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Show Newsmaker Unique Artist Exjpr Through Her Works ByUsaKalantzes began as a diary. . . Little by little began to turn itself into a story." "It It 5. - - Katherine Anne Porter Fire and destruction are her symbolic expressions. Leafless trees In winter are her r Mim i Inspirations. Images are her words. Through her works, now on display at the Finch Lane Gallery, Maureen O'Hara Ure tells her story. All of her works are autobiographical to some degree, expressing events In her history. Ure's unique style of art has been described as a mix between painting and sculpture. Early on In her career, however, Ure's methods were more traditional. "Up to a certain point In graduate school, I was Just painting paintings that my teachers wanted me to paint, paintings more like they painted," Ure explained. Ure, a native of Michigan, graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelors degree In art history. Ironically, as an undergraduate she shied away from art classes because she felt she lacked artistic skill. Eventually, she started taking some art classes as a hobby when she and her husband moved to New York. . Later, while living in South Carolina, Ure began to take her art more seriously. Ure enrolled at the University of South Carolina where she eventually earned her master's degree in art. Five years after she graduated, an incident occurred in her life that changed her artistic perspective. A fire raged through her apartment building, killing one of her neighbors and destroying all of her possessions, including her art work. "That was the first time it occurred to me to use my stories in my art work. I svt 88 TRACY CHAPMAN SingerSongwriter Most of the time Ure's paintings begin with objects she finds in Junk stores or her studio mates' trash. Between the layers of acrylic paint, ink and pencil, she sands and scrubs the wood surfaces. Many times she starts over. When pieces return from an art show, most are Jlgsawed, repainted and assembled into new forms. Usually, the sale of a work is the only thing that saves it from being destroyed. Ure compares her artistic routine to with orphans burning in the upper rooms to describe how that period of time felt to Other works such as "Up In Smoke," "Volcano," and "Let Bum," deal with fire as she uses it to represent danger and In a painting entitled "The excitement. Unexpected Life," fire is used as a metaphor to represent the unknown. In "Where Masonite Comes From," and "View From Marmalade Hill," Ure uses the cold, dark image of leafless trees and poplar trees amidst a forest fire. playing a game. "Usually, I start by making a shape and then more shapes, and then before long, the work becomes overloaded," Ure said. "It's like a game. I keep working on a surface until either I, or the painting, have to stop." Fire, disaster, and landscapes are some of the more prominent themes In Ure explained. her works that will be on display at the After experimenting in lithography, Finch. Lane Gallery Oct. 10. Other the art of tracing designs on stone, Ure themes deal with travel, family life and began producing works on masonite. She sexuality. Some pieces are liked the slick surface it provided for wood models of homes and small theater drawing. are elaborately expressive "Masonite can take constant stages; others revisions, whereas paper and canvas can't." paintings. One piece, entitled "Your House on Ure stated, "I like having the option to FireYour Children Alone," Ure created change my impressions if I decide to." were going through a while her Using masonite, acrylic paint, ink divorce afterparents married forty years. being and pencil, Ure began to create works In the woods house "I a used burning uniquely tied in with Images taken from stopped using intellectual abstractions," free-standi- ng daily life experiences. The Association to Perform in Salt Lake City By Calvin L. Harrington the During the turbulent 60' s when Motown and The Beatles. Rolling Stones, sound dominated the pop music scene, there was a delightful little group called The Association. Their "mellow" songs had a remarkable blend of intelligence and Inventiveness. They had a wide following and gave America a string of pop chart hits such as "Cherish", "Never My Love", "Windy" and, "Along Comes Mary". This magnificent group will perform In Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 7 and 9 p.m. at the 49th Street Galleria, Tickets are $2.50 4900 South and or $6.00 per car. Drive a 60 s per person car and get In free. Your ticket's value is redeemable for Galleria game tokens and activities. Although it is definitely an "oldies but goodies" group. The Associations concerts appeal not only to nostalgia buffs. Today's youth finds that The Association's musical numbers are unpretentious and heartfelt and their onstage performances give ample evidence they would bear further listening. Forum 5 O Irnag an abstract Soundtrack By Erick Scheen Independent Writer Over the past two years, the Irish "supergroup" U2 has taken the music world by storm. The multiplatinum LP "The Joshua Tree" and the subsequent tour established them as a force to Ire reckoned with both in the pop and the alternative scene. This force has been music quality to them. Her images are bold. In documented in a concert film, "Rattle and color, they are outstanding. Her Hum" (due in theatres on Nov. 4), and