Two Northeast Pennsylvania artists offer a look at their contrasting styles in a new exhibit opening this weekend in Scranton.
"The Large and the Small of It," featuring drawings and paintings by John Bromberg, Lakewood, and Trudy Gerlach, Wyalusing, goes on display today at ArtWorks Gallery & Studio, 503 Lackawanna Ave. An opening reception will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. today at the gallery, coinciding with January's First Friday Art Walk.
The exhibit bears a literal difference in size between the two artists, including Gerlach's small-scale, detailed illustrations and Bromberg's grand-scale paintings, drawings and installation. That physical difference in the artwork is just one aspect of the contrast in the works, Gerlach said, and will be part of the artists' talk from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 8 at the gallery.
"She's really wrapped up in science and mathematics, and so she really delves very deeply into the science and mathematics of what she's doing, whereas I have my head in the clouds," Bromberg said. "I'm mystical, so mysticism is something that interests me."
The title of the exhibit also has a more subtle meaning.
"The large is really what directs us in our two different directions, and of course they're at opposite spectrums," Bromberg said. "And hopefully the audience will fill in everything in between."
His works are part of what he calls his "alignment series," which he began in the 1980s after studying with a Chinese geomancer. Bromberg, who also is well-known for his work with puppets, started dipping back into the series last year after Marywood University invited him to participate in an exhibit. The works grew out of his activism in protesting natural gas fracking, he said.
"I feel very strongly that the alignments that I do (have a) benefit," Bromberg said. "In other words, instead of opposing hydrofracking on a physical plane, I oppose it on a spiritual plane."
Gerlach's portion of the show will include a mix of early and contemporary pieces, many of which are graphite drawings combined with watercolor. Her work has more of a mechanical, scientific bent, and for the last 10 years she has focused on leaves, making detailed renderings of them combined with geometric constructions.
When she does a drawing, she said, she tries to connect things so they make sense out in the world.
"My interest in science makes me really want to understand how the world fits together (and) what underlies everything," she said.
Gerlach hopes audiences will be influenced by the art in some way.
"I think sometimes people find them to be somewhat meditative," she said.
The exhibit will remain on display through Feb. 22, and a second reception will take place during February's First Friday Art Walk on Feb. 7.