Drawing On

Drawing is a form of artistic expression with an immediacy unlike any other form of visual art. In the simplest terms, drawing is direct mark-making on a surface. From cave wall to paper, canvas to concrete, human beings have been making drawings for millennia. It is a medium that can be used as a starting point or an end in itself. Many contemporary artists take the latter approach,positioning drawing as a significant art practice in its own right.

The four Bay Area artists in this exhibition demonstrate tremendous variety of technique, materials and form. For Andrea Voinot, the process of making the work is integral to the meaning of the piece. The dense layers of marks track a journey of discovery, rather than a predetermined storyline or subject. Patricia Thomas approaches drawing as an extension of the thought process. While making very deliberate choices on subject matter, she allows an element of chance to guide the outcome.

Cassie Davis mixes precise architectural forms with mysterious organic elements. Through subtle shading and meticulous execution, Davis creates a vision of a tangible world based on abstract concepts and internal reflection. Justin Limoges' drawings derive multi-layered meaning from everyday occurrences and common objects. With humor and an economy of gesture, Limoges modifies key details of his subject matter thereby calling into question perceptions of reality and meaning.

The commonality in this diverse group of artists rests in the way each of them uses drawing as a means of interpreting the world-internal, external and the space in-between.

Carin Adams
Museum Curatorial Specialist