Exquisite pencil works

Press, 4 August 1977, Page 23

Exquisite pencil works

Michael Ebel Drawings and Paintings, C.S.A. Gallery until August 9. Reviewer:

Michael Thomas Exquisite use of pencil can be seen in the draw-

ings by Michael Ebel, who is showing a small but fascinating collection of recent work at the C.S.A. gallery. The most striking thing about the best drawings is that they look real and vet graphic at the same time. Michael Ebel has controlled his tones so that the light catching the many facets of crumpled paper — the subject of

several pieces — casts such authentic shadows on to the picture surface that the spectator almost be-

lieves that it is an object, and not a drawing, which he is viewing.

When a gourd or a mushroom is depicted on top of the crumpled paper the challenge is greater, and the result is less convincing. The powerful frames do little to increase the illusion of the objects’ being in front of the picture surface. They are more suited to the conventional perspective employed in “Sunflower Scape” — a

highly detailed drawing of leaves receding into the distance. This piece has a delicate pale quality, in spite of intricate pencil work, is never overstated in terms of tone. It remains, however, primarily a feat of draughtsmanship. The paintings show a heavy reliance on tonal gradation. Some miniature renderings of photographic portraits are worth scrutiny, but these, like the more conventional drawings, verge on being a display of skill for its ow n sake — a trap so easy to fall into with this type of work.