{enter gallery above} Luckily, Jason Thielke (pronounced: "tel-key")has two feet. With one planted firmly in the urban traditions of street art, Thielke's other sneaker is decidedly stuck in the world of fine art. And while this could be a complication, it is not for Thielke. Due to a personal history that is rooted in skate culture and working in oils, Theilke is emerging as a nameable artist in the next generation of Denver art. Like other Denver residents, Thielke lives among a myriad of apparent dichotomies: the city and the mountains; the 19th century structures and the contemporary faces of the new builds. And so it is no wonder that Thielke is drawn to explore the interplay between the old and new, urban and natural, and the clean and the dirty. But the most interesting facet of these living polarities is where Thielke finds himself, as an artist. There's the gallery art scene, loaded with fine art that spans all imaginable traditions of oil and canvas. And while it's not black and white, there is another end to the spectrum: street art. Inspired by graffiti, boom boxes, the skateboard culture and everything urban - this niche has found its foothold in the contemporary age, from coast to coast. The upsurge can probably be credited to the fact that yes, even kids age too. Now 30, Thielke hasn't left any of his childhood's culture behind. With a healthy mix of graphic and line art in his work, his textures are a smart blend of organic and technological. Heavily influenced by things mechanical, by architecture and by urban renewal, Thielke is grinding a new style through his gel medium transfer art with clean, sometimes chaotic, imploding lines and figures and shape. And his style is catching hold, as evidenced by the multitude of upcoming gallery shows that he can be seen at: In January, Thielke is working with 4240 Architecture Inc. in which he'll have a piece in their vignette for The Denver Art Museum's "Design After Dark" fundraising event. Also, he can be seen at Artma. In February, Thielke will be at the Andeken Gallery; Space Gallery in April; Design Within Reach in July; The Plastic Chapel in August. As well, Thielke will be showing on the west coast in the coming year, furthering the notion that yes, grown-ups can still be kids and make clean, dirty and accessible art. To stay updated on his new work, as well as his gallery openings, go to: www.jasonthielke.com. |
