Change It Up exhibit continues at Gallery One

Gallery One will present its Change It Up exhibit through Tuesday, Aug. 27, at 32 Atlantic Ave., Ocean View.

Change is inevitable, and embracing it often offers pleasant surprises, learning moments and opportunities. This month, the artists of Gallery One are Changing It Up, whether it be a new technique, subject matter or philosophy.

Rina Thaler’s “Change Is in the Air,” explores the changing perceptions of reality people face as they go through life. Using hand-painted papers collaged into a watercolor background shifts the planes of consciousness, turning a simple study of birch trees into a metaphor for natural but sometimes difficult changes.

For Cindy Beyer in “Lumi Jelly,” and Dale Sheldon in “Late Afternoon,” a change of materials brought new inspiration. “I used a black canvas painted with interference paint. I decided to paint a luminous jellyfish with glowing, iridescent paint. When the light is shining on this painting, it is magnificent, ethereal,” said Beyer.

Jeanne Mueller and Ed Lewandowski changed up their usual styles of working. In “Butterflies Are Free,” Mueller took a dive into abstraction. Lewandowski went in a more figurative representational style with his oil painting, “Whiskey Sour.” “I primarily paint landscapes and enjoy working en plein air,” he said. “For this challenge, I moved the subject matter indoors while also adding figures. I was trying to capture the feeling of an old Paris bar late in the evening.”

For Joyce Condry in “Sunflower Phobia,” the choice of subject matter enabled her to stretch her usual boundaries. “[Sunflowers] are so big, so yellow, so in your face that they actually intimidate me. Painting them was a therapy session for me,” she said.

Lesley McCaskill’s “On the Road Again” illustrates a change in her lifestyle. “This idea came to me as I was driving over the Indian River bridge, [seeing] the beauty of the landscape with the bay, beach, grasses and the soaring gulls surrounding me.” She also noticed an exuberant mature couple in a sporty car, juxtaposed with an iconic black pickup filled with young people, all enjoying the sea and the sun. “This is my life now! It sure has changed from city life,” she said.

Cheryl Wisbrock’s “White Oak Playtime” is a reworking of a previous piece. “It was a portrait of a large, regal oak tree that had been carefully preserved and marked with a sign honoring its history. I decided the image was a little stuffy, and that the tree deserved a little fun. I changed its personality from a mature, stately tree to one that hosts neighborhood children who may want to climb or play on it.”

Gallery One is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. For more information, go to galleryonede.com.