Robert Lange Studios Features Kerry Brooks Colored Pencil Works “Waxing Poetic” in February

Masquerade by Kerry Books

Through the month of February and opening on February 4 from 5-8 p.m., Waxing Poetic, showcases the Prismacolored pencil works of artist Kerry Brooks. Robert Lange Studios located at 2 Queen Street in the historic district in Charleston, SC, presents this classically trained contemporary artist with her solo show featuring a series of fifteen Prismacolor pencil drawings that explore the artists interest in finding narrative beauty contrasted against simple settings.

On view through the end of February, the exhibit is the artist’s first showing of colored pencil works in the historic French Quarter district of downtown Charleston but the third solo show that RLS has hosted of her work.  A festive reception open to the public will be held on February 4, starting at 5:00 p.m. featuring wine, hors d’oeuvres, and music.

Kerry Brooks studied at the Repin Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia and at the Ukrainian Academy of Art in Kiev. Brooks’ interest in female beauty is apparent in her new series of Prismacolor pencil drawings.

“A lot of these are very quiet moments,” says Brooks. “But the idea for them came when I was living in rural Illinois and I would see a lot of shabbiness, but also beauty. I was drawn to finding glamour in spite of disappointing circumstances or tragedy.”

“With Kerry’s new Prismacolor work, she has combined her great strengths- the delicacy of her oils and the precision of her graphite,” said gallery owner Robert Lange.  “This allows her to expresses her subjects emotion in a subtle and romantic way.”

Through manipulation of the formal constructs of a painting Brooks’ creates portraits that reveal the particular character of her female subjects. The focus in her series lies within the delicate moments of these women and their interactions with the viewer.

Of this recent body of work Brooks says, “While I paint and draw from a thoroughly western perspective – a classical interest in the human body and the trappings of human experience – I also endeavor to imbue my work with a certain eastern spirituality. I consider my portraits as windows into the lives of my subjects, often presenting the subject in a state of intense and dignified stillness.  I strive to make paintings and drawings that are beautiful and meaningful, based on both my own interests and the timeless principles of classical art.”

Digital images are available upon request.  Contact Megan Lange at (843) 805-8052 or info@robertlangestudios.com.

Robert Lange Studios features the best of contemporary painters and photographers.  RLS is open everyday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and by appointment.  To view work online and learn more about the artists, please contact RLS at (843) 805-8052 or visit www.robertlangestudios.com.

 

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“Black vs White” Presented by Robert Lange Studios on February 5

Thirty artists invite patrons to join in the jaunty spirit of fervent artistic debate when Robert Lange Studios presents its annual group invitational, Black vs White, on February 5 from 5:30-9PM. This year’s theme is broad but simple, and over 80 works will be on display. The artists have been asked to make two same-sized pieces, one with a black color scheme and another that’s predominantly white.

"I lost myself in a familiar thought #1" by Ali Cavanaugh

Following artists will participate: Scott Debus and Julio Cotto from Scoop Studios, Kevin LePrince from Wells Gallery, Kirsten Moran, Rob Harrell, Charles Williams, John Duckworth, Kenton James, Patrick Pelletier, Michael Porten, Mickey Williams, Susan Harrell, Jonathan Brilliant, Tiffany Sage, Kristy Bishop, Jeffrey Lange, Erik Johnson, Karin Olah, Gary Grier, Karen Silvestro, as well as Ali Cavanaugh, Megan Aline, Robert Lange, Nathan Durfee, Kerry Brooks, Jessica Dunegan, Fred Jamar, Michael Moran, Amy Lind, Adam Hall, Joshua Flint, Sean Clancy, and JB Boyd from Robert Lange Studios.

The works in Black vs White aren’t just juxtaposed pieces exploring two colors but celebrations of the unique techniques that are unpredictable, distinctive and beautiful, employed by each individual artist.

All of the artists chosen for the show are active fine art painters and sculptors. To qualify for the show, each artist submitted one to two pieces that represent their stylistic approach to art.

“Last year the Yellow vs Blue show pushed artists to work within a specific color range, although most of the artists felt comfortable with these colors,” says gallery owner and artist Robert Lange. “This year Black vs White will create an even greater challenge, as color is an integral part of nearly all of the artists’ work and many never find black on their palettes.”

Landscape painter Charles Williams was especially out of his element when asked to engage this monochromatic theme.  Traditionally creating vibrant marshscapes, his paintings for this show, titled “Breaking Point,” are hyper-realistic works with paint dribbling down the lower end of the canvas. In one piece the sky and water is dark and ominous and in the other, bright and inviting.

"I lost myself in a familiar thought #2" by Ali Cavanaugh

Familiar to Robert Lange Studios, painter Nathan Durfee, a narrative nonconformist who creates surreal storylines, has paired a black bear that wants to be a panda bear with a white pony wishing to be a zebra, in “Robert dreams of Exotica” and “Bob Dreams of Exotica.”

Host Robert Lange created two trompe l’oeil works.  The first piece titled “This is Not an Orchid” is of a taped-up iphone displaying not just the time and date but a background wallpaper of an orchid.  The second work titled “This is Also Not an Orchid” depicts an actual orchid taped to the surface of the panel. The realist works sit on top of the panel fooling patrons with their shadows and barely visible brushstrokes.

Faced with the black verses white challenge, painter Joshua Flint, who was recently on the cover of Southwest Art Magazine, painted two solitary buildings. Flint’s paintings are normally filled with a yellowish glowing light but these most recent works have been drained of their color, transforming the subjects into haunting and romantic structures.

The gallery is located at 2 Queen Street in downtown Charleston, SC.

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