Since February 1, the Frank Wimberley, Paintings 1998-2001: In Honor of Black History Month exhibition has graced Rensselaer Union’s Shelnutt Gallery. Last Thursday, the RPI community had a chance to meet the force behind the art, Frank Wimberley, at the exhibit’s opening reception.
The most striking aspects of Wimberley works are his use of contrasting colors to create moods, varying brush strokes to convey movement, and unique textures to evoke feelings. Wimberley’s paintings take form very quickly and use unique tools—including rags, flat and sawtooth applicators, and a pressure scraping technique—that have an original effect on canvas.
His background as a potter is clearly seen in this exhibit. "I glaze my paintings like I used to glaze my pots—with thick broad strokes that indicate movement in paint, and the feeling I was there a few seconds ago," said Wimberley.
One of his favorite works in the exhibit, which is representative of many of his works, is based on jazz—the music, the emotions it evokes, and its description of life.
"I started on ‘Ko-Ko’ when I was asked to write an article about the Charlie Parker jazz set of the same name. I discovered that Parker’s work was based on an earlier work by Duke Ellington. So this painting is a tribute to them and my love of jazz," said Wimberley. Jazz legend Parker is known for his up-tempo improvisational style, while Ellington is widely recognized as a great jazz innovator and composer.
Wimberley’s abstract works tap into the minutiae of life, its everyday comings and goings, and its underlying order behind the chaos. Life does not always present itself with singular and clear definitions. Each and every day has it own rhythm. The texture found in Wimberley’s art, the unpredictable improvisational canvas designs, and the varied brush strokes are a composite of life’s oddities.
His work communicates the same desire that draws us back to our MP3 collections in the form of abstract art. The goal of abstract art is to convey without referring to immediate visual references, like an artist communicating the newness of spring without nature, two lovers speaking only through their eyes, or jazz explaining the American experience.
Frank Wimberley, who has been painting for over 40 years and working with art for nearly 60 years, says "it’s the art that keeps you young." His abstract works are included in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Miles Davis Estate Collection. Locally, his paintings have recently been featured in Albany International Airport’s SANKOFA exhibit and at Russell Sage College’s Rathbone Gallery.
Mary Udell, wife of Dan Udell ’57 and a noted artist whose photo essay New York City: In Black and White is in the Patroon Room, was responsible for organizing the showing.
"The RPI community has a unique resource in the Shelnutt Gallery—the art comes to them," said Cynthia Smith, Shelnutt Gallery director.
If you are tired of the endless cycle of homework, quizzes, and tests, take a minute to refresh your perspective by visiting the Shelnutt Gallery.
