 I have to admit, when it was first suggested
that I check out the Charles H. Taylor Arts Center’s opening of their newest
exhibit, “In Miniature,” I wasn’t overly interested. The first thing that popped into my head was a dull afternoon of
looking at dollhouses and other miniature furniture. Who wants to spend a
beautiful Sunday afternoon doing that?
So
you’ll understand my shock when I arrived at the Charles H. Taylor Arts Center
and found that I couldn’t even find a parking spot. I was actually forced to find a side road to squeeze my vehicle
into. Once I had the opportunity to get
inside and view a variety of the artwork on display, I understood the
underlying excitement and interest of the circulating crowd. The “In Miniature” collection is actually a
wonderful assemblage of artwork by local artists in a wide variety of
media. The artwork on display may be
small in stature, but it delivers an immense impact.
Curated by James Warwick Jones, the exhibition
consists of 194 pieces that were created by 70 different artists. Not one piece is larger than 20 square
inches. The collection boasts of
several different types of media that include the more traditional realms of
acrylic, watercolor, and oil paints as well as a few nontraditional arenas like
three-dimensional displays and even the Sharpie marker. Tiny portraits of incredible detail, usually
found only in larger works, hang side by side with free flowing, colorful
forms.
 It’s
difficult to distinguish only a few artists when faced with such a talented
pool of artwork, but there were a handful that caught my attention. 
It’s
difficult to distinguish only a few artists when faced with such a talented
pool of artwork, but there were a handful that caught my attention. One such artist is Ron Jensen. His painting, “Fishing Boat at Dock,” was
quite memorable. Painted in oil with a
post-impressionistic style, he uses bright splashes of color and semi-abstract
shapes to create memorable, unique images.
Another painting that stood out was “Men in Bar, 1980,” which was
painted by Ludovic Bowe in acrylic.
Besides the excellent use of color and composition, it triggered a
certain feeling of nostalgia and sentiment.
I think many could take the three men in the painting and substitute their
own friends in the scene. One other
artist that seized my imagination was Edith Hughes. Her paintings, also in acrylic, were incredibly fun, funky, and
free-flowing. My favorite was “Country
Houses,” which depicted a row of homes that almost seemed to dance in glee. While these particular artists were three
personal favorites of mine, I can’t stress enough that the entire collection
boasts a number of other artists worth viewing.
The one
thing that I must say that detracted from an otherwise lovely experience was
the actual facility itself. The one
thing that I must say that detracted from an otherwise lovely experience was
the actual facility itself. The Charles
H. Taylor Arts Center, built in the neo-classical style, started its life as a
library in 1925 and was renovated in 1989.
Despite this, the inside of the structure seems almost sterile. The walls are fields of white (which
is commonplace in most galleries) and are used as a backdrop for the gallery’s
artwork, but seem to just suck the life right out of the place. I can’t even put my finger on what bothers
me about the Center’s appearance, but I’ve always felt this way. Despite my ambiguity in regard to the actual
structure, the collection currently on display is well worth a visit. I highly encourage anyone interested in
local art to drop by and take a look.
The “In Miniature” collection is a substantial asset to the Hampton
Roads art community.
The
exhibit will be available to the public at the Charles H. Taylor Arts Center from
September 12 - October 27. They are
located at 4205 Victoria Blvd in Hampton and the gallery hours are Tuesday -
Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and weekends, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Call (757) 727-1490 for any questions
regarding the “In Miniature” collection or check them out at www.HamptonArts.net.
|
