A Eustis museum’s
art exhibit is a family affair with three generations of one clan.
When a whole family displays some sort of talent, there is always a question as to why. “That’s something we’ve talked about a lot,” said artist Kevin Kautenburger from his Cleveland home. “Is it genetic? Was it the environment?”
Kautenburger is part of “Different Doors, Same Room: 3 Generations Making Their Way Through Art,” an exhibit at the Lake Eustis Museum of Art combining works from his family. (1 W. Orange Ave., Eustis. Runs through Oct. 28. The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $5 donation. Visit lakeeustisartmuseum.org for details.)
Artists in the exhibit include paintings by Eustis resident (and Kevin’s father) James T. Kautenburger; glass and bronze works by Kevin’s niece Angela; and prints from James L., his brother. Kevin’s daughter Sophie contributed a short story, which is juxtaposed with a page from the journal of his wife, Reinhild Boehme. Kevin is what he calls a “sculptor by default,” working with fabrics, wood and other materials.
Kautenburger, a professor at the Cleveland Institute of Art, said that despite his family’s proclivity for art, this is the first time they’ve ever combined forces. “Our work has never shown together,” he said. “This was a celebration in a way.”
The elder Kautenburger, who retired to Lake County in 1994, was a sign painter for most of Kevin’s life. “There’d be his big drafting table in the basement, his brushes and enamels,” said Kevin, 56. “Art was always in the air, but it was never this huge presence.”
James T. didn’t start making art exclusively until he was 70. “He’s the newest artist (in the family).” The show opened in September on the father’s 87th birthday.
Growing up, Kevin and his brother were influenced by their maternal grandfather. “He wasn’t an artist, but he was completely self-reliant,” said Kautenburger. It was his spirit that led the siblings to build go-carts and countless treehouses. “I can’t remember how many. Making things … was part of what we did.”
Another impetus for putting this together was Kautenburger’s collection of work from his older brother, who passed away in 2008. “I have all his stuff,” he said. “It’s kind of weird having this all boxed up like in Tutankhamun’s tomb. I wanted to get it out there. Let the daylight hit it.”
Angela, the younger James’ daughter, hadn’t seen a lot of her father’s work before it was put in this show. At 23, she is in her senior year at her uncle’s university, though not in his program. “I try to leave her alone and not embarrass her,” Kautenburger joked.
The family members show similarities in their work, such as a love of nature. “There’s a lot of shared sensibilities, obsessive patterning detail between my brother’s and my dad’s work,” said Kautenburger. “I thought it would be neat for people seeing the show to see the connections between us. And also the real differences.”