W. Steve Rucker: Storm Song Variations and Holding My Own

Exhibition Dates: March 7 – 28, 2009
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 7th, 6 – 8 pm
Location: Arthur Roger@434, 434 Julia Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Gallery Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm
Contact Info: 504.522.1999. www.arthurrogergallery.com

The Arthur Roger Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of recent drawings and sculpture by W. Steve Rucker. The exhibition will be on view March 7th – 28th, 2008 at Arthur Roger@434, located at 434 Julia Street. The artist will be present at the opening reception hosted by the gallery on Saturday, March 7th from 6 to 8 pm.

In this exhibition Rucker presents two installations, “Storm Song Variations” and “Holding My Own.” In “Storm Song Variations,” Rucker’s response to the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the artist created a ceramic and steel installation comprised of 45 brilliantly colorful abstract expressive slabs. Each of the slabs is approximately five feet in height and is elevated on three black steel legs, several of which have mirror extensions. The slabs spiral upward from the center of the gallery in approximately four rotations mimicking the bands of a hurricane.

In “Holding My Own” Rucker presents a conceptual self portrait consisting of over thirty pencil on paper drawings that are fifteen by twenty-two inches. Each drawing depicts an arm and a hand holding something of personal significance to the artist. The “Holding My Own” drawings are hung unframed on the three walls surrounding “Storm Song Variations.”

Rucker received his Master of Fine Arts from LSU in 1979. He has taught ceramics at Loyola University since 1981. A native of Cleveland, Tennessee, the artist is inspired by the Southern landscape and drawn to the Mississippi River. In his inventive environmental installations Rucker regularly combines several artistic elements including music.

This exhibition is the culmination of three years of work by Rucker that included a fall 2008 sabbatical from his teaching duties at Loyola.

For additional information contact the gallery at 504.522.1999 or visit our Web site www.arthurrogergallery.com.