Dowling Walsh Gallery presents four new exhibits in October

Dowling Walsh Gallery will host four exhibitions in October. The opening reception for all shows will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 1 behind the gallery. Masks are required at all times inside the gallery.

Joyce Tenneson: “Radiant Beings”

Oct. 1 to 30

Haunting, ethereal, mystical — all of these words describe the photographic style of Joyce Tenneson. Her photos command a complex and intense emotional response from the viewer, which has made Tenneson one of the leading photographers of her generation.

Vicki Goldberg, critic and author, writes of Tenneson: “Tenneson possesses a unique vision which makes her photographs immediately recognizable.” Her work has appeared on covers for magazines such as Time, Life, Newsweek, Premiere, Esquire and The New York Times Magazine.

Tenneson is also the author of 17 books, including the best-seller “Wise Women.” “Radiant Beings: The Magical Essence of Flowers” is the third in a trilogy of books on the life cycle of flowers.            

“In Chinese philosophy, a garden is a space for understanding truths that lie beyond ordinary perception,” Joyce Tenneson explains. “When the COVID pandemic hit, I brought the garden inside, surrounding myself in my studio with a cacophony of flowers and vines, keeping them for long periods to interact with, and to observe their life cycles. The photographs in this series are records of the interactions I had with my flower subjects, the Radiant Beings, in my indoor garden. In this new series I decided to take risks. I experimented with longer exposures on my camera, giving more space to the unknown, and to serendipity. Like my human subjects before, I wanted to allow these radiant beings to connect with me magically. As these images emerged in the last 18 months, I was surprised and inspired by what I discovered.”

Erik Weisenburger: “Gökotta”

Oct. 1 to 30

Gökotta is a Swedish concept, without direct translation, referring to the act of rising at dawn to go outside and listen to birds singing. This poetic image corresponds in title to one of the paintings in the show but more broadly encompasses the allure and whimsy of this painter’s work.

Portland-based artist Erik Weisenburger paints luminous landscapes, rich with detail. His meticulous brushwork and ability to convey glowing light is reminiscent of early Northern European paintings. Weisenburger’s compositions repeat natural patterns — blades of grass, ladders of tree branches, clumps of moss — and have a satisfying balance. The density of detail makes his paintings feel precious and treasured, pulling the viewer in to study each piece of the panel. Weisenburger’s work is often narrative or allegorical, with symbolic overtones referential of outsider folk art.

He studied at the Parsons School of Design in Paris and received his BFA in sculpture from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1992 and his MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He spent many years working in Chicago before moving to Maine in 2005.

Tollef Runquist: “Inner Alchemy”

Sept. 3 to Oct. 30

Tollef Runquist’s exhibition, “Inner Alchemy,” presents new works from his continued exploration of fantastical landscapes, the terrain of the psyche and the actuality of everyday life. They are paintings of inquiry and affirmation, loose forms of self-prompt and examination of maker and viewer. They combine imaginary objects, human figures and the archetypal to create enigmatic worlds. Recurrent imagery of daily objects — fruit, hands, plants — ground the paintings and create a unique, symbolic language. 

Runquist received his BA in studio art from Dickinson College in 2002. Since then, he has continued his education through painting and other mediums. He lives and works in Searsport.

Wood Gaylor (1883-1957)

Aug. 21 to Oct. 31

Dowling Walsh Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of works by Wood Gaylor. This exhibition coincides with “Art’s Ball: Wood Gaylor & American Modernism, 1913-1936,” on view at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art through Oct. 31.

Gaylor was born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1883. During the 1920s, Gaylor spent summers at the Ogunquit Art Colony, where he met and worked alongside artists including Yasuo Kuniyoshi and Marguerite and William Zorach. 

Gaylor was experimental in his early etchings and carvings, and the influence of Gauguin, Matisse, Davies and Laurent is palpable. Well-trained and completely immersed in modernist artistic styles, however, Gaylor’s mature style is uniquely his own. Flat areas of blocked color, and crowded scenes recording events and moments he witnessed, are hallmarks of his work.

Works by Gaylor are in the public collections of many major art museums, including the Whitney Museum of Art (New York), the Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C.), and the Portland Museum of Art (Maine).

Dowling Walsh Gallery is at 365 Main St. in Rockland. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and by appointment on Sundays and Mondays. Visit www.dowlingwalsh.com, or call 207-596-0084 for more information.