VISUAL ART & MUSEUMS

Works on paper are a beautiful conundrum. Yes, a photograph, drawing or watercolor can be as enduring as the finest oil, as detailed as the most complex egg tempera. But there’s a sense of spontaneity to the medium that gives works on paper a certain spirit all their own. Haynes Galleries celebrates that spirit in “Works on Paper,” a diverse, sweeping survey that includes old and new masters. The exhibit is on view from July 13 to September 5, with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 13. There is something personal and immediate that is unique to paper. It’s as if the viewer is able to watch the artist’s creative process unfold. In some cases, notes, scribbles, eraser smudges, even a stray fingerprint serve as evidence of the artist’s hand and mind at work. In others, a finished watercolor or photograph captures a light, a translucency that another medium simply cannot. Though some consider works on paper studies or sketches leading up to a finished painting, this exhibit will cause viewers to reconsider the medium. With a roster of artists that reads like a who’s who of 19th, 20th, and 21st century American Realism, Haynes Galleries proves that works on paper aren’t merely the first work- often, they’re the best work.

For more information about this exhibit or to schedule a private viewing, call (615) 312-7000 or (615) 430-8147.