By John Chambless
Staff Writer

There's admirable diversity in the paintings by Lisa BurgerLentz at Bookplace in Oxford, ranging from tranquil shoreline views to shadowy woodlands, to farms and industrial buildings -- all rendered with a mature skill and sensitivity.

The more unusual subject matter – the juxtaposition of nature and some rather unattractive buildings – works particularly well in “Blue Silos, Heaven Hill Farm, NY,” in which the glorious mountain view is blocked by the silos of the title and a homely garage. “Bridge on the Christina River” is an evocative view of marshland, a trestle bridge and a long, yellow warehouse on the outskirts of Wilmington, Del.

There's a fine summer light in “Valley Milkhouse, PA,” with its central greenhouse seemingly glowing from within, and the spidery telephone lines depicted with thin scratches in the paint.

“Marshalton Home, PA” benefits from its pleasingly jumbled composition of a white-walled house, strong tree trunk in the center, and a shadowed barn wall on the left, with tiny details in the yard suggested with the barest little dabs of paint.

“Steaming Mound, Kuerner Farm, PA” turns its singularly unattractive compost heap into a vibrant artwork through energetic manipulation of the surface – squiggles and scratches that give the work a vitality that's immediately apparent.

The atmosphere is just right in “Foggy Field, Ilseboro, ME,” with its telephone pole in the center of a clearing, just slightly askew, and a haze softening the trees in the distance. “Keene Mill Road, NY” captures the reflection of tall pines and sky with a very skillful use of shades of green.

In “Rising North Star, Cadillac Mtn., Maine,” acres of space is suggested in the tiny composition, with the lights of the town in the distance subtly rendered with dots of color, a splendid sweep of russet colors in the sky, and a tiny dot representing the star in the upper right corner. It's a tranquil scene that fits in comfortably with the rest of these paintings, reflecting the show's title, “Peace in the Valley, and in the Mountains and by the Sea.”

Plein-air paintings by Lisa BurgerLentz will be on display at Bookplace (2373 Baltimore Pike, Oxford) through April 2. The bookstore and art gallery is open Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Call 717-715-4775 or visit www.bookplaceoxford.com.

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