By John Chambless
Staff Writer

The Oxford Arts Alliance's annual Members Show is a chance for artists who are just getting started to show their works with established artists from across the region. For the visitor, the show has some nice surprises and new discoveries to savor.

Among the established artists, Vicki Vinton's “Riding High” is a joyous mixed-media painting that bristles with energy. Vitaly Semenchenko has three lovely, small paintings – “Baby Chubby” is a charming ink painting of a bunny, and “Evening at Sandy Cove” is a twilight oil of a dock, two tiny figures and the last light of day reflecting on the water, all in a 5-by-7 frame. But the most immediately arresting work is “You Don't Want to Play,” a wonderfully detailed acrylic of a child with a snowball whose expression is riveting – both tender and hopeful – and splendidly rendered.

Charles Logue's walnut carving, “Time Out,” is a satisfying shape that seems to emerge from its base, and Nancy Swope's “Rooster Inn” puts a new painting on a very old sign board to striking effect.

Elsewhere, “High Tide at the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge” is a nice city scene by Elizabeth Heller, and “Field of Flowers” by Jennifer Lex Wojnar is a fun, cartoonish valley full of round flowers.

Sally Wilson's vineyard view, “Harvest Season,” is a symphony of plum colors, and Marjorie Gavitt's mixed-media “Dia de Los Muertos” has a charming pop stylization. Ed Rahme certainly grabs attention with his mixed-media self-portrait, which is a grouping of cut-out, manipulated photos of a skull with glasses – more of a psychological portrait, perhaps, but in any case, it's a show-stopper.

Anita Bower's photos of a timeworn tavern interior and a country store have a warm, burnished tone and an impressive amount of detail. Mary Johnson's black-and-white landscape photo, “New London,” is an expanse of moody clouds over a white farmhouse and shed that jump out as the focus of the composition.

Cindy Mehr's two paintings, “Twister” and “Pot of Gold,” are intriguing collections of text, architecture and other bits that lead your eye around and around, examining the interplay of shapes and textures.

There's jewelry as well – particularly necklaces and bracelets by Cheryl Gross that incorporate recycled ear buds and zippers. Kathleen Logue shows two painted ceramic pieces that have elegant decoration and a flawless glaze.

The show, which continues through Sept. 8, is well worth a visit, with some standout works by artists you may not have seen before.

The Oxford Arts Alliance (38 S. Third St., Oxford) is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.oxfordart.org.

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