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August 7 to August 29, 2021
DeBlois Gallery's 37th Annual Members' Show

Welcome to our online exhibit!
Click the tabs below to view each facet of this great show. Enjoy!

Our Show
Barber
Berry
Caplain
Casselman
Debrule
Donnelly
Howe
LeBlanc
Leyenberger
Lynch
May
Morton
Nash
O'Donnell
Padmanabhan
Sheehan
Stone
Touhey
Wilner

July Mural

Our artist members have had a busy year so far. In addition to exhibiting a full schedule of monthly shows, we've brought the gallery outside! From June to October, member artists collaborate to create PUBLIC ART! Paintings are installed as wrap-around murals on our upstairs balcony, visible from the street. Our aim is to add value to our public spaces, by sharing fresh new art created specifically for this purpose. 

Shown above is the June-July mural, "Found at the Reservoir"; the collaborating artists are, from the left, Mandy Howe, Karen Nash, and Manjula Padmanabhan. Shown below is the August mural, "Hares Looking at You," soulfully painted by Valerie Debrule, with Mandy Howe's talented brush contributing the motorcycle.

We are grateful to the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Newport County for the Artist Award which helped to make this project possible.

August Mural

We gratefully acknowledge operational funding provided in part by a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through an appropriation by the Rhode Island General Assembly, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and private funders.

Jillian Barber

This summer I am making a new school of fish, sea creatures, and mermaids brightly glazed and patterned. New dragons are born as well as jardinieres botanical and oceanic. I am always working on a new portrait mask with vintage plates, antique lace, and found treasures. I have a degree in ceramics from RISD 1968 and my studio is in Jamestown. I have made ART out of friends and neighbors either by casting their beautiful faces for clay portraits or photographing them in costume. Magic!

Jillian's Art

Purple Dragon
ceramic sculpture
Purple Dragon
11"l x 7"w x 4.4"h
175
Flower Dragon
ceramic sculpture
Flower Dragon
14"l x 11"w x 7"h
525
Robin Jardiniere
ceramic sculpture
Robin Jardiniere
9.5"h x 11"w
250
Sea Horse
ceramic sculpture
Sea Horse
17"l x 8.5"w
180
Sea Horse with young
clay sculpture
Sea Horse with young
17"l x 8"w
225
Lady Fish
ceramic sculpture
Lady Fish
17"l x 11"w
240
Green Fish Platter
ceramic sculpture
Green Fish Platter
17"l x 13"w
145
the Greenman
ceramic sculpture
the Greenman
22"l x 14"w
650



Shawndavid Berry

I strive to make connections between movement and flow in my work. Everything has a way of melding into another. Working in both sculpture and fine work I hope to present these concepts.
90% of the material I sculpt is harvested, processed, treated and dried myself. The color is naturally enhanced through my drying and treatment process. I do not use stain and the only film finish I use is a rubbing process of wax, shellac and lacquer.  I am very fortunate to work in a field where I have clients who donate to my drying racks. This specific species and sample came from a tree I have known since I was 12, when I first started carving. I know every single thing this tree has absorbed since it was 5 feet tall, it was 75' when the trunk this came from split and fell. Through a deep understanding of my material, to a cellular level, I work with and within the grain and growth rings to bring as much flowing movement. These are meditation pieces, they are meant to be touched and can help clear one's mind.


Shawndavid's Sculpture

Untitled
Maple
Untitled

1000
Blossom
Red oak and acrylic paint
Blossom

175
Tips Hat
Maple
Tips Hat

350
Chair 2
Maple
Chair 2

200


Ron Caplain

These are collages with mixed sources and tea bags.


Ron's Way of Seeing

Untitled #1
photographs, magazines on tea bags
Untitled #1
5X7
100
Untitled #2
photographs, magazines on tea bags
Untitled #2
5X7
100
Untitled #3
photographs, magazines on tea bags
Untitled #3
5X7
100
Untitled #4
photographs, magazines on tea bags
Untitled #4
5X7
100
Untitled #10
mixed medium and tea bags
Untitled #10
8x10
150
Untitled #5
photographs, magazines on tea bags
Untitled #5
5X7
100
Untitled #6
photographs, magazines on tea bags
Untitled #6
5X7
100
Untitled #7
photographs, magazines on tea bags
Untitled #7
5X7
100
Untitled #8
photographs, magazines on tea bags
Untitled #8
5X7
100
Untitled #9
photographs, magazines on tea bags
Untitled #9
5X7
100


Izabella Casselman

Izabella Gordon Casselman has always been a mark maker; from the time she drew in the dirt with a stick at the age of 6.  Along the way she became a storyteller using all types of materials which made her more or less a mixed media artist. She believes that the end product, the images she produces, allows her to try to understand the world she inhabits, both conscious and unconscious. Her myriad of thoughts lead her to believe that people are all unique and one can only try to understand the human condition. The hard part of storytelling is the realization that there can be many, many endings and sometimes no endings.


