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By Nicole Seaton photo by Lauren Randolph
March 26, 2009
The commute to work has become an inevitable part of American life. Although the distance remains the same, the long stretch of everyday road contains millions of variables, including precarious weather, car accidents and split-second glimpses of wildlife. Two Nevada artists, Rossitza Todorova and Kelly Bridegum, have collaborated on an exhibit, From: To: A Study of Space and Commuting at the McKinley Arts and Culture Center that explores the mutability of their daily trek through Washoe Valley.
Bridegum works in Reno and lives in Carson City, and Todorova makes the opposite commute, so it’s only natural that the artists would show their work on either side of the room, directly facing each other.
“They’re kind of like in conversation with each other because they are very different perspectives and understandings of the same thing,” says Bridegum.
Todorova elaborates, calling their work a “more rounded view of two people seeing the same thing, but having a very different experience. … You don’t really know where you end or where the commute starts.”
Bridegum is a photographer with a background in sculpture, and Todorova describes her work as watermedia. While their chosen forms of expressing the daily commute differ, they both celebrate the contrasting beauty of manmade technology in nature. “I don’t know if I’ve ever talked about it this way,” Todorova muses, “but it’s the element behind the element, like engineering or pipe systems … someone thought of it, made it—man and nature. It can be empowering, inspiring.”
Bridegum nods in agreement. “I think it’s just so interesting. So many people get uptight about the environment and man’s influence on the environment. … It doesn’t have to be something that you see as a blemish on your aesthetic canvas.”
The artists met when they both working at the Nevada Museum of Art. A little over a year ago, Todorova approached Bridegum about an exhibit based on commuting. By chance or sheer synchronicity, Bridegum had just completed a piece on that same theme. They put a proposal together for the city and applied for the space to show their artwork.
“I really liked our title, From: To: … It feels that way a lot of the time,” says Todorova. “Not only are we studying it visually through this exhibit, we’re going through it every day.”
Bridegum and Todorova are graduates of the University of Nevada, Reno, earning their respective bachelor’s degrees in studio art and fine art. The artists are exuberant about art in Northern Nevada.
“I think that there are a lot of opportunities here, more than people think,” says Todorova. “There’s the ability to apply for shows. There’s grant funding. I work for the [Nevada] Arts Council, and we give so many grants to individual artists, which is very different than in any other state.”
They believe that Nevada is a good place for artists. “It’s a very close-knit arts community in terms of organizations working together, spaces being shared,” says Bridegum.
From: To: effectively captures the collective artistic consciousness of Northern Nevada through two interpretations of a well-known stretch of road. “It’s more like an everyday road trip rather than a commute. The visuals are different, too. When you commute in heavy traffic, and there’s nature, you have time to study sections or see certain things.” Todorova points to the ceiling with one hand and clutches an imaginary steering wheel with the other. “There’s an eagle!”
From: To: A Study of Space and Commuting is on exhibit through April 2 at the McKinley Arts and Culture Center, 925 Riverside Drive. For more information, visit www.rossitza.net or www.staringthroughleaves.com.
Rossitza Todorova & Kelly Bidegum
From: To: a study of space and commuting
February 9 – April 2, 2009
Opening Reception, Thursday, February 19th from 6 to 8pm at the Mckinley Arts & Culture Center
From: To: a study of space and commuting is a collaborative exhibition of artwork by Carson City photographer, Kelly Bridegum and Reno artist, Rossitza Todorova. Comprised of both artist’s individual artwork this exhibit was inspirited by the artists’ daily 45min drive though the high desert of Washoe Valley.
Bridegum and Todorova commute for work in opposite directions on HWY 395. One drives from Reno to Carson City the other Carson City to Reno at about the same time, day-in and day-out through sun, snow, and wind. Each day’s long commute inspires new visual images for both artists.
Bridegum and Todorova depict the commute in their own unique styles. Photographs by Bridegum, strong in their since of place, story and texture will be displayed in contrast to Todorova’s sweeping black and white desert landscapes.
Directions: Mckinley Arts & Culture Center is located at 925 Riverside Drive, Reno, NV 89503. MapTo view a gallery of my artwork please visit www.rossitza.net for artwork by Kelly Bridegum visit www.staringthroughleaves.com
I am currently participating in the “6 Sides 2 Every Story” art collaboration organized by Candace Nicol. This project is funded by grants from the Nevada Arts Council, and Sierra Arts Foundation.
Candace introduces the project by saying, "As humans, we have the incredible ability to perceive the same events as completely different happenings. This collaboration project will give consideration to these individual points of view."
"Participants are asked to illustrate their own individual perspectives by carving one side of a wooden cube. Each cube will represent one current issue found in a national/international article, internet posting, or magazine. This project will expand across the United States, starting with 100 (2"x2"x2") cubes, 600 participants."
I began Cube 16 based on the second oil pipeline proposed to be build through Alaska, "Alaska Now Has 2 Gas Pipeline Proposals" http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1998861/posts The participants of this cube are as follows:
Rossitza Todorova - Nevada — theme originator
Melanie Yazzie - Colorado
Leslie Benson - Colorado
Todd Christensen - New Mexico
Helen Baribeau - Colorado
Susie Mitchell - Colorado
The sides of each cube will be printed and framed for exhibition. A book of the prints is slated for later this year.
Dear friends, colleagues, artists, and arts supporters,
The Nevada Governor’s Office has recommended a 50% reduction for the Nevada Arts Council (NAC) budget for each year of the FY10-11 biennium. A cut this deep signals serious consequences to your NAC grants, programs, and professional development services from which you, your organizations, and your community benefit.
