ZILLUSTRATION + CHILLUSTRATION

Transcription

1 ZILLUSTRATION + CHILLUSTRATION The Art of Paul W. Zdepski & Thomas J. Chipley July 1 through October 3, 2011 WMRA Studios 983 Reservoir Street Harrisonburg Virginia 22801

2 Starting today and over the next few months, whenever I take a break from my computer to swivel around and gaze out my office door, I ll be staring at a small drawing of a peculiar blue spacecraft thingee (?) that appears to be being scrubbed down (?) by a man with a big, long-handled brush. This drawing has been hanging opposite the door to my office at WMRA since yesterday, and I ve already decided that thinking about it is pointless. This drawing is whatever it is, and the only sensible thing for me to do is encounter it. And to feast on that little grunch of visceral satisfaction that comes from meeting something that expands my personal range of experience in some mysterious way that is beyond reason and understanding. Paul Zdepski Back at the Base graphite & Adobe Photoshop 2011 Zillustration Chillustration, WMRA s current art show, is full of such experience-expanding visual nuggets. The collected drawings and paintings of artists Paul Zdepski and Tom Chipley are mostly bright, slyly insistent, slightly waggish, and vaguely disturbing. To riff on Gertrude Stein s famous words, there s a lot of there, there. I really respond to this show. I find myself wandering the halls of my own place of doing business, staring at the walls, smiling, wondering, going hmmmmm often enough to want to come back and stare again when I ve had some time to internalize what got me hmmmmming the first time. Zillustration Chillustration is, to me, more than just a grand collection of pictures although it certainly is that, as well. Zillustration Chillustration is an invitation to sneak into a brave new world I would have never found on my own. A world, I should add, that is just flat-out fun! cover-left: Paul Zdepski Down-the-Shore graphite & Adobe Photoshop 2010 Martha Woodroof, WMRA cover-right: Tom Chipley Flower Cat ink & acrylic 2010

3 PAUL W. ZDEPSKI b Paul Zdepski received his BFA from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA and his MFA from the University of Hartford, Hartford, CT. He works in the arts as an illustrator, designer and art director. He has work in private and public collections as well as published work. He lectures evenings at Montgomery College in Takoma Park, MD. I was born during the Cuban Missile Crisis - I seem to work that tension into my painting. My most recent work is a series called Corporal Punishment, which stems from uncomfortable childhood moments. I cringe while doing them, but find myself laughing when they re done. Zdepski s technique spans both traditional tools and the latest computer interface. He merges graphite sketches with digital color to create hybrid works that live comfortably in both realms. THOMAS J. CHIPLEY b Tom Chipley is a professional artist, earning his way with his art and his creativity as an Industrial Designer for almost fifty years. His work reminds us that humor and curiosity are nature s natural antidepressants. Humor smooths the rough edges of reality. In the Great Circus of Life, we are the performers... the jugglers who toss and catch and toss again, and the high-wire acrobats, whirling and grasping. Creativity is the Ringleader, directing both the dancing elephants and the beautiful bareback riders. And bringing in the clowns as needed. Chipley s work draws images from life, reshapes them a bit and presents them to us just a bit inside-out and a little off-balance. It s hoped we ll smile at these new views of familiar things, like walking through a funhouse of mirrors. Shapes limit reality. Illusion is only allusion. Chipley s creativity and his art emphasize the humor to be found in living.

4 ZILLUSTRATION The Acrobat graphite & Adobe Photoshop 2010 Paul Zdepski

5 CHILLUSTRATION Fast Food marker & acrylic 2005 Thomas Chipley

6 ZILLUSTRATION While in Chinatown, SF watercolor & gouache 2009 Paul Zdepski

7 CHILLUSTRATION Boston Wheelie marker & acrylic 2005 Thomas Chipley

8 ZILLUSTRATION Four to One 1. Balanced Begging 2. Huh? 3. Neon Glow 4. Balanced Begging 2 acrylic on panel 2006 Paul Zdepski

9 CHILLUSTRATION 2B Or Not 2B pen & ink 2001 Thomas Chipley

10 ZILLUSTRATION Time for Punch Buggy! graphite & Adobe Photoshop 2009 Paul Zdepski

11 CHILLUSTRATION Pelican ink & marker 2010 Thomas Chipley

12 ZILLUSTRATION Snake Juggler graphite & Adobe Photoshop 2010 Paul Zdepski

13 CHILLUSTRATION Knee Down ink & acrylic 2003 Winged Lady ink & marker 1994 Thomas Chipley

14 ZILLUSTRATION Discussing Schiele oil on canvas 2005 Paul Zdepski

15 CHILLUSTRATION Bugatti ink & marker 2006 Thomas Chipley

16 ZILLUSTRATION The Nellie graphite & Adobe Photoshop 2010 Paul Zdepski

17 CHILLUSTRATION Fire Truck ink & acrylic 2004 Thomas Chipley

18 ZILLUSTRATION Swami Bindoo graphite & Adobe Photoshop 2010 Paul Zdepski

19 CHILLUSTRATION Whoz Who ink & marker 2011 Thomas Chipley

20 ZILLUSTRATION The Job Interview acrylic on canvas 2007 Paul Zdepski

21 CHILLUSTRATION Night Train ink & acrylic 2010 Thomas Chipley

22 ZILLUSTRATION Officer Rabbit s New Bike oil on panel 2007 Paul Zdepski

23 CHILLUSTRATION Spirit of 39 ink & marker 2006 Mercury Rides Again pen & ink 2006 Thomas Chipley

24 Don t worry about your originality. You could not get rid of it even if you wanted to. It will stick to you and show you up for better or worse in spite of all you or anyone else can do. Robert Henri, The Art Spirit, 1923 Thank you to WMRA for the hospitality and wonderful venue. Paul and Tom All work herein the copyright of Paul Zdepski and Thomas Chipley 2011