Art lovers turn out for colorful new group exhibit

The Souterrain Gallery in West Cornwall bustled with art lovers and artists on Nov. 28 for the opening of “Moon Zappa and Friends: A Multifaceted Exhibit.”

Moon Unit Zappa warmly greeted guests, mingling with visitors as they enjoyed refreshments and settled in to take in the exhibit.

In addition to showcasing work by several artists — including Zappa herself — the event doubled as a book signing, with copies of her memoir Earth to Moon available. Guests could also purchase blind gift boxes — holiday “mystery gifts” selected and wrapped by Zappa.

The show was curated by Zappa. When asked how she chose the artists she said, “I chose people that make my heart sing.” And also, “I wanted all ages to see it and enjoy it. I wanted kids to enjoy it too.

Zappa channels her zest for life with colorful and playful creatures set in their own stylistic world. One of her paintings features a wolf eel. “They are so unattractive, I thought I’d showcase them.” That aesthetic play is also apparent in her installation of fabric-wrapped bricks.

Among the featured artists is Kimmah Dennis, an artist-in-residence at the Silver Arts Project in New York City, who contributed several large-scale mixed-media paintings.

“I’m a material fanatic,” she explained.One painting was on the back of an old mirror on which she painted and scratched her images, as well as using canvas, paints, and bleach on some work to create textures, color, and patterns.A world traveler, she also puts different cultures into her work.

Diva Zappa, sister of Moon, displayed ethereal photographs.Aris Moore exhibited magical and intriguing creatures. Jett Ulysses had small images of flowers and fruit on black backgrounds. Melissa Sorrel offered mysterious depths of detail in her work. Paintings by Eileen Olivieri and Helen Midge Matessi Baudouin completed the works, making for an interesting mix.

Rowan Fields, who came to browse, said, “This show is really cool,” pointing to a constellation of five circular canvases by Dennis.

The show runs through Dec. 31 at the Souterrain Gallery (below the Wish House), at 413 Sharon Goshen Turnpike, West Cornwall.Hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.