East Coast Aesthetic & Glass Invitational

Lyons Matrix Gallery
through September 13

I love an artist with a sense of humor. In the too-pensive and sober world of art, it's nice to get a chuckle out of a painting. Or, as here, a few chuckles out of a collection of works.

Phillip Wade's acrylics nicely combine artistic proficiency and ironic humor. The subject of many of his works is a beautiful, precocious-looking boy; yet placed amid garish colors and odd situations, he takes on the look of a bad seed. "The Murderer Age 12," with its subject looking very Damien-esque, is like an impressionistic still-photo from The Omen. The boy even looks menacing as he and a buddy prepare to play croquet in "Duel at Dawn."

Four sculptors are included in the Glass Invitational, and they present works of varied styles. My favorites are Thomas Considine's coral reefs which greet you at the door. The works are beautiful; cast bronze and aluminum corals share space with blown glass and crystal seashells and water objects. Considine cuts ridges into these pieces so they can nestle on any part of the coral. It's like a really delicate puzzle. All of Considine's pieces are influenced by nature, rarely with a utilitarian purpose. "I don't like to consider my artwork functional because then people will stick flowers in it and that's not what it's all about," he says.

Some of the gallery's most interesting glass works -- colorful and dainty insects and spiders by Italian artist Vittorio Costantini -- are not part of the invitational. Almost hidden behind a wall in the back, the delicate pieces are a shimmery surprise; even better, they share a space with two paintings by Melissa Miller.

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Angel Imagery

Devas Gallery
ongoing display

Angels rank right up there with sunsets as a frequently-used subject for artists. Maybe it's because of their common traits: sereneness, subjectiveness, larger-than-life omnipotence. Or maybe it's simply because they are so pretty. Whatever the case, angel iconography remains intriguing for artists, religious or not.

Angels in all their resplendency are the main subject at Devas -- a fitting subject, since devas are angels who work through people to accomplish tasks. The gallery's many angel paintings create an ethereal presence, aided by the ambient music, candles, and gothic sconces. The works have an obvious Renaissance influence, with their dark-edged, dimly-lit images. Several frames are made from old planks with chipped paint, and many have dried flowers or candleholders affixed to them.

The artwork is simply a component of the atmosphere, one that's bound to make you slow down and take a breather. Devas could easily be confused with a meditation room, a confusion that gallery owner Judibeth Hunter doesn't mind. She said she would like it to be a place for people to visit and meditate, rest and worship, whether or not they subscribe to a certain spirituality. Despite the strong Christian themes, the paintings do convey more of a calming -- rather than a religious -- energy.

Works by Hunter and six other artists are on hand. The new gallery is nestled behind giant sunflowers in the Waterloo Compound, Third & Red River Streets; the 130-year-old set of buildings has housed everything from a corn crib to a brothel and seems a strangely natural setting for a family of angels. -- Cari Marshall