The TRA September show is themed “Imagination and Representation” and features recent work by Joan Cranor, Marianne Kost, and Pasquale Di Iulio. Each artist toggles between these two approaches to painting and the show features their evolution. TRA is a gallery space, located in downtown Easton, where selected artists operate independently to show and market their work. They are open from Thursday through Sunday, 11-4.
Marianne Kost is highlighting paintings from one of her favorite settings, the town of Tighlman Island. The gazebo at their marine port is her comfort place to illustrate classic boats, views of the bridge, distant land forms on the Bay, and sunset sky drama. Waterscapes and adjacent marine towns have inspired her over the years. This was true of her early life, in Michigan, and now on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. These transitions of place have meant transitions in media, including illustrative work in watercolor and now, more experimentally, in oil. She embraces the sentiment of telling a story as well as expressing moments of grace.
Marianne has been a contributor to Talbot County arts organizations. She managed the St. Michaels Art League Banner Program which enlivens Talbot St. for visitors and provides a prominent venue for local artists. She teaches watercolor at the YMCA, Miles River Yacht Club, and the Dorchester Center for the Arts. She has participated in the National Gallery of Art Copyist Program, a time honored tradition of studying the masters.
Joan Cranor paints sem-abstract watercolors. Her approach includes using bold lines and color to create a sense of movement and interest. Her “Tempest” won the Martha Hudson award for First Place in watercolor and gained her Signature Member status with the prestigious Baltimore Watercolor Society as well as juried entry into professional shows. She teaches her approach to abstraction to interested groups and her subjects can include references to boats and Eastern Shore scenes, whimsical places, or flowers from her perennial garden.
Joan Cranor is a retired Talbot County art teacher who taught for 38 years. Her recent contributions to Talbot County include assistance with the “Pretty in Pink” Working Artist Forum fundraiser and active chairmanships with the St. Michael Art League, where she managed the children’s art booth at the Talbot County Fair and co-chairs the Labor Day Show in St. Michaels. She is a “snowbird’ winter resident of Arcadia, Florida and member of the DeSoto Arts Council, where she manages a Plein Air event as well as their Member Show.
Pasquale Di Iulio has evolved over the years from traditional portraiture to abstract experimentation with various media. His charcoal portraits are expressive depictions of storied abstract expressionists, such as Andy Warhol. He has studied color theory and participated in studio art classes at the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut as well as the Silvermine School of the Arts. Since moving to Oxford and the Eastern Shore he enjoys local scenic locations, painting with the Plein Air painters of the Chesapeake Bay. He participates in model and portrait sketch group sessions and workshops at the Academy Arts Museum. He is a member of the St. Michaels Art League.
