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Joan Limbrick includes a fish in each of her paintings.
Chuck Williams Neo-Tek Metal Art is at The Gallery at 915 through July 5.
Neal Reed's fantastical creations are part of 'Mostly Fish.' |
BY SHANNON HOWELL
FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR
"Imaginative," "futuristic" and "otherworldly" are all words that could describe two new art shows in our area that you don't want to miss.
The Gallery at 915, on Lafayette Boulevard in Fredericksburg, is hosting Chuck Williams Neo-Tek Metal Art. And Wide River Gallery, in Colonial Beach, is displaying "Mostly Fish," featuring work from Neal Reed and Joan Limbrick.
Both shows run through July 5.
GO TO THE GALLERY
The Gallery at 915 is a new gallery located near the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center. Artist and creative director Tanya Richey says the gallery is trying to give lots of new people a chance to do things in a new way.
"We just believe in promoting art and the artists," said Richey, describing the wide variety of artists they exhibit--ranging from people who have international careers to a high school student about to study photography at Germanna.
"When Chuck [Williams] came into the gallery," she said, "there was absolutely no question that he has the soul of an artist and does incredible work."
Williams learned the techniques he uses to create sculptures from aircraft-grade aluminum while working in a machine shop.
One of the coolest aspects of his work is that he really utilizes both negative space and positive space to fill out the design. The areas without any aluminum are just as interesting as the spaces with it.
He carved dice in two pieces that fit together intricately. It's an everyday thing that takes on a different character with the shine and heft of aluminum.
Williams is also a master of using contrasting textures to highlight different areas of a design. He carved several individual blocks with multiple looks and speared them all on a rod that miraculously balances on an off-center sort of staircase.
This is art that you've likely never seen before, a refreshing change of pace.
IT'S FISHY AT THE BEACH
If you're familiar with Neal Reed's art, you know he likes to use a technique called "sgraffiti" where he basically puts color on pottery and scratches the excess color away to leave the design.
While "Mostly Fish" has a few of his gorgeous mugs and bowls decorated with fish in his signature chalky-blue and avocado-green colors, his main focus is fantastical fish.
Reed created multiple sizes of fish with Mohawks, googly eyes, lightning bolts, big floppy tongues, and teeth that only an orthodontist could love. Rendered in the soothing hues of the ocean, the fish are enthralling to look at because of the attention to detail.
Reed is another success at using different textures to emphasize different parts of the design to make you look at something so familiar--a fish--in a whole new way.
While fish are not the focal point of all of Joan Limbrick's contributions to the show, if you look carefully, you will find a fish in every painting. Her works feature mermaid- and fish-themed paintings, plus a series of artworks with island themes.
Limbrick is simply a master of color. She uses so many colors in her paintings that they are seemingly beyond count. But somehow, they always work together in a really pleasing way.
The "Three Graces" is a series of watercolor paintings depicting three beautiful mermaids in Limbrick's lush, jewel-tone colors. The paintings are long and narrow, about one by three feet, and conform to the shape of the long, lean dreamy mermaids, one of which is kissing a lovely fish.
Instead of jewel tones, "Beach Gossip" incorporates primary colors with striking result. The gouache painting is of two shapely island women hanging out on a beach.
Limbrick does a great job of making every inch of the canvas interesting by putting in accessories, fish and other objects.
The painting also fires the imagination, as the viewer immediately wonders what these two girlfriends could be talking about.
"Mostly Fish" features fish you probably have never seen before, but won't soon forget.
Shannon Howell is a Fredericksburg-area writer.
What: "Mostly Fish," featuring works by Neal Reed and Joan Limbrick Where: Wide River Gallery, 215-A Washington Ave., Colonial Beach When: Through July 5 Info: 804/224-9984; widerivergallery.com
