COMING SOON to a gallery near you:
Elusie Gallery, Easthampton, Massachusetts. Paintings with photographs by Bar Lois Weeks, group exhibit “Pas de Deux,” now through March 3. Opening reception Saturday, February 10, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, Southampton, Massachusetts. Gallery talk, “The Impact of Cellphones on Visual Art,” Sunday, February 25, 3 p.m.
Anchor House of Artists, Northampton, Massachusetts. Solo exhibition of new paintings. Opens Friday, April 6, through April 28. Opening reception Friday, April 13, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Before, during, and after
In order:
- Three small paintings that I completed just prior to my January trip to Florida;
- Three large canvases I began before Florida, completed afterward;
- Six paintings I started in Florida and finished in Hatfield; and
- One hybrid painting: I turned a canvas begun months ago that was going nowhere from vertical to horizontal, splashed paint over its rough edges, and a vision of Florida appeared.

Sunset Sail, oil on canvas, 12×9

V-neck, oil on canvas, 9×12

Waterfall, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 12×9

Abstract 18, oil on canvas, 30×24

Abstract 17, oil on canvas, 24×36

Landscape with Vine, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 48×36

26 Florida18, acrylic on canvas, 9×12

27 Florida18, acrylic on canvas, 12×9

28 Florida18, acrylic on canvas, 9×12

29 Florida18, acrylic on canvas, 14×11

30 Florida18, acrylic on canvas, 9×12

31 Florida18, acrylic on canvas, 8×10

The Birds of Florida, oil on canvas, 36×48
OK, Abstract 18 floats. That is pretty amazing, to me anyway. I don’t think I’ve seen this in previous paintings. It feels like there is all kinds of space underneath the blue swath on the right. And underneath the left blue swath as well, now that I’ve returned to the painting and looked at it at least ten times, trying to figure out how you did that. I kind of have an idea . . . .