CHC Gallery is proud to announce a group exhibition curated by Chuck Marksberry. This is the gallery’s second exhibit since debuting in early October. “Big and Small” draws inspiration from new paintings from six emerging artists. For the past two decades they have focused on large-scale works. Recently, these artists have explored reducing the scale of their work, resulting in an exercise of restraint. The show’s literal title brings together contrasting scales of works from the Abstract Expressionist movement.

The self-taught Colombian born artist, Candamil is known for texturally dense works on board. South American influence evokes faded village walls and vivid colors. Though since relocating to New York, he has carefully created a series of small mixed-media works on canvas inspired by the post-modern urban punk palette. This show reveals a dialogue between cultural roots and current surrounding influences.

American artist Chuki was born in Kentucky with Native American roots. Unafraid to use a wide range of materials, he incorporates corroded metals, cardboard, elements of nature and billboard to create literal depth. The textural components create something unique and organic. He is interested in appealing the viewer with earthly, metallic shapes in order to create an interior-exterior symbiosis. In his gritty, urban paintings Joshua Gage alludes to a range of contemporary popular influences, from graffiti scrawl to graphic novels, reminiscent of the streets of New York. His emphasis on these surroundings is evident in the use of monochromatic earth tones livened with neon colors. At times, his interests in figuratives make a surprise visit in his works. Texture, mementos, personal text, symbols, color expressions and compositional exploration are effortlessly infused into a monolithic statement evoking interpersonal reaction. Joshua received his B.A. from Tufts University, briefly studied in Hang-Zhou, China and Ishikawaken, Japan. Most recently, he completed his M.A. at New York University.

Marks’ intricate works speak to the viewer by their layers of vibrant color. Their smooth, luminescent quality reflects an intent of visual sensation. The canvas story is one of texture and layering intended to convey dimension. In more recent works, this is interrupted by a personal iconography which pulls the image out of the color field genre and adds an element of sophistication by making a statement of contradiction. It is this paradoxical duality which most interests Marks and is the current direction of his work.

The Taiwanese born artist Carol Hu focuses on the grace and femininity lost in a male-dominated world. She adheres to the strict principle of solely applying paint to canvas and using few media. With an extensive background in art history, she realizes the appreciation for traditional art and uses this knowledge to reinvent the formula for the contemporary world. Much of her work is light-hearted, but meticulously executed. She was educated at Mason Gross School of the Arts and received a B.A. in Art History from Rutgers University. Ralph Turturro was born in New York and received his M.F.A. from Pratt Institute. He is known for his contemporary tenebroso style. One of Tuturro’s many inspirations are his crude childhood drawings which is evident in the uncomplicated scribbles across his canvases. Communication through a visual is important to Tuturro. He has exhibited extensively in New York and San Francisco since 1989.