Blue Cows in Piermont

Piermont's Fine Arts Gallery is a hopping—and cooperative—place.

Every few weeks, the gallery exhibits a new collection. The gallery has been run cooperatively by 24 artists since 1993. They pay dues to cover the costs and share the gallery with one another, taking care of everything from vacuuming and electric bills to gallery sitting and curating.

From Aug. 5 through Aug. 22, artist Peri Karkheck had her paintings on display in the North Gallery. Karkheck works in watercolor, but her paintings don't look like your typical scenes—she paints in bold colors that explode off the canvas. For this she must keep the brush a lot drier than typical, and work faster.

Didn't catch it? No problem—read on to learn about the display and Karkech's style.

Karkheck originally worked as a printmaker with a grad school degree. But balancing her time between work and a growing family became difficult.

As a result, Karkheck decided to take up painting—and took to experimenting. She went from oils to acrylics, and finally to watercolor.

"I love the luminosity, the transparency of colors with watercolor," she explained. "I have been creating art as long as I can remember."

Karkheck has also worked as an art teacher for elementary and middle school children, stopping just about three years ago.

Most of Karkheck's paintings through the years have been landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes based on photos she takes while traveling. She loves to travel, and notes she finds inspiration in whatever she sees. Her paintings have amazing textures and colors that can be very difficult to accomplish with the unforgiving nature of her medium.

Recently, Karkheck decided to venture out of the world of inanimate objects and start an animal series. Her first work she calls, "Blue Cows," which features a medium close up shot of three cows that appear to be having a conversation. The contrast with the vibrant green pastures make the cows jump from the canvas.

(And I'm not alone in my admiration—this painting won the 2010 CAA Honorable Mention award. CAA stands for Community Arts Association, a non-profit cooperative open to all artists and art enthusiasts in Allendale, NJ. Those who enter are judged by their peers.)

Karkheck explained she enjoyed the way the shapes took on lives of their own as they morphed into different animals.

Another painting favorite she showed me is titled "Three's a Crowd." Immediately, the beauty of the blues in the sky and barn captured my eye. This work has a story if you pay attention to it: there are three seagulls pictured, two sitting on the barn and one that looks as if it is just taking off. One can only imagine what the other two said to the one leaving.

Want to see the paintings for yourself? Visit the gallery here.