• Home
    • About
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Director
    • Future Home in Downtown Albany >
      • Oct 1 2020 Public Meeting
      • Albany Museum of Art Cleanup RFQ
    • Board of Trustees
    • Internship Opportunities
    • Contact
    • Curator Didi Dunphy
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Appraisal, Conservation & Restoration Contacts
    • AMA News & Updates >
      • Permanent Collection Returns
      • Hurricane Michael
    • AMArt Magazine
    • AMA Calendar of Events
  • Exhibitions
    • On the Wall
    • Escape Plan
    • Midlands
    • Georgia Artists Guild of Albany 2020
    • Educators as Artists
    • Upcoming Exhibitions
    • Past Exhibitions >
      • Juan Logan
      • Brian Willmont
      • Viberations of Pasaquan
      • Cut & Paste: Works of Paper
      • Dean Mitchell
      • Yanique Norman >
        • Noon Suite II
      • Origami Variations
      • Smoke Bombs and Border Crossings
      • Georgia Artists Guild of Albany 2019 Show
      • Figure Forward
      • Educators As Artists 2019
      • Fragments of a Violent World
      • Masud Olufani
      • Jose Tongol
      • Jerushia Graham
      • Zipporah Thompson
      • Alex Mixon
      • Mike Landers
      • Benjamin Britton
      • Home Tour
      • Brian Dettmer: Selective Collective Memories
      • Neighborhood for Painters
      • Florence Prisant: A Restrospective
      • Justin Hodges
      • Glenn Dasher
      • Inspired Albany
      • Inspired Georgia
      • From Heart to Hand
      • The Intaglio Figure
      • Norman Rockwell
      • Katie Bacon: Social Graces
      • Abigail Heuss: If Memory Serves
    • Exhibition Proposals
  • Events
    • Art Ball 2021 >
      • Art Ball Sponsorships
      • Art Ball in a Box
      • Art Ball Private Dinners
    • Art Chat
    • Book Club
    • Chalkfest
    • Valentine Makers Night
    • Tea Party
    • Yoga in the Gallery
    • Birthday Parties @ AMA
    • Rent our Facility
    • PAST EVENTS >
      • Art of Sound
      • Makers Night
      • Young Wizards Party
      • Lift Every Voice
      • Holidays in My PJs pARTy
      • Contemporaries
      • Symbolism of Border Walls
      • AMA Book Fair
      • A Conversation with Contemporary Artists
      • Figure Drawing with William Downs
      • An Evening for Educators 2019
      • Color of Justice
      • Supper Series
      • Loving Vincent
      • Courageous Conversations
      • Yvonne Wells Event
      • Quilting Class
      • Jewelry Making Class
      • Mixed Media Workshop
  • Learn
    • Visual Verbal Journal Workshop
    • Toddler Takeover
    • Homeschool Day
    • Summer Art Camp Site
    • Teachers and Students >
      • Planning Your Visit
      • Things to Know for You Visit
      • Chaperone Guidelines
    • 1000 Words Writing Competition
    • Courageous Conversations About Race
  • The AMA Online
    • Artful Conversation
    • Art of Meditation
    • Kids Staying Inspired
    • Art of Selfies Results >
      • Art of Selfies
    • Creative & Courageous
    • Life Imitating Art
    • Art in Residence
  • Members
    • Collectors Circle
    • Patrons Celebration
  • Support
    • Year End Giving
    • Donate
    • Join
    • Volunteer
  • AMA ChalkFest
Albany Museum of Art

Cantrell Faces

4/23/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
Picture
Hey friends! 

I want to introduce you to an amazing artist today! Kimmy Cantrell is a
 contemporary artist from Atlanta who makes beautiful, colorful works of art out of clay. His subject matter usually consists of faces!



Kimmy Cantrell discovered his artistic vision in high school when he fell in love with clay in an art class. After his first hand-built vase was chosen for display at the local board of education, his teacher suggested he study art in college. Instead he decided to study business at Georgia State University and spent 15 years in distribution management.

In 1991, he accepted a job in Tifton, a small rural town three hours south of Atlanta. (Do you know where Tifton is? Not too far from Albany, where the art museum is!) It was there, after almost 20 years, that he decided to reconnect with clay. First there were vases, then bowls with faces. Those led to clay pieced collages. The self-taught evolution of his art continues today.

Cantrell enjoys developing fresh variations on several recurring themes: faces, still lifes, bodies and fish. He uses many forms to tell his stories, from free standing sculptures to still life collages. He uses asymmetry to challenge traditional definitions of beauty.

“I want to show the beauty within flaws,” he explains. “Imperfections tell stories that are far more compelling than perfection.”

Through his fragmented flowers and fish, for instance, he recounts fond childhood memories of his grandmother (Bama) who was a very important figure in his upbringing. Bama taught Cantrell lessons of perseverance, living within your means and how to be responsible for your own success.

His work has been exhibited at galleries, festivals, and museums nationally, and is represented in private collections abroad, including Sweden, Italy, France and England. He has exhibited at art Expo in New York, Miami, during Art Basel, and currently shows at Sausalito, St. Louis Arts Festival and the Philadelphia Museum Show.

 Cantrell currently resides in Atlanta.

Check out this video to see him at work!

