Dale Sheldon’s ‘Horseshoe Crab Count,’ a work in acrylics, is part of Gallery One’s ‘Own the Night’ exhibit.
Gallery One has announced the theme of its October show, “Own the Night,” open to the public Sept. 29 through Nov. 2.
“The illumination of night sounds like a contradiction, but this month at Gallery One it is beautifully illustrated,” representatives said. “From the lights to the sounds, to the mysterious feel, nighttime has a special type of magic to it, fitting for a month that ends with Halloween. Gallery One’s night paintings this month feature the beautiful essence of this time of day and depict it in a variety of settings ranging from cityscape to seascape, to the wildlife that prepare for the coming night.
Michelle Marshall’s ‘Almost Night,’ created in acrylic, will be on display at Gallery One during October.
In “Night Owl,” artist Joyce Condry’s acrylic with collage painting, she speaks of “the creatures who own the night: the fox who ventures from his den, the raccoons who raid the bird feeders and garbage cans, or the male deer who send their women and children out during the day to forage for them, the most noted of the group is the owl. Even people are named for them, students who cram for exams, partyers who close the bars, or the poor insomniacs who’d rather be sleeping.” Condry’s night owl painting represents them all.
“The moon, like a flower, in heavens high bower, with silent delight sits and smiles on the night (“Night Poem,” by William Blake). The atmospheric glow of the coming night is manifested in Michelle Marshall’s acrylic painting, “Almost Night.” The ocean peacefully reflects the orange glow of the fading sky and the sea birds heading home for the night.
Lesley McCaskill’s ‘Fall Take Off,’ created in acrylic, depicts the yearly migration of geese.
Similarly, in Lesley McCaskill’s acrylic painting “Fall Take Off,” the moon smiles down on the yearly migration of the geese, “the light of the moon showing their delightful formations as they travel together.”
Joyce Condry’s ‘Night Owl’ pays homage to literal and figurative creatures of the night, in acrylic and collage.
Horseshow crabs are considered a local treasure, and they are nocturnal, waiting for night to fall before heading out for dinner and to lay their eggs. Artist Dale Sheldon’s “Horseshoe Crab Count” illustrates that ritual. Under the glow of the moon, “Every spring, the Center for Inland Bays organizes a ‘horseshoe crab count’ at local sites along the Rehoboth Bay. Volunteers meet at the evening high tide during both the full moon and the new moon in May and June, and count the crabs that are gathering at the edge of the water.”
The fishing village of Vernazza, in Italy’s Cinqueterre, can be overwhelmed by tourists during the day, but comes alive in the evening when the lights and colors can seem magical. “Vernazza at Night,” a pastel by artist Laura Hickman, is illuminated with an atmospheric glow that makes the blues and oranges vibrate with life.
Laura Hickman’s ‘Vernazza at Night’ depicts the quiet evening in the fishing village of Vernazza in Italy, in pastel.
Gallery One is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is always staffed by an artist. The gallery is located at 32 Atlantic Avenue (Route 26) in Ocean View. For more information, call (302) 537-5055 or visit www.galleryonede.com.
