LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
ART Around |
by Lee Wayne Mills |
All the Colors on the Horizon! Murray Archibald's new show at Blue Moon (35 Baltimore Avenue, through July) soars with the new ideas and energies he was playing with in last year's exhibition. So it is fitting that the exhibition is called Emergence. Leaving behind his signature design motifs in air-brush, he has developed an arresting overlay of multiple color swaths on a graphic network that acts as a skeleton on which to drape his color. The one-two punch of those elements sets things in motion as composition after composition spins into view creating a kaleidoscopic effect of contours and colorsas if X-rays were invading the spectrum! Thus a metaphor is set up for the larger notion of Emergence as Murray identifies it for us. We are many colors, sizes and shapesstrong here and sensitive theresinew and bone, skin and flesh. All the layers, the levels and the convolutions that collectively make both individuals and societies. Grace One (sea grass) has dancing geometries as Murray's modeled and inscribed surface intersects with a full spectrum of bold colorreal reds pushing zingy oranges around intrepid blues and beyond garden greens. Often in Murray's pieces you will find a full mix of confident color. It is about the rainbow and we are all the colors on the horizon! Then, contemplative and introspective, the rainbow defuses to softer pastels and gentle shapesthe shadows of color speaking of nuance and subtlety. Slow Dance II depicts stylized faces and features in a thoughtful, Picasso-esque evocation of features and relationships. Trio is a strong modernist composition with pop-art colors washing over features intertwined with various fields of color. As always, the black and white of some works are the turbos for much of the color explosions elsewhere. It is the power of design consolidation you can see most easily in the black and white works which ultimately fuel so much of Murray's color dynamo. Pieces like Eye to Eye 6 and Eye to Eye 15, both black and white, show the armature of design that is the spine of Murray's work. It is from the thoughtful structure of his paintings that the true spirit of his work climbs. It is like Emergence itselfan energized circular form polarizing and morphing into a heart in a four part process that carries color and line and shape beyond possibility into a touching reality. Sonia Hunt's exhibition at Cloud 9 (234 Rehoboth Avenue) is charming and engaging. Ms. Hunt's sincerity with paint goes a long way in making up for any formal shortcomings in her efforts as an artist. I liked a number of her works: In For Repair is a lively painting full of incident. Its sense of scale and proportion are a bit skewed but it more than makes up for that with an open, gestural paint handling which lends the scene a naturalistic and easy air. Similarly, Looking at the Ruins, Perge, Turkey is handsome in both mood and color harmonies. Its gawky and awkward shadowing cannot quite convey that harsh edge of light between deep shade and strong sunlight. Even so, it is painted with real conviction and the warmth of the tourist filled scene seduces us. After the RainLewes Bay Dune was (from my viewpoint) the most successful piece in the show. Its more simply realized landscape composition was strengthened by a monochromatic palette. Cool, silvery blue grays drifting toward the deeper charcoals of shadow as dune grass, stormy sky and a stiff breeze recreate the day. Fred Chase's Canvas Windows at Coastal Frameshop and Gallery (4284B Highway 1, between CVS and Cingular, through July 24) reinvestigate his fascination with digitally manipulated photographs. Clouds is a work that skillfully and economically makes his case. A low horizon of billowy clouds reflected in a lazy flow of river are actually a double row of wispy blue hydrangeas drifting along the horizon. Dogwood plays an intense blue sky with the deep red of kousa petals perfectly bi-sected by one of Chase's window pane matsthe intensity of color and the arresting geometry dramatically stage the idea of cruciform and the allusion to blood. On a more playful note, Fred's sassy olives and glittering martinis toss around color, texture and form in a gleeful approximation of digital happy hour. Sleeping cats and languid lemons round out the exhibition. It is always delightful to witness a designer's eye in its playful modelooking for possibility and pouncing on opportunity. Reflections a Collection of New Work by Bob Rahamin Rehoboth artist, Robert Rahamin, will exhibit his recent collection of contemporary oil paintings at Cloud 9 Restaurant, 234 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, from July 13 through September 1, 2003. An opening reception will be held Sunday, July 13, from 3 to 5 p.m. and is open to the public. This body of work, Reflections, represents a variety of themes inspired by recent travels to Paris, Venice, Barcelona, Sitges, and Monseratt. According to Rahamin, "I take images, sounds, and smells and re-interpret them in my own unique way. The textures come from touching the buildings and stone work of the cities; many of them centuries old, which display years of man-made and natural wear and are inspirational by themselves. The use of silver, gold and copper represent hints of the exquisite metalwork found in these countries. As a Cuban-American, of Spanish descent, I bring these images back to my home in Rehoboth Beach where I merge my inspirations and create my own art. My paintings become a visual journal of travels and experiences." Rahamin's paintings, jewelry and enamels are in private collections throughout the United States. His work has also been exhibited at the Columbus Museum of Art, the Cleveland Art Institute, Cooper School of Art and various galleries throughout the country. His paintings are the culmination of time spent in introspection, reflection and celebration. Through his unique manipulation of media, Bob explores the cycle of life and personal spirituality. Artist Lee Wayne Mills lives in Rehoboth Beach. He is co-owner of Coastal Frameshop and Gallery. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 13, No. 9, July 11, 2003 |