Scarborough Fair returns to The Chadds Ford Gallery in full glory

By R.B. Strauss

The Chadds Ford Gallery's exhibitions have always been very exclusive affairs since there are only a few in any given year. However, one prominent talent who appears with clockwork regularity is Chadds Ford's own Paul Scarborough, who unveils his latest paintings in this year's installment of his long-running series, "Scarborough Fair."

Scarborough chronicles the local scene with an astute eye that yields a rich palette. His work possesses a timeless, hushed quality that is visually striking due to his choice of medium. He is one artist whose work is instantly recognizable in both oil and watercolor, yet he utilizes both as separate artistic vernaculars. The show runs through May 6, with an opening reception tomorrow night (Friday) from 5 to 8 p.m. Refreshments will be served, and the public is invited.

This artist holds an advantage over many local artists in that he is allowed access to the Weymouth estate, and its rich natural splendor. "Road to the Chapel" is an intriguing watercolor marked with nearly subliminal details that work on a spiritual level that are as Romantic as they are devout.  

Of course, the subtlest aspect of the piece is the directional arrow attached to the birdhouse post, pointing the way to the thickening woods beyond the immediate field. There is a basic elemental feel to the piece that evokes a serenity grounded in nature, as just what connects humanity to the whole of creation.     

"Banjo" is at once a portrait and a tribute to one of the area's most beloved figures, the horse that belonged to Ward Kissell and was mourned by the whole community on shaking off this mortal coil. The composition offers the horse framed within a large opening in the stable as the grand beast peers intently out through a window, while light pours through the window in return, bathing Banjo in understated effulgence.  Indeed, beyond the effortless equine elegance, Scarborough imbues Banjo with grand wonder via his depiction of light, especially in context with how he offers shadows, which are purposely scattered along the ground with nary a one touching Banjo.

Yet another exclusive work done on the Weymouth estate is "Spring Pathway at Frolic's." This is an oil painting that finds Scarborough attentive to the medium though a richly textured composition. This offers the pathway bisecting the foreground until it veers sharply and so disappears in the middle distance.

  
Very narrow, the pathway suggests that it was originally a route created by deer and later found by humanity. Flanking both sides of the pathway in profusion are amassed bluebells, while tree trunks alone stand like pillars leading into a natural temple. Completing the work, a brief hint of sky is a fine contrast of blue to the blooms.

"Mendenhall Farm" is a watercolor that affords the massive farm building as a living entity that is more permanent than some things in nature. Boasting a strong base of stonework, the main building is quite large and is book-ended by two "wings."

A lone loft window breaks up the massive and stoic expanse that is the wooden side of the place, implacable in its certainty, and furthered by a dead tree nearby stripped of leaves not by winter but by an obvious lightning strike. A little Scotty pooch adds a touch of levity to the proceedings, while a couple of water filled ruts in the mud reflects the looming sky above to enjoin the infinite to the earth.

This year's "Scarborough Fair" is a rewarding experience that will long linger in memory.

Chadds Ford Post 4/19/2007