About Connections And Nature And Other Things

The large, orange-and- white fox stands erect, balanced on a sphere in the middle of a miniature green and stone formal garden — maybe Italian, maybe French. A river meanders in lazy curves on the right. The fox holds a simple costume-party mask. There are two butterflies. This odd attempt at surrealism is one of the better paintings in an odd show of sculpture, paintings, lamps and assemblages by Rosemary Barrett — the fox image is hers — and Kevin MacDonald, at the Sharon Historical Society. Barrett, who founded Sharon’s Firelight Studios, and MacDonald live and work at Eastworks, a large, mixed-use former mill in Easthampton, MA. They also recently opened an art gallery, After Midnight, at Eastworks. Barrett’s paintings reflect the connection she feels between “humans and animals.” But her work never recognizes the ironies that rise from intersections of human and animal worlds, of hunter and hunted, of encroachment on natural habitats; her surrealism is too gentle for that. Take “Nurturing the World” for example. A red-capped crane sits not on eggs but on tiny replicas of the Earth. Or “Three Cranes,” used to publicize the show but not actually in it. Here the gorgeous birds stand in water examining miniature Earths floating nearby. An Earth populated with the humans who will one day destroy the birds’ habitats? That idea might have been more interesting. At her best, Barrett paints well. Too often, though, the pictures are pretty but flat, all slick surface and no depth of perspective or feeling. Only in “Thorns to Ribbons,” in which birds perch on thorny branches that change into silken ribbons and then back into branches does she achieve depth by simulating shadows on a wall. Her assemblages, and there are many, are more interesting, more original in concept if occasionally gloomy and often obvious. “Lonely Woman” is a face on a twist of rope that could be a large caterpillar. MacDonald is a naturalist, too; but he is fascinated with objects changed by nature: weathered wood, patinaed metal. He is also a self-taught fine woodworker. In the Sharon show, his stone and wood lamps are compelling. The metal sculptures and tables are interesting in shape and color. He is a fine, developing artisan, and I wish more of his work were on display. All the works are for sale, and prices are reasonable. Barrett offers giclee prints — that strange name invented in 1991 for high-quality ink-jet art reproduction — of some of the more expensive pictures. “Material World” is at The Sharon Historical Society, 18 Main St., through Dec. 23. For information, call 860-364-5688.