CRUCIBLE

By Haley Hunt

Head to the Speck Gallery in October to see CRUCIBLE by Mark Alan Miller.

The mental state of an artist, more often than not, can affect his or her work in numerous ways, from theme to materials to meaning. When artists experience a shift in their mental state or health, their work will usually reflect this change. The new artist whose work is being featured in the Speck Gallery this month is Mark Alan Miller. He said, “All of the work in CRUCIBLE was created after a sudden and rather severe shift in mental health.” The title of the show is drawn from a quote by Jim Gates which says that “suffering is a crucible.”

Almost every piece in the show CRUCIBLE uses only ink and paper as the medium. When thinking about this limited number of materials, coupled with the complexity of each piece, it can lead the viewer to consider the deeper meanings of life. Life can often appear simple, but at a closer look, the complexities will present themselves more clearly.

Another noticeable aspect of the medium used by Mark Alan Miller is that there is almost no color in this exhibit, except for a couple frames which are blue. The lack of color could be a way to draw on the way that life can be mundane and sometimes void of color.

CRUCIBLE also features many pieces that are hung in shadow boxes rather than frames. As the name implies, this choice by the artist causes some shadows to fall on the drawings in some areas. In this way, Miller is playing with the light that is cast on these pieces and the way that they are placed in the gallery in relation to the lights. Perhaps the shadows themselves could hold meaning in relation to one’s mental state and the way that they view the world. Miller also does an incredible job in this show with the way that he invites his viewer to explore the relationship between positive and negative space. Many of these pieces feel complex and extremely detailed without feeling overly busy or overwhelming. This is due to the negative space that Miller includes in many of his pieces.

What I really love about this show is that so much of it leaves space for the audience to make up their own interpretations and come up with a multitude of meanings for each piece. What I ask of viewers of CRUCIBLE is to go in with an open mind that is ready to draw on their own feelings that this art evokes when examining the meaning of this show.

CRUCIBLE by Mark Alan Miller will be shown in the Speck gallery until the end of October 2020. I am excited for you all to check out this complex and thought-provoking show while it is here!