Rehoboth Art League exhibition receptions slated Aug. 22
Summer is coming to a close, but the Rehoboth Art League’s exhibition schedule is still heating up, with new shows highlighting a mixture of mediums, techniques and subjects.
Landscapes are at the center of the new showcases — Nature Portraits: Works by Cathy Leaycraft; Coast to Coast Through All Seasons: Watercolors by Joan Judge; and Ghost Forest: Photographs by Sherry Insley. All will be on display from Friday, Aug. 22 to Sunday, Sept. 21.
Constructed, Carved, Casted: Sculpture from the Rehoboth Art League’s Collections will run from Aug. 22 to Sunday, Oct. 26, in the DeWitt gallery.
The art league will host receptions for the exhibitions from 5 to 7 p.m., Aug. 22, inviting visitors to see the displays in each of its galleries.
Leaycraft is a Baltimore-based photographer who uses innovative approaches to transform traditional photos into striking works of art. Using a glass sphere, she reflects and refracts light to create a unique viewpoint before snapping the shutter. This method produces an image that is almost abstracted but still true to its original form.
From springtime on the Alaskan coastline to summers in Delaware, autumns in Maine and winters in Colorado, Judge’s paintings depict the diverse landscapes, moods and characteristics of the nation. Her images portray scenes such as Yellowstone in Wyoming, Yosemite in California, quaint coastal towns in Alaska, and dramatic skies in New Mexico. Based in Delaware, Judge is inspired by the spontaneity and intensity of watercolor, and the way it allows her to describe the magnificence of any landscape on a two-dimensional surface.
Insley’s photography exhibition is an ongoing documentation of the emergence of ghost forests along the mid-Atlantic coasts, particularly in the Delmarva area. When saltwater is pushed inland into freshwater ecosystems due to storms, rising sea level and climate change, the soil salinity becomes too high. This results in skeletal white trunks standing against lush landscapes, a visual allegory for the changing climate. This stark contrast is both beautiful and disconcerting, creating visual and literal gaps in the density of the forest. This exhibition is an interdisciplinary conversation blending art, climate change, environmental science and the history of this coastal landscape.
Viewers often look at a sculpture just for what it is, but there are several physical characteristics that artists use when creating a three-dimensional work. The way a figure is posed, the texture of the surface and the choice of materials often communicate a narrative. The exhibition featuring sculpture from the RAL permanent collection focuses on these elements, inviting viewers to explore the stories hidden in each artwork and view the pieces from a whole new perspective.
The Ventures Gallery will continue to showcase an eclectic collection of fine art and craft by RAL member artists. Patrons can browse everything from original paintings to wearable fiber art, ceramics and fine-art photography. Each purchase supports a practicing artist as well as the mission of the Rehoboth Art League.
Exhibitions are free and open to everyone during the regular gallery hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m., Sunday.
The Rehoboth Art League is located at 12 Dodds Lane, Henlopen Acres.
For more information, go to rehobothartleague.org.
