Art by 3 features local gems

Three of the region’s most talented artists come together in one show at Twisted Fish Gallery.

“Art by 3,” featuring Charles Murphy, Margaret White and William White, runs through July 26.

“Singing at Sunrise,” by Charles Murphy, an acrylic on reliefed canvas.

Charles Murphy

Painter and illustrator Murphy is well-known in the area for his public art, his award-winning books and his paintings of local scenes. He’s been teaching painting classes and workshops since 1975. The work he’ll be showing in the “Art by 3” exhibition is new within the last year and Murphy is justifiably proud of it. “I’m at the top of my form,” he laughs. He’ll have watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings at the show. “It covers a broad spectrum,” he says. “I do a lot of local, traditional work as well as interpretive.”

“Carrying On” by Margaret White

Margaret White

Margaret White created her works specifically for this show. “My subject matter is primarily figurative — people, animals, and birds. Many images are served up in hand-painted vintage frames with a generous dollop of whimsy,” she says. “I’m excited about a new addition to my repertoire this year. I’ve done several free-standing figurative sculptures. I’ve taken the painted frames to astounding degrees of complexity on some pieces and I think they are visually thrilling and coordinate beautifully with the images they house.” She’s also created some smaller, more affordable pieces, which are also part of “Art By 3.”  “I think of them as ‘little gems,'” she says.

“The Clearing” by William White

William White

William White, who is married to Margaret White, also will be exhibiting all new works at the Twisted Fish exhibition. The oil paintings “describe my fascination and love for nature,” he says. He uses a gold-painted “ground” on many of the landscapes that give them a true warmth and allows him to experiment more with light and shadow, he says. “I’m trying to set up an environment you want to walk into.” While many of William White’s paintings are inspired by world travels, many of the landscapes in this show are from inspiring places in northern Michigan, including his own garden.

All three artists are represented at Twisted Fish Gallery, as well as at our online store, the Fine Art Mart. We’re open seven days a week, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Twisted Fish Gallery is one mile south of Elk Rapids on U.S. 31.