The Workshop Art Gallery is unique to the Vineyard in that it houses not just a gallery space but also artists’ studios. So not only can visitors view the show that’s hanging, they also have the opportunity to visit with one or more of the four artists on premises, and check out other pieces that they are working on.
The current show, which opened on May 29, features work by all four of the member artists, Dan Vanlandingham, Lauren Coggins Tuttle, Terry Crimmins, and David Tierney, plus new work by three artists from the Scranton, Pa., area. The exhibit is eclectic, featuring a range of works from traditional landscapes to abstracts to mixed-media work to some very interesting photos.
Pennsylvania artist Russ Noto, who is an art school friend of Workshop member Dan Vanlandingham, is clearly an experimenter whose work distorts reality in one way or another. A couple of oil paintings show lone clouds represented in the style of pixelated photos. Another mixed-media sculptural series features a combination of small oil paintings, surrounded by tennis balls and words painted in large letters. Mr. Noto writes in his artist statement, “My intention is to take the traditional, often figurative and romantic notions of beauty in painting and isolate them as separate materials within an experience.”
Jenn Bell uses a unique process — fusing enamel onto distressed copper panels —- to create simple, attractive depictions of flowers and other subjects from nature.
Photographer Dino deNaples favors extreme close-ups and heightened color. The series on display at the Workshop features high-contrast details of some odd-looking antique marionettes.
The Workshop members are each showing recent work, in many cases demonstrating the new directions that they are exploring individually.
Lauren Coggins Tuttle uses a combination of oil and acrylic to create partially abstracted paintings where the representational morphs into explorations of color and brushstroke. Terry Crimmins’ latest series focuses on large-scale views of swimmers beneath the water.
The Workshop’s newest member, David Tierney, straddles the abstract and representational worlds in his paintings. A carpenter by trade, Mr. Tierney creates striking Vineyard landscapes on wood, incorporating the woodgrain and texture into the scene. He also uses the roughness of the wood surface as an element in his colorful geometric abstracts.
Mr. VanLandingham is constantly exploring new styles and subject matter. In the current show he is introducing a series of contemporary landscapes that he describes as “a little more conceptual and less traditional.” This summer he will also be working on a series of paintings based on aerial photos and a commissioned mural depicting the skyline of Atlanta.
This is the third summer for the Workshop Gallery. Throughout the season, the gallery will be hosting shows of both the member artists’ own work and a selection of other artists. Wire sculptor Steve Lohman will join the group for an upcoming show. Other artists will be renting the space for solo shows.
“This is a community gallery just as much as it is a space for us to show our own work,” Mr. VanLandingham said. “Our goal is to have something new for every show. One of the things that sets us apart is that we can curate any kind of show — from very traditional Vineyard paintings to really contemporary, conceptual kind of work.”
For more information on the Workshop, visit facebook.com/TheWorkshopMV.