"Winter Sunset"
Opening Friday, September 3rd 5-8 pm Belfast Art Walk
Scenery, vistas, and excursions in Maine are the themes portrayed in Watercolors by Renate Klein at the new show at the First Light Gallery. The public is invited to join Renate and other gallery artists at an opening reception from 5 - 8 pm on September 3rd during the Belfast Art Walk. Renate says her inspiration comes from the special character or appealing proportions of a building or the abstract statement of something seen in the landscape. She works in both watercolor and acrylic and her technique is to work from lights to darks, wet-in-wet, wet-on-dry and dry brush. For her more abstract works, she might drop paint, paint over wax resists, sprinkle salt or spray alcohol to create texture and interest. She has painted many works related to fly fishing with bamboo fly rods for the Penobscot Gathering, an organization her partner, Bob Milarado organizes. Renate works part time in London, England for a University. She often paints there in acrylics and uses the paintings to decorate the apartment in the hostel where she stays and she leaves the paintings behind as gifts for the next hostel boarder. She remembers recently painting a close-up of tulip flowers and a view of the British Museum. Renate's work will be featured at the Gallery, located at the intersection of Main and High Streets in Belfast, through the end of September.
The Gallery welcomes new artist Marsha
Townsend
Marsha is showing her floral and figurative paintings in oil, pastel, prismcolor pencils, watercolors, and conte’ crayon. Marsha frequently paints portraits of children, adults and family pets. Several portraits, such as ” Riverpup”, a Golden Retriever, peering over a log, and ” The Skeptic,” a pastel of a young girl who has a very quizzical expression, are on exhibit at the Gallery. Marsha shares that even as a little child she wanted to become an artist and she was fortunate to have had early exposure to the visual arts in the Cape Ann area, home of Gloucester and Rockport, two lively artists’ communities on the North Shore of Boston. As a teen, she worked with figurative artist, Edward Fish, learning to paint from live models using the techniques of the ancient masters. Later she studied at the Boston Museum School.
Now retired from teaching and counseling, Marsha has recently been able to paint full time. She explains that the subjects she chooses to paint determine the media used and that the figure is her frequent theme as she is moved by a fleeting mood, a gesture, a reflection. She has been inspired by the works of Rembrandt, Renoir, Monet, Degas, Homer, Cassatt and the Wyeths.
Marsha’s work may also be seen at The Maine Art Gallery in Wiscasset, Me., the Pearson –Legacy Gallery in Deer Isle, Me. and the Bangor Public Library Gallery. She is a member of the Pastel Painters of Maine and of the Bangor Art Society. Recently her portrait, ”Old Friends”, was juried into the Bangor Art Society’s spring show by a distinguished panel of judges; George Kinghorn, Eric Crichton and Carl Little and it won a second prize in the pastel category. Look for Marsha’s feature exhibit later this summer at the First Light Gallery.
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Dan Bennett: Gold and Silver jewelry using Maine tourmaline, pearls, jasper, amethyst and other gems he often facets himself. His Fiddlehead earrings are always a “spring treat”.
Lucinda Talbot: Mixed Media landscapes and seascapes of Maine in acrylic, collage and egg tempera with images on cards, prints, ceramic tiles and glass cutting boards. She has a new line of decorative boxes in many sizes and shapes that are trimmed with beads.
Tom Prescott: Tom works in what he calls Symmetry and
his paintings are bright, vibrant and many –layered. The Gallery is
carrying Tom’s new book and we hope to have some of his silk scarves
soon.
Becky Wight: Views of
the sea and land in Acrylic on canvas that capture the essence of
Maine, complete with waves, seagulls, and figures looking out to sea.
She also has prints and cards.
Leigh Butler: Views of stunning Maine vistas
and waterways in rich pastel. Her works often have rays of Maine’s
beautiful light illuminating a river, a mountain or an old building.
Kay Sullivan: Drawings
of trees, flowers, and Maine’s special places in graphite and pastels on
paper and birch panels. Cards available.
Marsha Townsend: Displays figurative works of children, adults and favorite
pets in prismcolor pencils. She also exhibits lively views of Maine flowers
in
Pastel.
Renate Klein: Displays her watercolor and lino prints along with landscapes, closeups and architecture.
Eric Leppanen: Gallery
guest member displays a few of his large
abstracts that reveal depth, motion, and vibrant enthusiasm. Thank you
to Eric for maintaining the Gallery website.
