Mythic creatures invade library

Local artist Bill Plank focus of exhibit

By: Linda J. Field
   The Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library has been invaded by angels, Celtic myths and fabulous creatures, all accompanied by some views of the Southwest. They have all been invited to be on display in the recent exhibit of art by local resident Bill Plank.
   The theme of Mr. Plank’s show was created by the artist as a showcase for his recent works as well as some old favorites.
   According to the artist, the wide, empty walls of the exhibit area work well with his large, even oversized paintings. An illustrator and painter, as well as an educator, Mr. Plank continues to experiment with technique, both in his work and his classroom.

   "I had just enough paintings to fill in the space," said Mr. Plank. "I have another collection to make up another whole show, of scenes of the New Jersey shore. I wanted to keep the themes separate. This one contains works of fantasy and mythology. My work right now is in the fantasy world, of angels, knights, elves and fairies. I used to do paintings of castles and knights years ago when I was growing up in Lawrence."
   The recent exhibit takes the viewer through a world of myths and legends with splashes of color and movement. Wings seem to be brushing the canvas, as though against a pane of glass, thanks to Mr. Plank’s technique of sponging the paint, which he experimented with first on walls and furniture, and using larger brushes.
   Perhaps the most eye-catching piece is "Birth of the Phoenix," the largest in the exhibit at 44 inches by 58 inches. For Mr. Plank, this was an experiment in using acrylic paints, which make the subject stand out.
   With a spotlight on it, the phoenix appears on fire. The symbol of rebirth has the face of a baby bird, combining the idea of destruction and birth. In a way, the painting was a change for the artist from working on small traditional landscapes to the freedom of a larger canvas and bright colors.
   "The Spirits of Ancient Egypt" combines animal imagery used by the Egyptians in their own artwork: The falcon represents the pharaoh and the jackal is Anubis, god of the underworld.
   "I work a lot of symbolism into my paintings," said Mr. Plank. "The painting called ‘Athena,’ for instance, combines the owl, her symbol, as well as the goddess, plus the image of Medusa on her breastplate. The Royal Falcon was done in shades of purple, the color of royalty. With the falcon symbolizing the pharaoh, I worked pyramids into the background. At first I attempted to capture the bird and its motions in flight. Then I guess I freaked out with the color purple.
   "’Cernunnos: Lord of the Forest’ is what I refer to as the Green Man. He’s a Celtic god associated with abundance and fertility."
   "The Flight of the Eagle" combines both a video Mr. Plank saw about the flight of birds using stop action photographs and the ability to blend objects into the background. He found using larger brushes and doing more blending of edges would give more movement to his work. In the background is a view of Mount Shasta, blurred by the movement of the bird.
   Possibly the favorite of the show is the painting Mr. Plank named "The Blue Angel." Located at the entrance to the exhibit, she is painted in a more solid fashion from the other winged beings in the show. Mr. Plank’s use of sponging, acrylic paints and metallic highlights have made this a special painting. The pose he used for the angel is borrowed from earlier Baroque paintings.
   Mr. Plank has divided his works into a lower, more solid or realistic view and an upper, more ethereal view.
   Part of the show is dedicated to the Southwest section of the country and represents Mr. Plank’s interest in Native American culture. Here again the world as we know it is given another dimension, with wolves taking their place somewhere between heaven and earth, accompanied by dreamcatchers and mandelas.
   "I’ve always liked Native American art," said Mr. Plank. "I showed some of my art in New Hope and went to a store there that carried some. They asked me how much Native American I had in my heritage. I was honest and said none. They then told me they would have trouble marketing it. I sent some shots of my work out to Arizona, but they told me it was too tribe-specific. My wife and I plan to retire out to the Southwest when the time comes. Maybe by then things will change."
   Until then, Mr. Plank teaches art and art history at Hightstown High School. He has managed to merge home and school by bringing some of his works to class to discuss techniques and show the paintings at different stages.
   For Mr. Plank, art can be a difficult subject to teach, often requiring lessons in patience rather just technique. He said he has found today’s students are too used to the speed of computer graphics and too easily discouraged. Instead, he instructs his students on how to pull something out of a work already begun by painting over it.
   "I am thinking of taking on students" as apprentices, said Mr. Plank. "In the past, artists took on students to help them look good. It’s always a possibility for the future. Even my most talented students have been afraid to touch my work.
   "I’d also like to get established with a gallery or an agent to take on my work. I’m pretty prolific even with my teaching schedule. I’m thinking of having prints made in the future of some of my works. But one thing at a time. With my recent interest in the area of mythology, I might be able to market some of the prints through the Renaissance Fairs that are traveling around the country."
   When Mr. Plank was in high school, he learned a lesson he wants to pass along to his students. He decided to enter a watercolor in a show hosted by the Princeton Art Association. With no one to direct him, he went to buy a frame. Since it was a picture of the Beach Boys, he decorated the frame with shells. It was rejected. He tried again with a simple snow scene, only to be rejected again because it was not matted.
   "I’m thinking about opening my own gallery, called the First Chance Gallery," said Mr. Plank. "This would give talented high school students a place to show their works. It would also offer them the opportunity to learn how to do it, what to do or not to do. They need to learn how to frame their works and mat them properly. Young people would enter more shows if they just had someone there directing them, teaching what they can do and a lot more."
   For Bill Plank, it has been a life filled with rebirths, going from the Southwest genre, through the Beach Boys, into castles and now the world of myth, legend and fantasy. As he put it, it has been a kind of fantasy life.
A percentage of any sales made from the current show will be donated to the Friends of the Lawrence Library. The show is scheduled to run through the end of September, and is open for viewing during regular library hours.