Art Review By Les Overlock
Special to the Herald

The signpost of good art is where it takes your eye. The signature of great art is exemplified by how far you are emotionally moved by the work. Vicki Dennis’ show at Umpqua Bank accomplishes both.
First and foremost is her skilled mastery of a form which eludes many an artist. Watercolor has a mind of its own, and Dennis even states she uses that to her advantage. She lets the medium transform the message.
For instance, her painting of koi fish titled “Into the Deep” easily could be characterized as an outing of a koy family exploring the depths of the ocean. What fun. Dennis paints the ocean like a playground.
Her “Tyger/Tyger” captures the intriguing look of a thoughtful beast and also grabs the viewer by her use of texture on the face of the animal. Her colors are exquisite, but the texture sends us to another level. What is going through the head of this untamed creature?
Dennis states in her notes that she is telling a story. Her “Courage” picture shows an emblem of a lion which represents POWER. This is an animal which personifies strength. The etched in AFRICA reveals a theme.
To put icing on the cake her painting “Lemon Woman” has a figure comaflaged within the entanglement of the lemon vines. There is a story here. Our interest has been stimulated.
Overall, this is a great show wrapped in a skilled package of color and substance. If you want to see it, Umpqua Bank is located at 1395 East 2nd St.

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