Dan's Papers - September 14, 2007 -

To celebrate Sag Harbor's 300th Anniversary, gallery owners Rebecca Cooper of The Gallery and Tulla Booth of Tulla Booth Gallery will be hosting a tour this Saturday, September 15 of eight local galleries, all nestled on Sag Harbor's charming Main Street. The walking tour begins promptly at 4:30 p.m. at the Windmill on the Wharf. Reservations are required, so call (631) 725-7707 to secure a spot.

Currently showing at The Gallery is the work of local artist Sheila Isham. Isham's large watercolor of an orange poppy commands attention, as do the works of Dan Welden, whose industrial feeling prints which look remarkably like pastel in muted neutrals with shots of color strike the viewer. Welden's innovative and environmentally friendly technique of solar plate printing is also making great waves. Whitney Hansen, Ted Asnis, Dallas Ernst, Amy Ernst and Barbara Thomas have pieces on display at The Gallery as well.

The Grenning Gallery has a different feel entirely from The Gallery. New arrivals from Stephen Bauman stun. His portrait, "The Girl," is executed with the accuracy but emotional intimacy of Renoir, and his impressionist cityscape, "West Morning," though mostly in greys, is teeming with life. One can nearly feel a chill breeze while taking in a wet winter day with a red light in the distance, provoking curiosity and arousal. Also in the Grenning Gallery is Classical sculpture "Today." Contemporary sculptor Cody Swanson approaches the human body using a classical medium, bronze, and classical poses such as contraposso (TK spelling) showing changes in the aesthetic ideal of the human form over two thousand years - the change is surprisingly subtle, yet evident and appealing to observe.

At Karin Sanders Fine Art Gallery, Ashley Collins' collection On Horses will be showing through September 24, to coincide with the Hampton Classic. Large scale mixed-media works on canvas make this any horse enthusiast's dream show. Even if riding isn't your choice pastime, the sheer size and archaic depictions of rider and horse will capture attention.

Star Struck, a show featuring iconic celebrity and fashion photographs debuted at Tulla Booth Gallery recently and ran through September 12. The Tulla Booth Gallery is unique in that it houses fine art photography as varied as a perfect ocean curl, to the surrealistic style of famed Harper's Bazaar photographer Bill Silano.

Artist in residence and Vignoli Gallery owner, Fernando Torres Vignoli has a permanent exhibition at his Sag Harbor Gallery. Most recently the prolific native Brazilian artist has produced "Interior of my Exterior," a blending of psychology and visualization of that mentality on the canvas through shaded, angular interiors. A subject Vignoli seems to be consumed by - depicting the soul through building/house interiors- does not lose its poignancy through the artist's many different conceptions.

Since 2003, Cuca Romley has been exclusively represented by the Winter Tree Gallery. Her etchings are meticulously done with the patience needed when etchings first came about. She carefully engraves her intricate designs on the etching ground that covers a copper plate. After the acid has etched the lines into the copper, she engraves the details into the plate with a buril until the image is completed. The image of this original plate is then transferred to a background color. For each individual print, a master printer must ink both etched plates and wipe the surfaces clean. The aquatint plate prints the background color on the first pass through the etching press while the paper is held in place by the roller, the plate with lines is placed precisely where the aquatint had been positioned on the bed of the press, the paper is then lowered for a second pass through the press and this completes the printing process. After the printing ink has dried for a couple of days, the etching is ready for the hand coloring (www.cucaromley.com). Each print can take up to five hours to color. Her country scenes channel folk art, with two dimensional landscapes and people performing manual labor or just going about their daily life. Romley captures the bounty in simplicity of life through her sprawling tree branches and her bicycler during a pumpkin harvest, to name a few.

Romany Kramoris Gallery is featuring beautiful tables, which are on display in the window right now. The furniture is functional but made with clear glass nuggets so it's extremely appealing. An inn table, side table, large box and a hat box are the pieces currently for sale. The gallery is know for it's eclectic mix of fine arts and crafts including blown glass, world crafts, music, cards and books.

Although listed in the Press release, the Prudential Art Space will not be participating in Saturday's event. Variety is boundless in this exciting tour. From modern flare to neoclassical sculpture, the galleries each have their own distinct vision ensuring an engaging afternoon - don't miss the opportunity to glimpse into the world of these artists.