Drawing as Thinking

Drawing as Thinking

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The University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor will also present Drawing as Thinking, a selection of drawings culled from the museum’s permanent collection, on exhibit in the Linda G. and Donald N. Zillman Gallery from January 23 through March 27, 2004.  Drawing has traditionally been the basis for an artist’s work: the artist typically thinks, explores, practices, and plans the artwork through the immediate process of drawing.  This show encompasses a variety of drawings from Josef Arentz, William Gropper, Frederic Rodrigo Gruger, Marsden Hartley, James S. Kenway, Elizabeth Murray, Oke Nordgren,  Diego Rivera, and Carl Sprinchorn.  On exhibit are drawings that are studies for larger works, drawings that are political or social commentaries, drawings that serve to practice techniques, and drawings that capture a moment in time.

When viewed in the artist’s sketchbook or in conjunction with the final artwork, it is easy to view a drawing as a step in the process.  However, when taken out of context and looked at on it’s own, one can’t help but appreciate the simple beauty found in a drawing.  Whether it is a careful study showing subtle changes in value or a quick, rough sketch of suggestive lines, a drawing shows the artist’s thinking: the visible path the eye travels as it wanders through the subject matter; the planning and reconsidering as the image unfolds, and the decisions that are made as the artist draws toward the final artwork.