Telltale Lines
From The Bay Beacon, June 1, 2002
Mike Griffith, "Art Shows at OWCC"
In the McIlroy gallery, a visitor examines the winning art work, "Becoming," by Lory Lockwood.
The young woman in the painting, with her blazing red hair and bright blue nightgown, looks like the heroine on the cover of a mystery novel. Her eyes are wide, and her lips are parted, in an expression of startled surprise, or perhaps of fear. Her hand is raised defensively. Behind her, a mirror reflects her figure, as well as the image of a staircase, surrounded by the wood-paneled walls of what may be the interior of a Gothic mansion. She looks like she may be about to solve a crime -- or become the victim. Seeing the painting, the viewer is drawn to look closer, as one's mind automatically begins to imagine a story to go with the dramatic scene. But wait. What are those telltale lines around her wrists and shoulders? A close inspection of the painting reveals the "woman" to be a mannequin—a mere clothing dummy, and the "mansion" in which she stands suddenly looks more like the interior of an upscale department store.
The winning painting in the Arts and Design Society Tenth Regional Fine Arts Exhibition at Okaloosa/Walton Community College is the work of Lory Lockwood, a New Orleans artist who often uses mannequins as the subjects of her paintings. "I like to create images of what Sigmund Freud called 'the uncanny,'" said Lockwood. "Images that leave the viewer unsure of what's real, and what's not." The title of her painting, said Lockwood, is, "Becoming," although she declines to specify who is becoming whom, or what, in her painting. "That's up to you," she said with a smile.
Lockwood's winning painting is one of about 40 paintings and sculptures on display at the OWCC Arts Center from now through June 13. The juried exhibition in the McIlroy Gallery includes works by artists from throughout the Southeast, including several works by Niceville and Northwest Florida residents. Most of the works are offered for sale, ranging in price from $150 to $5,000.
The Arts Center galleries are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays 1 to 4 p.m. Information about the exhibitions is available by phone, at (850) 729-6044.
