller, Lead Guitar Derek Keijner, who does backup vocals and Bass player Shane St. Clair, who also plays keyboard and does backup vocals make Ghost House an interesting group.
Keith Miller claimed the “Pop comes out as Rock,” and the dancing was band communication. I didn’t make the connection with the pop/rock thing. The colored lights were great but the use of the pure white lights was blinding and I noticed more than a few people who were hiding from them every time they came their way on the rotation. The songs everyone seemed to like were Settle Down and No Sun on a Sunday, which talked about being tired of the summer heat, and to be happy when they could go out and do something on Sunday and enjoy it without being so hot and sticky. The band worked good together, but I have to give special props to the drummer, who seemed to be in a happy place all his own and take the band to the next level.
The 930
930 Mary St.
Louisville, KY. 40201
