“Ashley,” by Rod Weagant, will be part of the Winthrop Gallery’s chiaroscuro exhibit.
You may never have heard the term “chiaroscuro” (key-are-oh-SKOO-roh) but if you’ve seen Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” you know what it is — the way the light on the girl’s face seems to come from a particular direction, contrasting with the darker background.
Chiaroscuro (Italian) is the treatment of light and dark in artwork and it’s the theme of a new exhibit at the Winthrop Gallery.
Curators Tamera Abate, Laura Karcher and Teri Pieper selected the theme because they are intrigued by how an artist may use a dark space to bring out the lighter subject, Pieper said. “It will be interesting to see how this is interpreted by our various artists in mediums such as oils, watercolors, pastels, encaustic, photography, and woodworking,” she said.
An artists’ cooperative, the Winthrop Gallery is staffed by artist members. Pieper said that most of the gallery’s 22 artist members bring in pieces for the themed shows. Visitors can expect to see artwork by Abate, Pearl Cherrington, Paula Christen, Laurie Fry, Rod Weagant and many others in the upcoming show.
People should see the show, Pieper said, “because the Winthrop Gallery represents a great variety of talented local artists who are regularly bringing new work to our walls. This show promises to be a dynamic representation of their work.”
“Chiaroscuro” is available from Wednesday (Jan. 11) through Monday, March 13, and is free to the public. The Winthrop Gallery is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. For more information visit www.winthropgallery.com or call (509) 996-3925.
