CIty of LIghts, Carol O'Bryon @ Art Lofts

Carol O'Bryon is a painter with a studio @ Arts Lofts, right above the Florida Craftsmen Gallery. Her current show, "City of Lights" is a series of paintings of Parisian scenes. Some of these scenes are classic ones, others are more like vignettes that speak poetically of the City.

The sense of color and attention to space are two qualities that Ms. O'Bryon's style emphasizes in this series. In the work at left (I failed to get the title), there's a combination of realism in the trees that begins going a little towards the abstract in the water, and more so in the mottled sky. The colors articulate beautifully through the entire painting.

Carol O'Bryon, "Venice 1996"

Yes, it's Venice, not Paris. In spite of the show's title, there is a little thematic eclecticism. This classic view of Venice, complete with the canals, and a parked vaporetto has a great sense of space. Note how the canal is off-center, disappearing into the wall of the building on the right. The reflections guide the eye, leaving us wanting to see more.

Carol, O'Bryon, "City of Lights"

A very decorative view of Paris, with several identifying features. The lights simply pour in like confetti from the left side of the painting. The beautiful colors are in the sky and water, and the sense of space is accentuated by the street lamp in the foreground, the horizontality of the bridges, and verticality of the tower.

I could be wrong, but I can't help but notice what seems to be Russian influence in these paintings.

Carol O'Bryon, "Autumn of Life"

I saw this painting in Carol's studio twice in various stages of progress. Whereas some of the other paintings have a very economical style, this one is rich with painstaking, luxuriant detail. It is about a personal right of passage. The artist's emotional involvement with the image is obvious and has paid off. It is a beautiful contemplative image.







Congratulations to Carol O'Bryon and to Arts Lofts for an intimate show.

10 Fifth Street North
Suite 200
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
www.theartlofts.com/