Crossings
Gallery Artists Summer Exhibition
July 16 – August 9, 2025
Opening Reception: Thursday, July 17, 6–8 pm
FIRST STREET GALLERY is pleased to present Crossings, an exhibition of paintings by six First Street Gallery artists. The exhibition runs from July 16 to August 9, 2025. The opening reception is Thursday, July 17, 6–8 pm.
Among its many meanings, the word “Crossings” can imply a journey of some sort, either internal or external. “Crossings” indicates going from one place to another, sometimes crossing over to safer ground, both literally and metaphorically. It would be natural to assume that all artists encounter “crossings” of different kinds throughout their lives and especially in their works. Artistic growth and the courage to travel beyond familiar boundaries surely represent the most daring kind of crossing an artist can experience.
The participating artists have shared brief and personal commentary about their work in this exhibit below:
Carrie B. Belk’s paintings reside in the realm of color abstraction, yet they flirt with visual allegory, teasing the observer’s imagination.
Diane Fitch reflects, “The tension, the frisson, the kinetic energy of a painting exist in the crossings: where objects touch or almost touch, converge, traverse.”
Dana Saulnier’s visceral paintings evoke the figure in landscape. ‘Bodies’ in these works continually register forces and momentums even as they maintain mass and weight, demonstrating a grounded carnal presence.
Steve Moors adds, “Standing on a chair is both a declaration and a risk—an unapologetic gesture of presence, and an unstable act of defiance and vulnerability. In People on Chairs, these moments are captured as an invitation to look, to question, and to celebrate what makes us beautifully different.”
Marie Riccio notes, “In my still life paintings, solid objects provide the core structure that keeps me grounded as I paint. I select objects for their shape, color, and interaction possibilities, rearranging till they arrive at a meaningful moment. Through this approach, I bring my understanding and observations to the canvas, while allowing me to explore structured and chaotic elements to reach a balanced, authentic and meaningful expression.”
Nicole Santiago remarks, “Light and color serve as catalysts and unifying forces in my paintings. They not only illuminate forms but also act as abstract scaffolding for the larger picture plane.”
Michele Liebler explores this close-up encounter in an ongoing figurative series of gouache, oil, and acrylic on paper engaging with vulnerability and tenderness. Her vibrant color palette becomes a daring proposition to grapple with proximity and distance, space and legibility, to boldly express subjectivity.
Gallery Hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 11am to 6pm
