KATHRYN EARNHART | The Butler Institute of American Art Artist's work focuses on elemental

Leigh Wen-Cheng's work expresses the power of the elements -- wind, fire, air and earth. She grew up on the island of Taiwan, and as a Chinese-born artist now living in America, Leigh has, through her work, bridged the gap of conflicting cultures, blending the ancient philosophies of self-discipline and selflessness of the East with the driving forces of ego and desire that have come to define the West.
Subtracting darkness into light, Wen-Cheng carves into the paint-layered surface of her canvases with a stylus, creating hundreds of individual lines much like a composer creates a symphony with notes. The lines flow across the surface of the canvas -- rhythmic with what sometimes seems a tangle of texture, creating a beautiful harmony from the chaotic scratches.
A diminutive woman, full of talent and energy, Leigh impressed all of us at the Butler through her sincerity, kindness and incredible energy, and won our hearts through her devotion to the process of painting on a monumental scale. Remember that word, process; it is important to this story.
Display challenges
Preparing the exhibition for display, museum preparators were challenged by the installation of Wen-Cheng's largest work, "Fire Mural," which measured 10 x 30 feet. A hydraulic lift and many human hands achieved the hanging of the work, but as the installation progressed, the unthinkable occurred.
Small areas of paint from the surface of the canvas began to drop, like tiny orange snow flakes, to the marble gallery floors.
It was decided that the environmental change may have affected the work, which had been stored for nearly two years in the artist's studio. Best to wait a day and review the situation.
Dawn came, and the tiny flakes of orange snow were now beautiful orange rain puddles. Butler Director Dr. Lou Zona observed the situation with chief preparator Ray Johnson.
Magnifying glasses inspected the surface at every angle. The opening of the exhibition was to occur in two days. What to do. (Save the orange "puddles" for sure.)
Photos were taken, then e-mailed to Wen-Cheng; Zona followed up with an e-mail. More waiting. Phone calls were made to the artist, but none were returned. Time passed. One day until the opening, and still no communication.
Finally, the call came from Wen-Cheng, who had been out of town. (She was attending a White House reception as an honoree for her participation in the Art in Embassies program -- a guest of President and Mrs. Bush.)
"This happens all the time," she commented cheerfully referring to the paint flakes. "I will fix it when I come tomorrow."
Reparations
As the public arrived at the Butler the next day for the reception to meet the artist, Wen-Cheng, dressed in a black cocktail dress (she had discarded her high-heeled shoes for the moment) and dwarfed by the monumental "Fire Mural" she created, was perched atop a ladder with a paint brush and a tube of the now-familiar orange oil paint intently touching up her masterpiece depicting fire.
"You must remember," she told us as she applied her trademark scratch marks with a stylus (the final touch to the paint surface repair), "it is the process that is the art!"
X"Acts of Nature: Paintings and Other Works by Leigh Wen-Cheng" is on view at the Butler through Feb. 8. Also on view at the Butler in Youngstown: Jon Meyer: "Yeti and Other Works" (video and digital works), through Jan, 29; "The Body Electric" (holograms), through April; Pastel Society of America Board of Directors Exhibition (Giffuni Gallery), through January; "Reflections of Reality: The Hainsworth Collection of American Painting" through Feb. 12, Meet the Collectors, Jan. 29, 1-3 p.m.