Experience the layers and textures of Tony Savoie's mixed-media works alongside beguiling portraits by John Whipple at the First Friday exhibition at River Gallery in the Bluff View Arts District.
Join them for the opening reception of their February Exhibit on this Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. This event is free & open to the public.
Tony Savoie
Over the years, Tony has explored a wide range of artistic and craft-based processes. While occasionally taught, he has mostly pursued a self-directed journey of discovery — patiently, or at times stubbornly, finding his own way.
His creative evolution has included drawing, illustration, painting, photography, collage, boxed assemblage, cast resin with fiberglass, and metal welding. Text often plays a central role in his work, serving as a tool for exploring ideas and cultural tensions.
"I use mixed media techniques that combine paint, collage, resin, fiberglass, wood strips, and found objects to build layered compositions. Each piece is a tactile exploration, developed through a process that’s both deliberate and unpredictable," Tony explains.
Lately his practice has grown increasingly abstract, fueled by a decades-old collection of scrapbooks and notebooks. These personal archives—filled with handwritten reflections, interesting quotes, plans to change the world, how to make beautiful things, and mundane to-do lists—have become more than references; they’re structural elements within the work.
Found materials, whether salvaged wood or overlooked objects, anchor these abstractions, adding weight and texture that speak to history and restoration. By deconstructing and recontextualizing these fragments, he creates new memory and meaning. The abstraction blurs boundaries, inviting viewers to engage with gesture and texture as language in itself.
:My process remains physical, Tony says. "I work quickly and intuitively with industrial and organic materials, painting and writing across hardened surfaces, then layering again. The result is visceral and raw—art that doesn’t offer answers, but asks questions. Humor and humanity are essential tools in this ongoing dialogue. I don’t believe art solves issues, but I do believe it helps reveal how we relate to them."
John Whipple
John is a master of mixed media, creates anything from collages to sculpture. His whimsical style speaks for itself yet invites each viewer's own interpretation.
"My paintings, in retrospect, have always found inspiration in the combinations of the things I enjoy. Whether it is the materials I choose to paint on or the subject matter I depict," says John. "Sometimes, I like to set up a premise, such as creating a patterned background using collage or assemblage and juxtaposing it with an image."
The combination of the two can create interesting design challenges and an image that unfolds in process. He alsos like to revisit different imagery when he shift materials and painting processes. He says he thinks this continues a thought on to its next incarnation and again creates new combinations.
The River Gallery is located in the Bluff View Arts District at 400 East 2nd Street. Learn more at river-gallery.com.