This November, despite the rain and grey clouds that will no doubt be covering Portland, Compound Gallery presents a ray of light with the two-person show “The Day We Saw The Sun Come Up”. Our latest monthly installment features new two- and three-dimensional artwork by Brooke Weeber and Timothy Karpinski.

As kids, trains and ships are vessels of whimsy and mystery where stories and adventures abound. But as adults, whether we mean to or not, we lose our ability to daydream like we did when we were young. Whimsy and frivolity eventually fall by the wayside as our understanding of the world deepens. Weeber and Karpinski’s work is the epitome of that carefree spirit surviving to adulthood, and thriving. Inspired by their urban Portland surroundings, these artists use both flat and multi-dimensional means to materialize the playful imaginary worlds that their environments conjure. Both have created art that refuses to let the mystery escape a sailboat or the mischievous nature of a cat fade away, all the while appealing to both our childlike and adult sensibilities.

“The Day We Saw The Sun Come Up” is a show where imaginations can run wild; where a grey afternoon isn’t a detriment to fun, but a reason to allow the dusty whimsical corners of our minds to reawaken.

From Brooke Weeber:
My name is Brooke Weeber. I’m a Portland-based illustrator who takes influence and inspiration from my natural and urban surroundings. My work often features organic components, whimsical animal-human hybrids, native pattern, a great attention to detail and a unique storytelling element. With a recent interest in perspective and depth of environment, I’ve begun taking my work to new levels. Through cutting and pasting, I’ve started creating layers of artwork and building them into special dioramas that compose harsh shadows and deepness. My hope for this show is to construct tiny imaginative worlds to fascinate and get lost in.
From Timothy Karpinski:
Hello, my name is Timothy, I draw a lot, and enjoy doing it. I paint a lot and enjoy that too. I day dream a lot and also find that to be fun. I surround myself with materials in my studio and use my imagination to create artwork. I also enjoy playing with wooden blocks and making mobiles. I recently became fascinated with building sculptures out of wooden children’s blocks and lots of various found materials. My studio is next to the train tracks and I watch the train go by all day, it also shakes my desk a bit which I enjoy, but sometimes messes up my drawings which is neat too. I love trains and train sets, I’m making my own train set for this show. It’s called Timothy’s train set, and only I can play with it. I feel art should be fun and not serious, although my framed paintings are well executed, I try and have fun with each and everyone of them and hope the paintings might make a person or two feel good or just crack a little smile. Thanks to Compound Gallery for allowing me to show my creations to the public. Again, don’t play with my train, but feel free to look at it, and please buy a copy of my new book I made special for this show. It’s a large collection of small doodles I’ve been working on for the past year when I’m out and about like at the river or coffee shop or camping. It’s called “rainy day games” or “Shapes and colors” I’m not sure yet…
The Day We Saw The Sun Come Up
Brooke Weeber and Timothy Karpinski
Compound Gallery
107 NW 5th Ave
Portland, Oregon 97209
OPENS 1st Thursday Nov. 1st, 2012 | 7-10pm

Show Ends: 2012-12-02