Jurors select Pat Cross art into About Face exhibit.

Jurors select Pat Cross art into About Face exhibit.

The David L. Dickirson Fine Art Gallery announces its current show, About Face, a collection of artworks representing 46 artists in the mountain state working in every imaginable medium from acrylic to zinc.

Jurors of the show selected four artworks by Pat Cross, each framed drawings from live models. In this series of figurative drawings, Pat Cross used an earth tone medium, a compressed stick of pigment, kaolin clay and graphite called Conté à Paris Crayons.

First developed in 1795 by a Frenchman Nicolas-Jacques Conté, the Conté à Paris Crayon leverages the malleability of charcoal in subtle blending yet with the stability of graphite for crisp lines. The richly hued earth tones of the Conte’ appeal to artists and collectors alike such that it grew progressively more popular among artists known worldwide including Picasso, Delacroix, and Dega.

But Pat Cross has her own reasons for using the medium.

“I tend to reach for a Conte’ Crayon when drawing from a live model,” says Pat Cross, “because that one stick allows me to work quickly, making light marks to start, then to press firmly for bold strokes, some of which I’ll smear with the heel of my palm for rich shadows.” This immediacy offers a lively quality to the drawing not so readily achieved with other drawing tools without either making a big mess (such as with charcoal) or having to toggle back and forth to a different stick (as with pastels).

To view the visual effect of the Conte’ used in drawing from live models and other artwork by Pat Cross, visit the David L. Dickirson Fine Art Gallery during the exhibition or visit https://patcrossart.com

Join us at Tamarack’s David L. Dickirson Fine Art Gallery for the opening reception of "About Face" on Saturday, August 7 from 3 PM - 5 PM. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and wine, as well as a cash bar with a mocktails.

These four new original drawings by Pat Cross juried into About Face will show at the David L. Dickirson Fine Art Gallery in Tamarack from August 6, 2021 – September 26, 2021 at Tamarack located at 1 Tamarack Park, Beckley, WV 25801.