Juried show at McIninch

By Felicia Menard
HippoPress.com

From more than 60 entries, juror Dustan Knight has created an impressive, joyful art exhibit at the McIninch Gallery at Southern New Hampshire University.

"These paintings are wonderfully heartfelt and sincere," Knight said. All the works come from non-art-major students.

Photography was well represented in the show.

Megan Huard's "Russell Pond-White Mountain National Forest" is a photograph of the majesty of a nature, embodied by a lone moose. Laura Cunningham presented "Grace's Room" a hand-colored black and white photo of a floral centerpiece reflected in a mirror. The hand coloring adds an extra layer of meaning to the piece.

Tara Zimmerman's "Three Ghosts" is a psychological black and white photograph of children dressed as ghosts for Halloween. Two of the ghosts engage the viewer, while one ghost looks away.

Tim Gerardi's "Beginning of Spring" is a romantic, moody piece of a bumblebee on a flower.

Nick Beltz manipulated his self-portrait using Adobe Photoshop. Called "Last Man Standing" his logo-like signature and jersey number are a terrific addition to the photo.

The show also included paintings. Erin Percel's oil pastel "Tombstone from Marvel Comics" is a huge, truncated and disembodied head painted in rich blues.

Ashley Riley submitted a print of her watercolor painting "Portland Head Light." It is brilliantly executed with lovely patterns of rust, clouds and foliage.

Mariah Belanger uses expressive brushwork, surreal clouds and lava-like mountains rendered in oil in "Reflections." Undaunted by the complexity of her composition, Belanger combines pleasing child-like iconography with color.

Melissa LaPenta took second place with her ink drawing and collage, "Scary Dream." This intricate piece contains a chess piece and a pastiche of Botticelli's Venus. Lady Liberty is cast at an odd angle at the top of her painting.

Acrylic was the medium of choice in some paintings. Jenelle Taillon submitted her expressive large-scale unitled piece. A dream-like figure with a yin-yang symbol for a head reclines in a field of flowers and grasses. Intricate patterns and details fill the painting's background and frame, which is actually painted on the back of the canvas.

In Geoff Morgan's painting, "The Trap," a Barbie doll is sucked into the hose of a Shop-Vac, reminiscent of the work of Jeff Koons.

Soo Rye-Yoo poetically painted "Going Out Spring." In this majestic painting, a red bird and a blue bird alight on a floral bouquet. The texture is deceptively rich and lush. Knight awarded this painting first prize and rightfully so. Although it is painted in acrylic, it has the light, airy spontaneity of a watercolor masterpiece.

Jennifer M. Castillo won second place with her painting, "Surreal World." Four huge Jacobean flowers tower over a coastline and a background of blue. A red cloud hovers over the painting. The viewer is swept into Castillo's dream.

Rodney Aggrey Stewart's "Jamaica" contrasts a flat purple sky against the red orange roof of a house. Verdant foliage in the foreground creates a pleasing composition.

The Student Art Exhibit at the McIninch Art Gallery will run through April 14. Hours are Monday through Thursday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Fridays. The McIninch Art Gallery is located at 2500 North River Road. Call 629-4622 for more information.

Felicia Menard can be reached at hippo@hippopress.com