In her new exhibit of recent oils on canvas, Kate Knapp captures favorite views of the island at various times of the day with an emphasis on how the light changes and effects our perceptions of the land, sea, and sky. The show will be up from July 29 to August 10 with a virtual reception on July 30.
In “Dories Rock Sunset,” the sun casts yellow streaks through the grey clouds and across the water as it eddies around a large rock in Dories Cove. In contrast, “Westside Sunset and Little Deer” is a long range view of an orange and yellow sun setting in the distance and casting light across a lawn at that early evening hour when deer come out to graze.
There are several views of the Narragansett Inn in New Harbor. “Narragansett Inn Porch View” looks over a porch rail to the outbuildings behind the inn while “Old New Harbor Porch View” is a scene of the morning light emphasizing the shadows of the railings on the porch. “Narragansett Inn and Harbor View” looks up from the front lawn at the pink hydrangeas against the white porch with the Salt Pond and the Coast Guard Station in the distance by the cut.
“Potter House Porch with Chives” is a very different porch on a house on Spring Street — just a narrow deck with no railings and a boarded window. The light falls across the steps to the porch and on the mauve flowers of the chives planted in front of the porch.
“Coast Guard View” is a scene of the Coast Guard Station from the beach on Coast Guard Road. The red of the roof of the Coast Guard Station in the left background is repeated in the cluster of beach plums in the right foreground. Several boats are anchored in the pond to the center right. “Great Salt Pond Beach” is another view of the Salt Pond with a dingy on the shore and a sailboat anchored further out in the pond under a cloud filled blue sky.
“Springtime Roses and Dock” evokes a calm spring day with a dingy tied to a dock in one of the inner ponds with roses blooming in the right foreground. “Spring Flowers on the Porch” is a still life of a vase with flowers set on a tiled table in an enclosed porch looking out to the lawn and a glimpse of sea and sky. “Holy Mackerel and Mussels” is another still life of four fish and a cluster of mussels lying on the beach with water washing over them.
Another element on Block Island in addition to its changing light is the wind. In “North Light Windy Day,” one can see and feel the wind as it bends the tall beach grass in the foreground with the North Light in the distance. “Water Street” is a view of Old Harbor from the vantage point of the hill of the Harbor Baptist Church looking down Water Street to the Surf Hotel and Clay Head in the distance.
The gallery is open Monday, and Wednesday through Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-3pm. We are also open by appointment. Call 401-466-5314 or email at info@jessieedwardsgallery.com.