The DeBlois Gallery featured an exciting collection of works of several area artists during the month of June 2008. Middletown artist, Catherine Van Lancker, displayed a collection of her recent oil paintings which, in her words, are "an attempt to reduce complex landscapes to geometric compositions in vivid bands of color and light while still retaining the essence of the landscape". Exhibiting artist Rodie Siegler, also from Middletown, is widely known for her sculpture. However, for this show she exhibited her striking collection of photographs known as the Rorshach series. These mirror-image photographs of water reflections have resulted in abstractions that challenge viewers "to find their own images" within them as they learn about themselves in the process. Clay sculptures and vessels produced by The Warren Clay Works completed the exhibit. This group, which consists of many award-winning, professional sculptors, meets weekly to share workspace and inspire one another. Exhibiting members of The Warren Clay Works include: Martha Antaya, Ellen Blomgren, Izabella Casselman, Karen Dionne, Judi Israel, Allison Newsome, Cathy Scanlan, Valorie Sheehan and Rodie Siegler.

Click any image below for an expanded view

'River Rorschach - A Retrospective'

Caribou's Ghost - Siegler

Goats - Siegler   

This series of photographs were taken in the early '90s with real film. Early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the water is still, I would pack my camera bag and launch my little red kayak into the Head of the Westport River. I placed the line where the river meets the land in the center of my viewfinder so that the reflection of the stones, trees, grass, was more or less the same width as the landscape itself. The Rorschach occurs by turning the printed photograph 90 degrees. I have named each photograph for what the Rorschach was telling me, but other viewers are encouraged to find their own images.

I had more or less forgotten about this group of photographs which I had shown at the DeBlois in the nineties. I pulled one out for a juried show recently and fell in love with this series all over again. Then I knew I wanted to show them as a retrospective.

Postscript: It seems that it is no longer possible to have film processed with chemicals. These prints have been scanned and are digitally printed, alas.

Rodie Siegler

1116 Green End Avenue

Middletown, RI 02842

Telephone: (401) 846-5681

Woman with Leaves - Siegler

Sunglass Queen - Siegler

Catherine Van Lancker: Artist's Statement

Second Beach from Sachuest - Van Lancker

My most recent work in oils has been attempting to reduce complex landscapes to geometric compositions in vivid bands of color and light while still retaining the essence of the landscape. I love to build layers of intense color and texture, often using discarded paintings as my under-painted surface. My favorite painting is done outside, on location.

Cliff Walk Off Wetmore - Van Lancker

View Toward Second Beach from Norman Bird Sanctuary - Van Lancker

The Warren Clay Works Group

The members of the Warren Clay Works gather every Wednesday night to work at Allison Newsome's studio in Warren. The group started as a class under Allison's tutelage but over the years the members became full-fledged sculptors who have their own studios, kilns, clay and glaze collections yet they still came together every Wednesday evening to work, exchange clay and glaze information, offer suggestions and socialize. Two years ago the members of the group plus friends made a 12 day trip to a pottery town in Mexico.

Ellen Blomgren has opened her own teaching studio in Warren. She, Judi Israel and Allison Newsome have had successful shows at the DeBlois over the years as have had DeBlois members, Valorie Sheehan and Rodie Siegler. This year Sheehan took Second Prize in Sculpture at the Newport Art Museum Members Show and a Second Prize at the Earthworks Show at the South County Art Association. Last year the group showed their work at Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown and will open a new show at the farm stand in June.