Art is where you find it, and viewers can find it on ArtsEye Wednesday, July 6, at 9 p.m. This fourth edition of Channel 13’s award-winning arts magazine, produced by Judy Kelly and directed by Greg Bader, once again introduces North Texans to some of the area’s most interesting art and artists.
The half-hour program highlights the artwork of sculptor Robert Glen and painter Robert Barsamian, explores the art deco architecture of Fair Park’s Centennial Building, and drops in for a laugh with comedian Spanky McFarlin.
Leading off is a video essay on one of the most popular pieces of public art in the area, Glen’s monumental Mustangs of Las Colinas. “We focus on what the public sees in these nine, huge mustangs galloping through the water” says producer Kelly. “There’s something about this piece of work that fascinates people, drawing them again and again to marvel at those magnificent horses.”
ArtsEye next visits Dallas painter Robert Barsamian in his garret/studio at The Crescent, and follows him to the opening of his recent show at the Conduit Gallery in Deep Ellum. A versatile artist, Barsamian is best known for his “Swimmers” series -a group of acrylic paintings and colored crayon drawings of figures under water. The former New Yorker has pioneered an innovative partnership with the management of The Crescent that allows him to live and work downtown, and on ArtsEye he discusses his hopes for the Dallas arts community. ArtsEye celebrates a local treasure when it showcases the art deco art and architecture of Fair Park’s Centennial Buildings -official National Historic landmarks as well as Texas favorites. Dallas Morning News architecture critic David Dillon and Dallas architect and urban designer James Pratt take viewers on a guided tour of this cultural and recreational complex, commenting on the “Spirit of’36” and saluting the Texas architects, artists and craftsmen whose works live on at Fair Park.
Winner of the Improv comedy club’s “Texas Laff-Off” competition, Dallas comedian Spanky McFarlin takes ArtsEye viewers to his “Comics for Cops” benefit performance and to the late night comedians’ “postmortem” session after the show.
A graphic artist by trade, McFarlin (no relation to the Our Gang child star) says he’s a typical yuppie, almost. Until he’s onstage, that is. He appears with punked-out hair and a chin full of stubble, wearing a blue brocade tux jacket over a gas station uniform shirt. He describes his comic persona as a “low-key, offbeat kinda fella. . . everything a yuppie secretly wants to be. You know, the guy who doesn’t care about job security and would rather have a laugh than a Rolex watch.” His audiences respond to his irresistable irresponsibility. ArtsEye looks at why they do, and leaves its own viewers laughing.
Stan Matthews is executive producer of ArtsEye, which will repeat on Channel 13 Sunday, July 10, at 3 p.m. ArtsEye is made possible, in part, by the Division of Cultural Affairs of the Dallas Park and Recreation Department, the Texas Committee for the Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and by People, Ideas, and Elements, Inc.
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