The Gallery @ Barr Photographics announces the inaugural installment of the Corner Gallery’s 2019 exhibition series

NEWS RELEASE

The Gallery @ Barr Photographics announces the inaugural installment of the Corner Gallery’s 2019 exhibition series with the return of Radford, Virginia artist Frank Herzog. Frank is exhibiting a collection of watercolor or acrylic paintings entitled “Reprise”.  

 Frank’s bio reveals, “My interest in art started with pencil drawings as a child to deal with the boredom of the long, cold winter days in eastern Pennsylvania. I migrated to painting when I was in junior high school.  Staring in eighth grade, I began taking elective art classes.   I believe my art teacher noticed some talent and he really encouraged me to dabble in every type of art or craft available in those classes.   But finally, I settled on watercolor painting because the medium just made sense to me. Unlike many of my classmates, I didn't find watercolor unfathomable or difficult.  I'm a "wing it" kind of person and watercolors allowed me to be creative, while being flexible and loose in my compositions! Presently, I think the medium just allows me to be me. My painting career has been and on again, off again magical mystery tour.   I started doing some serious painting while a grad student at New York University.   But after getting married and starting a family and career, I stopped painting for long periods of time.   I would experience periods of intense production followed by years of inactivity, but I always knew I would eventually buckle down and use whatever talent I had.   Since retirement,I have painted continuously for the past 8-10 years and I still think the best is yet to come!”  Frank is not afraid to push the boundaries of his media and employs an innovative glazing technique for his watercolors that eliminates the need for mats and glass in the framing of his works.  The resulting expression is one of a “pop of colors” revealing the depth of composition emanating from his work.  This glazing technique also allows for more affordable price points on his work.

In his artist statement, Frank reveals, “Painting fulfills my desire to be creative and a need to occasionally escape the craziness of the fast-paced and hectic world we live in.   My style varies and both the watercolors and acrylics are expressive, full of vivid colors and painted in layers, which sometimes makes them appear to be another medium.  They can be realistic, impressionistic, and occasionally abstract”.  Frank also reveals, in response to an interview / jury question, “I have not often been asked what drives me to paint, but it’s not complicated.  I paint because I love it, the creativity of it, the solitude of me, my brushes and my paints!   When you view my paintings, I hope you will see and feel the serenity, peacefulness and solitude I try to create.  Finally, let me say that I am a self taught watercolorist. Yes, I have attended classes and seminars and have read books and articles on painting. But, like most artists, my works express feelings that migrate from somewhere deep inside my psyche. I don't think it's something you can be taught, rather the talent and creativity is just there to be expressed.” 

“Reprise” will be celebrated with an opening reception and art talk by Frank Herzog, to which the public is cordially, invited, on Friday, 22 February from 7 - 9:00 PM, in The Gallery @ Barr Photographics, 152 E. Main Street, Abingdon, Virginia.  “Reprise” will hang, and be offered for sale, through 31, March 2019.   The Gallery @ Barr Photographics is housed in the Greenway Trigg Building, located in the heart of Abingdon’s main street historic district.  Please call 276- 628-1486 or visit http://barrphotographics.com for further information.           

Photo #1: “Boat Trip”, watercolor by Frank Herzog

Photo #2: “Autumn Country Road”, acrylic by Frank Herzog