As summer begins, Island galleries are preparing to launch the first exhibits. For Field Gallery, that means the chance to bring attention to the unique photographs of the gallery’s director, Jhenn Watts, and two other Island artists: jeweler Kenneth Pillsworth (Ms. Watts’s husband) and plein air painter Jeff Hoerle. The three artists work in very different media, making them a perfect show to start the season.
“We do not really do theme shows,” Ms. Watts says. “In general we let each artist’s work speak for itself and actually try to pick works that are not similar. In that way the artists are not in competition but rather in synergy.”
The show, which runs from June 20 to July 3, features the last remaining pieces done by Ms. Watts using the now-extinct Polaroid film, and a unique process called emulsion-lift. The technique requires carefully removing the gelatinous, onion-skin thin film and placing it on a piece of glass. As the film dries, unique wrinkles, whorls and other textures form, adding depth and dimension to the photos. Ms. Pillsworth, while disappointed that the end of film production means she cannot further explore this medium, is pleased to be pushed to try something new.
“I’m sad to see this process go, but excited to see where it will take me as an artist,” she says. “What I envisioned for my work is becoming something different.”
Among the pieces to be exhibited is one of her larger works, “South Shore Serenity,” a photograph of Lucy Vincent Beach, an area of the Island she has long photographed and loved for its ever-changing landscape.
“It captures my vision of the Island and that feeling you get when on the brink of the beach, the sea, and the sky,” she says.
For Mr. Pillsworth, the show provides an opportunity to work under ideal conditions: a tight deadline.
“I’m actually making new pieces as we speak,” he said last Saturday. “This year I’m finding myself changing a bit and using more colored stones, more pearls and some more traditional stuff too. Stay tuned.”
The show will also feature the striking landscapes of Mr. Hoerle, an artist who has become a perennial favorite of patrons at the gallery.
“It’s the first show, and Jeff is by far one of our best-selling artists,” Ms. Watts said, “I like to get his work out as soon as possible so the most people can see it.”
The exhibition will begin this Sunday at 11 am, with all three artists attending the reception that evening from 5 to 7 pm. Ms. Watts hopes people will come to see the art and celebrate the start of the summer.
“Being the first opening of the season, it is a great time to see old friends again, have a drink, and wander around,” she said.
Field Gallery, Artists Reception, June 20, 5 to 7 pm. Featuring the work of Jhenn Watts, Jeff Hoerle, and Kenneth Pillsworth. State Road, West Tisbury. 508-693-5595.
