Not to put too fine a point on it, but the works in "Shades of Gray: Drawing on the Past" show that this medium speaks for itself.
By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN, Times Staff Writer
Published August 5, 2005
Patrons of the August art exhibit at Progress Energy Art Gallery might think they've stumbled into an old black and white movie.
The exhibit is "Shades of Gray: Drawing on the Past," a collection of about 40 works in pencil and graphite by four professional artists. The subject matter is a spectrum of time and place and includes formal drawings of 19th century American Indians, a couple from the 1920s in a relaxed pose, and an intricately detailed pencil drawing of Beatle George Harrison.
"Many people tend to view pencil drawing ... (as) not quite a finished piece but rather something to build upon," said gallery director Lia Gallegos in a news release. But "taken to its limits, pencil can be amazingly beautiful, detailed and technically difficult."
Denny Karchner's historic drawings of American Indians, for example, are based on reference photos from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo. Karchner has been a pencil artist since age 3 and is considered to be a rising star in the art world, according to Ms. Gallegos. He is also a NASCAR illustrator for VF Imagewear, a division of the world's largest apparel maker, VF Corp. Tony Weldon's American Indian images are done in graphite, a skill he honed while studying art at Reinhardt College in Georgia and at the Ringling School of Art & Design in Sarasota, where he earned a degree in fine arts. His work has been chosen for the Smithsonian's Museum of the American Indian and is in many private collections throughout the United States.
Works by another Ringling grad, Steve Mullins, include larger-than-life pencil drawings of modern pop icons such as Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett, Iceland's waiflike singer Bjork, and Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon.
"He plans to do all the Beatles as a set of four," said Judy DeBella Thomas, executive director of Greater New Port Richey Main Street, which has an office in the gallery.
Ronald Watson's works are "snapshots of the past that was less hurried, more friendly and filled with the warmth of family," Gallegos says.
All of the art is for sale for $500 to $8,000, with a percentage of the sales going to the art gallery.
A reception for the artists will be held from 6 to 10 tonight. Guitarist and songwriter Larry Reidt will perform from 7 to 9 p.m.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: "Shades of Gray: Drawing on the Past"
WHERE: Progress Energy Art Gallery, 6231 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey
WHEN: Today through Aug. 31. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and by appointment. Reception is from 6 to 10 tonight.
