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Inscriptions

Gallery Exhibition/Event

Exhibition at Creativity Explored highlights the art of inscription by artists with developmental disabilities

June 25–August 5, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

San Francisco—Through drawing, sculpture, assemblage, and collage, the artists in this engaging exhibition employ the art of inscription to address such diverse subjects as The Beatles, dinosaurs, the human form, and the mysteries of space.

Inscriptions focuses on aspects of drawing and script in two-and three-dimensional media. Says Miranda Putman, exhibition curator, art instructor, and artist, “In these works of art, all which employ inscription in some form, line and demarcation convey the artistic hand of the artists and establish the structure and composition of the works on view. Gestural range, feeling, and ways of seeing are revealed in each artist’s personal style, which in some cases includes calligraphy or incorporates text.”

Among the work on display will be Toby Calonico’s large-format drawings and assemblages, which are comprised of vigorously layered cursive scrawls in ink, gouache, graphite, and colored pencil that completely fill the sheet. His works on paper are characterized by his technique of dense layering with varying colors and thicknesses of line, as are his collages, which incorporate prints over-laid on a field of drawing. Calonico’s imagery is taken from his daily life, and through the artistic process it becomes transformed into elegant swirls of abstraction.

The Beatles are the subject of Norman Ballou’s sculptural forms created from a myriad of photo-copied images of the iconic band. Fetishistic objects result from his process of gluing these images along with textile fragments into forms that are then coated with paint and gel medium until they become solid papier-maché-like objects. The pieces are then inscribed by the artist with notations about the group, such as their names and song titles.

Thomas Pringle’s elegant line drawings of the human form emerge from a process of multiple sketches and erasures, which produces an intriguing pentimento that surrounds his subjects and creates depth and volume. The twisting and foreshortening of his figures suggest the poses seen in fashion magazines and figure studies from art historical antecedents. As a counterpoint to his minimalist works on paper, Pringle is also represented in the exhibition by a black-and-white scratchboard panel that is inscribed with a highly detailed and decorative portrait of a woman in a floral dress.

Thu Mai Tieu creates a sense of deep space in her works on paper by rhythmically applying layers of pencil and watercolor to achieve a layered mass of lines. Through the thick application of pencil she creates focal points of iridescence. These areas contrast with the watercolor that is laid down in passages that range from transparency to opacity, further contributing to the sense of mystery and space in her images. Once the composition is finished, Tieu completes the piece by tearing the borders of the sheet to produce idiosyncratic margins that become part of the work of art.

Dinosaurs were a childhood fascination for Jay Herndon and are the subject of his work in the exhibition. His black-and-white scratchboard inscriptions are detailed renderings of the skeletal framework of his subject matter. His fine hand is revealed in both the elegance of his compositions and the many gradations of line width that he achieves, while the precision of his draftsmanship gives his work a sense of examination and an under-the-microscope quality. His drawing ability combined with his choice of medium imbues his artwork with a scientific but highly expressive quality.

Allura Fong achieves an evocative atmospheric effect in her small-format works on paper through thick layers of oil pastel applied in subtle gradations of color. The painterly manner in which the color is laid down suggests abstract weather patterns. The artist then inscribes a series of delicate loops and lines on the works, heightening the images and further enhancing their surface beauty.

Calendar Listing

Inscriptions

GROUP EXHIBITION AND OPENING: Through drawing, sculpture, assemblage, and collage, the artists in this exhibition employ the art of inscription to address such subjects as The Beatles, dinosaurs, the human form, and the mysteries of space.

What

Inscriptions focuses on aspects of drawing and script in two-and three-dimensional media. Line and demarcation convey the artistic hand of the featured artists and establish the structure and composition of the works on view. Gestural range, feeling, and ways of seeing are reflected in each artist’s personal style, which in some cases includes calligraphy or incorporates text.

When

• Opening Reception: Thursday, June 25, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
• Exhibition Dates and Times: June 25 through August 5, 2009; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Thursday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Where

Creativity Explored Gallery, 3245 16th Street at Guerrero Street, San Francisco CA 94103 (Map)

Information

• (415) 863-2108
• www.creativityexplored.org

Cost

FREE

Creativity Explored is a nonprofit visual arts center where artists with developmental disabilities create, exhibit, and sell art.

Press Images

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Press Contacts

Barbara Traisman: publicity@creativityexplored.org
Amy Auerbach: (415) 863-2108 · gallery@creativityexplored.org
Amy Taub: (415) 863-2108 · director@creativityexplored.org

# Posted on May 27, 2009