The recently completed Lackawanna State Park Educational Center, on Route 407 in North Abington Twp., has inaugurated a part of its space with an exhibit unusually well-suited to such an environment: “Beneath the Surface: Ceramic Sculptures by Mark Chuck & Gyotaku (Fish Rubbings) by Barry Singer.”
Let’s get this straight from the start, though. It’s not an ideal space in which to exhibit, and Chuck and Singer are doing the community a large service by allowing themselves to be netted in such a way.
Both depict fish and both do so with the obvious love of an experienced angler. Each has his particular hook (pardon me, but such puns are bound to break the surface given such a subject matter orientation), Chuck’s being highly rendered, polished vignettes of underwater life forms and Singer’s being prints made directly from trout, bass and other catches. Gyotaku, a Japanese method of printmaking dating back to the 19th century and offering not much in the way of formal advances since, is illustrated neatly in a series of eight photos of Singer at play (fishing) and then work (making prints from the dead fish). The effect is nearly always one of fossilized images set on fine paper instead of stone.
For the most part, Singer’s prints feature solitary fish centered without much concern for composition, although there are some notable exceptions. Use of color is spare and frequently only in the tinting of the eyes. and this feels somewhat formulaic, but in a couple of instances, such as “Channel Cat” and “Two Minnows,” he explores color as an expressive tool. These are most refreshing. Chuck, on the other hand, uses much more color than most sculptors, and it is often as rich as that in a Wes Anderson movie.
Chuck, who I’ve known since he was a tadpole, has proved himself a most popular crowd pleaser in recent years, and shows frequently. One can almost smell the fish, and there are clever approaches to the variety of surfaces, whether they be slimy scales or rippling water. The risk is that at times they can feel like fish tank decorations, especially when the textures are so varied that they lack unity and little crawdads seem ready to dart backwards under a rock. The skill and knowledge of lake-life anatomy are impressive, but for me, the Raku-fired pieces “Climax I” and “Climax II” are an important departure, bringing to mind the elegant and charged work of Pamela Earnshaw Kelly, one of the region’s best artists. In these two works, Chuck no longer feels an obligation to illustrate; instead his love of clay and unexpected color comes across with vigor. It’s a pleasure to see him shed his, ahem, “reelist” tendencies.
That said, and in spite of the educational nature of this venue, Chuck’s titles would be best served by a more catch-and-release attitude. “Going with the Flow,” “Hide and Seek” and “Surface Action” are simply too literal to be of use to an artist of his burgeoning maturity and come across as redundant.
The show’s greatest strength may be that many people not accustomed to entering an art gallery may be afforded the opportunity to look at some finely crafted work, and that makes it very worthwhile. It’s up until Nov. 30, Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and visitors should call 570.945.3239 in advance to see the show.
Back on land, this weekend will offer another First Friday in Scranton, and among those venues you may not have tried yet are The Electric Theatre lobby, in the Hotel Jermyn located at 326 Spruce St. This month the artist is Krystal Ledoux, presenting recent small flower studies. These are better than you might think; painterly intensity and unusual croppings prove that the flowers are simply a vehicle for form. This show is up through the end of October, too.
Coming soon to the AFA Gallery is the annual fundraising auction. Make your reservations soon to enjoy the white tablecloths, elegant hors d’oeuvres, limitless booze and snarky hosting by, among others, yours truly. A full roster of the region’s most successful artists — or at least those willing to donate work — will be up for grabs very cheap. For added entertainment, watch as the artists themselves wince, wondering at how undervalued they are, and craning for a view of the rare piece that summons a bid higher than that paid for a Penedos. The auction will take place Saturday, Nov. 21.
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