Jeff & John Winkle: Divided by Two

June 23 - July 23, 2022

Studio Kroner presented DIVIDED BY/TWO by Ludlow, Kentucky artists and identical twin brothers, Jeff and John Winkle in their first solo show. Their work is inspired by memories and experiences of life in a small town and is meant to remind us of humanity, humility, common sense, simpler times, faith, aspirations, hard work, heart & hope.

Opening Reception

Thursday, January 23, 2025

6-9 pm

Artist Talk:

Thursday, January 23, 2025

6-9 pm

Closing Reception:

Thursday, January 23, 2025

6-9 pm

Bio

Studio Kroner presents Ludlow, Kentucky artists Jeff and John Winkle with their first solo show DIVIDED BY/TWO: The show opens with a public reception on Thursday, June 23, 2022, from 6-9 pm, and will run through July 23.

DIVIDED BY/TWO: is an exploration of work by identical twin brothers, Jeff and John Winkle. The work is inspired by memories and experiences of life in a small town and is meant to remind us of humanity, humility, common sense, simpler times, faith, aspirations, hard work, heart & hope. Their stories, however, are only half the story. They would love you to fill in your own stories and interpretations.

Artist Statement

Artist Bio:

Jeff and John Winkle are identical twins who grew up in the small town of Ludlow, Kentucky. John went to college for graphic design and hated it, so he dropped it and graduated as a painting major with a minor in sculpture. Jeff went to college for graphic design, loved it, and graduated as a graphic design major with a minor in illustration. After graduation, they delayed their "art" careers and took an opportunity to start a landscape company along with another friend. A year after starting that company, Jeff decided to pursue graphic design as a career but John continued with the landscape company for 23 more years.

One day, in 2014, they decided to meet for lunch at a local dive near Jeff's house. At that time, Jeff was three years into freelancing on his own after 20 years of working for someone else as a designer and John was still running the landscape company. Over the years, when they would meet at lunch, they would talk about the possibility of having an art studio and creating artwork together and couldn't get the idea out of their heads. It just kept coming up in their conversations over and over. On the way to lunch that day, they saw a building for sale and thought it would be a perfect spot for an art studio -- IF they were artists.

They quickly realized the building was way over budget (as if they had a budget, it was all talk & dreaming). However, they decided they HAD to turn their DREAMING INTO DOING. Buying a building, making it an art studio and creating work together was now even more on their brains and they just couldn't shake the idea. Enter, their hometown of Ludlow, Kentucky. They decided to spend the next few days revisiting and reconnecting with why they loved it so much. It had declined over the years but there were glimmers of a comeback and they wanted to be a part of it. They found a building they could afford because it was in need of so much work. They bought it. They started. They had only a slight idea what they were doing. Several years later, they bought a second building. They joke and say that now they have a slightly better than slight idea.

to fill

Steve Justice: Oddly Familiar

January 23 - February 15, 2025

Studio Kroner is proud to present Oddly Familiar, a captivating solo exhibition by Cincinnati-based artist Steve Justice. Known for his unique blend of cultural storytelling and bold design, Steve's work inspires and engages viewers. Drawing inspiration from figures like Thomas Hart Benton and MAD Magazine, he uses art to educate and entertain.

With a strong background in design from the University of Cincinnati, he brings both precision and a playful spirit to his creations. Oddly Familiar invites visitors to embrace the unexpected and rethink the ordinary.

Opening Reception:
Thursday, January 23, 2025

6-9 pm

Artist Talk:
Saturday, January 30, 2025

1-2 pm

Closing Reception:
Saturday, February 15, 2025

1-4 pm

Bio

Steve Justice was born in the steel town of Homestead, in Pittsburgh, in 1956 (Monkey/ Gemini) during a period of labor unrest for both his mother and for Homestead. His father was a mighty steel engineer -- he once carved a working locomotive from a single ingot of steel, using only a hacksaw and a bastard file. Justice’s mother was 100% Finnish, with a literary bend and some artistic aptitude. Justice subsequently grew up using both hemispheres of his brain. He learned how to apply this laterization with years of study at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Institute, under the tutelage of Joseph C. Fitzpatrick (Warhol’s teacher and mentor). This was followed by Industrial Design training (with some Art History and fine art electives) at the University of Cincinnati, where he made the Dean’s list 10 times and won a scholarship. This led Justice to a successful and gratifying career as a product designer around the Rust Belt and beyond, designing products for consumer and commercial customers (Coca-Cola drinkware, 2002 Olympic torch, etc.), while creating thousands of manufacturing jobs. But he craved a bigger beauty. Steve began oil painting in 1985, at first part-time, then eventually full-time, and he has stayed that course ever since. Making that transition led him to more than 183 exhibitions (17 solo), awards, and dozens of sales. His art may be free-wheeling and eccentric, but Justice has absorbed a lot of professionalism from his design days, and he’s very well aware of an artist’s position of responsibility. Steve Justice now lives in Cincinnati with his wife, the internationally recognized design educator, Dr. Lorraine Justice, following stops in Rochester NY, Hong Kong, Atlanta, Columbus, and NE Ohio.

Artist Statement

I love cartoons. I always have. They are my earliest memories, and I hope they will be my last someday. Cartoons are universal, but they weren’t always that way. I knew a Swiss man who saw his first cartoon at nine and concluded that animals in America can talk. I didn’t draw that conclusion until I was in my late twenties. I create art because I can and I love it. The impulse becomes a drive, “To get it off my back,” as Nina Simone said. “With great power comes great responsibility,” many of Stan Lee’s characters have added. Such responsibility is wasted without mindful action. I read a lot, and much of what I read winds up on my canvas, usually in combination with other things I’ve read, seen, heard, and experienced. My style is influenced by the art of Thomas Hart Benton, Rick Geary, MAD Magazine, Underground Comix, psychedelic poster art, Orthodox icons, Michelangelo, fashion photography, etc. I use a “cultural color wheel” of my device, which includes International Orange, Coke Red, Hershey Brown, Conrail Blue, School-bus Yellow, John Deere Green, and other colors a viewer may feel oddly or overtly familiar with. My early paintings began with simple quotations and readings on creativity by practitioners of every discipline, but my inspirations and their interpretations have expanded over time. I sometimes have flashes of insight while doing mundane things such as walking the dog, meditating, or milking a cow (which I have never done). In Latin, this is called “Solvitur ambulando” (“It is solved by walking”). What I want to do is Educate, Enlighten and Entertain. (my 3 E’s) I paint on canvas and wood panels, and I use oil paint because I like the look, feel, and smell. It’s exciting to do novel things with ancient materials. If I don’t have fun, the viewer won’t, and if the viewer doesn’t, I won’t. May that circle be unbroken.

Jeff & John Winkle: Divided by Two

June 23 - July 23, 2022

Bio

Artist Statement

Artist Bio:

Calendar of events for Jeff & John Winkle: Divided by Two

Steve Justice: Oddly Familiar

Bio

Artist Statement

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