Unique plein air paintings by Liz Wilson and Jesse James Thomas are on display at Main Street Art in Newfields

Art lets us see someone else’s vision, and in this case, we see double.

Main Street Art in Newfields is hosting a paired exhibit in which Liz Wilson and Jesse James Thomas display their unique interpretations of the same scenes. “Two Artists, Five Locations, 20 Paintings” opens with a reception on Friday, Aug. 10, from 5 to 7 p.m., and runs through Sept. 1.

Most of the locations the artists painted were in Durham, home of the University of New Hampshire, where they both earned master’s degrees in painting and showed their work together at the UNH Museum of Art in the spring.

Wilson and Thomas started painting together while in Ascoli Piceno, Italy, during a program organized by the university. Both inspired by the outdoors, they enjoyed each other’s company on hikes to spots overlooking the scenic town. They continued to find places to paint en plein air when they returned.

In Durham, they painted at Packer’s Falls, a woodsy area around the upper Lamprey River where there are small waterfalls; Adam’s Point, which is also wooded but includes expansive views of Great Bay; and at the sparsely wooded Durham Landing on the Oyster River. The exhibit also includes images from the nearby Newmarket Landing, as well as scenes from Italy.

Wilson said the two artists benefit from one another’s energy and eyes, even though the act of painting itself is still mostly quiet and solitary. She said they sometimes accidentally influence each other, but when their work starts to look similar, they tend to go in opposite directions.

Wilson’s work is somewhat vaguer, and comparison to Thomas’ paintings helps bring out the recognizable landmarks. But that’s not to say it doesn’t stand on its own. Her technique of approaching a scene completely open to how it will reappear on canvas makes for a very personal interpretation, and her sincerity comes across to the viewer.

“I feel like I can paint the best when I’m not thinking that much,” Wilson said.

She completes a few paintings in a row, holding none too precious, taking in the experience of feelings and thoughts, and the sounds and winds of the site.

She tends to work in thinner layers of paint, allowing for transparencies and the fleeting feeling of a single moment.

“My paintings have more breath,” she said.

Thomas prefers heavier layers, complex color and a tangle of forms that reflect the chaotic depth of the wilderness. His work seems more anxious, while Wilson’s is calm.

Wilson said painting on location is a relatively new challenge. As a result, her work is leaning more toward the abstract lately as she let’s go of the visual and gets more into the experience.
In the studio, she mostly paints by the effect of memory, focusing inward, also unpredictably. The sources are specific, but the sensations surprise even her.

Outside, she can react to the moment and the many stimulants without thinking too much about it. “It’s just happening,” she said.

Wilson’s studio work is also featured in a solo show called “Impressions” at The Stone Church in Newmarket this month.

Main Street Art is at 75 Main St., Newfields, 603-580-5835.