James McNamara / Barbara Woike: Split Images, Drawings / Photographs

opens March 15. The artists will hold an opening reception that

afternoon/evening from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Before settling in Stockbridge in 2019, Woike was a news photo editor for

the Associated Press and McNamara (her husband) was a digital media

executive and educator. It seems that with retirement both have

experienced renewed creative energy! We are so fortunate to have this

artistic wealth in our area. Without our artists, what would we do at Knox

Gallery?

Most of Woike’s exhibited photos were shot from 1975-1979, primarily in

Italy, where she has spent much time – In Pietrasanta, the historically

significant Tuscan town of marble and art, in Rome where she lived for a

college semester, and in Sicily where her maternal grandparents were

born. The remainder were shot in and around her hometown of Middletown,

Ct.

After being exhibited briefly, most of these photos have spent decades in

storage. So, Woike reports that “I’m happy for the opportunity to liberate

these portraits from their boxes for public viewing once more.”

McNamara creates art using “Loose Realism”, a painting genre that, as

described by the artist, “suggests a freedom of line or brushwork made

purposely visible to the viewer’s eye.” He continues: “Loose Realism

encourages the observer to find interest or meaning in the details.”

Portraits, landscapes, and laborers at work are his preferred subjects, and

all are created using vintage or personal photographs.

The artist works in a variety of mediums. He draws mainly in graphite and

charcoal but also uses oils, acrylics and watercolors “to round out certain

works.” In addition to his 2-dimensional work, McNamara creates

sculptures from found objects, such as scrap metal and wood.

Please join us for the opening reception on the 15 th , or view the show

during library hours anytime through April 27, 2024.