New exhibition on view at Gallery One until April 1

Gallery One announced its Black, White and In Between exhibit will be open to the public from Thursday, March 5 through Tuesday, April 1, at 32 Atlantic Ave., Ocean View.

This month, the artists demonstrate that making art is not always black and white, although it can be. The seemingly simple combination of black and white colors can yield some of the most striking design elements, encouraging artists to investigate color, surface and light in new and individual ways.

Rina Thaler’s “The Dancer” was originally intended as an abstract composition. “The image of a dancer in motion wearing a puffy-sleeved dress and headscarf seemed to take form on its own, compelling me to define and paint it,” said Thaler. “The dramatic dark figure is illuminated by the white paint, creating a spotlight on her as she swirls.”

Joyce Condry’s acrylic, “Sitting Pretty,” also explores the drama of black and white, while Laura Hickman’s pastel and charcoal, “Bethany Beach Circa 1930,” utilizes the in-between shades of grays. “This is from an old family photo. Even though I only used black and white charcoal and pencils on a tan paper, it does resemble a sepia-toned photo, which gives it a feeling of nostalgia and history,” said Hickman.

Dale Sheldon’s “Along the Coast,” an oil, and Ed Lewandowski’s acrylic, “Rain on the River,” explore nature’s monochromatic drama. Sheldon said, “The Pacific Ocean scenery from northern California was essentially black and white with little color. It was moody and peaceful, and had a stunning sense of grandeur. For the painting, I have used primarily gray tones, adding a bit of white for contrast along with a few blues.”

Lesley McCaskill’s acrylic, “Morning Beach Walk,” uses the basic building blocks of black and white for the bones of the composition and builds on that with the exquisite colors of morning.

Artists using the drama created with black and white, juxtaposed with spot color to create a magic pop in their works are Michelle Marshall in her acrylic, “On Guard”; Marybeth Paterson in “Oysters Anyone,” also an acrylic; and Cindy Beyer with “Orchidoodle” in ink.