The Art of Kimmy Cantrell
Picture
Cantrell's masks are relief sculptures. Do you remember what a relief sculpture is? 
A relief is  a kind of sculpture that is attached to a background, so it is not designed to be viewed from the back. It often is used on buildings, but can also be made on a piece of art that hangs on the wall! 

What similarities and differences do you see in Cantrell's masks?
Notice how each set of eyes don't really match, or line up.. they are asymmetrical! (meaning both sides of the face don't match, if both sides matched they it would be symmetrical.) 

Look at all of their noses, what shape do they make? I can see an L shape in each one!  ​

What about their mouths? Are they similar or are they different? 

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Today, we are going to make a Kimmy Cantrell inspired mask!  You can do it one of two ways.. the first way will not be a very low relief sculpture. The second way will be a higher relief.  
​
Here's what you will need: 
Variation one: 
Crayons 
​Scissors
Paper  
Glue stick 
Pencil 

Variation two:
Crayons 

​Scissors
Paper  
Glue stick 
Pencil 
Cardboard 
Black paint & Brush 



Picture

​STEP ONE:
This artist almost always draws his idea with a pencil and paper before he starts working. So first, we are going to draw out some ideas! On one piece of paper, draw many different kinds of eyes you could use on your mask. Make sure you draw them large enough! Look back at Cantrell's eyes for inspiration. Then, do the same thing for the lips and the nose! When you are done drawing out all your features, carefully cut them out. 
​

Picture
STEP TWO: 
On a new sheet of paper, draw a face shape. It can be a long, thin face.. a wide face.. a square face.. whatever you choose, make sure both sides don't match so it is asymmetrical. After you have drawn the outline a face that you like.. place your features on the face and arrange them in a why that you like! 

STEP THREE: (variation one) 
If you are following variation one for a very low relief, you can now glue the features you choose down to the face outline in the way you arranged them. Let the glue dry and then color in your mask with crayons or markers! Notice how Cantrell often used patterns on his masks, what patterns could you use? What about the colors? Try using some bold colors, and a lot of them! You're done!! 
​


STEP THREE: (variation two)
If you are following variation two for a deeper relief continue on for the rest of the steps. After you have chosen your features that you want on your mask, and an outline of the face.. find a piece of cardboard and draw the outline of your mask. Carefully cut this out. On a new piece of cardboard, draw the shape of your eyes, nose, and mouth. Carefully cut these out. Draw any other features or patterns you want on your face and carefully cut those out too! Glue them all down to your cardboard mask. 

STEP FOUR: 
Once your cardboard has dried, paint the entire mask with black paint. Set aside to dry completely. 

Once dry, use your crayons or color paint to add color and patterns! Notice how Cantrell often used patterns on his masks, what patterns could you use? What about the colors? Try using some bold colors, and a lot of them! Set aside to dry.. and your done! 


Picture
Picture
Picture

Thank you for learning with us today!!

1 Comment
Sanjay Bhola 'Dheer'
12/18/2020 08:55:51 am

Nice form of mask art. The designs of masks are really awesome and alluring. I would like to thank to Mr. Kimmy Cantrell for his marvelous art form. I am myself a mask artist from India and use to create masks with scrap metal. Would like to copy one of the design from his collection with his approval.
Best wishes.
Thanks for the valuable article too...!!!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Social distancing is on everyone's mind. Classes have been canceled, schools are out for weeks, and your children might be feeling a little bored. The Albany Museum Kids Blog is here to help with daily resources, lessons, and art activities to keep you and your kiddos inspired!

    Archives

    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020

    Categories

    All
    3D Sculpture
    Abstract
    Acrylic Painting
    Art Curator
    Art Exhibition
    Art History
    Art Museum
    Assemblage
    Ceramics
    Chalk
    Chalk Art
    Children
    Color
    Complementary Colors
    Contrast
    Curator
    Doodles
    Illusion
    Impressionism
    Impressionists
    Installation Art
    Light
    Mixed Media
    Moasic
    Mobile
    Oil Painting
    Optical Illusion
    Painting
    Paper
    Print
    Sculpture
    Three Dimensional Art
    Watercolors
    Wood

    My Modern Met
    Tate Kids Videos
    Google Arts & Culture
    Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
    These links above have a TON of amazing resources… take a virtual tour, download an art history book, and explore high resolution images from museums around the world! Plus, find fun videos to entertain and educate your young artists. ​

Join our e-mail list to get regular updates                   

About the AMA
Current Exhibitions
Upcoming Exhibitions
​Past Exhibitions
​Join the AMA
Board of Trustees
​AMA Newsroom
​Events Calendar
The Contemporaries
AMA ChalkFest
AMA Art Ball
The Supper Series
​Art Camp
​Teacher Appreciation Night
Family Day at AMA
Kids & Youth Photo Galleries
Rent AMA Facilities
​​The Sales Gallery
Year-End Giving
Donate
Volunteer Opportunities
Employment Opportunities
Internship Opportunities
Contact Us
Picture
311 Meadowlark Drive | Albany, GA | 31707
Phone: 229.439.8400 | Fax: 229.439.1332 | info@albanymuseum.com

Open Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 10 am until 5 pm; Open Thursday 10am-7 pm - Free Admission Every Day​