OCEAN CITY — A pair of accomplished landscape painters are spotlighted during September in the Thaler Gallery at the Ocean City Center for the Arts. The Galleria on the balcony will feature an “artists’ choice” all-media group show.
The public is invited to the free opening reception at the Arts Center on First Friday, Sept. 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. to meet the artists and enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres. The shows will run through September.
Painters Lesley McCaskill and Ricky Sears join forces for a show of landscapes entitled “20 Years in the Making.” McCaskill taught Sears when he was a high school student and inspired him to become an artist.
McCaskill of Rehoboth Beach, Del. studied art at the Corcoran School of Art and Webster University with continuing education at American University and the University of Maryland. She believes painting outdoors in watercolors, oils and acrylics gives her an emotional connection to her paintings. Her work is found in private and corporate collections including Georgetown University Hospital.
Sears was taught by McCaskill at the Landon School, where he currently teaches painting and drawing to high school students, coming full circle back to where he was inspired. He is exhibiting paintings created plein air in Bethany Beach and in his studio in Kensington, Md. Sears attended the School of Visual Art in New York and the University of Maryland.
Wildlife photographer Carl Forsberg occupies Studio E in September. His interest in aviation translates into his interest in photographing birds, and his work captures their beauty, individuality and personality.
Barbara Stepura of La Plata, Md. is September’s Spotlight Artist. As a lover of the outdoors, Stepura paints plein air, challenged by quickly capturing a short moment in time. She is a past award winner in the “Artists Paint OC” plein air event.
Fay Kempton shows her jewelry in the artisan showcase this month. Working in fused glass, her jewelry is inspired by the ocean, architecture and forms in nature.
The Ocean City Center for the Arts at 502 94th Street is the home of the Art League of Ocean City, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the visual arts to the community through education, exhibits, scholarship, programs and community art projects.
Financial support comes primarily through membership dues from individuals and corporate sponsors. Funding for exhibits is also provided by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, the Worcester County Arts Council, Maryland State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, organizations dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.
More information is available at 410-524-9433 or www.artleagueofoceancity.org.