Rebecca . . .

by Rick McCluskey

When discussing art, mention the word nudes and my mind automatically conjures such masterpieces as Michelangelo’s sculpture, “Allegoria dell’Aurora” and Rembrandt’s, “Reclining Female Nude.” I guess its because I grew up in a house full of quasi-renaissance sisters whose art talents focused on the human body. When they couldn’t convince me to model they resorted to books and copied the masters though none ever pursued the calling professionally.

Not that I minded. It got me off the modeling hook. Still, I grew up in their artistic shadows believing all nudes were full figured Venues of Willendorf, bare breasted Madonnas in religious paintings or nude women picnicking with clothed men while nymphs circled overhead ready to skewer someone’s heart with their little bows and arrows.

Forty-some years later and though I had broadened my interest to include nudes in various medium that bordered on the abstract, the same feelings still persisted. What can I say? Old habits die-hard.

Then Joe Barr called.
Then Francisco Loyola.

By the time I finished talking with Francisco my interest was piqued. I couldn’t wait to meet Rebecca Venn. Not only was she an extremely talented artist locally, she also had a national market in California, selling most of her pieces to clients in Palm Springs.

You see, Rebecca Venn draws nudes. Exceptionally good nudes. Her studio is full of them. The walls are covered with full-length sketches, partials, enlargements and abstracts done in ink, watercolor, colored pencils and charcoal. As I perused her offerings I was amazed how every one captured the essence of the model’s form. There was nothing ‘in your face’ or so risqué as to offend the viewer. There was only the delicate beauty of form as seen through the eye of a skillful artist.

I was mesmerized, not only by two full length renditions of muscular men I swore Michelangelo sculpted, but the twenty or so frames she had prepared for an upcoming show. “Rebecca, these are wonderful.”

“I want to celebrate the nude,” she said picking up one of the frames. “These will be in the upcoming show as well. They’re contour drawings done in Prismacolors.”

I found their simplicity abstract and appealing. The outlining changed colors every so often giving the overall drawing a real sense of definition.
“Fascinating,” I said studying one of a reclining female before moving along her wall towards the corner.
I glanced up and near the ceiling, found another nude that caught my attention. It was older than all the others, the corners were curled, but time had not erased its wonder. I stared at it and was immediately struck by how true the old cliché was ‘that every picture tells a story.‘

Not only had Rebecca told a story that was as romantic as it was tragic, she had also captured something magical. Even when I close my eyes now I can still see the elderly woman sitting upon a chair, her gaze distant and detached as thought lost in thought. Foreshadowing her is a younger and more beautiful version of herself, gazing distantly as well, though with the eagerness of youth yearning to explore life.

“This one going to be in the exhibition as well?” I said pointing to it.
“No. I’ve moved on to another medium. I’m always experimenting. When I get tired of one I move onto to something new. But I always come back to colored pencils. That’s what I started with when I did landscapes.”
“Landscapes?” I couldn’t imagine why someone so good at nudes would want to do landscapes. They seemed to be at the farthest ends of the spectrum.
“That’s all I used to do when I first started. Flower arrangements as well.” She pointed to one hanging on the wall that I mistook for a photograph. It was a big yellow sunflower with leaves in a copper pot. Gorgeous.

Beneath it on an easel sat a rural setting. A rundown and dilapidated place I had passed several times cruising around Door County. Gus Klenke garage. While I marveled at the details she pulled out a sketchbook and started thumbing through it.

“These are a series I call, Gardens in Black and White. They’re different gardens I’ve seen while traveling around. There are several from Chicago.” Again I marveled. It didn’t seem to matter who or what her subject was. She paid attention to the details and poured herself into the work.

When my allotted time for the interview came to an end, I didn’t want to leave. Rebecca’s art had captured my attention and like some star-struck kid, all I wanted to do was sit and listen to her life as an artist. It was interesting and coming from someone so gifted, a surprisingly lonely journey as well. But regrettably I ran out of excuses to stay.

I hope you find the time to join her at her opening Friday , July 25th from 6-9PM at 716 Fine Art in downtown Racine. She is an exceptional artist with a touch of class who enjoys celebrating the nude. Come. See for yourself or visit her Website at www.rebeccavenn.com. They’ll be twenty or more pieces on display at the exhibit and I’m sure you’ll enjoy them all.