‘Reflections' strength is in its variety

This First Friday, and for the next two months, consider looking at art through its reflections.

An exhibition of still-life paintings from a nationally touring artists group will be on display through June 30 in the Crisp Museum at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus.

The group, Zeuxis, is a grassroots organization of painters formed to explore the contemporary possibilities of still life, and was founded by artist Phyllis Floyd in New York City in 1994. Since then, Zeuxis exhibitions have appeared in more than 50 commercial galleries, museums and college exhibition spaces across the country. To increase the interest and variety of the exhibitions, Zeuxis usually specifies themes for upcoming shows and asks outside artists to participate.

"We are excited to have this coming through here because of the variety people will get from it," said Peter Nguyen, director of the museum. "And because this is a collective of artists from all over the country, you get a collection of different ways to show the still life."

For their latest exhibition titled "Reflections," Zeuxis artists and their guests have produced still-life art that incorporates a reflecting object, such as a mirror, glass or silverware. The nature of the reflection, its surface (a window, varying still life objects and some self-portraits) and the image reflected was determined by each individual artist.

Guest artists for this installment include Lois Dodd, John Dubrow, Al Kresch, Marion Lerner-Levine, George Nick, Susan Jane Walp, Temma Bell, Ruth Miller and Megan Williamson.

"When one comes to see this exhibit, they will find this isn't a repetitive thing. You have some of these artists that are more into representative art, some more abstract," Nguyen said. "People will go through and leave with a wide view of how reflections affect the art."

Bell, a painter born in New York City, focuses on painting both interior and exterior landscapes. She says she even frequently travels to Iceland, where she has been painting the landscape for more than 40 years. She also uses the human and animal form in her art.

"What one will find with my pieces is sight beyond the landscape. The use of reflection and light will aid that aspect," Bell said. "This was challenging in that way. I had to consider the whole project from so many different angles."

Miller, a painter of still life and landscape, lives and works in Washington Depot, Conn. Although working occasionally from memory, she says she paints mostly from observation.

"For my perspective, no two potatoes or glasses are alike. Each individual object has its own unique and formal presence," Miller said. "And, with attention paid to the way forms press against each other and shape the space around them, I can bring out this individualism in what I see."

Williamson is also a still-life and landscape artist, but from Chicago. She says she looks for a combination of beauty, complexity and simplicity in her subject matter. Her influences play a major part in her work, and include Matisse, Morandi, Pollack, Bonnard and Braque.

"My art emerges from a modernist and cubist understanding of space, light and construction. ‘Reflections' gave me a chance to explore these things," Williamson said. "I want people to see the reflection as a work of art itself because it is. Some of the hardest work I did on this was with getting the reflection just so."

"Zeuxis: Reflections" will be on display until June 30 at the Crisp Museum, and admission is free. The Crisp Museum is in the Cultural Arts Center at the River Campus. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 1 to 4 p.m. weekends. For First Friday, the museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call 651-2260.

jsamons@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

“Zeuxis: Reflections” will be display at the Crisp II Museum through June 30. (Laura Simon)

518 S. Fountain St.