a Impressions take one back in time to the powerful soundtrack. images The material on this soundtrack is pictures seen in story books, toor the tales. one imagined while listening fairy not what a typical fan would expect to find Outside of working in her studio, Ure on a concert album. Rather than offer a enjoys the challenge of teaching liberalof "greatest hits live" compilation,' U2 has education art classes at the University chosen to serve up the alternate side of a Utah. Exposing students to the wonderful U2 show. One Island Records executive found in art is very said that "Rattle and Hum," for the most form of satisfying to Ure. She clearly remembers part, contains songs that only a concert the time when she was too intimidated to goer would get to hear. "Rattle and Hum" is a mesh of live explore the depths of her own creativity. her to she tries In teaching, prevent work, new studio material, and even a few same the from way. students feeling seconds of interview. Of the live tracks the come who into students my "Many only ones immediately recognizable to the classes dont know how to draw and have a average fan are "Still Haven't found What I'm lot of magical notions about drawing that Looking For," from "The Joshua Tree," scare them," Ure stated. "I bring them in, "Pride (In the Name of Love)," from "The and by the end of six weeks, they can draw. Unforgettable Fire," and "Bullet the Blue For me, thats very satisfying." Sky," also from "The Joshua Tree." A more enthusiastic fan may also recognize "Silver and Gold," from the Artists United Against Apartheid collection. Much of the album is comprised of newly written and recorded studio tracks that augment the fresh feeling of the live his of felt. of Because he candor, how material and help prevent the exactly also "Desire" as his intentions were often misread. Th previous works. Songs such movie shows that Lennon and Ono we display the broad range of musical styles over-rate- d as radicals with too much with which U2 is comfortable. "Desire" is a negative emphasis placed on them for thei lusty, upbeat blues tune that Is set to a "Bo 1 self-expressi- on Lennon's Life By Jennifer Christensen The movie "Imagine" reveals the child, singer, songwriter, husband and father none of us ever knew in John Lennon. Through his own collection of films and music which has never been seen, we are allowed into the personal life of the legend and for a brief time see him for the real man he was. As a result of the Beatles success, John Lennon was swept away with stardom in his early twenties. Overwhelmed by his he neglected his husband and father to a as responsibilities his first family and concentrated on his own All of her works have U2 Releases success, music, and had a blast. Aside from his music, the biggest influence in his life was his second wife, Yoko Ono. This time around Lennon is seen as a loving, devoted husband. Some say his relationship to Yoko was to blame for the breakup of the Beatles. Although she didn't say a word, her presence and influence over him was felt by all. The group, realizing that it wasn't Just the four of them anymore, now there were families involved, decided to split up. Lennon used this time to start a family with Ono, literally hanging up his guitar for five years. On a personal level Lennon is seen as an emotional man who said and acted ng political statements and pro-pea- ce involvement. Sometimes the fact that Lennon wa quite a brilliant musician and used this power with the public to promote themes such as "The War is Over," inspired negative feedback. Although the talents of Lennon as a singer and songwriter are obvious, to see him in action is truly amazing. The film shows Lennon performing live with the Beatles, recording at home in his studio and later performing solo, the genius shining through in all aspects of his work. The impact his music had on the world is evident even now as his popularity remains alive, strong and still growing. The movie ends with "Imagine," a song Lennon wrote, playing simultaneously with flashbacks of his life. The irony of the lyrics and his death seem to be felt by the audience. Lennon once said, "While there's life, there's hope." While he was alive, he was an inspiration, promoting only good through his music and life. But, with his unjust death, a great loss is felt and his hope fades. Diddley" beat, something that is unexpected coming from U2. Overall, the soundtrack carries a folk sound that at times even borders on gospel. Writer extraordinaire Bob Dylan contributes on writing to a few songs, and performs "Hawkmoon 269" and "Love Rescue Me." In "I Still Havent Found...," singer Bono is Joined by a choir that, while adding a new dimension to the song (namely altering it to a gospel rendition), goes slightly overboard and stretches the song out farther than is necessary to get the point across. It seems that Island Records and U2 have timed this movie soundtrack project perfectly. Both are being released Just in time for the Christmas season, and audiences are beginning to pull themselves past "The Joshua Tree" and look for new U2 material. Fortunately for fans and the band (and record reviewers, for that matter), "Rattle and Hum" is a well made, quality project that proves there is still more to U2 than posing for Rolling Stone covers and resting on the laurels of hit singles and platinum LPs. Issue 4 October 18, 1988 |