Gallery to show artist's 'perception of nature'

SPOTSWOOD - Academy of Music on Main Street will open a new show at its art gallery Saturday featuring the works of artist Chris Lerro.

The exhibition, "Chromosphere," will feature 15 original landscapes done in oil pastel in rich, vibrating color, according to a press release.

"Mr. Lerro's hand is energetic like Van Gogh; his colors are warm and rich and velvety like Wolf Kahn; his trees tell stories," said Kevan Lunney, curator of the gallery. "Color will fill the gallery space."

Lerro said the show is a collection of real and imagined landscapes that he painted over the past two years.

"I focus on simple, striking forms, vibrant colors, rough textures and the effects of light," he said. "These paintings represent my perception of nature. I want to capture its elemental beauty and power, its movement and stillness, its hidden life."

Lerro is a mental health clinician at University Behavioral Health Care, New Brunswick, working with people with severe mental illnesses. His work in oil pastel, which started out as an emotional outlet for dealing with the days' events, evolved into a passion for the medium and a desire to further study technique.

Chris Lerro's oil pastel works, "Highland Park Woods in Autumn" and "Ash Trees in Autumn," are among the pieces that will be on display in the art gallery at the Academy of Music on Main Street, Spotswood, beginning Saturday.

As a health clinician, Lerro understands the stillness and hidden life of our personal nature, and his training has enhanced his visual observation of life and enhances his imagery with the "power and elemental beauty" of which he speaks, according to organizers of the show.

Lerro said oil pastels represent a medium that is capable of producing a wide range of visual effects. For example, transparent washes can be achieved by combining the oil pastels with linseed oil, and thick impasto-like effects happen when layers of color are built on top of one another. Some of these layers can be applied in such a way as to reveal the other colors beneath and they can also be scraped off or scratched through.

"We are always looking for ways to provide new and interesting perspectives to the community," said academy director Melody Blasenheim. "The colors in this collection are alive and exciting. I'm pleased we can give people the opportunity to view and own Mr. Lerro's work."

The exhibition will open with a reception Saturday at 5 p.m. in the gallery at the academy, 508 Main St. Lerro will speak at 5:30 p.m., and attendees will have the opportunity to speak with him and other art enthusiasts during the opening.

The show will run through Sept. 19. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.