Two beards. One art show. The Java Joint.

The Java Joint will feature a show entitled "Two Beards, One Art Show" hosted by two local artists on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. 

The show will display pieces of art by Mark Webb and Christian Alexandersen, staff members of The Herald-Dispatch.

Webb, a photographer for the newspaper, will be displaying many of his works from Greece, Yellowstone National Park, The Dolly Sods Wilderness, as well as a few works of photojournalism from his work with The Herald-Dispatch. 

Some of his most popular works include the sunsets from Santorini Island in Greece and a photo of people viewing pumpkins at Rick Griffith's Pumpkin House in Kenova, W.Va.

Webb said after visiting Greece in May of 2009, he felt it was finally time to build a portfolio and display his works of art.  After nearly a year, he was approached with the idea of a show, and he said yes immediately.

"A thing about photography is that it's all about being in the right place in the right time, imagining what the image should look like, and having the know-how to get the image exactly as you intend it to be," Webb said. "I feel that I have been able to capture some amazing scenes that will awe and inspire other photographers and hope that they will enjoy viewing my work just as I do with many of the other top photographers around the world."

In 2008, Webb received second and third place awards from the West Virginia Press Association for his national forest and sports photo packages.

"I am highly influenced by leaders in the commercial photography industry such as Tim Tadder and Dave Hill as well as the many top sports photographers that are able to deliver the best of the best images at events such as the Olympics.  I always look at their work and try to analyze how they were able to create such an awesome image," Webb said.

Christian Alexandersen, a reporter for the newspaper, will display a selection of paintings done over the past year that feature dripping paint. 

"Drip paintings are done by tilting the canvas, allowing the paint to flow smooth and evenly," Alexandersen said.  

"I started painting in art class when I was 17 and was only able to use black paint which was something that I found very interesting," Alexandersen said.  "I didn't paint in college, but my main influence has been Jackson Pollack, because he had such a clear vision of how he wanted the paint to flow. I love the concept of being able to do something as simple as throw paint on a canvas and create something spectacular."

Alexandersen said the result is a unique interaction between paint and gravity.  All paintings are acrylic on canvas.  Other paints in the collection diverge from the drip style.

Alexandersen will also be selling record bowls, which is artwork created through the melting of records that are eventually formed into a bowl shape.  Some of the records included on the bowls are from artists such as Frank Sinatra, Gloria Gaynor, Robin Williams, Headliners and Johnny Cash.

The artwork will be on sale from Thursday to April 11. The show is free and open to the public.

There will be food and drinks along with live music.  The Java Joint is located at the corner of Hal Greer Boulevard and Third Avenue in Huntington.

John Yeingst can be contacted at yeingst@marshall.edu.