When looking for a place to relax and cool off in the summer months, Ship to Shore at the Copley Society of Art provides visitors with an aesthetic vacation. Stepping into the Upper Gallery, as Molly Hamill puts it in her review of the show in Artscope, will “evoke a distinct and welcome sense of season.” Ann Trainor Domingue, Ellen Granter and Robin Herr each have painted waterfront landscapes that embody the theme of the show.
Ann Trainor Dominque, Lakeside Morn, Acrylic on Canvas, 24 x 48 inches
“Lakeside Morn,” an acrylic on canvas by Ann Trainor Domingue, is like dipping your toes into cold water on a hot July day. The shaded New Hampshire lake, already illuminated by the morning sun, foreshadows the hot day to come. The slight abstraction of the piece resembles the sleepiness of one’s eyes first thing in the morning. The longer you look the clearer the piece becomes as cottages and trees begin to emerge. Domingue’s cool palette is relaxing, leaving viewers in no rush to turn away from her painting.
Ellen Granter, Gold Ocean Number 20, Mixed Media, 30 x 30 inches
The gold band across the top of Ellen Granter’s “Gold Ocean Number 20” attracts the viewer’s gaze as easily as it attracts the light in the room. The combination of mediums cohesively creates a glimmering marsh scene. You can practically smell the salt as your eyes make their way through the marshy grasses that lead up to the gold stripe replacing the ocean. The gold could easily take away from the rest of the painting, but Granter’s blend of greens, blues and earthy reds are equally as interesting. The unstained wood frame enhances the beautiful simplicity of the piece.
Robin Herr, Walking to the Outer Beach, oil on canvas, 20 x 20 inches
Watching the sun set on the beach is undisputedly one of the most appreciated parts of summer. “Walking to the Outer Beach”, an oil on canvas by Robin Herr, provides viewers with that same calming aura. The seemingly endless sandbars leading out to the water glow pink and orange in the late day light. The light source coming from behind the viewers gives the sense, as the title suggests, that they are walking along the beach towards the deep blue water, a color only achieved just before dark.
Domingue, Granter and Herr each have painted a piece that depicts their version of a relaxing summer scene. Their palettes and their use of light are unique to their own styles and taste. Alone each piece in this show is wonderful, yet as a group they are extraordinary. If you find yourself in Boston this summer, Ship to Shore is the perfect miniature getaway.
By: Madeleine Gauthier