Dan's Papers - August 29, 2008

There's quite a variety represented at the deCordova Studio and Gallery's current show in Greenport. Yet traveling to Greenport is an experience in itself, especially if you take the two ferries involved.Once you get to the studio and gallery, however, another treat awaits.

The gallery owner's home is also the art venue, and a more comfortable, welcoming and tasteful place is hard to find. Most gallery-goers simply don't want to leave, this critic included.

If this statement sounds like an advertisement, it is not The physical setting, of course, should provide a suitable setting for any exhibit, but it's the art which ultimately counts.

The show's theme is "Big" ("Big as our walls will hold.") Even so, we aren't conscious that each piece is huge; in fact, the works seem as comfortable, welcoming and tasteful as the venue itself. Instead, what strikes us is the diversity of the styles and media.

For example, let's consider David Geiser's "Leviathan," an oil and encaustic abstract work on wood. It should be overwhelming because of its dramatic aesthetics, but the piece wears its drama well. Conversely, Hector deCordova's fabric pieces, like "Spash #2," are subtle and peaceful, putting us in a quasi-meditative state. Perhaps the muted colors contribute to this effect or the ink and watercolor media.

Sherry Schreiber's tapestries have a similar evocation, where we want to float in the purple fields, free from daily trials and tribulations. The artist's titles conjure up such effects, too, with names like "Asian Dreams" and "Lavender Field."

Marilyn Church's "All That Jazz" evokes dreams s well, but the viewer must finish the story suggested by the the figures. It is for this reason that Church's work is often both intellectual and emotional.

Ralph Carpentier's expressionistic work is not only a surprise but also centers on narrativity and emotion. It's as if a scene from a Tim Burtons film has come alive. What's happening in this barren landscape filled with frightful overtones? Is this the Ralph Carpentier we know and love? You bet it is.

Scott Partlow's cherrywood torso, "The Prophet," is big in size and concept. It is striking on all levels, as it watches over all the other works in the show.

While Dan Welden's abstraction offers no surprise concerning any style change, it's still an arresting melange of lines, colors, intersections, confusion and absolute clarity.

Down the street, Sirens' Song Gallery features woodblock prints by April Vollmer. The fish, which fill the frame and then some, each have a personality of their own, and we appreciate this kind of personification.

Vollmer's bees and flowers are also more than they appear at first glance: oddly enough, this critic sees a story taking place in the bees' activities. It's an intriguing way to interpret the works.

Both exhibits will be on view at the deCordova Gallery and Sirens'Song until September 7.