Broadhurst Gallery
HONEST ENTHUSIASM AND VERY GOOD ART
I love a road trip. My father was a demolition derby driver during his illspent youth, and part of that excitement for reckless driving must have filtered its way down to me, along with his enthusiasm for mint juleps and barbecued pork rinds. Being out and about with the sun on my face and the wind in my hair hurtling down the road a few notches over the posted speed limit is one of those few times when I find the time to philosophize about life and art.
It just so happens that I was roaring down US Hwy 1 South a few weeks ago contemplating the erotic paintings of Picasso, when I noticed to my great surprise that I was going in excess of 80 mph and simultaneously noticed an NC Highway patrolman in the opposite lane. I wisely swerved onto the nearby exit for Pinehurst/Southern Pines and much to my pleasure discovered that I was right there on Midland Rd., home to the Broadhurst Gallery, one of my favorites in the state.
Judy Broadhurst is hands-down one of the nicest gallery directors you will ever meet. She always has a warm smile and a friendly greeting, and her gallery is a gem. There is an honest enthusiasm for life and art that beams from Judys face, and every gesture seems a celebration. An elegant and stylish woman who cut her teeth in the art world working in some of New York Citys finest art venues, she brings a sophisticated eye and an urbane sense of style that is refreshing in the Sandhills.
What I really like about Broadhurst Gallery is the mixture of fine painting and sculpture. The gallerys setting among the towering pines of the area is the perfect backdrop for the large-scale sculptures that show themselves off with such aplomb in Judys entrance courtyard. I was immediately drawn to the amazing sculptures by young Scott Sides, who is so adept at both metal geometrics and undulating marble forms. Shawn Phillip Morin, another sculptor in Judys stable, proves himself to be a poet of marble with surfaces that ebb and flow like a dance in stone. His Ezekiel in limestone and steel would look stunning anywhere and collectors are responding favorably; these works have a fast turn around. Look for this student of Horace Farlowe to have an opening at the gallery on March 28th!
Inside Broadhurst Gallery the environment is no less stunning. Judy has assembled a who's who from the artistic community. The accomplished artworks of Horace Farlowe, Steve Silverleaf, Sally Sutton, Richard Fennell, Toni Cappel and Gerry Lynch have all found homes here. I turned to my left and found a luminous Wayne Trapp. A glance to my right and I see a Jane Filer hanging on the wall, which surprised me since they sell so fast nowadays. In the first floor gallery, I was enchanted by the assemblage of paintings of Bruce Dorfman, who reminds me of Rothko in three dimensions. I normally balk at modern landscape paintings in general, but the animated canvases of Joseph Cave capture my attention every time I see them. His vigorous brushstroke and sophisticated perspectives place his well-crafted canvases head and shoulders above the work of most of the new crop of landscape draftsmen who crank out bland repetitive swampscapes that might look good as corporate wallpaper but offer absolutely no sustenance to the soul. Whether a landscape, still life or European musing, Mr. Cave comes across as an artist worth considering.
Judy Broadhurst also helps to educate and inform the local art community with regular art luncheons featuring different artists and a variety of topics. Judys son Jason, who shares his mothers acute eye for art and design, often works by her side. It seems obvious that one day he will be a gallery director in his own right since he shows equal enthusiasm for the visual world.
Now that the new highway is going to allow a trip from Raleigh to Pinehurst in about 45 minutes, there is no reason not to make a day-trip to Pinehurst to view great art, do some antique shopping in the nearby village, and treat yourself to the refinements of the area.
Paris Alexanders
The Prophet
Since I have been musing on sculptors, let me state that if you missed Paris Alexanders work recently in Forecast, New Art for the Millennium at Raleighs Artspace, you should feel bad. The Prophet, the largest sculpture in the show, harkened back to the wonderfully draped and academic monument sculptures of centuries past. Like a bronze French weeper from a 16th-century tomb, The Prophet carried with it a sense of loss, remembrance and resignation. R. Maplethorpes arm, finely crafted from thumb-sized bits of clay with iron stitching, reminded me instantly of the arms from medieval German crucifixes and summoned up visions of persecution and martyrdom.
A self-taught artist with drive and ambition, Alexander repeatedly proves that a self-taught artist with natural talent can trump most MFA students without even breaking a sweat. Perhaps the statements made by NC Museum of Art Director Dr. Larry Wheeler in the literature for the show sum it up best; The energy of the work lies in both its deceptive fragility and the mystery of what lurks beneath the surface. With an easy-going demeanor and a friendly manner, Paris seems to be hitting his stride and settling into the role of professional artist with great style.