IN THE GALLERIES: Mixed Company

Written by

Alison McGee

The Great Impression group exhibit at the Geoffrey Young Gallery

For almost twenty years, Geoffrey Young has been bringing small, contemporary works to his modest second-floor gallery in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Young’s explorations draw works by artists from around the globe together in simple, salon-style shows that exhibit a hodgepodge of methods and themes rather than a specific formula. This refreshing approach allows a visitor to create his own links to the artworks and artists.

The Great Impression, Young’s September batch of works on paper and canvas, is not meant to make a statement about current affairs (despite its nod to the current economic downturn), but rather to provide an escape.

Works by sixteen artists include abstract, geometric configurations in brightly hued ink by Mel Bernstine and in graphite by Cary Smith of Farmington, Connecticut. California artist Dennis McLeod’s drawings of tightly packed concentric circles create a mesmerizingly delicate pattern. While the majority of works in this show are abstract in nature, also included are Berkshire landscapes from Bart Elsbach of Sheffield, Massachusetts, and imaginative figure drawings by New York City artist Mie Yim.

Diverse styles, fresh colors, and an unintimidating environment add up to a universally enjoyable showcase of eye-opening works that might inspire viewers to cultivate new interests. [SEPTEMBER 2009]