Under the Waves, the exhibit now on display at Edgewood Gallery, presents pieces by three artists. Their works span various mediums but each artist’s passion for their craft comes across. The show includes Charles Cowell’s paintings, which pay homage to ocean creatures and environments, R. Jason Howard’s glassworks, and Susan Machamer’s gold and silver jewelry.
As a child Cowell watched television shows such as “Sea Hunt” and documentaries by Jacques Cousteau. Later, he enjoyed diving all over the globe and learned underwater photography.
His acrylic and alkyd paintings draw from those experiences. They reflect the artist’s sense of reverence for life under water and an ability to sensitively depict creatures large and small.
And so, viewers will encounter a slew of paintings portraying a manta ray, a hawksbill turtle in fine detail, and two seals, one on shore and one submerged in the nearby water. Other works include a nurse shark seen in bright green color, a manatee in close proximity to other creatures, and a white-sided Pacific dolphin whose torso twists to reveal its colors.
Cowell is facile, capturing scenes from sea cliffs and clownfishes to a group of spinner dolphins. The latter work, an acrylic, renders four dolphins: two adults and two juveniles. While most of his paintings are realistic and use color and shading effectively, Cowell isn’t working from a template. His Allen octopus, for example, is semi-abstract and visually interesting.
R. Jason Howard, meanwhile, creates sculptures through borosilicate glassblowing, using traditional Italian techniques and self-invented processes. He makes ornaments, prayer bowls and his distinctive Soul Cage sculptures, taking inspiration from the natural world, including his garden. The Edgewood exhibit displays works of his such as “Horns of Dilemma,” a piece consisting of four glass objects on a stone surface. Each of the four is crowned by a horn structure. “Horns of Dilemma Teal,” a similar artwork, is vibrant and downright pretty.
In addition, Howard created “Rainbow Soul Cage” which features six glass pieces with contrasting hues and sizes. Each is topped by a tiny, tear-drop tip.
And “Trumpet Vine Cage,” a fine work, encompasses a cup, vine and other elements, documenting the artist’s imagination and masterful glassblowing skills. Howard has taken part in numerous exhibitions, including shows at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, Snyderman Works in Philadelphia, and the Museum of Art and Design in New York City.
Susan Machamer, Under the Waves’ third artist, makes metalsmith jewelry such as rings, bracelets and necklaces. She’s influenced by natural forms and textures and has displayed her pieces at Central New York venues like Edgewood and Cazenovia Artisans, and at Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Under the Waves is on view through June 26 at the Edgewood Gallery, 216 Tecumseh Rd. The gallery is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 315-445-8111.
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.