Izabella's Art

Together
Mixed Media
Together
23.5" x 44.5"
200

Valerie Debrule

4 DAYS IN PARIS #1 - Cafe Buci: We headed to Paris July 3- 7, 2021 as soon as covid restrictions lightened up. Paris was half empty itself, but shows and some restaurants were open. We stayed near the l'Ecole de Beaux Art, so students packed into the Cafe Buci and other ancient haunts of the Lost Generation and the Existentialists. The students smoked, drank, cell-phoned, talked and were intense.(and effortlessly beautiful).
#2 - Servi comme un Prince: We ate at a 2-star restaurant - Rostang. A family of 4 were behind us. The kids were on their best behavior. They tried to look cool when strange food was served. The boy, who was ramrod straight, was "served like a Prince" by the tuxedoed waiter. With great aplomb he poured the sauce on the boy's dessert. I sketched it from memory next day.
#3 - Dali, you Devil: Atelier des lumieres (basically a wonderful light and sound show) First was the work of Salvador Dali (and later Antoni Gaudi). Dali's work was moving on all walls, ceilings and floors to Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and the Doors' "Riders on the Storm". It is powerful immersing yourself into Dali's work; I gained a renewed appreciation. These "immersion shows" are appearing all over.
#4 - Survival of the Fittest: This piece is from a show at Musee d'Orsay entitled "L'invention de la nature au xix siecle." i.e. how depictions of the origins of the world in Art were shown from Adam/Eve/Paradise/Noah/Ark and animals to Darwin with some monkey satire. Archaeological discoveries revealed a much older world. I copied the oil on canvas: "La Fruite devant le Mammouths", 1885 by Paul Jamin. Did Jamin know what a mammouth looked like?


Valerie's Sketches

Cafe Buci
Back of fine hotel stationary/ Bic pencil
Cafe Buci
8" x 11.5"
130
Servi comme un Prince
Back of fine hotel stationary/ Bic pencil
Servi comme un Prince
8" x 11.5"
130
Dali, You Devil
Back of fine hotel stationary/ Bic pencil
Dali, You Devil
8" x 11.5"
130
Survival of the Fittest
Back of fine hotel stationary/ Bic pencil
Survival of the Fittest
8" x 11.5"
130


Kelley Donnelly

My work is shifting into a more vibrant and energetic style with a lot color and images. I have been feeling freer with my style than I have in the past and it feels good to not have to fit into any sort of rules I have set for myself. It is spontaneous and unexpected.


Kelley's New Paintings

Hypnotist
Mixed Media
Hypnotist
24" x 48"
625
Beasts
Mixed Media
Beasts
20" x 20"
475


Mandy Howe

I spend time outside, looking at nature, up close, or far away. I become fascinated with a particular place and then intensely focused on how to paint what I see there. My visceral response to a particular place leads to a series of paintings that explore the colors, spaces, marks, and energy of that place, and what lives and grows there. It is really just my ongoing exploration of paint and painting, anchored in the natural world.

Mandy's Paintings, Prints, and Collages

Along the Reservoir
acrylic on canvas
Along the Reservoir
36"x36"
500
In the Reservoir
acrylic and powdered pigment on canvas
In the Reservoir
36"x36"
500
Reservoir at Hanging Rock #1
acrylic
Reservoir at Hanging Rock #1
11"x14"
75
Reservoir at Hanging Rock #2
acrylic with print and collage
Reservoir at Hanging Rock #2
11"x14"
75
At the Reservoir
interior latex paint with acrylic on lauan panel
At the Reservoir
42"x48"
0


Meredith LeBlanc

As the daughter of an artist, I was fortunate to have the encouragement to explore being creative in any way possible. After a 30 year break from the easel, I am rediscovering this creative outlet and getting lost in the luxury of the oil paint and color. My goal as an artist is to share what brings me joy and happiness. My muses are my pug Scarlet and the vibrancy of flowers. Every canvas is a learning experience about myself and the process. Feeling the sensuousness of the paint, the vibration of the colors, and the emotion that arises as I work. It has lessened my personal need for perfection and to let my flow be more natural.


