Location: 928 Valley View Dr. Council Bluffs Iowa
March 2008 Featured Artist: Dar Vande Voort
From
her "Master-Pieces Series": Mona after Da Vinci
Mixed Media Acrylic
Local
artists showcase work at Bluffs restaurants
Heather Alexander, Staff Writer
03/11/2008 Nonpareil Newspaper
Some may call them "starving" artists. In reality, they are local artists looking to get their art displayed at local eateries and coffee shops.
Staff photo/Josh White - Artist Dar Vandevoort and Susan Shockey, owner of Tazza di Caffe, 928 Valley View Dr., display two works of Vandevoort’s “Counting Sheep” series. Tazza di Caffe is one of four local businesses, including Barley’s, Tish’s, and Cellar 19, that currently display works by local artists.
There are currently five local artists who are showcasing their art at
four establishments - Cellar 19, Barley's, Tish's and Tazza di Caffe.
Tazza has been participating since the annual Dine Out For The Arts fundraiser
Feb. 19. The fundraiser was a project of the Bluffs Arts Council, and
all profits go toward putting artists in the public schools and providing
opportunities for youth.
This is the second month Susan Shockey has had art displayed inside her Council Bluffs coffee shop at 928 Valley View Drive. In February, she had local artist Kelly Shatto's artwork displayed on the walls; this month Dar Vandevoort is showing off her stuff.
Vandevoort incorporates puzzle pieces into much of her work. It has a personal meaning, and the puzzle pieces are donated at her studio at Hot Shops Art Center, 1301 Nicholas St. in Omaha.
"The puzzle pieces tickle your eye; they make you think, and it's recycling," said Vandevoort.
She has been an artist all her life. Vandevoort grew up in Pella and has been working with puzzle pieces for 11 years.
Vandevoort works with Alzheimer patients quite a bit, and she said the puzzle pieces are a universal symbol for autism. In fact, many of her portraits are of Alzheimers patients.
One piece of artwork in which Vandevoort has incorporated puzzle pieces is the Mona Lisa. She doesn't have puzzle pieces all over the whole picture, though - just around the border and around the portrait itself.
"I glue the puzzle pieces on a board and decide what to paint on them later," said Vandevoort.
Her puzzle-piece artwork isn't the only artwork Vandevoort has on display at Tazza.
"I do a variety - little line drawings, oil paintings, acrylic painting.
I specialize in commissioned artwork. I do a lot of variety, I like to
experiment," Vandevoort said.
She also does fabric paint on raw canvas, some of which is currently on display at Tazza. It's called "Counting Sheep," from a show titled "Insomnia."
Shatto has been the instigator in getting local artwork displayed in local businesses, and she believes the city needs to support the arts.
"Support your local art by these places supporting the local art, it goes very deep," said Shatto. "The community doesn't know we have artists."
Shockey hopes the art that is also on sale in her place will broaden her customer base.
"I'm going into my second year of business, and I wanted to try something new. I think it's fun to see change every month," said Shockey. "The artwork shows passion in people. Being able to see other people's creations and what they're all about is a nice addition to a coffee shop."
Shockey chooses artists through Shatto. Customers have the opportunity to purchase the artwork at the businesses.
Vandevoort was in the 12th Edition Encyclopedia for Living Artists. She also shared a studio with abstract artist Michelle Daisley Moffitt.
"She is one of my favorite artists. I roomed with her for five years and learned a lot about color," she said.
Staff photo/Josh White - Customers enjoy their beverages as they sit beneath the artwork of Dar Vandevoort at Tazza di Caffe Friday afternoon. “Pieces of the Pond,” left, and “Pieces of Mona,” are inspired by the works of Monet and Da Vinci, respectively, and were created using acrylic paints and jigsaw puzzle pieces.
She was also a part of the J. Doe project in Omaha. She had one displayed in New York City, one in Chicago, two in Omaha and one in the Council Bluffs Public Library.
"I specialize in portraiture. I'm excited about the possibilities of the upcoming gallery opportunities and educational artistic opportunities," said Vandevoort.
Shockey added to the educational opportunities that are available through the art.
"It's a win-win for everybody. (The art) helps the community, the kids, customers that come in have had a lot of favorable response. I'm hoping that as we go along people will come in to check it out," she explained.
In addition to teaching students at Hot Shops, Vandevoort also as a studio in her home she shares with her husband and her dogs.
For more information on Vandevoort's work go online to her Web site at www.darzart.com. Her artwork will be displayed at Tazza until the end of March.
Staff photo/Josh White - Dar Vandevoort’s “Theo Thinking in Pieces” is a portrait of a controversial filmmaker, which adorns the west wall of Tazza di Caffe. Several pieces of Vandevoort’s artwork will be on display at the coffee shop through the end of March.