Montauk Pioneer - August 22, 2008

Last Saturday was a perfect day: the sun was shining; a breeze was blowing; the violinist at the gazebo was playing old favorites. Welcome to the Montauk Art Show. Continuity is important in the local art community, especially when it seems art galleries are opening and closing at great speed. Yet one event we can count on is the Montauk Art Show ( a..k.a. Show on the Green), this year celebrating its 14th anniversary. Sponsored by the Montauk Artists' Association, the exhibit encourages artists from a wide range of geographical areas; these same individuals also represent diverse styles and media.

For example, local scenes done in watercolor were in abundance, including Pat Flynn's dunes, Ditch Plains and the Montauk Lighthouse.

Other watercolor works, like those by Sandy Fleishman, went farther afield, featuring what appeared to be European village settings. Using other media besides watercolor was apparent in some cases as well, like beach scenes by Michael Patterson, yet the subjects were not necessarily from the Hamptons. In fact, Patterson's beaches were generic in nature, recalling Cubist influences. Even so, they had an interesting flair. Patterson's village scenes also evoked an intriguing mood, especially when rain was involved.

It seemed to this critic that many works took their inspiration from scenes that were not local at all. Consider Anne Johann's "Receding Tide, Popham Beach, Maine," where the clouds meet both the sea and the sand bar in an arresting balance.

Another example included photographs by John Deng, a Roslyn artist whose large pictures featured scenes from China. A favorite showed a field full of yellow flowers. In the background were structures which looked out-of-place, seemingly more European than Chinese. Even so, the ambience was joyful and spirited. Conversely, a black and white photo of the Li River was overcast, mysterious and somewhat melancholy.

On the other hand, works by John Davis were one of the few examples of figuration, his subjects coming from Africa and the Caribbean. His women seemed to capture the joy of life within the confines of their indegenous environment. One piece showing a line

full of clothes was particularly vivid. Most of the works were natrure-oriented, including limited edition photographs by Marc Duke: lovely close-ups of flowers like "Peach Rose" and "White Mum."

Other pieces celebrating nature in all its glory were represented by Jack Schwartz' fish printing where real fish are painted over to form an impression on silk paper.

Not all the artists used nature as a subject however; one notable exception was Yoram Gal, an Israeli artist who created satirical scenes of American icons like Abe Lincoln.

All in all, the exhibit's diversity seemed to work, although nature was the primary star.