“Whimsy and Joy!” at Edgewood Gallery features pieces by a trio of artists, all of whom create in various mediums. Eva Hunter, for example, has watercolors, alcohol inks and mixed-media jewelry in the show. Linda Malik’s ceramics grace the whole lot—vessels with figurative elements, abstract pieces, and more. And Kathleen Crinnin’s acrylics depict trees, flowers, and geometric forms; she also creates collages.
In Hunter’s pieces, she demonstrates an ability to work skillfully in several art forms.
A watercolor portrays a goldfinch whose bright color contrasts with bare branches and a forlorn tree. In another work, a tall, vertical acrylic, a bouquet of mixed flowers is captured.
A third piece, “Love Speaks in Flowers” scores with abundant colors, for which Hunter utilized oil and alcohol inks. Other works include “Star Flower,” which emphasizes green colors, “Garden Blooms,” a smaller artwork, and “Amazonian Royal Flycatcher.”
Like her others, Hunter’s latter work is nicely detailed: look for the bird’s distinctive crown.
In “Nicobar Pigeon,” Hunter presents a multicolored, subtly detailed pigeon. “Red Bat in Flight” is similarly striking: the bat appears in a shade of bright red, contrasting with a background of softer red and pink hues. Both works were created with alcohol inks.
Hunter’s jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets and earrings, is also on display.
Hunter, it should be noted, has shown her creations at a range of venues over the years: the Marcellus Public Library, Point of Contact in downtown Syracuse, Art Juxtapose in Rosendale, New York, and at the View Center for Arts and Culture in Old Forge, New York.
Malik, meanwhile, shapes sculptural ceramics without using a potter’s wheel.
Her vessels defy categorization. “All Over” is situated on four feet, while another ceramic work has a bird on one side and a leaf on the other. There’s also a work portraying a pile of snakes, as well as a bowl filled with what looks like tiny pods. Viewers will encounter a whimsical piece topped by a horn, embodying the artist’s imagination and sense of fun.
Other sculptures by Malik further display this abstract form play: one appears to be a small piece of concrete but is clearly a ceramic work. A second piece has seven tiers.
Her work has been exhibited at local venues such as Salt City Artisans, at 226 Hawley Ave., and Art in the Atrium, the CNY Arts-operated open-access gallery near Hanover Square. She’s currently a member of Riverside Artisans, a cooperative space in downtown Oswego.
The exhibit’s third artist, Kathleen Crinnin, has created acrylics like “Soft Season,” with its depiction of trees, and “Winter Sanity” whose faded flowers communicate a wistful mood.
Her depiction of a turtle is well done and seems to reference not only the individual creature but also the issue of various turtle species facing extinction.
She’s created several acrylic collages like “Creatures of the Deep,” which portrays sealife, and “Currents (Under),” an interesting work suggesting rough terrain and stressing layers.
Her acrylic, “Library,” like any artwork, is subject to the viewer’s interpretation. It has text encompassing the word “Love” and several series of letters that don’t seem to spell out a word.
Crinnin has taken part in exhibits at Petit Branch Library, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park near Cazenovia, and other venues.
“Whimsy and Joy!” will be exhibited through April 17, 2026 at Edgewood Gallery, 216 Tecumseh Rd. The venue is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is free, and the public is welcome.
About the Author
Carl Mellor covered visual arts for the Syracuse New Times from 1994 through 2019. He writes reviews and artist profiles for CNY Arts as a community partner.
