Connelly Martin presents "Atmospheric," a solo exhibition by Maine-based artist Melanie Essex and her first solo exhibition with the gallery.

Essex’s work begins with observing and responding to the natural world. From her studio near Cushing, Maine, she looks out over Broad Cove toward the St. George Peninsula, where weather moves south to north up the St. George River, changing with the hour, season, and light. It is a landscape with a long history of painting, from Marsden Hartley and the Wyeth family to Alex Katz and Lois Dodd.

For Essex, the challenge is to acknowledge the artists who have come before while finding a path entirely her own.In Atmospheric, weather itself, rather than the specifics of the landscape, becomes the predominant element. The paintings move between representation and abstraction.

Following the opening reception, the exhibit will be on display through November 7.