‘Spheres’ lively, diverse; ‘Marines’ whimsical

“The Spheres of Influ-ence/Influence of the Spheres,” through August, National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped Gallery, 70 Main St., Belfast. 338-9177.

When a collapsed spinal artery left famed artist Chuck Close partially quadriplegic, experts in the fields of art and medicine said he would never paint again. Close, known for his giant, photorealistic portraits, had limited use of his arms but could no longer hold a brush in his hands. Undeterred, Close velcroed brushes to his forearms, broke down his canvases into smaller, more manageable pieces, and continued to paint.

The portraits on display at the NTWH Gallery show Close’s chameleonlike adaptability. For years before the injury, Close would work from the same photographs of his friends, changing his style with each subsequent piece. A portrait of the artist Keith Haring could, in the next year, morph into a gridlike series of gray dots or a swirling set of colorful circles in the spirit of Klimt that becomes recognizable only at a distance.

Though Close is the only artist in the show with a disability, all have ties to NTWH, which offers performing and visual arts workshops to handicapped individuals at campuses in New York City and Belfast. “The Spheres of Influence” presents a lively, diverse mix of work by artists known locally, nationally and internationally.

A giant, handmade kite of wood, handmade paper and twine greets visitors to the gallery. It’s part of a series called “Celestial Attendants” by James Strickland. The delicate, intricate kites, some decorated with women’s faces, have an ephemeral quality, like they could fly away on the hint of a breeze.

In contrast, NTWH instructor R. Kirk Moore’s oil paintings of boats and harbors are firmly anchored. His brightly colored skiffs and heavy red tugboats have an old-fashioned, nostalgic feel. Kate Fitzgerald’s light-imbued seascapes evoke N.C. Wyeth’s forays into Russian folk art, while her roiling waves and cloudy skies bring to mind Winslow Homer.

Paige Peterson’s faceless portrayals of bathers pair strong lines with muted colors. Women of all ages and shapes become cookie-cutter shapes, while their striped beach towels turn into graphic elements that are a study in contrast. A series of photographic prints by environmental artists Chris- to and Jeanne-Claude document their jarring installations – as well as the way they contrast with the landscape around them. A series of blue umbrellas dots a Japanese field while a curtain of orange fabric drapes across the bottom of a river valley, obscuring the view beyond.

Though the works by Close, Christo and Jeanne-Claude will remain on view indefinitely, a new show will open at the gallery Aug. 11.

“Send in the Marines,” through September at Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport. 548-2529.

When you say “marine art” to people, they think of the seascapes and lighthouse paintings that pop up every year at Maine galleries like dandelions in the spring. But what about an ocean liner crafted of bike tires and golf tees? Or an oil painting of a giant, cotton-ball moon rising over sunset-red water?

Very few people know Maine art like Carl Little does. So it’s no surprise that the show he curated for the Penobscot Marine Museum, “Send in the Marines,” is a refreshing, often whimsical look at the best of Maine’s contemporary marine art.

From Wally Warren’s wild found-object boat sculptures to Ian Marshall’s detailed watercolors of historic vessels, this show has something for everyone.

Sarah Knock portrays the coast in intricate detail, but her true strength lies in her exquisite reflections – sharp yet serene. Islesboro artist Brita Holmquist takes a different tack. She captures swirling seascapes in playful bursts of color, like van Gogh with a better sense of humor. Her painted frames add to the fun.

R. Kirk Moore, known for his boat paintings, shines in this show. Among the highlights is “Camden and Mount Battie,” a sunset view of the harbor with a cotton-candy sky and slow, lazy ripples in the inky water. In contrast, you can feel the speed in Andrea J. Peters’ feverish “Monhegan Spring,” a glossy rendering of a rocky hillside sloping toward the periwinkle sea. The view may be beautiful, but the brushstrokes steal the show.

William Thon’s mixed-media paintings capture the feeling of being at sea – the watery blackness of crashing waves and the rocking of a whitecap-tossed boat. He’s a master of motion and emotion.

A set of abstract seascapes by William Irvine portray the fluid ocean in chunks of color. A triangle becomes a boat’s sail on the horizon, and black-and-white-striped clouds fall on the horizon like gates at a railroad crossing. “The Curly Sea” is exactly that – waves take the form of white Cheez-Doodles as a tipsy boat floats past. With minimal detail and rich, rubbed-in color, anything can happen on Irvine’s canvases.

It’s that element of surprise that makes “Send in the Marines” such a treat. In lesser hands, this show could’ve degenerated into a lighthouse and shipwreck fest. With Little at the helm, “Send in the Marines” became a wonderful day cruise along the coast of Maine, with a few waves and a lot of fun along the way.