Exhibitions

Gallery One is pleased to announce the January/February show, “Artist’s Choice” open to the public January 6 through February 28, 2023.

This month at Gallery One the artists are exercising their freedom of choice. In December, our patrons selected our theme, but for our newest show, each artist is choosing their own favorite painting. I feel that this gives the viewer the opportunity to peer inside the unique inspirations that each artist brings to their artwork.

After the busyness and sparkle of the holiday has worn off a bit, we locals tend to find ourselves of two mindsets. Either longing for, and reminiscing about, summer; or appreciating the quiet joys of the beach in winter. Our local artists also seem to fall into one of those camps. Artist Laura Hickman represents the latter with her pastel painting, “#2 Lifeguard Stand,” symbolizing this yearning. Laura’s reply is “During Winter months, it is nice to remember the beach in warmer weather.  This image was from a beautiful morning in early June, before the summer crowds.”

Artist Mary Bode Byrd’s mixed media painting, “Beach People,” brings us back to the beach at the peak of the season. “My whimsical people are the early folks to the beach, getting a spot even before the lifeguards arrive!” The painting is filled with color and energy!  “Regatta,” an acrylic painting by artist Joyce Condry, brings back memories of summers in Annapolis sitting on the dock watching sailboat races on the bay. The crisp white sails set against a glorious blue sky, pop with graphic energy!

For many of us, the birds that make our area home for the wintertime provide us with comfort and joy over the chilly months. Lesley McCaskill’s oil painting, “Flight Pattern,” is an example of this. “I live on a marsh and during this time of year the sky can be cool blues and lavenders, juxtaposed against the golden winter marsh. The sky is often dotted with formations of geese in flight, their voices honking in rhythm as they fly overhead.” Artist Eileen Olson enjoys this rhythm as well, in her acrylic painting, “Cacophony”.   She vibrantly illustrates the delight these winter friends bring her all season. “When I am outdoors, I hear and see them everywhere I go, and it is such a joyous sight!” Another joyous sight is Michelle Marshall’s jocular roosters in her acrylic painting, “Cock-a-doodle-duo,” the rooster’s job does not take a break in the winter, and it’s nice to have a friend.

Artist Dale Sheldon’s acrylic painting, “Smith Island Tranquility,” brings us a glimpse of the peace and quiet that many miss during the hectic summer tourist season. Some find the cold a small price to pay for that healing solitude. “Peaceful and quiet, the islands in the Chesapeake Bay are known for their watermen and seafood. While losing land to rising sea levels, they are still hosting a variety of nesting seabirds as they have for decades. They are a treasure.”