New alt_space Exhibition in July June 15 2022
ECHOES FROM THE PAST:
Drawings by Dennis Angel
July 2 - August 13, 2022
Opening Reception: Saturday, July 2, 4-7 PM
Artists Talk: Friday, August 12, 11 AM
CLICK TO PREVIEW AND SHOP EXHIBITION
Dennis Angel, Fruit and Shaker with Vermeer, original colored pencil drawing, 54 x 42 inches
About the Exhibition
Dennis Angel is known for his intricately detailed pencil and silverpoint drawings of still life scenes that he sets up in his studio. He elaborates, “I have always seen the tabletop as a form of a stage set where I assume the role of a director, carefully choosing, arranging, and lighting objects in pursuit of a theatrical presence.”
For this exhibition, Echoes from the Past, Angel builds on what he coins an “Art within Art” concept that involves placing reproductions of notable works of art among a carefully selected assortment of objects and props, that he then draws from direct observation. To determine which objects and images should be paired, Angel considers many factors, including shapes, scale, patterns, surfaces, and the cultural context. By incorporating this imagery into his compositions, he is able to create a dialogue between the past and present and collaborate with important figures in art history in a refreshingly unique way.
To obtain the delicate luminosity that his color drawings embody, Angel uses razor-sharp colored pencils to carefully apply and blend several layers of color on a smooth hot press rag museum paper. For his grayscale drawings, Angel uses a silverpoint stylus. This mark-making tool is similar to a mechanical graphite pencil, however, it is a temperamental tool requiring great precision and specially coated paper to make it receptive to the metal. The results are worth the effort and Angel has mastered the process, creating incredibly detailed drawings, with fine lines and subtle shading with a light, shimmery surface quality.
The immaculate detail of Angel’s drawings comes through in both his colored pencil and silverpoint drawings, and to obtain such precision in his work, many of his drawings take over 100 hours to complete.
About the Artist
Dennis Angel has been an artist and art educator for over 30 years. His work has been included in over 200 national and international exhibitions at venues including The Sandra Lee Gallery in San Francisco, CA The Salmagundi Club and Marbury Gallery in New York City, NY, and the Miami University Art Museum, OH. His work is also represented in numerous private and corporate collections.
Angel's drawings have been published in Drawing Magazine and Studio Visit, among others. His book, Perceptual Drawing: Concepts, Methods and Materials was published by Kendall-Hunt in 2015 and rereleased in a 2nd edition in 2016. Recently, his metalpoint drawings have been featured in the book Silver Point Drawing: A Complete Guide to the Medium authored by Susan Schwalb.