Meredith's Paintings

Birth / Life / Death
Oil on Canvas
Birth | Life | Death
36x36
650
Sunshine
Oil on Canvas
Sunshine
12x16
125
Iris
Oil on Canvas
Iris
12x12
100


Fran Leyenberger

Originally from Newport, RI, I've been working in clay for over 50 years. My styles range from art deco, Japanese americanized raku, tableware and now architecturally inspired porcelain and lighting. In 2019 I began working in porcelain after 50 years concentrating in stoneware and raku clay. It's a totally different material for me and has led me in a completely new direction with my work. The architecture surrounding me in Newport, RI and Bucks County, PA are the inspiration highlighted in my new lighting work.


Fran's Porcelain Ceramics

Jackie O
Porcelain sconce
Jackie O

175
Holiday Sailing
Porcelain sconce
Holiday Sailing

175
Van Gogh's Fishing Boats
Porcelain sconce
Van Gogh's Fishing Boats

175
The Old Mill
Porcelain sconce
The Old Mill

175


JR Lynch

I make images using photography. For me, photography is capturing the moment, which through the lens is a totally different perspective than just being there. It is a look, an angle or just a special mix of shapes and shades. When I shoot, I like to spend time where I am to absorb the spirit of it all and then it just happens.


JR's Marine Photography

Schooner Bowdoin
Black and White Photograph
Schooner Bowdoin
20" x 25"
325
Yacht Adix
Black and White Photograph
Yacht Adix
19" x 25"
325
Climbing
Black and White Photograph
Climbing
16" x 20"
150
The Rigging
Black and White Photograph
The Rigging
16" x 20"
150


Lisa May

It may look like a lot of work, but it's FUN!!

Lisa's Cast Paper Fantasies

Pagoda Mirror
Cast paper, decorative paper and beads
Pagoda Mirror
19" x 14"
125
North/South Bottle Palm Folly
Cast paper, fabric and shells
North/South Bottle Palm Folly
18' x 30"
350
North/South Bottle Palm Folly
Cast paper, fabric and shells
North/South Bottle Palm Folly
18' x 30"
350
North/South Bottle Palm Folly
Cast paper, fabric and shells
North/South Bottle Palm Folly
18' x 30"
350
Jewelry Holder
Cast paper, paper mache and hardware
Jewelry Holder
14" x 14"
50


Kathleen Morton

My interest in art began early, though I never found much time getting into the processes which have become so much of my life in the past 20+years. My focus is usually nature. Once I find a subject, I move into sketching and plotting my composition(s), experimenting with various materials until something sparks the artist in me. Printmaking, acrylic, encaustic or collage are usually my choice of materials which I might use in combination or on their own.


Kathleen's Art

Over Time
Acrylic on paper
Over Time
30x 40 framed
425

Karen Marsteller Nash

I love rummaging through my trove of "art parts" to see what talks to me and to other art parts. Then comes the challenge of designing the order of assembly, to say nothing of the method(s) - mechanical fastening (nails, screws, rivets), adhesives (so many kinds!), soldering or welding - and last but never least, finishing (polishing, painting, staining). Then there's the crucial post-assembly period of inhabiting the same space with the piece so anything out of kilter will prompt a tweak. Is anything ever finished? Probably not.


Karen's Sculptures

Aquidneck Spirit Stone
Assemblage
Aquidneck Spirit Stone
9"w x 7"d x 20"h
100
Effect of Home Improvement TV on the Built Environment
Assemblage
Effect of Home Improvement TV on the Built Environment
12"w x 9"d x 14"h
100


Michael O'Donnell

Touch Me, Feel Me is an exploration of elements from Paleolithic art and an affinity that I have for the original abstract artists. Ishtar and Gilgamesh is an exercise in surface tension: left vs. right. I accidentally created two abstract figures and named them after characters from an ancient tale of a troubled relationship from Mesopotamian mythology. I continue to add to my ZIGZAGTAG series, trying to imagine music vibrating from the sound hole of a cubist guitar painted by George's Braque. There currently are 10 pieces in this modular series and these four are the latest additions.


