By Richard Deurer

In an age when pictures can be seen around the globe in seconds, when each day is more hectic than the last, it is imperative that art do more than just look pretty. Interaction between the viewer and the painting is essential. "How do I get people as excited about this painting as I am?"

One way I try to accomplish this is by choosing familiar situations: watching television, frequenting bars, skiing, and the dreaded dash to work. I paint about modern times and the issues that affect us all: money, recreation, technology, etc. By adding an element of humor, I further involve the viewer - assuming that most of us are willing to at least consider the humor of situations in our lives.

"But why the Egyptian imagery?" you may ask. I have found the ancient Egyptians to be amazing people. They brought to the world the first use of glass, the origins of geometry, fish hooks and scissors much like our own; and where would we stand today had they not given us plywood? The Egyptians were excellent graphic artists as well. The stories they recorded thousands of years ago to advertise their gods can still be deciphered today. The fact that they have been studied by many of the worlds modern cultures makes Egyptian art and symbolism an international language. Thus, I find it a wonderful vehicle for telling my stories.

Sometimes the research on a painting can take as long as the actual execution of the painting. That in itself is a very rewarding learning experience for me. I try to keep the imagery as close to the Egyptian style and mythology as possible, so that it is like looking at our modern world through their ancient eyes. Using familiar situations and issues allows the basic stories and humorous touches to be understood by almost everyone.

BY ANN NICHOLS
Arts Writer

Though visitors to the current exhibit at the Creative Arts Guild will certainly learn much about Egyptian history and culture such as the fact that no self-respecting man or woman was buried without his or her personal eye makeup kit, three bottles of wine, a roast duck and childhood toys the show was actually designed to provide an a typical view of a country that continues to fascinate the American public. "No Mummies" has no mummy on the premises, but what it does have is a comprehensive display of items ranging from a clay jar from 4000-3000 B.C. to a Cleopatra Barbie doll. Recordings of "Walk Like an Egyptian" in various languages, books, posters, beach towels, punching bags and a 500-pound sarcophagus made entirely of Lego blocks contrast with 56 authentic Egyptian artifacts from the collection of Marcus and Devon Alford of Woodstock, GA. "Sometimes art just gets a little too stuffy," said Ann Treadwell, the guild's executive director. "We wanted to assemble a show that was tongue-in-cheek, but also illustrates how significantly the world has been influenced by the Egyptian culture." Another goal of the installa-   tion, which is composed of more than 100 objects, addresses the alteration of historic artifacts as they evolve through the centuries. "When-you take someone else's culture traditions, they automatically become your traditions because whatever you do to them changes them and reflects the time in which you live," she said. One of the highlights of the show is a replica of a tomb created by artist Rick Harrison. On the walls of the tomb are text panels with illustrations that provide information concerning Egyptian celebrations, religious practices, clothing, hierarchy of professions and embalming. A larger-than-life-size sarcophagus, colorfully painted and embellished with gold, rests on an altar surrounded by objects necessary for the deceased to make the transition to afterlife. Open the sarcophagus, though, and visitors will discover that it is really a storage container for videotapes. Seven prints by Richard Deurer combine the artist's outrageous sense of humor and extraordinary technique. "Wieners of the Gods" depicts an Egyptian cookout, while "1:47 B.C. (Last Call)" shows a group of inebriated Egyptians gathered around a bar. Other works are cleverly titled "Elvis Has Entered the Pyramid," "Ski Ægypt" and "B.C. (Before Cable)" A visionary artist known only

Richard Deurer' prints of Egyptian Life have a whimsical twist, as exemplified in the work "Wieners of the Gods."   by the name of Camelman is displaying three clay sculptures. A must-see is "On a Visionary Trip to Egypt, I Bagged These Camels" consisting of three clay camel heads individually sealed in plastic bags that are suspended from the bottom of a clay map of Egypt. Many Egyptian-inspired toys and games from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s can be seen, as well as collections of watches, dolls, photographs, videos and art nouveau publisher prints. The artifacts are housed in a protective glass case and include fine examples of ushabti, amulets, alabaster jars and bowls, oil lamps, mummy beads, coins, scarabs and sandstone wall fragments. Don't miss the mummifried chicken either. "No Mummies: The Influence of Ancient Egypt on Contemporary Art and Popular Culture" will continue through Dec. 15. The guild is located at 520 W. Waugh St. in Dalton, GA., and is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The guild will be closed Wednesday through Sunday for the Thanksgiving holidays. Admission is free. For information, call (706) 278-0168.

Montgomery magazine Friday. March 29. 1996

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in the arts

Ancient Egypt comes to Bethesda by Nancy Ungar Special to the Gazette

Ancient Egypt, that Nile culture of pyramids and pharaohs, lives still in its arts. The dramas of Royalty and everyday life that filled the pyramid tombs resonates with memories for some contemporary Egyptians as well as for others who are drawn to its mysteries. Strathmore Hall's curator, Mildred Schott, has mounted a show of works by three artists influenced by ancient Egypt. Sam Faltaous, the primary impetus for the show, is Egyptian by birth and Parisian for the last 20 years. In meticulously rendered gouache paintings on papyrus, Faltaous here explores his roots. Fully researched, the paintings are time capsules, closely mimicking the ancient papyri in format, subject, style and even in hieroglyphs. "Preparation of the Funeral" divides a papyrus into four horizontal scenes surrounded by a wide band of hieroglyphs. Each tier shows another aspect of the Funeral preparation including the anointment of the mummies, the preparation of food and artifacts to accompany the dead to the afterlife, and the preparation of slaves and fowl for sacrifice. Faltaous' has drawn on his visual memories and researched his heritage to create highly detailed and beautifully executed renditions of ancient Egyptian art.

New Jersey-born Richard Deurer has also researched Ancient Egypt, but whereas Faltaous' work is respectful, Deurer's is funny and sacrilegious--an entertaining foil. Using the characters, hieroglyphs and stylizations of ancient art, Deurer updates his subjects to poke fun at civilizations both ancient and contemporary. In "Tidal Dog", a low-relief acrylic painting in the style of Egyptian tomb carvings,

Deurer paints the jackal-headed god of the dead, Anubis, surfing. The large wave that curves over Anubis' head contains typical Jersey shore denizens--not only fish, but also plastic six-pack holders. The god Horus in his falcon form (or is it a seagull) looks down on the scene while the sun, behind the life-giving ankh, touches his fingers to the ocean. hieroglyphs complete the image and some not-so authentic ones seem to have crept in. The bottom row, for instance, consists of a mosquito, a bikini and a beach ball. The significance of the Swiss army knife towards the top eludes me. We are helped in our reading however by a wall label which interprets the text as "Catch a wave and you're sitting on top of the world."

Joyce Zipperer has long worked in a mixed media technique that resembles carved stone. Her inclusion in this show provides an architectural reminder of ancient Egypt. "Projections," seven irregular "stone" and copper shapes hovers overhead like the broken corbels of an ancient building ''Preservation" is one of a series in which the artist mummifies and entombs her paint brushes. Different and perhaps best are Zipperer's two square canvases in which a painted ground is shadowed by sheets of screening triangularly cut at top and overlapping to form moire patterns. The resulting impression is romantic, monumental view of the pyramids against the sky.