JU’s own Lily Kuonen featured at both The Cummer and in Folio Weekly next week

Jacksonville University’s own Lily Kuonen is not only being featured in the upcoming Folio Weekly Invitational Artist Exhibition at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, she’s been singled out to be showcased in the alternative publication as well.

Look for a story on Kuonen, assistant professor of foundations at JU, in the Folio Weekly that hits newsstands Tuesday, Aug. 21.

The exhibit featuring 50 artists begins Aug. 24 with an opening reception and runs through Dec. 2. Kuonen is one of six artists interviewed in Folio in advance of the show.

“I make ‘Playntings.’ They are the synthesis of painting with additional forms and actions,” she told JU’s Wave Weekly. “I play within this intermediary level, where wood, canvas, paint and all the scraps and tools of the studio can combine to explore beyond categorical structures. This integration of materials enables interpretation and promotes interaction.”

Here’s a taste from the upcoming Folio Weekly article by writer Dan Brown:

“Lily Kuonen explores what she calls the sometimes questionable beliefs in ‘hierarchies, power structures, dominance and intricacies’ that seem to exist in all relationships. An evolved form of her lifelong discipline of painting, Kuonen’s ‘Playntings’ are based on familiar ideas of content, form and structure that result in radically different outcomes. Her use of human, flesh-like colors of pinks and tans, raw canvas and unadorned wood keep her pieces from becoming impersonal objects or gestures of clinical pretension.”

Look for the entire piece in the Aug. 21 issue of Folio Weekly.

The Arkansas native’s works have been shown at exhibits in places ranging from Savannah to Vermont and from Jacksonville to Hong Kong. More recently, her work was included in the “Floridians” exhibit at the Florida Mining Gallery in Jacksonville in May. 

More information on Kuonen and her work can be found at LilyKuonen.com.

The Folio Weekly Invitational Artist Exhibition opening reception with food (Espeto Brazilian Steak House, Pele’s Wood Fire, Simply Sara’s. Sweet Pea’s Pantry), drink and live music by Split Tone is from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 24. The exhibit runs through Dec. 2 at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, 829 Riverside Drive, Jacksonville. Museum members admitted free. Tickets for non-members are $5 at bit.ly/Mrfm6t. Tickets are also available at The Cummer’s front desk and at Folio Weekly offices (9456 Philips Hwy, Suite 11). The Folio Weekly Invitational Artist Exhibition and opening night reception are sponsored by Haskell. More information: (904) 260-9770.