BRET GOTTSCHALL sits with his “Tumbleweed Odyssey,” which he painted in 1997, at Club 1427, where his show opened on Wednesday n^ght^ ™ ^^
Club becomes home for artist’s work
By Bret Schulte
Assignment Reporter
Nobody knows which came first, the bars or the students,
but it's high time Lincoln artists joined the O Street party.
Six months ago. Club 1427. 1427 O St., began featuring
the work ot local artists on its walls. The exhibitions are held
once a month and last for one week.
Dimitri Meares, owner of Club 1427. believes the reason
for displaying local art in his bar is quite obv ious
“We just iike art." he said.
Wednesday, local artist and University of Nebraska
Lineoln graduate Bret Gottsehail hung more than 20 pieces
ot his work or. the wails ot Club 1427 for patrons to enjoy
and possibly purchase.
His paintings tend to focus on one of two separate
worlds one exploring the abstract and spatial, and the other
focusing on dark figures in private moments.
“They are both within the realm of realism." Gottsehail
said, referring to a painting titled “Possible Space 1," a col
lage ot lighter tones and shapes lifted from a heavy back
ground.
'I would like to think this is an accurate portrayal of
space as 1 see it." he continued. Although many of
Gottschall's pieces are reflections of what he simply dubs
“space, they don't necessarily carry a common message.
“1 just think they are interesting to look at," he said. “1
think that people should know that it is something, but not
know what it is.”
Not all of Gottschall’s paintings deal with such abstract
concepts. However, some of his most striking work contains
very real, very dark portraits of isolated people.
Gottschall said these paintings reflect his moods. One,
titled "Return to the Studio," depicts a solitary figure look
ing out a large window with his back turned to the viewer.
The picture was created after Gottschall found a studio to
work in after a year-and-a-half search. The mood of the
painting is pensive and. despite its calm picture, relays a
sense of anxiety.
Gottschall said his “figure" paintings share some com
mon themes.
"1 tend to find myself painting the back of people." he
said. “They are very voyeurish.”
Gottsc hall’s career as an artist began in college where he
worked as a graphic artist for the Daily Nebraskan while
studying for his bachelor of fine arts degree. While continu
ing to work on side projects and personal w'ork, Gottschall
found employment as an artist at Sandhills Publishing,
where he works today.
His paintings have adorned the walls of the Coffee
House, 1324 P St., and he has recently been employed to
paint the ceiling at a local salon - a job he is more than will
ing to do for free haircuts.
Meares, who approved Gottschall’s exhibit at Club 1427,
thinks highly of the paintings.
“Bret’s art is beautiful.”
u
/ think that people should know
that it is something, hut not
know what it is,”
Bret Gottschall
artist
Professor to hold harpsichord recital
By Sarah Baker
Senior Reporter
It's the piano’s older brother,
and it's making a comeback.
George Ritchie, University of
Nebraska-Lincoln professor of
organ, will perform in a faculty
harpsichord recital tonight at St.
Mark’s Church on the UNL cam
pus.
Ritchie said the harpsichord, an
instrument traditionally associated
with the baroque period, is gaming
new attention in the 20th century.
“A lot of people have recently
had a renewed interest in the harpsi
chord,” Ritchie said.
The harpsichord is played with
a plectrum, which is a tiny plastic or
crow-quill pick.
The plectrum is stuck in the end
of a jack, a wooden stick that sits on
the back end of the key. When the
key is depressed its back goes up,
pushing the jack up, and the plec
trum plucks the string.
Ritchie said contrary to what
people might think, there are a lot
of harpsichord players.
“The harpsichord is the only
instrument, besides the organ, that
Bach composed for.”
Ritchie said most of the music
he will play was written by compos
er Johann Sebastian Bach.
“It’s really a cross section of the
music that Bach composed for the
keyboard and the harpsichord” he
said.
Ritchie said he also will per
form a sonata with John Bailey, a
UNL professor of flute.
“It’s really a wide spectrum of
music of different types, all by
Bach,” Ritchie said. “This sonata
we are going to play is one of
Bach’s greatest.”
Ritchie said the harpsichord is a
unique instrument because of its
dynamic range of sound.
“The harpsichord is perfect for
these melodies because it can com
bine the individual sounds in logi
cal ways,” he said.
Ritchie encouraged people to
go to the concert and said it will be
more than just a unique musical
experience.
“John and I both did extensive
research on the performance tech
nique of the 18th century,” he said.
“To go to this show will be as close
as possible as actually hearing how
it was played originally.”
Ritchie performs tonight at 8 at
St. Mark’s, 1309 R. St. For more
information, call (402) 474-1979.
Playwright to visit
Lincoln for debut
By Jason Hardy
Senior Reporter
Thirty years ago Mart Crowley
took some bold steps in the world of
theater performances when he wrote
a play called “The Boys in the Band,”
which was one of the first plays to
feature openly gay characters.
Tonight Lincoln will have the
chance to experience Crowley’s work
with a production of his play “For
Reasons that Remain Unclear” at the
Wagon Train Project. Though the
play is directed by and features actors
from the Lincoln community,
Lrowley will be present at tonight s
premiere.
Crowley is visiting the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln to discuss his
work with faculty, students and staff.
The one-act play itself lasts about
90 minutes and is a story of a priest
and a Hollywood screenwriter who
meet in Rome and confront sexual
and emotional secrets from their past.
George Wolf, associate professor
of English, said that while the play
deals with gay issues, that isn’t the
main point of the performance.
“These are human issues, not
Please see CROWLEY on 13