A Peek at "Album Amicorum"

I was at the Business of Art Center yesterday to meet the new director, Patty Arnold (who seems very competent, btw - more about her later) and took a quick peek at "Album Amicorum: Gems of Friendship in a Frightened World," the international paper marbling show that opens Friday.

Briefly, it's stunning: Colorful, hypnotic, and enchanting.

The text hadn't been installed yet, but its absence only highlighted what an international medium marbling is. It was rare that you could tell whether the artist was American, German, Japanese, or Turkish.

Marbling is also a gentle reminder that abstraction is nothing new or necessarily modern in art. Artists have been fascinated by the swirling, repetitive patterns of marbling for over 500 years.

There will be a preview in Friday's "Go!" But to appreciate this work, you have to see it live and up close.

The opening is 5-8 p.m. on Friday at the Business of Art Center, 513 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs.

Image by Brazilian artist Renato Crepaldi