Paul Lambert : Paper, Light and Shadow

A trip to the Corning Museum of Glass last summer actually inspired this show. You might wonder how I ended up working in paper from a glass exhibit but it was really the play of light and shadow that captured my attention. From the modern glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly in the lobby to the scientific development and applications of glass by Corning, the ability of glass to filter light and create shadows of shape, color and motion on surrounding surfaces was amazing.

One vey simple piece in particular intrigued me. A piece of cloth hung behind a piece of glass. A bar rotated behind the fabric, changing the flats and folds of the cloth, giving the illusion that the glass was fluid.

In another piece, seventeen colored glass “boats” were suspended from the ceiling. The colored glass was interesting, but the shadows created by the spotlights gave the illusion of even more boats. It was clear to me that it’s not just the object, the light source, and the shadows that are created, but also the imagery of all this as together as a larger composition including the space around the object.

While this trip was inspiring, I’m not a glass blower, nor do I have the time or resources to experiment with glass blowing right now. But I could still take the idea of very simple materials and presentation methods to create three dimensional sculptures. I had a supply of various paper types at home and could certainly spring for some more without creating my own financial crisis.

The first piece, Surface Wave, was a three dimensional mosaic with hundreds of paper squares representing the swells of pressure and movement of subsurface lava. Shadows lay on the background and the lower layers of squares creating the illusion of more than the mere half inch variation in depth. A few bands across the surface of the piece, the earth’s surface, implied a physical barrier and separation from the activity below.

In another piece, two opposing basket weave patterns create the illusion of movement as you walk by, yet nothing in the piece moves at all.

For the upcoming show, I am working on several larger pieces. In fact one will be a sizeable installation in which separate wall mounted paper panels will create a composite shadow on the wall and floor. Another piece will be a series of large lanterns that can be stacked and restacked to change the light and shadow images. I’m still kicking around some ideas for a paper wall, too. We’ll have to wait and see if the idea, structure and materials all come together in time for the show.

Paul Lambert’s Paper, Light and Shadow exhibit will open on Friday, March 6, 2009 at Mulberry Art Studios.

Paul Lambert is a native of Lancaster County. His home and studio are in Elizabethtown.

Tim Nies : Dichotomy

"One of the amazing things that bind us together as a people, a world, and universe is, ironically, that all things divide. This is known as dichotomy. Dichotomy describes plant and cell growth, astronomical phenomenon and the mutually exclusive contradiction of thought and action. To celebrate the beauty of dichotomy, I have created these new pieces to inspire not only conversation but also confusion through contradiction. To those ends, the concept extends to the process of creation. Through material choices, usage and style, this diversity is expressed."

Dichotomy open on March 6th in the Louise Gallery at Mulberry Art Studios. The public is invited to meet this innovative artist during a First Friday opening reception 5:00pm until 8:00pm. This exhibit will also be available during two Sunday receptions from 1:00pm until 4:00pm on March 8th and 15th, and during regular gallery hours throughout the month of March.

Tim Nies has been creating art throughout his entire life. He began taking college courses in art while still in high school, and at age 17 he was accepted to the nation's first art academy, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Nies is currently the Head Scenic Artist at Atomic Design Inc., a full service production and scenic design company. Nies has had his work appear on numerous television productions and at The Metropolitan Opera House. He has also created work for artists such as Alicia Keys, Ozzy Osborne, Martina McBride and Motley Crue.