AJ Arts & Entertainment

October 28, 2009

Wyoming County Courthouse displays ‘tradigital art’

By Don McGlynn dmcglynn@theabingtonjournal.com
Reporter / Photographer

TUNKHANNOCK - This month, the Wyoming County Courthouse Gallery’s exhibit “Visions from Within” offers a look into the future of art.

It features the work of Chester County native Lisa Wray in her first solo show and runs until Nov. 30. Wray classifies her work as “tradigital art,” a mixed-media based form that combines painting, drawing and photography with digital media. The Courthouse Gallery recommended her exhibit as a must see for any art lover.

“Lisa blends computer art with brushwork and photography and she’s very talented,” said Wyoming County Courthouse Gallery founder Marta Kovacs-Ruiz. “Normally, if you tell me about computer art, I would try and change the subject, but Lisa is different. She is a true artist, she’s in a different category, and I think Lisa’s art is the wave of the future. She is a pioneer in what she is doing.”

A graduate of the Hussian School of Art, Philadelphia in 1979, where she studied commercial art and the basics of fine art, Wray dabbled with tradigital art shortly after graduation but found her ideas were a little ahead of the technology available at the time.

“In 1983, I started creating prototypes of my original art works that were created in a traditional fashion (drawing, painting, etc.)—these prototypes were made of color copies, color photos or film negatives made in my graphic arts darkroom in an attempt to produce metaphysical art,” said Wray in an e-mailed statement.

“I discovered that the mechanical methods available in the late 80s could not achieve the seamless accuracy I was looking for.”

She said the phrase metaphysical art comes from Giorgio De Chirico’s idea of “Metaphysical Painting.” Wray noted that Chirico stated that to become truly immortal, a work of art must escape all human limits: logic and common sense will only interfere. Once these barriers are broken, it will enter the regions of childhood vision and dream. Wray said this very much resembles her own philosophy of working.

Now, withthe technology finally where it needs to be, Wray is excited to have the opportunity to display her work in this show at the courthouse.

“The courthouse is a wonderful place to exhibit, as people from many walks of life visit there. It’s great exposure to a new audience,” said Wray.

A founding member of the Endless Mountain Council of the Arts in Tunkhannock, Wray has been a part of group shows over the years. She is also represented at Lizza Art Studio in Tunkhannock.

Wray resides with her husband, Andy Wray, in Wyoming County near her art gallery, The Lisa Wray Art Gallery, located at RR 1, Box 147, Avery Station Rd, Springville, 8.5 miles north of Tunkhannock.

Want to go?

What: ‘Visions from Within,’ the artwork of Lisa Wray

When: Through Nov. 30

Where: The Wyoming County Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Square, Tunkhannock

When: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Info: 570.836.3200.

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