Chuck Baird, Thirty-Five Plates

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating!
Review: The work of Deaf artist Chuck Baird is compassionate, clever, and above all fascinating. His most distinctive work uses his native language--American Sign Language, or ASL--in playful ways that combine the images of the language with more conventional art images. In one of the best pieces, "Tyger, Tyger," he overlays a threatening image of a tiger with the sign for "tiger." I hate to use a cliche, but this dreamlike piece truly has to be seen to be believed. Baird also produces more conventional artwork, including photorealistic paintings something like those of Don Eddy. My favorite work is a study of an old-fashioned camera with bright colors as succulent as those of Wayne Thiebaud or any Pop artist. The reproductions are very well done.