Pen, Paper Are All This Artist Needs

My first impression of the new art show at the Chase Gallery by Bradd Skubinna was, “Oh great, this is boring.”

On the walls were large squares of different materials covered in what looked like a single color of paint. Yah-hoo.

I went up to one that looked like newspaper advertisements with a thin layer of blue paint. Boy, was blown away when I saw it wasn’t paint, it was ballpoint pen. Millions of lines covered an area that was about three feet square. My second impression of Mr. Skubinna’s work was “Wow!”

Five of his nine works were ballpoint pen, the smallest was 2 feet square, the largest was about 7 feet square. The first thing I asked Skubinna after I was introduced to him was how he could be so patient. He said he really didn’t know.

My favorite piece is a large rectangle of aluminum painted white with pencil marks across it in rows called “Graph.” It reminded me of tree rings when I looked at it. “Graph” took the artist four months to finish, which amazes me that someone can work on one thing for so long.

On the floor are two works totally different from everything else. Made out of lots of pieces of Mylar laid down loosely, they are something that can’t be explained on paper. One request though, please don’t move the pieces around because it’s impossible to put them back where they were.

There is a quote by Skubinna that I think sums up this show, “Pencils, pens, paper, wood, aluminum: I find these things interesting for the very ordinariness that can make them ignorable.”

If you like to be amazed, this show is definitely for you. It will be at the Chase Gallery in City Hall through Sept. 29. Admission is free.