MdW at SWAG
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a juried group exhibition in tandem with the MdW Summit
November 17 - December 15, 2024 featuring Kansas City area artists: Amanda Jolley Craig Auge Crystal Marie Melissa Donoho Tanith K |
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HOW IT WORKS:
At SWAG, all the artwork is free!
- The gallery will remain locked for the duration of this exhibition
- If you are interested in a specific artwork,
email: [email protected] or
Instagram dm: @smallworksartgallerykc
- a drawing for each artwork will take place once the exhibition is over (**MdW attendees: we will mail the artwork to you if you win the drawing!)
selected artists
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AMANDA JOLLEY
As an origami artist/abstract painter, the juxtaposition of my precise paper folding and abstract painting prompts a conversation on the interplay of the right and left side of the brain. While starkly different, the processes involved in paper folding and abstract painting are interconnected, often overlapping with one another as I work. My work reflects the patterns and metaphors emerging from the subconscious. The tidy crease lines in folding allow for sense making and the intuitive abstract painting allow for release. The whole brain is satiated. 
Screw Shell, 2018, encaustic and paper; 3" x 4"
Kansas City based painter, Amanda Jolley, works mainly with encaustic and paper. She has been folding paper since a small child and has incorporated her handmade encaustic papers into her folding practice. She further allows her study of shadow and line in paper folding to inform her process of intuitive abstract painting. Amanda’s paintings are shown internationally both in solo and group exhibits. She also has a large-scale (12' x 6' ft) commissioned, permanent installation at the University of Kansas Medical Hospital. http://amandajolley.com @amandajolley CRAIG AUGE
I am interested in how formal and material relationships can activate memory and reveal new expressions of identity. I think of it as my own form of alchemy. My work is improvisational, intuitive, and responsive - emphasizing process over product, with works and materials continually regenerating. Lately, my practice toggles between collage and ephemeral, salvage assemblage; between concentrated and fluttering compositions, attempting to reconcile my natural maximalist tendencies with a desire for minimalist embrace. I often think of these works as poems, with their own particular vocabulary, rhythm, and code. 
Where Do We Go From Here? 1 & 2, 2024, Collage; 5.5" x 5" & 5" x 4"
Craig Auge has exhibited throughout the U.S. in venues such as Site:Brooklyn, NYC and The Front, New Orleans, LA, as well as Kansas City venues including Kiosk Gallery, Vulpes Bastille, PLUG Gallery, and Leedy-Voulkos Art Center. His art has appeared in a variety of publications including Cut Me Up, The Hand Magazine and New American Paintings. He has held residencies at Elsewhere Museum in Greensboro, NC, ON::VIEW in Savannah, GA, Charlotte Street Foundation in Kansas City, and Interurban Arthouse in Overland Park, Kansas. He also operates an independent, roaming and online curatorial project called Lodger. craigdeppenauge.com @craigdeppenauge CRYSTAL MARIE
My work is a testament to the power of seeing worth in what has been deemed worthless, finding beauty in the mundane, and imbuing forgotten objects with new life; while weaving together visual conversations about self-worth and human value. Stitching together disparate elements into one cohesive composition, I illustrate the common unseen bond in our humanity. This work begs the viewer to join me in asking bigger questions, challenging the hidden systems and conditioning of the cultural status quo.
Landscape #12, encaustic, pigment on canvas 4" x 4" The Bareness of Being, mixed media collage 4" x 4"
Crystal Marie considers herself to be “a material girl” when it comes to her art practice, which is rooted in collage. Evolving to include three-dimensional sculptures and assemblages, Crystal’s work speaks to both physical location and identity. Her process begins with an experimental approach, allowing what she’s brought to the table to inform her decisions as she builds layers of texture and meaning. A Chicago based mid-career artist currently residing in Kansas City, Crystal Marie has one book published on the art of collage and is writing a second book about overcoming the blocks commonly encountered in the studio. Crystal has exhibited her work in many fine art exhibitions and solo shows, earning her gallery representation and the coveted 2018 Racine Art Museum Artist Fellowship. crystalneubauer.com @crystalmarie_artist |
MELISSA DONOHO
Through layering, arranging, adding and omitting, my work explores the relationship between color and composition. My process is a gradual building of materials, textures and colors - giving them time and space to work in harmony or to simply be themselves. Using a variety of resources which includes vintage photos, paint, discarded books, papers and ephemera, each piece I create highlights the give and take of intuition and intentional order. I see my role as one who embraces the innate qualities of the materials I choose — allowing their imperfections and inherent qualities tell the stories of their past, while elevating them into a new form and sense of place. 
Off Grid, 2024 Collage on wood 4" x 4" Strata, 2024 Collage on wood 4" x 4"
Melissa Donoho is a collage artist living and working in Kansas City, Missouri. Her work explores themes of nature, memories and the passage of time. Using a variety of resources which include vintage photos, paint, discarded books, paper and ephemera she creates one- of–kind pieces that evoke a sense of place and familiarity. https://www.melissadonoho.com @melissa.donoho TANITH K
Even the void contains multitudes. For many people, the world feels incredibly hopeless and dismal these days, but there is a signal of hope—a light in the dark—the spark that reminds us of our freedom to break the bonds of “it’s always been this way.” That hope can become a demonstration of will and create a long-lasting impact on our community. I play with organized chaos. Just like life, it is messy, fun, mind-boggling, and beautiful. Each layer builds upon the next to create a whole and no piece is complete without them. I aim to capture the struggle and joy of living authentically in a world that demands manufactured personalities and one-dimensionality. My methods include acrylic and digital paints to create abstract works with a focus on color, texture, shape, and movement. 
Tiny Hope (triptych) 2024, Acrylic on canvas; 2" x 2" & 3" x 3" & 2" x 2" (a sketch of a larger painting called Pandora’s Box)
Tanith K (they/them) is a trans, disabled, abstract artist and maximalist curator. They are a self-taught painter, graphic designer, and gallery curator with a background in historical research and tech. Tanith lives and works in their hometown of Kansas City, Missouri with a black cat named Kenzie. Tanith’s art reflects upon their personal trans, queer, and disabled experiences as well as the exploration of the general human condition. Philosophy, history, emotions, current events, and more inform their work throughout the creative process. https://www.thetanith.com @galleryathanor |
