"Casting Shadows" Exhibit at Gallery One

A cast shadow is a type of shadow that is created on a form next to a surface that is turned away from the source of light. Every object that blocks light has a cast shadow associated with it, darkest where the shadow starts next to the object, softer and lighter the farther the shadow is from that object. That is the definition of what our artists are beautifully rendering this month at Gallery One. The Golden Hours of the day for shadows are at sunrise and sunset, the long shadows at this time helping to define the terrain, and to create that magical glow that artists love. This can be seen exquisitely in “Late Afternoon, Sussex Shores,” a pastel by artist Laura Hickman. As Laura writes, “One of the most beautiful times at the beach is when the sun is almost setting. The angled light creates beautiful long shadows of the dunes and fences that reach almost to the water.” Artists Cindy Beyer, and Cheryl Wisbrock also delight us with long dramatic shadows. Cindy’s pastel painting is called “Shadow Walk” and Cheryl Wisbrock “Bayside Shadows,” Cheryl found the deep shadows to be more inspiring during this painting session than the shimmering bay she had intended to portray, both because of their welcoming contrasting cool, and because of the network of patterns cast on the sand. Speaking of the Beach, Lesley McCaskill’s, acrylic painting, “Staying in the Shade,” illustrates another use for shadows: Shade. Lesley’s perfect compositional triad, and use of warm and cool colors brings us to the beach. We can feel the sun burn starting on the boy without a hat, or the shade of the umbrella. Michelle Marshall’s painting, “Looking for Lunch,” takes us to the shore on a decidedly “shadowy,” feeling day. Artist Dale Sheldon’s, “Shadows Across the Road,” in acrylic, and “Two’s Company,” and Acrylic Mixed Media painting by Mary Bode Byrd, depict the beauty created when nature combines trees with the setting sun. As Dale writes, “the afternoon sun casts long shadows across a dirt road running thru an olive orchard in Tuscany.” We are visually transported to that olive orchard by the complex path of shadows! Mary’s painting is a graphic delight with its vibrant complementary colors of blue and orange, reminiscent of Wayne Thiebaud’s cityscapes.

For more info, call 302-537-5055 or email art@galleryonede.com.