Group exhibits typically present such a diversity of artwork that it's easy to walk right past a piece that's as modest in subject matter as it is in scale. Among the works worth pausing over in the Howard Community College Faculty Exhibition are some very quiet pieces.

Bruce Woodward's watercolor "Blue Bottom" depicts a small boat resting on wood blocks on the shore. The boat's white paint is so badly peeling that you realize this vessel needs some tender loving care. An oar resting against a backing white wall reinforces the sense that everything is at rest here. The crusty white tone pervading most of the composition has an austerely meditative quality that's somewhat evocative of the late Andrew Wyeth's watercolors.

While you're in a subdued mood, also consider such traditional still-life subjects as Karen Warshal's oil paintings "Return of the Greenish Urn" and "Lemons with White Cloth," whose tabletop arrangements include greenish glassware that's darkly gleaming, lemons posing for your contemplation, and a knife that emotionally doesn't seem like it would do anything more violent than slice bread.

Further food for thought is supplied by Chaya Schapiro, whose oil painting "Onions" showcases three onions whose varying colors and shapes make them as distinct as you'd expect any individual to be.

The human presence can be sensed but not directly seen in such otherwise distinct artwork as Linda Press's oil painting "Paris Chimneys," with its elevated vantage point calling your attention to rooftop architectural detail; Joan Bevelaqua's oil painting "Wedding Dress," with its focus on the garment itself; and several landscape oil paintings done in France by Peter Collier.

For direct depictions of people, a few oil paintings by James Adkins depict nude female models quietly posing. However, the red cloth backdrop in such compositions as "Loves Me Not" and "Valentine's Day" literally adds vivid color to the plain space.

Of the other mediums represented in the show, notable works include Christina McCleary's hand-painted stoneware sculpture "Rooted Series," with its baby-faced top to a human body-evocative column; and Nan Howard's wire, plaster and papier- mache "Blackbird," a wire-made, feather-coated armature for a bird.

Most of the artists in the exhibit have several artworks apiece, allowing you to get a sense of their artistic identities. Showcased in a separate gallery is a featured artist, Ron Roberson, with 16 oil paintings and pastels. His allegory-intensive, representational approach is typified by "Dreaming of Venice," which conjures up that real and yet magical place.

Also showing are Yifei Gan, Jan Starr, Teresa Heister, Lawrence Cromwell, George Sakkal, Barbara Maloney, Michael Sastre, Penny Jacoby, Jane Winer, Donna T. Jones, Amanda Gordon Miller, Bonnie Printz and Patrick O'Malley.

The Faculty Exhibition runs through Feb. 21 in the Horowitz Center at Howard Community College. There is a reception Feb. 4, 5- 7 p.m. Call 410-772-4789 or go to www.howardcc.edu/visitors.

---

user comments (0)