(GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.)  – A reception celebrating the opening of Sometimes the Light Is Enough, an exhibit of new oil paintings by Tina Sotis at the CATA Studio Space, takes place on Saturday, August 3, 2013, from 3:30 to 6:30 pm. Twenty-five new pieces will be on display in the show, many or most of which feature Sotis’s portrayals of light playing off sky. There will be a gallery talk with the artist on Thursday, August 8, from 6:30 to 7:30.

This is a major exhibition for Sotis, as she has undergone a self-described “massive transformation” in the past several years. “After my father died, an old part of me gave way to a new way of being in the world,” says Sotis. “It took a long time to become comfortable with it and my work mirrored that state of flux. I see that period as very important, though, along with the paintings completed then. Having come through the other side, these recent paintings reflect a newfound comfort with who I am.”

Sotis, always known for her commanding use of light, has reached a new level of skill in her ability to portray it. The Sistine Madonna, a large vertical painting, portrays nothing but a Berkshire summer sky, replete with the drama of towering thunderheads. “I called it that, “says Sotis, “because for me there is a sense that clouds are a sacred gift – a work of art that is constantly moving. In Murmuring, a flock of raucous birds blackens the sky over an empty landscape. “I imagine this place had been completely silent for thousands of years. The hush transforms into a cacophony of sound so loud you can’t hear yourself think as this massive cloud of birds swarm overhead. And then they’re gone. And it’s silent again, as if nothing has ever happened.”

Sometimes the Light Is Enough will be on display from August 1 through August 14 at CATA Studio Space, 70 Railroad Street, which is at the top of the street and in the back of the Triplex Cinema building. It is a spacious, light-filled space, used by Community Access to the Arts (CATA) 11 months a year to teach visual and performing arts to people with disabilities. A much-loved and valued organization, CATA nurtures and celebrates the creativity of people with disabilities through shared experiences in the visual and performing arts. A portion of the proceeds from the show will go directly to CATA.

GALLERY HOURS

August 1 – 14: Thursday and Friday 4 – 6:30 / Saturday 1 – 6:30 / Sunday 1:30 – 4:30