The landscapes that take shape in the new exhibit by Sherry Haines and Craig Mullins compliment each other like a view seen from two different lenses. The dual show is cohesive, with shared elements; rich with subdued coloring and sweeping views of nature. The artists have much in common personally, from a background in teaching to a love for art that has blossomed in retirement. They have also been neighbors for eighteen years. “Neighbors” is a reminder of the ubiquity of uniqueness— your eye and your touch are your own, differing even from those you share the most with.

Raven Cove #2 by Sherry Haines. Acrylic on canvas. 18” x 24”

As if they were both given the same prompt for the exhibit, Haines and Mullins each painted wide angle views of nature, featuring trees as sculptural elements, bodies of water, and colorful roofs. Both neighbors utilized acrylic paint, a more recent “embrace” on the part of Haines, who had previously worked mainly with oils. The works are easily divided by the viewer though, with Haines’s warm, illustrative nature views contrasting the almost digital precision of Mullins.

Quarry Launch by Craig Mullins. Acrylic on canvas. 25” x 31”

Mullins’s background in architecture and design shows through in his acrylic works. Prioritizing lines, angles, and the forms of buildings, Mullins creates a balanced composition while playing with your perception of depth. The buildings and natural features of each painting are layered or shown relative to each other in size, but otherwise do not have the shadows typical of a naturescape. Nature scenes and historic coins exist as exact renderings, but not of the view in front of you. Mullins aims to capture a “mood of time, space and color,” rather than what might appear in a photograph.

Aspen Valley Autumn by Craig Mullins. Acrylic on canvas. 37” x 37”

The result is a bit of optical illusion, as elements in the paintings grow and shrink, depending on your focus. Mullins wanted a display that “compels your attention for long periods of time,” not unlike the Hoosier artists of the early 1900s whose landscape art he admires. Haines, similarly, hoped to encapsulate “that moment something captures [her] attention and makes [her] take a second look.”

Her paintings, too, are carefully arranged compositions, but their perfection appears naturally occurring. Rushing water in Maine, red roofs in Germany, and a white horse in Ireland are all given a familiar quality with Haines’s warm, blended brushstrokes that send the eye far across the horizon.

Willamette Valley by Sherry Haines. Acrylic on canvas. 24” x 36”

After Mullins retired from architecture and Haines from art education, both have been more drawn towards painting. As Haines describes, “I now find myself with the time and desire to pursue my first love of art: painting. “Neighbors” is a lovely play on perspective, which the works from the two artists bring out in each other. It is interesting to ponder how much you may have in common with someone who simply shares an address similar to yours, as well as a reminder that we see the world slightly differently from anyone else, even when we’re looking at the same things.

“Neighbors” will be on display in the Harrison Center’s Hank & Dolly’s Gallery for the month of September. The exhibit can be viewed in-person by appointment and in our online gallery, where all pieces are available for purchase.