Introduction
In April 2005, Frederick (Maryland) Community College hosted a solo exhibition of original drawings by Frank DuVal. The exhibition, entitled “Swing!”, focused on three groups of people:
"I want to understand how a one-hundred-pound woman can whack a golf ball farther than I can see... how a bunch of musicians who haven't rehearsed a lick can make their unique blend of America's music flow for hours and hours … how, under the direction of a choreographer like Donna Grim, a gaggle of teenagers can accomplish impossible feats of individual athletics and synchronized artistry. The answer lies in good work habits: focus, discipline, persistence, commitment, and a willingness to work at the stuff that isn't fun. My goal is to reveal those qualities through a bunch of lines on paper." |
"What I find encouraging is that my artist friends appreciate the drawings for quality of line, and players on the tour appreciate them, I think, because the drawings make them smile. I don’t need to know any more than that. Where am I going with these drawings? In a journalistic sense, I will continue to build a visual archive that offers a unique look at the players who compete at the highest level of ladies' professional golf. In an artistic sense, the correct answer is, 'I don't know.' Since before the Renaissance, drawing has provided artists with a way to explore visual forms and ideas. I begin drawing without a firm plan, I work quickly, I make decisions without agonizing, and I am often pleasantly surprised by the result. Furthermore, since the invention of the camera, artists have been challenged to go beyond 'the picture.' After two dozen tournaments, I hope I have learned to convey a sense of the mental and emotional qualities of the players, as well as the more obvious physical grace and energy, through artistic means. But an artist needs to keep searching for fresh ways to create visual impact, so I will discover where I'm headed only by blundering forward." —From an interview, Spring 2008 |