Interactions

Four diverse figures meet on a wide expanse of blue, juxtaposed and overlapping, yet appearing not to notice each other . . . Bulbous yellow blooms explode over a field of deep greens and quiet teals . . .

Interactions. Unexpected, enchanting, compelling interactions. It’s a fundamental feature of the work of artists Alla Podolsky and Carol Sanzalone, and the title of their joint show at Artists Gallery in Lambertville, New Jersey.

"Interactions” opens Saturday, July 10, with a reception that day from 4 to 7 pm at the Gallery. The show runs through Sunday, August 1 with a closing reception that afternoon from 2 to 5 pm.

“Whether you are inclined to be captivated by the human narrative depicted in a work, or more likely to be drawn in by the drama inherent in the play of light and shade or texture and color, ‘Interactions’ will speak to you,” said Gallery spokesperson Laurie Nicholson. “It’s thoughtful, it’s joyful, it’s work that engages in numerous ways.”

Alla Podolsky — “a human painter”

Podolsky, a native of Kiev, Ukraine, describes herself as “a human painter.” “That is, I paint people and the environments that are inextricably theirs and bear the stamps of their humanity,” Podolsky said. Her oil paintings feature diverse characters she has observed and captured, along with their thoughts and moods, in a wide range of settings. “I try to explore interactions between people, places, objects, time, memory. Between reality and imagination,” Podolsky said. “I strive to look beneath the surface into the layered narratives that make up people and their lives.”

Carol Sanzalone — leveraging the elements

Sanzalone has lived and painted in Lambertville for more than 38 years. She works in watercolor and acrylic on paper and canvas to create vibrant, joyous work that celebrates the colors, shapes and textures that surround us. “I’m interested in the interaction of colors and the patterns on images, and how it all is affected by shadow and light,” Sanzalone said. “These are the fundamental elements of the visual world, and of my work. I’ve worked as a designer and as a printmaker. When I paint or consider subject matter, I am always drawing on that history.”