Plastic Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Academic study of the male head, who with his gaze full of emotion and tense toward the figure of an apostle, or saint, or prophet who is listening. 19th century Drawings on lightly ...

Mary Borgman’s work captivates the viewer in several ways. First is their scale. They hang like medieval tapestries, with figures standing as tall as eight feet. There is also their texture – created by using charcoal on Mylar, and the results are richly gestural, with distinct charcoal strokes and eraser marks animating the figure and ground alike. With a flat surface, she creates volume and life. And perhaps the most powerful of all, the viewer is caught be the gazes of the models, who stare forcefully out of the picture. They seem to be examining us every bit as much as we are examining them. These larger-than-life portraits stem from chance encounters that grow into meaningful connections between the artist and her subject. Most are strangers that she approaches on the street. They capture her attention with expressive eyes that show experience and wisdom, distinctive shapes and a casual body language. “I try to honor the people I am drawing by centering them in the format and shooting from slightly below their eye level. I choose an expression that exudes intelligence, self-awareness and complexity. I try to convey their humanness. I want the viewer to feel this person might be someone interesting to know”, says Borgman of her subjects. The intensity with which she conveys the eyes may stem from her many years of communicating in sign language, which is based on sustained eye contact. Borgman loves the directness of drawing. It is immediate, there is no lag time. There is no time waiting for the paint to dry. She works solely in charcoal which she can manipulate to achieve varying degrees of darkness and opacity. It is messy and the artist loves that. Mary Borgman Portrait of Feleg Abraha charcoal on mylar 41h x 56w in 104.14h x 142.24w cm MBG010 [This work is custom framed in shadow box style with non-reflective Tru-Vue Museum Glass] FRAMED DIMENSIONS 44.75h x 58.75w x 2.25d in 113.67h x 149.22w x 5.71d cm Mary Borgman b. October 4, 1959 St. Louis, MO SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 2017 Grand Opening: Coming Attractions, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2013 SOFA Chicago 2013, Ann Nathan Gallery, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL Portraiture Now: Drawing on the Edge, National Portrait Gallery, Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR 2012 Portraiture Now: Drawing on the Edge, National Portrait Gallery, Washington D.C. SOFA Chicago 2012, Ann Nathan Gallery, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL SOFA NY, Ann Nathan Gallery, New York, NY 2011 Gallery Group Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL SOFA NY, Ann Nathan Gallery, New York, NY 2010 SOFA Chicago 2010: Special Installation at SOFA Café, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL What’s the Buzz on the Playground: Art of Today from St. Louis curated by Mary Sprague...

This is a powerful charcoal drawing on mylar stands over six feet tall. This artwork was included in an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC "Portraiture Now...

"Still today I'll hear them teaching that ignorance... I'll just turn off the radio... I know better now..." In 2012, Sedrick Huckaby embarked on a new series of portrait drawings...

In 2012, Sedrick Huckaby embarked on a new series of portrait drawings, "The 99 Percent Project," when he was invited to be a guest artist at the Brandywine Workshop in Philadelphia ...

In 2012, Sedrick Huckaby embarked on a new series of portrait drawings, "The 99 Percent Project," when he was invited to be a guest artist at the Brandywine Workshop in Philadelphia ...

Rick Brettell named Sedrick Huckaby's exhibition "Everyday Glory" at Valley House Gallery as one of the top 5 exhibitions in Dallas/Fort Worth in 2014 in The Dallas Morning News Year...

In 2012, Sedrick Huckaby embarked on a new series of portrait drawings, "The 99 Percent Project," when he was invited to be a guest artist at the Brandywine Workshop in Philadelphia ...