05/05/2006

Work in Process

Artists: Tom Grady and Earl Schofield
Curator: Adam Gooder

Showcase: March 27th through Friday May 5th, 2006
Reception: Thursday, April 6th from 6 to 8pm

"Works in Process" features sketches, painting, video and sculpture by two outstanding Boston-area artists, Tom Grady and Earl Schofield. These works give insight into their artistic process, and beg the question: when is a work 'finished'? Grady and Schofield use a variety of media, from oil or encaustic on canvas to chalkboard, blowtorch and shotgun. Their work is often layered, with initial gestures and plans visible underneath. This exposure of process is intentional. In some instances, the work feels alive--like the artist was just there, dabbing material on or scraping it away. Other works are like an archeological dig, in which the history of the process is trapped in layers, or a biological model, in which a dissection reveals the interconnectivity of the vital parts. Both artists have been asked by the curator to further explore this theme in their work by shooting "process videos" in their studios. "Works in Process" is a look into the complexity of getting to the product we see on the wall, and captures the moments in art making when the artist's ideas take on their material life.