The current attraction at Walker is Alchemy, a marvelous duet that pairs emerging Colorado painter Ben Strawn with sculptor Norman Epp, an established artist who's relatively new to the area. Even though the work of the two artists occupies the same space, Alchemy functions as two solos.
Strawn, the son of notable Colorado artists Bernice and Mel Strawn, lives in Salida, as do his parents. His paintings are retro '50s, and the best of them, such as "Triptych" and "Limn Flourish," clearly demonstrate why abstract expressionism has held imaginations for more than half a century. In the right hands -- like Strawn's -- it's just so darned lyrical. Other secrets to Strawn's success are his confident brush strokes and a paint box full of strong colors.
Epp's technically and formally erudite sculptures make a wonderful companion to Strawn's paintings, even if they are different stylistically. The figural abstractions in wood, stone and metal, sometimes used in different combinations, are also retro, but Epp's source is surrealism rather than abstract expressionism. Epp is still little known around here, unjustly but understandably, because he's only been exhibiting in the region since 2000.
I know it's hard to imagine a reason to enter a tacky pile like the Prado, but if you do, you'll find something surprisingly wonderful inside. Alchemy runs through November 1 at Walker Fine Art.
