Lost Dog Coffee by Ralph Basford

SUMMIT POINT – The South Jefferson Public Library at 49 Church Street, Summit Point will exhibit oil paintings by Martinsburg artist Ralph Basford through January.

This exhibit is the twenty-second in the Art in the Library series highlighting the talents of local artists.

Basford has been a resident of Martinsburg since 1979. Formerly of Hagerstown, he graduated from South Hagerstown High School in 1971; then attended the University of Maryland from 1971-75, majoring in studio arts.

After moving to Martinsburg, Basford resumed his academics at Shepherd College and received his RBA. He has maintained a painting studio in Martinsburg since 1984, atop the Apollo Theatre until 2006.

Basford now is artist in residence at The Art Centre. The artist has contributed his services by conducting weekly painting classes and a plein air workshop. His work is in many corporate and private collections, worldwide. Samples of his paintings can be seen at www.ralphbasford.com.

“His mastery of oil painting can be seen in almost any genre – landscapes, street scenes, still lifes, and portraits,” said Shelley Aikens, program director of The Arts Centre. “He captures light and color in a manner that is both naturalistic and ethereal.Eschewing post-modern theories of conceptual art, he focuses on the formalistic concerns of light, shadow, form, color and texture.Never overworked or fussy, his paintings capture an atmospheric mood which elevates them frommere reporting of physical presence. His work evokes early modernist masters such as Manet and Cezanne, as well as American Realists like Edward Hopper.”

Unless the meeting room is in use, the exhibit can be viewed during library hours: Monday through Thursday 10-7, Saturdays 10-5, and Sundays 1-5. The library is closed Fridays.

– Visit sojeffersonlibrary.com or e-mail cmasonwhf@aol.com for more information.