West Virginia native, Terry Shutko, will host an opening reception for his art show during Lewisburg First Friday, March 4th from 5-8pm at Carnegie Hall called “Work in the Key of C(ubism)” All work in the show is Gouache and Collage on Paper and will be available for viewing in the Lobby Gallery at Carnegie until April 29th.
About the artist:
In his early art career, Terry was involved in merchandise display, graphic arts, and illustration. After moving to Pittsburgh, PA, he began a serious search for a visual language he could use to express his interior world. This course of study led Terry to the Cubists, which in art form considered to be the most influential art movement of the 20th century.
In cubist artwork, objects are analyzed, broken up and reassembled in an abstracted form. Instead of depicting objects from one viewpoint, the artist depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context. The fragmented reality of Cubists such as Juan Gris, Fernand Leger, and George Braque seemed the appropriate response for Terry to the changing and challenging contemporary world. Plus all the straight lines fed into his years of mechanical drawing. Learn more about Terry with our Q&A:
Describe your palette:
The colors in my work have changed over the years. In the beginning bright primary colors dominated. Gradually more warm earth tones began to appear. Now, grays and whites are showing up. All part of growing older I suppose.
What is your greatest accomplishment?
I was asked by Mister Rogers to do Daniel Stripped Tiger’s portrait. This involved a “one on one” meeting with Daniel. Seeing first hand the magic that Fred Rogers could create with a puppet was a privilege I will never forget.
What artistic obstacles do you encounter?
I am my own worst critic. I have to constantly work to stay out of my own way and let the work evolve as it needs.
How do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration in my surroundings. I’m rather a domestic sort of fellow and many of my paintings focus on everyday objects. For years the architecture of Pittsburgh influenced how I would interpret those items. Now more of my work is being influenced by the beauty of the Greenbrier Valley.
What advice do you have for aspiring artists?
If you want to be good at anything you have to keep doing it over and over. Even when it seems things are not going well, the act of working everyday will provide the spark that can lead to new and surprising developments.
If you would like to see Terry’s work, it is currently being shown at the Washington Street Gallery in downtown Lewisburg. For more information about Terry, find him at terryshutko.com or email: tlshutko@yahoo.com
– LBSPY #74. February, 2016.
HASHTAGWV ART & ENTERTAINMENT Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Christina Entenmann-Edwards has been a WV resident since September 2008. She was born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and is no stranger to hard work and the entrepreneurial spirit. In 2006, she graduated from Quinnipiac University (Hamden, Connecticut), Cum Laude, with a B.A. in History. In 2010, she graduated with an M.B.A. from Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia). In February 2012, Christina launched HashtagWV as the area’s first full-color, free arts and entertainment tabloid + online platform. Christina completed the Leadership West Virginia class of 2021, which is an innovative program that grows, engages, and mobilizes leaders to ignite a life passion to move West Virginia forward.