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| The Triumph of Craft - detail |
With mixed emotions I took a tour of this year’s NCLAG May
Show, one of the two “local” competitions that seem to validate the status of
artists in Stark County. Without all productive and talented artists in our area
participating in these shows however, it is unfair to really assess the value
of these exhibitions in that regard. As a showcase opportunity however, this year’s
offerings are a wonderful array of nature inspired imagery. One could almost
label this a theme show.
Beautifully hung by curator Elizabeth Blakemore, each piece
is in harmony with the ones that surround it and nothing overwhelms any particular
wall. There are focal points due to contrast and scale, but nothing shouts out
over its neighbors….well, except for Russ Hench’s big ummm….rooster painting
that screams across the whole library. By far my favorite in the whole show, it
did receive an Honorable Mention in the acrylic category. Loud and large and just
so much fun to look at, his impressionistic approach using flat brush strokes and
the slightly off kilter angle of the fence, truly does bring to life this tipsy
rooster walking down a Key West sidewalk.
There are 52 entries in the gallery with 21 of them NFS, which
I find an extraordinarily high number. I wonder why? Full disclosure, yes I did
enter, no I did not get in as the entry stood. It was a two part entry as one
unit. The judges wanted one, not both so it’s a no. Stop by Journey to visit my
rejects…a nice perk to having one’s own gallery space. The jurors were a
husband and wife team from Ohio’s Polytechnic University (the in-transition U
of Akron, my undergrad ala mater) who obviously spent a great deal of time
going over each piece and pulling together a very cohesive distribution of
works that focus on craftsmanship, technical skill and strong fundamentals.
Personally I found it a bit light on message or statement pieces, but there is
a good bit of humor mixed in so I’m okay with it.
Michelle Mulligan’s “Art Her-Story” is outstanding. Earning
Second Place for 3-D entries, this found object and gourds creation is worth
the need to get down on your knees and look at the detail and personalities of the
faces. If you know art history, you will recognize the ladies depicted. Heather Bullach, a truly gifted painter has 2
pieces, neither of which earned and award, but I would have given her one. Her
oil on board “The Rising Sun” captures a moment in time through the use of only
one, yes one, brushstroke. A single hint of yellow on the side of building in
this small landscape is amazing. Her career is just beginning.
Gail Wetherell-Sack’s “Poppin’ Red” is also a fun piece in
that her title is layered with meanings as one works through this mixed media
Honorable Mention work. Handmade papers,
cut outs, pop-outs, bright colors, lime green frame, patterns, textures etc…I
was a kid in a candy store. Her use of the green frame brings up the issue of
framing….(eating some crow right now…..) but this year, the frames became part
of the works more so than ever before. The idea is growing on me. Without some
of the creative framing such as Lee Ann Novotny’s “A Superior View from
Paradise”, a delicate colored pencil landscape, the piece may have been
overshadowed. Instead, the framing almost functions as a window enhancing the
concept of her work. But as framing may givith, it also can taketh away….gold
metal frames are as out of date as saddle shoes, time to leave them at home and
paint the edges of a deep canvas. Deep canvases being a way to validate that pieces
are new.
My carpal tunnel is kicking in so time for this post to
close. But I do want to mention the First Place winner in mixed media by Daniel
Vaughn entitled “Which Way?”, a 12 x 12 black square that houses and intricate Lego
pattern. At first one thinks, yeah, I’ve got bins of those puppies in my
basement, but the concept grows on you. I would love to see a whole wall of
these squares, like quilt patterns, or a whole room full in patterns and
designs that treat the little bricks as strokes of color when laid on their sides.
Hmmm…..I feel a dress coming on.
On view through May 31st, make the time to visit
this year’s show. Congrats to all!
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