Gardiner gallery’s ‘Shapeshifter’ exhibit on display through Oct. 29

These works, from left, are by Chelsea Ellis, Whitney Gill and Allison McKeen. Submitted photo

Monkitree’s “Shapeshifter” exhibit, highlighting work by Chelsea Ellis, Whitney Gill and Allison McKeen and their exploration of shapes through ceramics, photography and painting, is on display through Oct. 29 at the 263 Water St. gallery in Gardiner.

In each artist’s work one can see recognizable shapes transformed, from circles to the human form. In Gill’s ceramic forms, broad brushstroke circles may reveal a hidden rectangle. In McKeen’s paintings one may find bisected circles and multicolored arches. Ellis’s photographs morph the human form in unexpected ways, according to a news release from the gallery.

Working off a common theme, each artist developed their own interpretation.

Ellis: “I follow two curiosities: the deconstruction of the female body into an apparitional experience and the creation of windows through which viewers can see an almost human dimension inhabited by these humanoid forms and fragments.”

Gill: “I wondered how one’s personal transformation can be felt in the form they have created. In so many ways, we have all been forced to transform and adapt to our current circumstances. These forms reflect my own transitional state in an ever-changing environment.”

McKeen: “When I’m painting, my only plan is to leave the piece unplanned with as much room for play and spontaneity as possible. The image shifts as each new addition builds off of the last. I make hundreds of small decisions, over and over. The process builds trust with my own intuition as it builds the composition.”

Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. An opening reception was held Sept. 9.

For more information, contact Clare Marron at clare@monkitree.com or 207-512-4679.