A hazy imitation of reality reigns this month at Southside Gallery.
Paintings that have alluring and dark tones of color remind one of fall, but spring also presents itself in bright vibrant colors in some of the works.
One of the collections exhibited at Southside is “Preludes” by Philip Jackson, a professor at the University of Mississippi. He created these paintings over his sabbatical last semester and shared them with his students this semester upon returning, hoping to inspire them.
“The ‘Preludes’ series from Philip are a big break from work he has done in the past. It’s refreshing to see him engage with a new style,” Wil Cook, owner of Southside Gallery, said.
The “Preludes” are images of real objects in a hazy and soft light, appearing almost shadowy. Many in this collection are floral subjects among other nature paintings done primarily on panels with oil paint.
Jackson says they are more about the essence than a real imitation of the object in focus.
“Rather than providing the paintings with unlimited detail, rather the paintings are the evidence of my attempt to capture the essence of what was in front of me.” Jackson said.
The next artist in this month’s collection is Drew Galloway, whose art is both time-stopping and majestic. A few notable pieces in the collection are “The Falls” and “Moonlight On The Lake.”
“The Falls” is an angelic piece with a charming allure, and it seems to be a never-ending spiral both of beauty and mystery. It takes not only a second glance, but a third and fourth as well. It takes one by surprise with its scroll-like body that seems to suggest there is more to this than we see.
The serene “Moonlight on the Lake” piece is simply a rendition of a cloudy night and full moon hanging over a lake. It is not the most original of his pieces but is as eye-catching as all of them.
Rod Moorhead is a local sculptor who created a collection of nude statues — two of which can be seen from Southside’s front window. Most are faceless, but some have an identity, or a face and facial expression the viewer can further interpret.
“As I see it, the viewer is the last step in the process of art. They complete a piece of art — not the artist. They bring their experience to a work and supply the meaning from their point of view, not the artist’s.” Moorhead said.
He prefers to believe that as observers of art, they too take part in the art process, the final step.
His pieces are complex, many showing the body frozen in time while appearing as if in the midst of a fluid movement.
This exhibit is not Moorhead’s first experience at Southside. He is one of the founders of Southside Art Gallery.
Moorhead said his favorite piece of the collection is “Tango in Paradise III,” which is a small bronze piece.
Southside’s November exhibit brings together colors that invoke feelings of fall and the cool weather change, almost perfectly reflecting this time of year. The exhibit will be on display until Nov. 26.
