For Immediate Release: March 2, 2007
Strength & Calm in Acrylic and Bronze at Varnish Fine Art
San Francisco, CA, March 2, 2007. The bedeviled find redemption through Strength and Calm in the two-man show, “Page & Wargin: New Works”. Show runs March 20 – April 27, 2007; Opening Reception Saturday, March 24, 7-10 pm
“Drift” Michael Page, Acrylic on Wood, 2007 “The Bull Rider” Thomas Wargin, Bronze, 2006
Painter Michael Page and sculptor Thomas Wargin capture otherworldly figures in moments of strength and calm as they struggle to master their surroundings. The wide-eyed figures at the center of Page’s paintings often seem overwhelmed—if not a bit saddened—by their surroundings, yet each of his subjects possesses a stillness that speaks to the contrary. Thomas Wargin focuses mainly on strong, solitary figures locked in precarious battle with the laws of nature. While the figure in “Warpspeed V” seems happily bound for flight at any second, others like “Gutter” and “Mardi Gras” show little left of their respective men, as both have been overwhelmed—again—by their own machinery.
San Francisco artist Michael Page grew up in Southern California where his artistic style developed early, drawing inspiration from weekly newspaper ads and cartoons from childhood. Characterized by an almost Zen-like calm, figures depicted in Page’s painting “Drift” return the viewer’s gaze with detail-absorbing eyes that betray the compelling internal shift necessitated by their often strange surroundings. “With my latest pieces,” says Page, “I’m trying to show the will to live, feel, suffer, breathe, and love.”
A lifelong artist, Thomas Wargin sculpts in bronze, creating a body of work that portrays the fusion of modern man with the modern world such as in “The Bull Rider”. Wargin shares Michelangelo’s love of the human form and Leonardo Da Vinci’s fascination with machines. He has exhibited at shows throughout the U.S. and has received a number of awards, in addition to several design patents for, among other companies, Harley-Davidson. “My goal is to create a unique art form that shares a seamless integration between the world and the human spirit,” says Wargin. “All the work is the growth of my interests, skills and imagination. I expand on what my mentors had passion for, and I feel the reflection of their inner beauty.”
*High-resolution images available upon request
Gallery Directors Jennifer Rogers and Kerri Stephens opened Varnish Fine Art on April 19, 2003. Beginning with the remains of a brewery built just after the 1906 earthquake, Rogers and Stephens designed and rebuilt the space, including a mezzanine gallery. Since its first showing, Varnish has grown into a focal point of the San Francisco art community, hosting scores of emerging and established artists, as well as having emerged as a choice venue for fashion shows, fund raisers, film screenings and avant-garde musicians in the Bay Area.
Press Contact:
Jennifer Rogers
Varnish Fine Art
p.415-222-6131
f.415-222-6137
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
www.varnishfineart.com
###
