A Sneak Peek at “Land and Sea” in Cooperstown
by Robert Brune
COOPERSTOWN — A drive through the changing fall landscape of Upstate New York brought The Upstate Vibe to the picturesque village of Cooperstown Wednesday, where the bustling crowds of summer had largely subsided, although three large tour buses still obscured much of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Beyond the village’s best-known attractions, including the Fenimore Art Museum, another discovery awaited inside the Cooperstown Art Association galleries at 22 Main Street.
Tucked into Cooperstown’s Village Hall, the galleries were quiet Wednesday as the final hanging had been completed for “Land and Sea: From Coastal Maine to Rural New York,” featuring William Bracken with guest artist Deborah Bayly. The Upstate Vibe was given an early look at an exhibition that moves between the rugged character of the Maine coast and the barns, fields, waterways and weathered architecture of rural New York.
Bracken works primarily in watercolor and gouache, capturing buildings and landscapes shaped by nature and the passage of time. His connection to Maine stretches back decades, with his watercolors described in a 1989 review for their atmospheric treatment of the Maine coast. Bayly, a Poestenkill artist and longtime painting and drawing instructor, turns toward familiar rural surroundings, including barns, woodlands, hills and open skies. Together, their work creates a quiet conversation between two landscapes connected by weather, water, architecture and memory.
“Land and Sea” opens with a reception Friday, Oct. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. and remains on view Oct. 3 through Oct. 30. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Cooperstown Art Association is located at 22 Main Street in Cooperstown.
