29 September - 30 November, 2012
The Shoe Horn, Montpelier
Hutcheson's own description (below) of his upcoming exhibit is reason enough to see it. The image here, Duel Interrupted, shows awkward figures leaking out from under penciled lines, as if held in place by graphite before erupting in a more violent splurge of paint. Hutcheson's suggestion, "Long looking is rewarded," is accurate - and important. This work demands a closer look before it will convey its secrets.
Hutcheson articulates his process while acknowledging how messy the mental work of artmaking is. And, he shares freely with us the power of the art to, at times, have its own way - a way that the artist both conquers and submits to. The work has a kind of emotional punch to it that may be surprising.
Hutcheson's work is on exhibit at The Shoe Horn, where one can inhale the smell of shoe leather to their heart's content. - Meg Brazill, editor
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| Duel Interrupted, 27" x 40", homemade gouache, pencil and chalk on paper, 2012 |
"Drawings and Paintings of Sculpture arose in a three-step process: first, shaky balanced sculptures formed, made out of found objects and previous sculptures. Paintings in homemade gouache on heavy paper came next, roughly depicting the sculptural arrangements. The sculptures usually fell over before the paint dried. The paintings then suggested figures and scenes, sketched out in pencil and chalk in the final (and often longest) stage. Some scenes still match the original sculptures fairly closely; others changed radically, including rotating 90 or 180 degrees.
It can be difficult to make out the intended figures in some pieces; the drawing and painting elements don't always align. Long looking is rewarded.
Part of the intent behind this series was to give voice to several layers of awareness at once. I was 'in charge' the whole time, but didn't usually know what would happen next. If something wasn't working, I quickly gave up and tried something else - anything else - to find a way to an image. I don't always like the narrative or characters in the end, but if they seem coherent I feel I ought to let them stay."
The Shoe Horn
8 Langdon Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
Image: Duel Interrupted, 27" x 40", homemade gouache, pencil and chalk on paper, 2012