I'm writing to ask for your help.
Should the Governor’s proposed reduction go through, the following are very real scenarios?
• The Nevada Arts Council grants would be reduced by 50-80 percent.
• Funding for programs like Circuit Riders (art consultants) and Professional Development Grants could be exhausted by fall, 2009.
• Challenge Grants funding major institutions like the Nevada Museum of Art will be eliminated for two years.
• Outreach programs such as Tumblewords, Traveling Exhibition Program which bring high quality visual and literary arts to Nevada’s rural communities will be suffer suspension and/or marginalization.
• NAC will layoff staff, including my position, Community Arts Development Associate, working with Nevada Arts Organizations around the State.
This is a very real threat to our state’s cultural infrastructure.Please let your legislators hear from you by doing the following two things.
1. Come to Carson City on Thursday morning, February 5, from 9 – 11 a.m. Quite simply, we need to pack the room with NAC grantees, constituents and artists. Your physical presence is vital, whether you speak or not.
2. Contact your Legislators and tell them that the arts matter in Nevada.Write to them via http://capwiz.com/artsusa/nv/state/main/?state=NV or call:
Senate Finance Committee
Senator Bernice Mathews 775-684-1433
Senator William Raggio 775-684-1419
Assembly Ways and Means Committee
Sheila Leslie 775-684-8845
Debbie Smith 775-684-8841
Heidi Gansert 775-684-8837
Tom Grady 775-684-8507
Pete Goicoechea 775-684-8573
Talking Points
Comments should/may address economic impact and diversification (jobs, payroll, taxes, etc), access and participation, cultural tourism, arts education, services to populations typically underserved and community vitality.
Your message should be clear – Nevada’s investment in the arts for more than 40 years through the Nevada Arts Council has been good use of public dollars and continuation of public funding for the arts is essential in Nevada. AND artists count as taxpayers and entrepreneurs.
Your voice is critically important. Again, this is a very real threat to public funding for the arts—not only here in northern Nevada, but throughout the state.
Remember the recent student demonstrations on behalf of higher education? Legislators saw and heard their message; it is now time to deliver the same message on behalf of the arts.
Higher education is the brain of Nevada, the arts are Nevada’s heart. Don’t leave Nevada without a mind and soul.
As always, thank you for your personal support - Rossi
The Truckee River Gallery is bringing in the New Year by highlighting their best local artists in the Truckee River Gallery Invitational Exhibit on display January 14th through February 1st, 2009.
Come meet the artists and enjoy light retrenchments at the opening reception, Saturday, January 17th from 4 to 7pm.
Directions: Truckee River Gallery is located in Downtown Reno Nevada in the heart of Reno’s Art District. The gallery is located on the Truckee River and the River Walk at 11 North Sierra Street #100. MapVisit my new website to view a gallery of my artwork. www.rossitza.net
I have always loved making unique postcards but had never printed a full edition prior to this holiday season.
In 2008 I amazingly found the time to print Peace, Love, Joy an edition of 130 holiday cards featuring two turtle doves in a winter tree.
I sent the cards to friends, family and individuals on my art-blast list who requested a card. I loved this experience and hope to print and send more limited edition cards in the near future. If you received one of my cards this holiday season, I hope you enjoyed it. If you would like to receive a limited edition cards in the future please email me your name and address and I will be more then happy to include you.
-Rossi
rossitza@charter.net
395 South, an exhibit of drawings on paper, inspired by my daily commute between Reno and Carson City, will be on display at the Investment Gallery November 3, 2008 through January 31, 2009.
The Investment Gallery located on the third floor of the Fitzgerald Student Services Building, on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. For the last three years I have been commuting from Reno to Carson City. The hour and a half commute is not easy and it weighs on me physically and emotionally. Having a job that I love keeps me from dreading my early mornings but it is the landscape sweeping by my windshield that I look forward to each day.
Driving out of Reno on 395 South I leave the land of suburban sprawl and enter the high desert. I speed trough valleys and over hills. The meadows open and lengthen at each turn. Halfway through my journey Mt. Rose emerges and begins to tower as a snow capped giant and at her feet a new monument is raising, that of an un-built bridge. Pillars stand as ionic columns and images of a Greek tomb and Athenian hilltops rush to the foreground of my mind. The water of Washoe swells and subsides with every passing and the strip of road between the mountain and the lake brings with it the pleasure of speed and the straight open road. It creates one line connecting what-was to what-is-to-come. At the end of the path is Carson City, my destination for the day. The road beckons, “go faster,” “press on the gas,” and like a Siren’s call I am enchanted. The speed pushes on 70, 75, 80 mph. But with the speed comes danger even on this straight road, for the wind is traitorous, and the snow spins whiteouts, it eats up sound and blinds me with fog. Once I breach the hill and look down into the small capital city, tucked into the folds of the Sierras, I descend as a crusader having pushed my car and myself though another 30 miles. Though I repeat my journey to the count of 300 miles a week the road of 395 South between Reno and Carson City is never the same twice. It inspires my depiction of the road, movement, travel and unpredictable road ahead.
Special thanks to the Sheppard Fine Art Gallery, School of the Arts, Department of Art, and the University of Nevada, Reno.
Investment Gallery located on the third floor of the Fitzgerald Student Services Building, building number 94, connected to the Brian J. Whalen parking garage, and located just north of the Church Fine Art Building. Map
Visit my new website to view a gallery of my artwork. www.rossitza.net
