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Landscape by Armando Dellasanta His works are also on display at the Roberson Center.

About the show

WHAT: "The Landscape Artist"
WHERE: The Avenue Art Gallery, 114 Washington Ave., Endicott
WHEN: Nov. 8-Dec. 4
SPECIAL EVENTS: Gallery talk at 4 p.m. Nov. 8, public reception at 5:30 p.m.
GALLERY HOURS: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesday-Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sundays; Tuesdays by appointment
PARTICIPANTS: Aubrey Clark, Kathy Arrington, Cyrena Summers, Bob Merwin, Jeanne Van Buren-Pejo, Peter Herman, Hall Groat Sr., Robert Johnston, Boris Sarachinski, JM Thorne, Ray Cronk, Paul Uhlman, Rodrica Tilley, Chris Roberts, Dr. Mark Epstein, Peg Johnston, Martha Colgan, Richard Henry, Mary Rose Griffin, Ken Rosek, Michael Kotasek, Marlene Yacos, Geoffrey Gould, Tom Gardner, Bill Grausgruber, Judy Salton, Kirk & Lesli VanZandebergen, Armando Dellasanta, Carolyn Gilligan, Marian Simpson
DETAILS: Call 785-7396 or visit http://www.avenueartgallery.com/

It used to be landscape painting was incidental. You had to put your subject somewhere, and often the landscape was the background.

Although the ancient Romans dabbled in the genre, landscape painting didn't start coming into its own until as recently as 17th century Holland. That may seem like a long time ago, but not when you consider the history of painting goes back at least 15,000 years.

The Avenue Art Gallery, 114 Washington Ave., Endicott, will celebrate the genre with a new exhibit, "The Landscape Artist," which opens Nov. 8.

"I can't ever remember a gallery locally that has really focused on one genre like landscape art," said Avenue Art Gallery curator James "Chip" Kinne. "I thought it was a good time to do it."

And the exhibit won't feature strictly landscapes, either. Approximately 30 artists will be showing their landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes and most likely everything in between.

Artist Marian Simpson has been an artist in Greater Binghamton since 1949 and currently has about 150 paintings in the three-room gallery and studio in her home at 521 S. Bonita Blvd., Vestal. Simpson expects that about eight or nine of her works will be featured in "The Landscape Artist." Although she also does portraits, still lifes and other genres, Simpson says her surroundings often inspire a landscape.

"We live in a valley with the mountains and the trees and everything, particularly this time of year, the scenery itself is so outstanding," she said.

"I've done a fair amount of travel so I've painted on location. .... (I enjoy) the mountains and the things that have been there for centuries and seeing the different sunlight or shadows or whatever on them."

Simpson explains why timing is everything for a landscape.

"Early morning and late afternoon are the best because the shadows are the longest and the whole landscape takes on a more statuesque kind of appearance at those hours," she said.

As to what medium will best capture that depth, well, it depends.

"Certain scenes look better depending on what it is you are trying to say in your picture about the subject," she said. "If you're doing something that is soft, you have a choice between your pastels and watercolors; for something bolder or stronger, oils and acrylics.

Simpson acknowledges that landscapes aren't for everyone, but she has ideas about how landscapes win over people.

"The tranquility," she said. "I think people are drawn to the tranquility."

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