Vine neighborhood art gallery

Taylor Larson
Staff Reporter

Piecing together an old perfume ad here, a faded patch of fabric there and a ribbon stretched across the top, Beverly Fitzpatrick is making art. While some may see it as a mishmash of ideas, a frantic, disassociated combination of odds and ends, baubles and trinkets, Fitzpatrick is transforming these seemingly unrelated pieces into the recyclable, DIY style of collage.

When she is not serving up lattes at Fourth Coast Coffee, Fitzpatrick is collecting—round, shiny buttons, colored pompoms, strips of lace and turning them into her own creation. 

Sewing patterns and faded glossies from Women’s Day are just a few sources that make up Fitzpatrick’s recent work. 

“I’m a collector,” Fitzpatrick said. “I scrounge around thrift stores, yard sales and especially the library. People are always bringing me stacks of magazines, which is great. Right now I’m really into using old women’s magazines—Good Housekeeping, Women’s Day—to make my collages.” 

Depending on the level of detail, a single collage for Fitzpatrick may take anywhere from two to thirty hours. 

Like many artists, Fitzgerald dabbled in multiple mediums over the course of her career before finding her niche. In high school, she spent her time putting together zines, or small, interest-specific publications, before moving on to begin Exquisite Corpse artist’s collective and curate, a collage show for the Arts Council. 

“Collage isn’t the most respected art form, but it’s what makes me happiest,” Fitzgerald said. 

It shows—over 12 years, Fitzpatrick has constructed anywhere from 100 to 200 collages, the exact number being uncertain. Her most recent exhibit, entitled No Satisfaction, is currently on display at the Vine Art Gallery until Nov. 22. The exhibit features Fitzpatrick’s collages, as well as modular origami—the Rubix cube of the craft. 

Much more complex than the standard cranes, modular origami features different folded structures pieced together to create a final 3D geometric shape. 

“I was inspired by existence and what people require in order to be happy,” Fitzgerald said of the exhibit. “Society constantly needs something new, something upgraded… People are never satisfied with what they have. The song also kind of inspired my work.” 

For No Satisfaction, Fitzgerald plans on producing a diorama scene alongside the collages and origami in the window of the Vine Art Gallery. 

All exhibits at the Vine are free of charge, featuring a different artist every month with a gallery reception taking place the last Friday of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. For the artistically inclined, the Vine Art Gallery is currently accepting show applications for 2012. 

“I think we have a great art scene here in Kalamazoo, and I’d like to see it grow,” said Fitzpatrick. “I don’t want Kalamazoo to just be a college town.” 

The gallery seems to share her view. Vine Art encourages student and group shows, with preference given to those local to the Vine or who have not had work previously displayed at the gallery. With its professional feel and prime location, the Vine Art Gallery doubles as an optimal venue for a first showing and an accessible gallery to encourage area artists like Fitzpatrick.

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Posted by LynnHodorek on Nov 3 2011. Filed under A & E, Local, Weekend Scene. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Lynn Hodorek