Beginning Saturday, March 2, 1 to 3 p.m. the West Gallery will boast the talents of Norwich’s Deb Whitman with her display “Two Sculpture Installations.” Bill McLaughlin with his “Small Wonders: Intimate Landscapes in Pastel” exhibit will be in EOH’s East Gallery and Earlville resident and artist Anna Perkins with her exhibit “Reflections/Patterns” will be in the Art Café. (Submitted photo)

EARLIVILLE – Earlville Opera House Art Galleries are proud to present the opening round of visual artist exhibitions on Saturday, March 2, 1 to 3 p.m.

This Series boasts the work of three incredibly talented artists representing diverse and unique forms of artistic media. Come join us in celebrating amazing original artwork and peek into the 1892 historic Landmark Theater too! Gallery openings and visits are always free and open to the public.

Highlighted in our East Gallery is local artist Bill McLaughlin with his "Small Wonders: Intimate Landscapes in Pastel" exhibit. Bill is a self-taught painter, mostly influenced by the Tonalist artists of the late 19th century. Bill tries to emphasize mood and atmosphere in his landscapes, leaving room for the viewer to complete the narrative. His work as a visual artist has primarily expressed itself in his relationship to Nature and the land on which he lives.

“Small Wonders: Intimate Landscapes in Pastel” is a series of diminutive works exploring the landscape through texture and color using a combination of various media including pastels, monotypes watercolor and linoprints. Within the series are several smaller series that offer variations on a theme or process. In many of these works, the combination of pastel with other media adds a depth and tonal variation which could not otherwise be attained. The small size of each piece creates an intimacy which draws the eye and allows the viewer to immediately experience the landscape in its totality. The landscapes in this series were mostly inspired by the rivers, fields and wooded hills surrounding Bill’s homestead in upstate New York. They also draw from memories of Southwestern vistas on the high deserts of Utah and Arizona. Regardless of the terrain or media used, the subject of these landscapes remains the horizon and the conversation between earth and sky on which we are forever eavesdropping. For more about Bill, visit: www.billmclaughlin.net.

The West Gallery boasts the talents of Deb Whitman, Norwich’s very own artist, with her display “Two Sculpture Installations”. Deb received her BA in Fine Art from State University, Oswego NY with a Major in Sculpting. Her sculptures have been in such venues as: "The North American Sculpture Exhibit" in Golden Colorado; the "Loveland Invitational Sculpture Show" in Loveland Colorado; and the "Made In NY" exhibit at the Schweinfurth Museum in Auburn, NY. Deb’s sculptures have also been in numerous juried shows and festivals around Colorado, New York and Washington DC. Her working career included self-employment as a Technical Illustrator, Drafter, Office Designer and Project Scheduler, a Gallery Director and a Documentation Specialist for Norwich Pharmaceuticals. In her retirement, Deb enjoys doing anything she wants including carving new sculptures in soapstone and alabaster.

As stated by Deb, “The human experience and my quest for meaning has been the inspiration for my sculptures. The essence of the spirit within the human form has been my focus, believing that we are more than these bodies and the social roles we were born into. Sometimes I have a concept or a word to start with, but most of the time I “get out of my way” and watch the image emerge.”

Showing in our Arts Café is Earlville resident and artist Anna Perkins with her exhibit "Reflections/Patterns". Anna is interested in contemporary still life, portraiture, reflections, and pattern.

As stated by Anna, “Whereas bowls of fruit enticed the still-life artists of yesteryear, plasticky makeup bags, trinkets of cats, and patterned quilts inspire her. Both pattern and mirrors produce visual fragmentation through their abrupt edges, but they also stitch together areas through their repetition.

Patterned fabrics as they exist in reality - not flat but crinkled, draped - also convey a cozy, serene feeling. Bringing people or animals into these scenes further imbues the painting with aesthetic and narrative function. I primarily work representationally, but I like to exaggerate colors to show how there is a little rainbow in every subject.”

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Anna is now a paint formulator at Golden Artist Colors where she has worked for over six years. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a BSc of Chemistry and a BA of Studio Art. Anna is currently working on a Masters of Liberal Studies at SUNY Empire. Find out more about Anna at: annaneo.com.

Earlville Opera House annually presents 12-15 solo exhibitions of regional and national contemporary visual artists in all media. Galleries also feature annual group shows highlighting talents of regional artists as well as an annual exhibition of contemporary and traditional quilt artists. Curators may also propose group exhibitions. If you would like to submit your proposal, please follow the guidelines on our website.

This current round of exhibits is on display until April 6th. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday 10-4pm and Saturdays 12-3pm. We look forward to your visit.

Earlville Opera House Arts Center is located at 18 East Main Street in the charming Village of Earlville and is wheelchair accessible. The 1892 National Landmark Theater is equipped with a hearing loop provided by Hamilton Hearing LLC. Please check our website for information on our programs and services, also like us on Facebook and Instagram.

EOH events are made possible with support from the Office of the Governor and NYS Legislature, administered by the New York State Council on the Arts, and through the generosity of EOH members. Special thanks to Golden Artist Colors for their support of our Visual Artist Program, and to Jewett’s Cheese House for being our cheese sponsor.

- From the Earlville Opera House