Roger Mudre will exhibit two drawings on paper in the exhibition DRAWING THE LINE at the Pelham Art Center (Pelham, NY), February 16-April 2, 2023. The image above is his drawing titled 17Jan2008. It’s graphite on 260 lb Arches HP paper, 20 x 20 inches and will be installed as a framed work in the exhibition.
The image above is his drawing titled 31Dec2007. It’s graphite on 260lb Arches HP paper, 20×20 inches and will be installed as a framed work in the exhibition. Both drawings are part of the artist’s NOCTURNAL ING series, and each drawing was inspired by a smaller, circular nighttime drawing in Roger Mudre’s sketchbooks. The artist said: “Late at night, every night, since June of 2007, I have drawn complex, tangled variations of the circle into a sketchbook with 32 books to date. He says he began to use the nighttime drawings as a basis for finished artworks in 2014. The drawings in the exhibition have the same date (title) as the original sketchbook drawings.
Look at the drawings and notice some lines are darker; some are lighter. I asked the artist if he used an eraser to lighten the graphite in some lines. He told me his drawing media could include pencils, graphite sticks, powered graphite, colored pencils and/or Flashe paint. The media determines the look of the lines and the background.
The artist says the NOCTURNAL ING drawings reference the concept of infinity, microscopic worlds, circular growth, auras, and the cosmos. Link here to see 8 drawings created from sketchbook drawings, all 20 x 20 inches. Link here to see 3 paintings, each 24 x 24 inches, created from sketchbook drawings. All titles reference the date of the original nighttime drawing.
Roger Mudre is one of 8 artists in the group exhibition DRAWING THE LINE. I am the curator and selected the artists for the exhibition. Roger Mudre’s drawings show interweaving lines with circles within a square, created with graphite on paper. The other 7 artists create geometric grids with ink on paper, circles with colored pencil on paper, woven grid paintings with painted linen and cord, asymmetrical fabric quilts with embroidered lines and letters, assemblage with wood, wire and hardware, wire wall hangings as maps, mixed media sculpture with wire and wood, and installations, one with ink, paper and cord, one with knotted chenille pipe cleaners, and one with metal safety pins. Save the date for the opening reception on Thursday, February 16, 2023, 6:00-8:00 pm.
The NOCTURNAL ING Series
The image above is a composite of 24 original nighttime drawings from Roger Mudre’s NOTCURNAL ING sketchbooks. It shows a small example of a notebook’s content. Link here to a Facebook slideshow with music. You’ll see the circular drawings presented sequentially.
The image above shows two gallery walls at Roger Mudre’s solo NOCTURNAL ING Hayes Gallery 2015 exhibition at the Silvermine Arts Center (New Canaan, CT). One wall shows 2 framed drawings by the artist; one wall shows enlarged circular sketches reproduced as wallpaper.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Roger Mudre says as long as he can remember there was always a pencil, crayon or brush in his hand. He studied to become an art teacher at South Connecticut State College in New Haven. He is currently gallery director at the Silvermine Guild in New Canaan, CT. He says early influences were Victor Vasarely, Joseph Albers, Sol LeWitt and Mark Rothko – and this was mostly for their use of color. The image above shows the artist at work in his studio. The painting on the wall behind him is an unfinished 60×60 inch panel that is now titled Damiana. I asked the artist if he was working on a screenprint, and if the containers on the worktable were ink. He said the containers were Flashe paint.
PAINTINGS
The image above is a panel painting titled Burdock, acrylic over metal leaf on cradled birch panel, 60×60 inches. Visit Roger Mudre’s website gallery titled Works on Panel. You’ll see images of paintings that are acrylic over metal leaf on panels that are 24×24 inches, 36×36 inches, 40×40 inches, 44×44 inches, 60×60 inches and 72×72 inches. Roger Mudre says the square format allows him to create a field of pattern that continues equally in all directions. He says all his paintings and drawings focus on the concept of an infinite space. He invites the viewer “to enter these places and travel within the layers of color and pattern, imagining an ever growing and expanding life form with endless possibilities.”
Roger Mudre says his approach to painting is both a creative exploration and a sensuous process. He begins with preparing the substrate (typically a panel) with a ground and then applies metallic leaf to the surface, then seals the metallic leaf. He transforms the surface with sheer layers of glazed color, adding numerous layers to the surface in an additive and subtractive process, either with a brush, rag or scraper. He says the organic forms in his paintings are created as the paint reacts to the process. This layering process also adds another dimension of depth to the paintings. Read more here.
The image above is a panel painting titled Cedron, acrylic over metal leaf on panel, 60×60 inches. This work was purchased directly from the artist’s studio and is now in a private collection.
The image above is titled Aeon. It’s acrylic on cradled birch panel, 36×36 inches and was one of several works by the artist included in a group exhibition titled A SUSTAINING LIFE (November 30, 2016-March 11, 2017) at the Waterfall Mansion and Gallery, a Manhattan townhouse that hosts public and private exhibitions and events, located at 170 E 80 Street, NYC.
The image above shows 4 paintings by the artist, each 36×36 inches, installed on site at the Waterfall Mansion and Gallery.
The image above is Roger Mudre’s painting titled Gegenshein. It’s acrylic on panel, 60×60 inches. This image is posted on the artist’s Instagram site, announcing his participation in the group exhibition HARMONY and INVENTION at the Sorelle Gallery, 19 Church Lane, Westport, CT. Roger Mudre is represented by the gallery. Here’s one comment on Instagram that perfectly sums it up: “Magical, Fibonacci and Gorgeous Synergy.” Link here to see Roger Mudre’s paintings, drawings and limited edition prints available for purchase through the Sorelle Gallery.
Follow Roger Mudre on Facebook. Visit his website. Follow him on Instagram.
I mentioned earlier in this post that Roger Mudre is the Gallery Director at Silvermine Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Road, New Canaan, CT. If you can, plan to see the New Members exhibition (Jan 12-Feb 25, 2023), and link here to follow Silvermine Galleries at Instagram to see works by artists installed in solo, group and juried shows in 5 galleries on site. Read more.
Thank you for reading this post about Roger Mudre and his drawings that will be included in DRAWING THE LINE at the Pelham Art Center. Please save the date – Thursday, February 16, 2023, 6:00-8:00 pm for the opening reception.
Your comments are welcome.
Art of Collage 
Gre