OCEAN CITY — The Art League of Ocean City invites the public to its First Friday Opening Reception on Aug. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th Street Bay.
New paintings by Berlin-based artist Kirk McBride are on display at the Thaler Gallery throughout August. After college at the University of Maryland, McBride won “Best in Show” at the first local art show he entered, encouraging him to make painting a lifelong pursuit. She has been there since the 1970s, part-time while teaching and raising a family, and full-time since the early 1990s. A switch from watercolor to oils 18 years ago led to plein air painting. In recent years, McBride has traveled the East Coast from Florida to Maine exploring the docks and fishing shacks, the marshes and beaches, the old wooden boats and the people who make their living from the sea. His paintings are a way of chronicling this missing piece of American life.
Jonathan Nordstrom’s paintings of Ocean Pines fill Studio E at the Arts Center in August. His paintings tend to illustrate his view of the universe, and many can be considered surrealist pointillism. Born and raised in Michigan, Nordstrom became a firefighter in the United States Air Force, a career he continues to pursue. He is also an award-winning author and illustrator of several children’s books. Sometimes Sleep received the Mom’s Choice Award, a gold honoree.
Two Cambridge photographers, Lynne Brown and Terry Melius, will be exhibiting their work in the Spotlight Gallery in August. They began snorkeling together on a fishing trip in the Bahamas where their first attempts at underwater photography did not reflect the magical seascapes they were exploring. After deciding they needed to learn more about photography, and underwater photography in particular, they signed up for photography classes at the Smithsonian. Lynne specializes in photo processing and Terry in photo presentation.
Heidi Wetzel of Easton is the Art Center’s Artisan for August. An expert basket maker, her materials include cedar bark, white and black ash, cane, sweet grass, waxed linen and hand-spun thread. Wetzel also recycles natural objects found outdoors, such as driftwood, antlers, acorns, shells, pine cones, sea glass and seed pods, which reflect the natural environment of the East Coast.
The Galleria hosts a limited edition exhibition of artwork created by children who attended this summer’s Art Adventure Camp at the Arts Center.
“The purpose of this show is to celebrate their creations and give them the experience of showing their work in a stunning gallery space,” said Rina Thaler, executive director of the Art League.
The campers’ artwork will hang until August 11th, after which it will be replaced by the annual “Artists Paint OC” outdoor exhibition and sale.
The exhibition of paintings by Francisco Madera as well as the collaborative mural with Ian Postley continues in the Staircase Gallery.
Off-site exhibitions continue at the Art League’s satellite galleries in North Ocean City. The main lobby gallery of the Princess Royale Oceanfront, 9100 Coastal Hwy. hosts an exhibition of paintings by Maggii Sarfaty. The Coffee Beanery on 94th St. continue with a sample of macramé tapestries by Beth Deeley.
Drinks for the First Friday reception are sponsored by PKS Investments, and complimentary hors d’oeuvres are sponsored by Dunes Manor Hotel.
