Sylvan Gallery showing “Two Artists, Infinite Horizons: Neal Hughes and Crista Pisano”

Sylvan Gallery in Wiscasset is pleased to present new works by Neal Hughes and Crista Pisano, on view

from August 19 through September 28. Both artists are celebrated for their plein air mastery,

and together they offer contrasting yet complementary visions of the landscape – from

expansive coastal views to intimate studies of light and atmosphere. Whether in Hughes’s richly

rendered harbors or Pisano’s award-winning nocturnes, each painting invites the viewer into a

distinct moment in time. Join us for the Wiscasset Art Walk on Thursday, August 28, from 4-7

p.m., when both artists will be in attendance. In conjunction, the gallery will also be displaying

work from its regular roster of contemporary fine artists.

 

 

In “Rowboats, Monhegan,” at 24 x 36 inches, Hughes captures a timeless scene on the rugged

island ten miles off the coast of Maine, long cherished by artists. Two weathered boats rest

quietly on a sunlit patch of grass, their detailed textures drawing the viewer in before the scene

softens into a hazy blend of buildings and golden sky. The painting glows with harmonious

violets, greens, and rose tones. Hughes’s combination of brush and palette knife captures a

sense of quiet stillness – a lazy slope of grass, the luminous warmth of late summer, and the soft

geometry of sunlit rooftops. The light cascading toward the water beyond is especially striking,

pulling the eye gently through the composition and inviting a long, lingering look to a place that

feels both real and remembered.

“Low Tide,” at 20 x 30 inches, portrays the evocative rhythm of Cape Ann’s coastal life. Painted

en plein air during a competition in Essex, Massachusetts, the scene shows working boats

resting in the creek’s soft bed as the tide recedes – a daily transformation of the landscape. The

weathered hulls hint at years of hard work at sea, while the distant harbor dissolves into a soft

haze of atmosphere. Hughes’s mastery of light and texture, combined with his sensitivity to the

quiet poetry of everyday moments, transforms a humble subject into something quietly profound

and beautiful.

In “Old Wharf,” at 16 x 20 inches, Hughes presents a richly layered view of Portland’s Custom

House Wharf – capturing the unpolished beauty and enduring spirit of a working waterfront. The

south-facing facade of the row of 1930s-era buildings, their clapboards dulled by time and salt

air, lines the historic wharf, one of Portland’s still-active commercial piers. Subtle shifts in the

water’s green-hued surface are rendered with Hughes’ characteristic care and painterly

confidence. Along the dock, boats, fishing gear, bait barrels, and scattered debris add to the

authenticity of the scene, evoking the steady rhythm of daily labor by the water.

The palette leans into cool coastal hues – muted violets, sea greens, and soft brick tones –

punctuated by dashes of brighter color that catch the light. With its contemplative quality, the

painting invites the viewer to linger and absorb the quiet, hardworking atmosphere of the place.

It’s not simply a record of a moment, but a layered visual narrative of Maine’s working harbors –

one told with Hughes’ hallmark clarity, restraint, and deep appreciation for the living history of

the coast.

In addition to these works, viewers can look forward to seeing new Maine coastal subjects as

well as recent paintings created during plein air competitions on the Eastern Seaboard. A

consistent thread throughout is Hughes’s remarkable ability to strike that perfect balance

between capturing reality and expressing it in a poetic, evocative manner.

A graduate of The Philadelphia College of Art (now University of the Arts), Neal Hughes has

been painting professionally for over 40 years. He began his career as an illustrator before

making the transition to fine art, which has always been his true passion. His work has been

accepted into many national juried exhibitions and has won many awards, including an “Award

of Excellence” at the prestigious International Marine Art Exhibition at the Gallery at Mystic

Seaport. He was the “Grand Prize” winner in the Utrecht 60th Anniversary Art Competition,

winning the top prize out of over 12,000 entries. His most recent award this year is the “Best

Landscape Award” at The Best of America SMALL WORKS International Juried Exhibition 2025,

National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society (NOAPS).

 

Crista Pisano’s “Calm Night on the Hudson,” at 4 x 20 inches, is a nocturne of quiet

sophistication. In this jewel-like panorama, Pisano distills the vastness of the river into a graceful

strip of darkened hills, reflected lights, and glassy water. The soft glimmer of distant towns

draws the eye gently across the panel, suggesting depth, serenity, and solitude. Pisano has

earned wide acclaim for her nocturnes – often awarded for their subtlety and precision – and this

new piece is a perfect example of her ability to create intimacy through restraint. It’s a painting

that invites pause, and rewards close looking.

“Skyward,” at 10 x 2 1/2 inches is a striking vertical painting of a solitary pine rising against an

atmospheric blue sky. Based on one she observed in Owl’s Head, Maine, Pisano accentuates

the towering elegance of the weathered tree as it stretches upward, its sparse limbs shaped by

wind and time. Her refined brushwork and nuanced color palette give life to the textures of bark

and blue-green foliage. There’s a resilience in this tree, sculptural in form yet full of character,

standing sentinel over the landscape. Pisano invites the viewer to pause and look up – to notice

strength in solitude and beauty in simplicity.

 

 

Pisano, who travels extensively for prestigious plein air competitions across the United States,

brings her keen eye for light and atmosphere to scenes far beyond her familiar Maine coastline.

In “Florida in March,” at 1 7/8 x 5 3/4 inches, she distills the essence of the Sunshine State into

one of her signature small yet expansive panels. The intimate scale draws the viewer in close,

rewarding careful observation with incredible detail – the sway of palm trees, the shimmer of

blue water, and the crisp silhouettes of sailboats moored along the shore. It’s a perfect example

of how Pisano captures both a specific place and a universal sense of beauty in her work.

In addition to these featured paintings, Pisano will also present a series of new nocturnes,

paintings of rocks and crashing surf, and distant ocean views from her favorite painting locations

along the Maine coast. She has won numerous awards throughout her career at plein air

invitational events. So far this year her accolades include: “2nd Place Award” for Small Work

Sunday Competition, Plein Air Easton 2025; “2nd Place Award” and “2nd Place Quick Draw

Award” at Paint Annapolis 2025, Annapolis, MD; “Best Nocturne” at the Olmstead Plein Air

Invitational, Atlanta, GA, 2025; “1st Place Award” at the Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Festival

2025, Tequesta, FL; “Best Nocturne” at the Wayne Plein Air Festival 2025, Wayne, PA.

A selection of new work by the gallery’s other contemporary fine artists will also be on display,

including Peter Layne Arguimbau, Joann Ballinger, Al Barker, Paul Batch, Angelo Franco Jr.,

Susannah Haney, Heather Gibson-Lusk, Stan Moeller, Robert Noreika, Ann Scanlan, Polly Seip,

Laura Winslow, and Shirley Cean Youngs. Work from the estate of the late artist Charles Kolnik

will also be on view.

For more information, call Ann Scanlan at 882-8290 or visit www.sylvangallery.com. Also, find

Sylvan Gallery on Instagram and Facebook. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday,

11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday is by chance or

appointment. Sylvan Gallery is located at 49 Water St., Wiscasset, on the corner with Main St.

(Route 1), next to Red’s Eats.