ellO gallery’s latest exhibit combines the natural with the supernatural

When I walked into NatureSuperNature, the March exhibit at ellO gallery & shop on State Street in Portsmouth, I was rather curious to see what kind of artwork would reflect its title. Would it be composed of little green ceramic Martians descending from papier mâché hovercrafts attached to the ceiling with flashing lights? Much to my pleasure, I did not walk into a bacchanalia of UFOs or alien life forms, but a refreshingly spiritual celebration of the approaching spring season. The show is a creative display with a mystical edge, like walking alone into a deep, dark forest.

Artists Glenn DiLando, Sheena Charland, Cassandra Warren, Kelsey Keenan, Lydia Vanasse, Lenka Chludová and Andrew DeVecchio focus on the natural world and some supernatural sentiments that connect human beings to nature. Several of the artists incorporate natural and recycled products into their work. Exhibit creator Glenn DiLando uses wood found at a dump as a painting surface, while Cassandra Warren uses pages of books and other vintage paper as her surface. The idea of reusing materials for art is popular at ellO. The gallery encourages artists who use found objects and recycled products to submit their artwork.

DiLando is part of a circle of artists who opened ellO gallery & shop last September. While brainstorming shows that would be good for the month of March, he thought it would be fitting to bring nature back after the planet had been covered with heavy white snow for months during our long winter. Nature itself was too narrow and limiting of an inspiration for DiLando, so he decided to go one step further and add supernatural elements to the concept.  

The artists interpreted this idea in a number of different ways. Lydia Vanasse confronts environmental issues in a folk art style. Her brightly colored paintings on wood portray the lives of unhappy animals using patterns, repetition and strong shapes. 

DiLando’s work boldly confronts aspects of death and spirituality, mainly focusing on the soul. He uses animals to play out the drama of what happens to the soul after death. The many layers of neon greens, pinks and purples on wood pull viewers into a world where there is always something more to see and experience.  
Cassandra Warren skillfully depicts animals and birds with undertones of a scientific study. Some of the vintage paper she uses is more than 50 years old. The pre-existing words and lines add a poetic aspect to her work, reminding viewers that the medium has already been used for something utilitarian and has now been transformed into a piece of art with a new use and purpose.

An opening reception for the exhibit will take place on Friday, March 14 at 5 p.m. There will be two live artistic performances by Lenka Chludová at 6 and 8 p.m., as well as a limited-time light installation by Andrew DeVecchio. The ellO gallery & shop is located at 110 State St., Portsmouth, 603-433-9110. The exhibit will run until March 31.