By John Chambless
Staff Writer

For “Impressions,” the solo show by Jacalyn Beam at the Barbara Moore Fine Art Gallery in Chadds Ford, the oil landscapes fill one room and spill out into the hallway, wrapping the visitor in the lush tones of green that enrich Beam's palette.

Many of the places depicted here will be familiar, and Beam has a seemingly effortless way of capturing the barns and homes of the county with just the right level of detail. She doesn't over-emphasize or go into too much detail, and the impressionistic style works beautifully with the weathered barn wood in “Morning at Kuerner's,” for instance, as well as in “Country Colors” and “Spring Barn.”

But the more subtle details are sometimes what make a piece stand out, such as the dappled sunlight on a whitewashed wall in “Schoolhouse Shadows (Marlborough),” the exquisite yellow glowing dot of a light under the night sky in “Through the Field,” and the tiny dabs of pink blooms in “Dogwood.”

Beam goes large with “Wyeth Memories,” a very strong view of the Brandywine Creek and Andrew Wyeth's home on the opposite riverbank. It's an uncommon perspective for most of us, and very interesting. Just as large is “Spring Blush,” which expresses a lovely depth in the still water of the stream.

“Night Sail” is Beam's other nighttime view – a ship under dots of stars, with its sail gathered in for the night. The sun-warmed red-orange barn roof in “Bent Brook” is vividly depicted, and the blue of a vehicle parked inside the building draws you into the scene.

Beam's eye as an artist is shown in the way the round hay bales in “Lucky Hill” are echoed by the oddly round pond behind them, and how the tiny swipe of yellow paint suggests a whole piece of farm machinery in “Winterthur at Montchanin.”

The show has a welcome sense of cohesiveness. It's clear that Beam is comfortable with her oils, as well as her subject matter. She gets to the heart of what's distinctive in all these scenes, and depicts the timeworn buildings and summer greens with supreme confidence.

“Impressions” continues at the Barbara Moore Fine Art Gallery (1609 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford) through May 2. Beam will discuss her work in the gallery on April 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. Call 484-778-5174 or visit www.barbaramoorefineart.com for more information.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email [email protected].