The Asheville Arts Scene
April 2007
By Karen O. Lane
April 12, 2007
What does it take to move and set oneself up in Asheville as a working artist?
A can-do attitude, enthusiasm, and a positive, open minded personality certainly helps.
Newcomer artist David Zaig has these qualities. He has only been in Asheville for six months. He has two shows lined up…
In addition to spiritual attributes, an artist needs a studio in which to construct the work, materials like paper, brushes, etc., and tools like circular saws, hammers, etc., and then ultimately a show in a gallery. Services are also required. Shipping companies are needed for transporting the work, printers for the show invitations, framers, caterers and the list goes on.
I asked David Zaig how he found the Asheville area in terms of supplying the necessary goods and services. He was in a U-Haul truck at the time transporting his large paintings to The Wedge Gallery for his show and he answered, “It’s great. Every one is nice.” His local Ace hardware store has time for him where as before in Boston his experiences were not as accommodating apparently. “Everyone is so helpful.”
The Internet is another necessity. What he cannot get locally at True Blue Art Supply on Haywood Street, he orders online. Also, David’s wife Ellen has an Internet based job. It really makes living in a more rural area possible for an artist as long as you can get cable hookup.
On Sunday I went to see David Zaig’s show at the Wedge Gallery and we discussed his process and his use of airbrush as a medium. He uses the three primary colors; red, yellow and blue. His layering of images reminded me of Sigmar Polke’s paintings and his fleeting of the moment images of Gerhard Richter’s work. Process is very important to Zaig. First he prepares his surface with a texture or a color. For example in one painting there is a white wash rectangle over a polychromatic surface where one can see the brush marks. The whitewash over the very solid polychrome creates an ethereal plane. Then he adds an airbrushed image, in this case a figure and it is airbrushed in very carefully and lightly. The painting is very large so the figure towers like an idol but the technique of the airbrush makes the image veiled with dappled light sending it into the realm of the past to a place no longer accessible as in a memory.
Welcome to David Zaig! We are most fortunate to have him in our community. His work is compelling. I hope that his exhibitions are well attended as his work is top notch, spiritual with impeccable craftsmanship. The scale is awesome and execution flawless.
This weekend David will be at the Wedge Gallery 115B Robert Street in the River District Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 5:30pm thru 8:30pm. The building is on the corner of Clingman and Robert Street. Go to the back of the building. There is a large parking lot next to the railroad tracks or park in the front of the Wedge Building and go down the steps on the side of the building to get to the first level in back.
Please note that the Wedge Gallery accommodates larger art work very nicely. It is a great space for showing more monumental paintings and sculptures. John Payne is the owner the gallery and is a terrific metal sculptor here in the Asheville area. His studio is in the building also.
On Saturday May 5th at 7:00pm there is a reception at Amanda Gallery, 22 Broadway in Asheville. That show runs April 24th thru June 2nd Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 6pm.
Website: davidzaig.com