Mesple paints in Chicago living art show

James Mesple, a 1966 graduate of Nevada High School, was featured this week in the Page Brothers Open Studio Program, a cultural affairs art show in Chicago, Ill. According to a release from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the show consists of work from 12 artists, who were invited to display their work in a vacant storefront and to use the storefront as a studio. This way, the public sees the artist at work as well as the resulting projects. "The open studio project is unique in that it allows the public to follow the artist's day-by-day progress on a piece of art," helping the public to reach a better understanding of the creative process -- sort of a living art display in itself. Painters, tattoo artists, fashion designers, photographers and potters are participating in the show. Mesple's a painter. He's described by the cultural affairs release as "a traditional painter who finds source material in ancient myths from which to compose." He describes his art as rooted in traditional methods, and inspired by both mythology and storytelling. "Myths, which are certainly a part of the foundation of contemporary American culture are stories full of wonder and mystery," Mesple said. His grandfather would tell him stories of Native Americans, an experience which grew into an interest in the themes of his art, which frequently focus on the struggle between good and evil, and illustrate moments that in some way relate to the mythical characters he finds so inspiring. Vivid images include Chiron the Aged Centaur, teaching music to a Young Achilles, with a vivid, almost medieval appearance and depicting a musical theme that is apparent in many of his paintings. Another image, Hera Changing Channels, depicts the fickle goddess changing the view of the world by pointing a finger at a tiny television monitor. The colors and techniques he prefers are patterned after traditions and age-old lore as well. Mesple mixes his own pigments and gravitates toward methods used by medieval painters. "Before oil paints, artists mixed crushed stone powder with egg yolk for an elegant finish. You use the egg yolk rather than the white. The egg dries in three or four minutes," he explained. A collection of Mesple's paintings can be viewed at www.caconline.org.