'On the Map' Exhibition by Farber and Schmid-Maybach at Carson City Courthouse through May 30

The "On the Map" exhibition features work by Jon Farber and Catherine Schmid-Maybach, two artists who show viewers creative possibilities for finding their way.

The Capital City Arts Initiative’s exhibition, "On the Map", presents drawings by Jon Farber and ceramics by Catherine Schmid-Maybach at the Courthouse Gallery from January 31 – May 30, 2024. CCAI will host a reception for the artists on Wednesday, February 21, 5:00 - 6:30p.m. with the artists’ introductions at 5:30p.m. The Courthouse is located at 885 E Musser Street, Carson City; the gallery is open Monday – Friday, 8:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.

About his art, Farber said, “A portion of my work is dedicated to creating intricate maps of where I live. As an avid outdoorsman living near Lake Tahoe, I use a variety of mapping systems to not get lost. Whether using a paper map with a compass, or looking at an interactive map on my phone, a topographical depiction of where I am is an essential tool when in the woods. Cartography can depict such a wide array of information simply with the culmination of lines, colors, and a spattering of a few symbols. Maps give the viewer an understanding of where they are and where to go next. It can give a representation of elevation, a depiction of distance, it can help tell a story or portray a moment in history. I work to create abstract depictions of the region I live in and this provides me with an understanding that things are always changing and it's easy to get lost in life. And sometimes all I must do is look at a map to find where I am. He refines his mark-making style with Sharpie, Copic, and Posca markers.”

Describing her artwork, Schmid-Maybach said, “The last years I have been working on flat, low relief wall plaques and platters. I use ceramic materials and techniques to layer patterns and images and build a visual narrative adapting to each layer that comes out of the kiln.
Using mostly my own photographs, I continually experiment with transfer techniques and decals to add layers in multiple firings. I often photograph while driving, without looking or composing the image. The result is a graphic sampling of patterns, bits of landscape and urban elements, instead of pictures of specific things or places. Working in layers allows me to address moving between different realities: to combine different places and times. I grew up with two cultures and this has underscored my feeling of moving in between, encountering disparate elements and realities everywhere. My ceramic work has allowed me to pull these pieces together.”

Farber, an artist and photographer, who has an eclectic background that spans from janitorial work at a warehouse to a registered nurse at a local critical care unit. Farber holds six college degrees (three in the arts and three in nursing), is an Eagle Scout, was truck driver for ten years, a lifeguard for three, and has run several 30-mile ultra-marathons. Currently he splits his time working as an R.N., teaching at the University of Nevada Reno, caring for his young son, trail running, and creating art. He lives in Reno, Nevada. www.jonfarberart.com/

Schmid-Maybach, a ceramic sculptor from San Francisco, was born to German parents. She and her siblings grew up between the cultures of the “old world” and the new. Discovering clay in the banks of a lake in summer started her adventures with ceramics. She earned a BFA in 1980 from the California College of Arts and Crafts, in Oakland, CA, and an MFA in 1988 from San Francisco State University. She has exhibited in the US and abroad, participated in several artist residencies, and taught ceramics in different capacities. Spending time in other countries and exposure to the natural world from an early age has informed and influenced the narratives in her work. She lives in Reno, Nevada. www.catherineschmidmaybach.com

Professor Brett Van Hoesen wrote the exhibition essay for On the Map. She specializes in European modern and contemporary art with emphasis on German art, Dada, photomontage, visual culture studies, German colonial studies, and sound art. Additional areas of research include African art and museum studies. Van Hoesen travels regularly for national and international conferences. Before joining the University of Nevada, Reno faculty, she served as the visiting instructor for modern and contemporary art history at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Van Hoesen also has held museum internships at the Busch-Reisinger Museum and the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, and the University of Iowa Museum of Art. She regularly presents public lectures and provides docent training at the Nevada Museum of Art. In summer of 2012, she taught a course in contemporary art in Torino, Italy, for the University Studies Abroad Consortium.

Gisela Munzo, a student at the University of Nevada, Reno, provided a Spanish translation of the show’s wall text.

CCAI is an artist-centered not-for-profit organization committed to community engagement in contemporary visual arts through exhibitions, illustrated talks, arts education programs, artist residencies, and online activities.

The Initiative is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, John Ben Snow Memorial Trust, Nevada Arts Council, Nevada Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities, Nevada Governor’s Office of Federal Assistance, John and Grace Nauman Foundation, Kaplan Family Charitable Fund, Southwest Gas Corporation Foundation, Steele & Associates LLC, and CCAI sponsors and members.

For additional information, please visit CCAI’s website at www.ccainv.org.