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'Water
Works' its summer charms at Art3 I recently moved to a seaside town, and I am reclaiming the view of water as the most beautiful sight for human eyes. Our bodies are mostly made of water, and we need water to survive. It is not surprising that water, the backbone and forefather of our existence, should feature prominently in our art. "Water Works," the current show on view at Art3 Gallery through Aug. 30, includes approximately 50 works that attest to the fascination we humans have with water. In the gallery's small, intimate rooms in an old mill-worker's row house, one can view a wide range of interpretations of the substance that makes us tick. Gallery owners Joni Taube and Lee Forgosh selected the contributions from the more than 150 artists whom the gallery represents. They have sold and replenished more than one-third of the original show since it opened, a sign of the success of the theme. Some of the highlights of "Water Works" are the three dramatic oil and acrylic paintings by Boston-based artist Dorothy Arnold. Arnold builds up her large-scale paintings with broad strokes of thickened paint, pulling a third dimension out of the canvas to convey the bold motion of natural scenes. Her world travels are the subjects of many series, as the abstract oceanscape titled "Takeetna" suggests. Sweeping gusts of stormy sea clouds pull on a rocky, pine-dotted outcropping in another painting "Islet," part of her Maine series. In an entirely different style from Arnold's, painter Dennis Perrin harkens back to the 19th century. He captures a nostalgic mood through the careful play of fading sunlight over the graceful figure of a woman in his painting "On the Rocks." His brushstrokes are in places very abstract, yet he conveys the intensity of dark to light contrasts in sharp detail, reminiscent of the masterpieces of John Singer Sargent. Most of the other works in the show are more contemporary in tone, including a number of bright pastel and watercolor seascapes. The most adventurous is an abstract mixed-media work by Lisa Occhipinti, a local artist who layers her paint over newsprint, hiding images behind an enigmatic metallic surface. If you're looking for a way to support local artists, Art3 can help you choose from among many talented artists whose work falls within a variety of budget ranges. While half of their art consultant business comes from corporate clients and universities (they were recently commissioned to decorate a Boston office for Microsoft), the other half comes from individuals collecting art for their homes. One popular artist, Goffstown resident Ann Trainer Domingue, specializes in scenes of Manchester, and through the aid of Art3 she has been commissioned to paint a large-scale mural in a prominent downtown lobby. West High art teacher Claudia Michael is also a favorite of gallery co-director Taube: "Her works are very loose but always very powerful," Taube says. Several of her watercolors are small, close-up vignettes of natural features such as rocks, trees and rivers. If all this talk of water imagery seems too far from the source for your taste, in the front room of the gallery a bronze water fountain, complete with a dragonfly, adds a touch of the real thing. Art3 Gallery is located at 44 West Brook St. Hours of operation: Mon. through Fri., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and by appointment. "Water Works" is on display through Aug. 30. Call 668-6650 for more information. Copyright © 2002 HIPPOPRESS LLC. All rights reserved. |
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