Michael's Explorations

Touch Me, Feel Me
Acrylic on panel
Touch Me, Feel Me
24" x 24"
500
Ishtar and Gilgamesh
Acrylic on canvas
Ishtar and Gilgamesh
15 3/4" x 21 3/4"
500
ZIGZAGTAG#7
Acrylic on panel
ZIGZAGTAG#7
5 7/8" x 11 7/8"
150
ZIGZAGTAG#8
Acrylic on panel
ZIGZAGTAG#8
5 7/8" x 11 7/8"
150
ZIGZAGTAG#9
Acrylic on panel
ZIGZAGTAG#9
5 3/4" x 11 3/4""
150
ZIGZAGTAG#10
Acrylic on panel
ZIGZAGTAG#10
5 7/8" x 11 7/8"
150


Manjula Padmanabhan

This piece is one of a series of recent charcoal drawings. I am still experimenting with the medium. I find it amazingly supple and forgiving – even after laying down a layer of solid black, I can prod it, with erasers and tortillons (blending stumps), to get complex textures. In particular, I find that it's great for creating what looks like a jumble of cords and small hardware items! Combining my interest in animal forms with these cord-jumbles, I have discovered a number of semi-conscious oddities. Now I am starting to add colour, using pencils. I plan to use pastels too, in future works.


Manjula's Complex Art

Knotted Owl
Charcoal and color pencils on paper.
Knotted Owl
18"x24"
150
Fish Tackle
Charcoal, color pencil, a dab of metallic paint
Fish Tackle
18"x24"
150


Valorie Sheehan

“She Runs Hot and Cold” – just one of many offhand remarks used to dismiss women.


Valorie's Social Commentary

She Runs Hot and Cold
Stoneware/metal
She Runs Hot and Cold
45”x 18”
750

Virginia Stone

A fellow artist called my figure drawings "cartoons". Surprised at first but then rather charmed by the description, I thought she might be onto something I had not considered. They are colorful, direct, simplified and usually tell a story or tell a message. I have worked with reducing to the essentials and line-my go to method of thinking and drawing-for a long time. Sometimes I will run away from it but it is like my native language and I always find it my "go to" skill. Although the meanings may at times seem esoteric, they are always there, coloring my choices. I do use drawing as a form of communication. I give my fellow artist credit for a very on target call.


Virginia's Cartoons/Figure Drawings

The Pivotal Moment
Prismacolor,watercolor
The Pivotal Moment
11" x 14"
95
Looking Up
watercolor,prismacolor
Looking Up
11" by 14"
95
On a String
watercolor,prismacolor,collage,graphite,block print
On a String
11" by 14"
95
Hot,hot,hot
watercolor,prismacolor
Hot,hot,hot
11" by 14"
95
Back from the Trail
watercolor,prismacolor,ink
Back from the Trail
12" by 16"
100
Moon
prismacolor,watercolor,collage,graphite
Moon
13" by 16"
SOLD
Cairns
prismacolor,watercolor
Cairns
11" by 14"
95
Celebration
watercolor,prismacolor
Celebration
11" by 14"
95
At the Barre
watercolor, ink
At the Barre
11" by 14"
95
Before the dance
watercolor,prismacolor,ink
Before the dance
11' by 14"
95
Pearl and Barnacle Bob
watercolor,prismacolor
Pearl and Barnacle Bob
11' by 14"
95
Hoop Girl
watercolor, ink prismacolor
Hoop Girl
11" by 14"
95


Felicia Touhey

The monotypes in this show are all derived from photographs of my father and his family taken in Bucharest, Romania before and after World War II. The figures were all created with stencils which became the basis for each print. I am an experimental printmaker by choice and my printing process reflects this. I may start with an idea of an image but will let the materials, the printing process and the wonderful unexpected of ink rolls and layers form the final image.


Felicia's Printmaking

Deeply Rooted 1
Monotype
Deeply Rooted 1
10 x 8 image
375
Deeply Rooted 2
Monotype
Deeply Rooted 2
10 x 8 image
375
Tata
Monotype
Tata
10 x 8 image
375
Blue Houses
Monotype
Blue Houses
10 x 8 image
375


Marion Wilner

I have been told I was born with a pencil in my hand. Memory reminds me that I have always had a passion for drawing. Making art has been my way of understanding and maintaining a connection and dialogue with the world.
My work has been committed to the figure, to classical and cultural heritage as well as the familiar and remembered landscapes of nature. My subject matter often reflects specialized studies and travel to foreign places.


Marion's Exceptional Art

Valentine's Day Gift
Watercolor
Valentine's Day Gift
24.75" x 30"
1200
Corona Croton Casts a Strange Shadow
Watercolor and acrylic ink
Corona Croton Casts a Strange Shadow
25" x 25"
1200
Corona Croton: Drawing Is My Friend
Prismacolor
Corona Croton: Drawing Is My Friend
23" x 29"
700