Unexpected subjects, familiar beauty in new Kent exhibits

Kent Barns was alive with art on Saturday, June 13, as three new shows opened at Peggy Mercury and Kenise Barnes Fine Art, featuring a variety of fascinating paintings and drawings from four local artists.

Peggy Mercury, which in just two years has earned a reputation for curating remarkable collections of fine beauty products and accessories, continues to find exciting art to complement its offerings. The new show, “Portraits,” features four pairs of paintings by Millerton-based artist Alexis England. The “portraits” she paints, however, feature some pretty unexpected sitters.

England chooses some undercelebrated species, including the tarantula, vampire bat and even the lobster, and gives them the treatment she feels they deserve on large canvases with bold, vibrant colors.

The pairings work as delightful foils, as England inverts her color palettes within each duo. The pinks of the elegant flamingo serve as the background for the imposing stoicism of its partner, the mandrill. In turn, the mandrill’s deep grays set a dark canvas from which the flamingo can pop, its feathers flourishing in the juxtaposition. The results tie the unexpected couplings together while allowing each species to maintain its own visual identity.

Just steps away, the gallery at Kenise Barnes Fine Art opened two distinct shows in one packed room. On one side hangs “Behind My Eyes” by artists Gregory Hennen and David Konigsberg, both of whom have been represented by Kenise Barnes Fine Art for more than 20 years.

Konigsberg takes everyday items and abstracts them to a point of detached familiarity, giving light as much importance as the objects themselves. Hanging nearby is a series of landscapes painted in oils that seem as texturally considered as they are compositionally. “Each piece,” Hennen said, “is about a landscape, not of a landscape, as it does not necessarily depict an exact site or location. Finished paintings are often composites of several images that have evolved from a realistic portrayal to a more simplistic interpretation.”

The other side of the room features drawings by Margot Glass. Like England, Glass celebrates the undercelebrated. Her work frequently depicts weeds and other “undesirable” species of flora in elevated media such as silverpoint and 14-karat goldpoint.

With this collection, titled “On This Fresh Morning,” the artist takes a more naturalistic approach, using black walnut ink that she makes herself from walnuts she collects on hikes and walks in western and central Massachusetts. The ink is a remarkably rich hue of brown, which Glass layers to create floral scenes filled with intricate natural details. While she includes more traditional beauties, such as blooming anemones and daisies, she also features underappreciated misfits including dandelions and garlic mustard.

Kent’s artistic footprint continues to expand, with at least five dedicated art galleries and boutiques contributing exceptional shows for art lovers throughout the Northwest Corner.

For a directory and gallery hours, visit kentbarnsct.com