– 515 GALLERY PRESENTS –
515 Gallery invites you to the
opening reception of
Featuring:
DENISE (McGRATH) ARDIS and JAMES ARDIS
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, October 25, 2019, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
EXHIBIT DATES: October 25 – November 20, 2019
meet the artists
Clare’s 515 Gallery is excited to present a husband, wife artist duo October 25 through November 20, 2019. This exhibit will feature the artwork of Denise Ardis and Jim Ardis from Midland, Michigan. The free public opening reception of “Ardis & Ardis” will be Friday evening, October 25th from 6-8 pm.
JAMES ARDIS
James Ardis has been a working artist for more than 45 years. He started his career as a functional potter while attending CMU working on a degree in art education. This was at the beginning of the “sidewalk art shows” and the road and culture was more appealing to Jim than the classroom. Jim has often said “A man is only good for just so many coffee mugs!” and so it was only a matter of time before he had branched out into garden art, metal work, and bronze sculpting. His work has grown in size, scope, and complexity of mediums. He has numerous bronze and copper sculptures in churches in Midland, a permanent copper repousse installation at the Chippewa Nature Center, the large copper medallions on the Eastman/US 10 overpass in Midland and the bronze dancers featured in the Frankenmuth Plaza rain curtain/sculpture, not to mention the numerous works in private collections.
DENISE (McGRATH) ARDIS
Denise (McGrath) Ardis has always loved to “make” things but has in no way considered herself an artist…until very recently. She practiced nursing in the acute care setting for 25 years. After hanging up her stethoscope she worked with Jim on the road doing art shows, and painted, sculpted, assembled, sewed & knitted all the while looking for the next “WhoooHooo!”. That next thing would be meeting a local painter who was willing to share all her knowledge (vast!) of oil painting in exchange for Denise acting as a studio assistant. That painter was Kathy Jones & the next 4 years would be an absolute whirlwind! Two studios, gallery shows, competitions, openings, travel, friendship, laughter & more laughter, and painting, painting, painting.
Denise lost her mentor & friend last year, but the studio is still up and running. The rich smell of oil & mineral spirits is still inspiring & there is still painting, painting, painting! The subject of her work in abstract oil is most often a reflection on current events & her response to these.
GALLERY HOURS
Wednesday – Saturday: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
If you are an artist and wish to show at the 515 GALLERY,
please submit your proposal to: kkleinhar@hotmail.com.
