a closer look at the Seacoast in recent works by Tom Glover at the Franklin Gallery

Distinctive pieces of fishing piers—buoys, lobster traps, the hull of a boat—come together and overlap in a way that compounds memory and emotion in Tom Glover’s newest collection of paintings. 

His semiabstract approach does more to capture the character of the Seacoast than most typical realistic landscapes, which he is also capable of producing.

“A lot of people paint the coast and nice, little fishing boats. I’ve done some of that, as well, but I’m trying to go in a different direction,” Glover said.

Five of his large-scale paintings are on display through January in “Approaching Harbor: Fresh Interpretations of a Timeless Theme,” at The Franklin Gallery in Rochester. Several of his smaller works are on display down the street at Artstream Studios.

Though the works at The Franklin Gallery are large, Glover calls them concentrations because they are studies of smaller objects or man-made parts of the scenery, set against flattering color fields. Rather than capturing “the big picture,” like the view of the ocean from land, his perspective is right up close in the water. He gathers the telling details that make the view special and then takes only the best details—a certain curve or color—leaving only the triggers that made us look in the first place.

The paintings reveal the lines of pulleys and poles, strips of boat construction and netting, and red circles like bobbers. All are based on photographs he uses as sketches.

The colors are immediately evocative. There are the many blue shades of water, the neutral tones of sand and wood, and the bright orange of lobster traps and rain gear.

Line and color help define the subject matter and setting, while the composition comes from Glover’s artistic sensibility and the accumulation of his experiences in the area.

“I try to react to the painting and still hold true to the original idea I was going for,” he said.

He says the piling up of different objects reflects combined experiences of seeing and being on the coast. He hopes the work resonates with locals.

Glover studied under John Laurent, who also sought to capture the coastal setting, and is influenced by the likes of Walt Kuhn and Francis Bacon. He said he looks back on a long line of painters and builds on the past.   

He said he’s never been able to put the allure of the coast into words, and that might be why he paints it. He intends to continue in the direction of semiabstract painting and may narrow down the focal point to expand the open color fields.

Glover has exhibited for more than two decades in the region, including regularly at McGowan in Concord and the Marshall Store Gallery in York. His current work at Artstream accompanies an exhibit called “Secrets,” featuring work by Jane Kaufmann and Jennifer Stevens, which will be up through Jan. 30.

Glover has painted while traveling internationally, but here in New England, he tends to explore the Atlantic and its estuaries for inspiration. He is also known for his interpretations of Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.

Glover has a studio in the Salmon Falls Upper Mill in Rollinsford and works in the frame shop at Ben Franklin Crafts, where the gallery is located.

The Franklin Gallery is at 60 Wakefield St., Rochester, 603-332-2227.