Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Unique exhibit slated at Art Association show
Event set for Dec. 1 through Jan. 3 at Chester County Art Association
Three visual artists will exhibit pure abstract artwork during the December show at the Chester County Art Association.
“To liberally paraphrase Picasso, abstract art may not have a recognizable subject but it always has a story,” said Ken Vavrek, one of the featured artists in the exhibition.
Artist Donna Usher and coordinator of the exhibition added, “The creations don’t incorporate a specific subject matter; they do utilize similar elements such as line, color, shape, space and texture, conveying different stories with different visions.” Usher of West Chester and Vavrek of Cape May, N.J., will be joined by Susan Melrath of Oxford.
The show will take place at the Chester County Art Association, 100 North Bradford Avenue, West Chester, from Dec. 1, until Jan. 3, 2019. The opening reception will take place on Thursday, Dec. 6 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. An artists’ panel discussion will take place Thursday, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m.
The art of the three artists demonstrate Picasso’s concept. Those viewing the artwork will see that while there is no concrete object to relate to in the works there is a place represented that has the sense of something occurring. The viewer is thus freely drawn into the world of the art and is allowed, even encouraged, to see the creations in their own way.
Melrath’s artistic roots are in illustration, although there is nary a trace of it in her current work. After graduating from a Philadelphia commercial art school, she was a successful freelance illustrator for years. “I discovered a world of magic and metaphor in a painting process that has become a way of life,” Melrath said. “I have been painting solidly for over a decade. Best of all, I have discovered my love of teaching, a vehicle for sharing the magic.”
Vavrek began experimenting using sculptural geometric space as the basis for imagery in 2008. He painted with glaze on the surface of platters. In 2012, Vavrek started his sectional wall works that explore this abstract world in a larger format with a freer major shape. He said, “Although the work is abstract in form, my objective is to create an image that gives the viewer a sense that some real dynamic is going on, that things are moving and are part of an event.”