Variety is known as the spice of life. A diverse view of life and interest definitely seasons the newest exhibit in ETSU’s B. Carroll Reece Museum.
Kent Ambler’s exhibit, 70 Woodcuts in 70 Days, is on display through March 18 at Reece Museum.
A woodcut, or woodblock print, is a print made by cutting a design in side-grain of a block of wood. The ink is transferred from the raised surfaces to paper.
“The inspiration for this project stemmed from my favorite group of printmakers, the German expressionists,” says Ambler, who lives near Seneca, S.C. “The subjects for their art were everyday surroundings. I am also inspired by the everyday environment.”
Ambler’s woodcuts depict a variety of things, including animals, landscapes, plants and people. The artist cites no particular reason why he depicts many different things in his art. “If I could write about it there would be no reason to paint,” he said, quoting painter Edward Hopper.
The exhibit comes to the museum by way of a referral from a patron. “Someone suggested the artist to us and then had the artist contact me by e-mail and by sending a CD with images of his work,” said Blair White, director and curator of the museum.
Since the museum normally schedules exhibits a year in advance, White and Ambler had to work out when the exhibit could be shown.
When people view the exhibit, Ambler hopes that they get something positive from it, he said. “I hope people enjoy the images without getting too hung up on the looseness or crudeness of the execution,” Ambler said. “While the woodcuts are images of my everyday surroundings, they are also about composition, surface and mark making.”
Mark making is a term for the variety of marks in a piece of art, said Ambler, who graduated from Ball State University in 1992 with a BFA in painting.
Ambler’s wish for viewers to enjoy his work may be coming to fruition because most of the comments on the exhibit have been very positive, White said. “Our comments on this exhibit have been, ‘This is a really strong show,’ ‘I really like the works in the print exhibit,’ and ‘… the block prints are exceptional.'”
Accolades also come from the curator. “The show is always rewarding each time I go into the gallery,” White said. “Although I have seen it many times, I can still find new things to enjoy.”
While positive reaction from patrons is important, Ambler also wants the exhibit to reach his peers. “I hope other artists come away with the realization that they don’t have to make idea art or produce art that deals with a specific agenda,” Ambler said.
Reece Museum is open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Thursdays 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

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