“Under Open Sky,” a group exhibition at the Edgewood Gallery, celebrates nature with a rich selection of works by local artists. The show encompasses oils and gouaches by Nikolay Mikushkin, a plein air painter; 29 ceramic pieces by Pater Valenti; and a range of bead work presented under the aegis of the Bead Society of CNY. The bead workers include Judi Witkin, Lisa Dardars and Christine Prowak.
First, the exhibit provides full exposure for Mikushkin’s interpretation of local fields and forests. Viewers will see “Whispers of the Forest,” with its contrasting colors, and “First Snow,” in which the painting’s foreground plays a key role. A third painting, “Tug Hill Winter,” offers an elongated view of trees; they appear as tall, tall versions of themselves.
With more than a dozen paintings on display, it’s possible to get a good sense of Mikushkin’s artistic preferences. Yes, he looks at local scenes during fall and winter, during autumn times and on the first day when snow falls. Yet, he seems particularly adapt at capturing the warmth and energy of fall. One of his gouaches portrays a scene from early September. And a big, bold oil, “Warm October,” depicts leaves and branches in fine detail, creating a majestic sight.
The exhibition makes room for several of the artist’s large paintings, and that’s certainly a positive factor. Yet, there’s a case to be made for a smaller gouache, “Sunset,” as the best of his works in the current show. It’s layered skillfully, as we see a dark sky, a greenish foreground and a middle featuring orange color and a tiny sun behind a curtain of trees.
Finally, visible evidence of humanity isn’t a major element in Mikushkin’s paintings, but it does exist. In various works, we see a house in the distance, a tractor and pasture under open sky, and a tiny figure walking around after a snowstorm.
Valenti, meanwhile, has more than a dozen jars and other vessels that are topped by a small bird figure. That motif certainly communicates a connection to nature, and it also seems to raise a question: how often do we think about birds? Clearly, they are part of the local ecosystem. Yet, when do we find them worthy of more than a passing thought?
Beyond that, the show introduces a relatively new direction in Valenti’s work: pierced vessels. He’s carved out holes or open spaces in jars and other vessels.
That technique produces an interesting effect, one subject to viewer’s interpretation. On one hand, it’s possible to think of the holes as entrances or doorways. On the other, one can reject that idea altogether. At the very least, this is an innovative technique with interesting implications.
It’s worth noting that Valenti, a veteran artist, has created a variety of vessels, including raku wall tiles. The Edgewood exhibit samples a different segment of his work, and it’s good to see the newer artworks.
And the show presents various beadwork creations such as necklaces, bracelets and earrings. They are accompanied by tiny boxes shaped like turtles, by pretty pieces portraying butterflies, by objects depicting hummingbirds. The beadworks build on and enhance the show’s nature-based themes.
“Under Open Sky” is on display through April 11, 2025 at the Edgewood Gallery 216 Tecumseh Rd. The venue is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Edgewood is open to the public, and there’s no admission charge.
For more information, call 315-445-8111 or access edgewoodartandframe.com.
Carl Mellor covered visual arts for the Syracuse New Times from 1994 through 2019. He continues to write about artists and exhibitions in the Syracuse area.
Photos by Sam Gruber/WNA