Accompanied by his daughter, Tasha and her mother, Kathy, Joseph calmly explains his work to a youth group from St. Bernadette, at the Wayside Expressions Gallery, Friday evening. The prints adorn the gallery walls and invites guests to look through the eyes of a child. The illustrations are accompanied by the text, also written by Joseph. The Amazing Mr. Duke is the first early reader children’s book to be published by McGee, the result of a promise Joseph made to his daughter many years ago. “This is a departure from my sculpture and other art, but I like it”, McGee said at the reception.
In person, the prints are well balanced with appropriately sized elements, detailed textural effects, and soft, complimenting tones offer needed contrast to the strong black outlines. Joseph drew the characters with clean lines, using dramatic shading effects. Joseph talked about the continuity of the prints, “I drew one, then another. They were not drawn in order” Ironically, the first illustration drawn is near the end of the book.
The children’s book offers brilliantly constructed illustrations of a cat, Mr. Duke, on a journey to join the circus of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Along the way, Mr. Duke becomes fast friends with a horse, a turtle, and three geese; all traveling in what McGee describes as, “a netherworld.” McGee commented on the show, “I have drawn this cat for 30 years and some things stay the same, some do not.”
Joseph displays the original 26 prints, complete with text through January 31 at the gallery. The Wayside Expressions Gallery is located inside Hotel Louisville at 120 West Broadway (Between 1st and 2nd Streets). Joseph’s website offers many other examples of his versatile artistic talents, wwwjoemcgeeart.com.
A reception is scheduled for Sunday, January 15th from 2-4 pm. The exhibit, as well as the reception are free and open to the public. The gallery is open Monday thru Friday 11:00 am-1:30 pm, other times by appointment. Please feel free to call Randy Webbe at 502/584-3711 for additional information. Parking is free in the adjoining lot. This exhibit will both please the eyes and have the children laughing.
Photo: Courtesy of Joseph McGee
