A child gets out his or her crayons and draws a stick person accompanied by a house with a smokestack. Next to the house, made of one square and a triangle as the roof, is a tree that resembles a green cloud with a trunk.
This drawing took only a few minutes to create, and parents view it as a work of art as they hang it on their refrigerators.
But the pieces of art David O’Dell created take a bit more time to construct.
O? Dell, who is a printmaker in Lake Orion, submitted three of his artworks to the North Oakland County Art Festival, which will take place August 14 ? 16 at Canterbury Village. He will be at booth number 23. And one of his pieces in particular took a total of 46 days to create.
This piece is entitled Things are Looking Up. The picture represents the view of a smokestack on a cruise ship from several decks below.
‘An unconventional view leads to a re-interpretation of one’s surroundings,? O’Dell said.
Serigraphy, also known as screen printing, is a type of printmaking which O’Dell used to create this piece. O’Dell first began creating serigraphic editions about thirty years ago.
O’Dell explained that serigraphy is when the artist creates a different stencil in a screen for each color used in the final artwork.
‘It is a slow process,? O’Dell said.
After the stencil is applied to the screen, the non-printing areas are blocked out, and the artist lets the screen dry. Then the screen is placed in a press, and the ink is placed on the surface of the screen. A squeegee is pulled along the surface of the screen to transfer the image to the paper. For each color on the picture, the process is repeated.
‘The print Things are Looking Up has 23 colors, hence 23 stencils, 23 screens, 23 preparation days and 23 printing days,? O’Dell said. But in the end, O’Dell said it was worth it, because he enjoys the way the ink lays on the paper with this process.
O’Dell said he thinks it’s important for the Lake Orion community to experience the different varieties of artwork at the 1st Annual North Oakland County Art Festival.
‘I think art is like music in that there are many different styles available for people to appreciate. Communities that engage artists in shows and exhibitions provide a forum for those artists to communicate their feelings, thoughts and vision. People in those communities of all ages have a chance to get out and see what’s new and different in the world around them. That each artist creates his or her individual work, in often vastly different approaches, is a wonderful thing. After all, variety is the spice of life!? O’Dell said.
Patty Narozny, director of the art festival, agrees with O’Dell.
‘It is important to keep art alive. By displaying works publicly, anyone can come and appreciate it,? Narozny said.