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‘NEW VISIONS’ WILL OPEN AT HARRISON GALLERY APRIL 5

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WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. — The Harrison Gallery will present “New Visions: In Photograph, Etchings and Ceramics” on view April 5–30. An opening reception with the artists will take place Saturday, April 5, from 5 to 7 pm.

The exhibition includes works by three artists who express their connection to the natural world through photographs, etchings and ceramics. In 2006, the New Visions exhibition at the gallery won second place in the prestigious “Best Show in a Commercial Gallery, New England” category awarded by the International Association of Art Critics.

Nicholas Whitman, a Williamstown resident, photographs the Berkshire woods to show nature’s austere beauty, free of life’s civilizing or destructive aspects. His pictures depict nature in its raw and romantic state, with no people, buildings, roads or trash to interfere with the pristine scenes.

His intent is to portray the trees, flowers and vistas of the Berkshires just the way they were created. In his hands, trees are portrayed with dignity and elegance. He gently nudges the viewer to see and appreciate those qualities.

Tom Slaughter’s etchings focus on trees in early winter that are bare or nearly leafless. The stark silhouettes review the architecture of trees that one never sees when they are in full foliage. The last remaining leaves floating down from the branches give a melancholy feel to these etchings that are powerful in their graphic impact.

Slaughter uses ancient methods of etching copper plates with acid to produce his works. The procedure is tedious, time consuming and demanding…but the difficulty of making the art only adds to its appeal.

Jill Fishon-Kovachick pays tribute to nature through her ceramics. Her sculpted vessels have the asymmetrical shape and surface textures of something that came straight from the earth. Some have the images of plants — leaves and tendrils — while other have a rough surface like tree bark, the rippled look of water or the powdery blue of sky.

Fishon-Kovachick uses raku, saggar and high fire firing techniques, all of which use the elements of earth, fire, smoke and water to create works of organic beauty.

The gallery is at 39 Spring Street. For information, www.harrisongallery.com or 413-458-1700.