Nantucket artist shows work at library

Rebecca Harper received a homecoming of sorts when the Middletown Township Public Library hosted an opening reception for her Nantucket Wild oil and ink medium art show recently. Harper’s roots are in Monmouth County, as her father and mother are longtime Middletown residents. But her home and muse are now in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Harper explained that her technique, being a matter of working at a relatively quick pace, was borne out of necessity. “I was employed by Senator John Kerry; specifically I worked for Mrs. Kerry, Teresa Heinz Kerry, which was very much a 24-hour-a-day job,” she said. “After the 2004 election, when he didn’t win, things sort of fell apart. Then I went to work with a gentleman who has Alzheimer’s, as an aid —  another very demanding line of work.  I painted when I could, but just about every paint stroke here comes from stolen moments!”

The collection of paintings features different landscape and water scenes from in and around Nantucket, as well as five ink drawings with watercolor washes. Harper pointed out those five drawings as the earliest examples in this collection.

With the library’s Community Meeting Room designated for monthly art exhibitions and township events, Harper’s showing was organized, according to schedule, by her sister Elizabeth. Harper’s collection will be on view, with paintings for sale, through Feb. 27. After that, the library will host the Rebecca’s Reel Quilters’ 25 Anniversary display of their local quilting guild.

Several people in attendance included other local artists like Paul Clark and John Lauricella, who plan to have an exhibition in the space later this year. Lauricella was taken with Harper’s command of color usage. “She paints in a very detailed way,” he said. “There’s almost a photographic quality to it.”

Harper took great care to speak with all the guests, especially the younger attendees. She explained to them where her inspirations came from, and how she used paint application in different ways to gain specific visual effects.

Harper’s parents beamed as she worked the room, and her father James snapped pictures of each painting on display.

The paintings range in price, from $250 for the ink drawings up to $2000 for pairs of related oils. For information on the availability of Rebecca Harper’s work, contact Elizabeth Harper at HarperScience@Yahoo.com for details. Please take a moment to view some examples of Harper's artwork in the slideshow that accompanies this story.

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