The current exhibition at Common Ground Cafe, on Chancery Lane in Hamilton, is ‘Summer Lovin’. It is a group show that has as its featured artist, Summer Wood, who not only has a studio at the Bermuda Arts Centre, but is also an art teacher at Somersfield Academy. Do you detect a play on words here?Having been involved for some six years in reviewing local art exhibitions, I have come to know, most, if not all the local artists. At least, that is what I thought, but with this particular show, there are at least ten artists that are either new to me or known to me by name only.Considering that the total number of participants is only 16, this number indicates a growing art community and that is encouraging.The artists represented in this show are; Kate Anfossi, Nicole Beiderman, Wynne Colley, Alice Coutet, Barbara Finsness, Catherine Finsness, Mark Henderson, Milton Hill, Kelly Howe, Michelle Lindo, Susan A Pearson, Cathy Pereira, Jackie Stevenson, Vanessa Turner, Summer Wood and Ami Zanders.Summer Wood, as the featured artist, has the largest number of works. I counted six acrylic paintings of varying sizes, all dealing with some aspect of marine life. Although I have known of her work for some time, she is one of the artists that is known to me by name only. I do not recall ever having met or having a conversation with her, but having visited her studio in the Bermuda Arts Centre on several occasions, I have also come to know and appreciate her art.What especially appeals to me, is the sensitive manner in which she depicts the local marine world. By contrast, I recall those artists who are specialists in picturing game fish, including the struggles between fisherman and fish and that is primary rationale for creating their paintings. Thankfully Summer Wood’s emphasis is on something else; the beauty of the underwater world that surrounds us on every side.Another artist who is unknown to me is Mark Henderson. I was drawn to his painting called “Three Little Birds”. It is a painterly acrylic, showing three small children, all seen from the back and all in a sitting position. What caught my attention is his vigorous brush-stokes, that recall Vincent Van Gogh.Catherine Finsness is represented by two small watercolours on paper, of abstracted flowers. Both have something of the magic seen in paintings by Paul Klee, but having said that, I would not have you believe that she is merely aping Klee’s style. On the contrary, she seems to be an artist who is seeing the world through childlike eyes. Remember that Picasso said that all children are artists. The trick is to retain that ability once we grow up. Catherine Finsness has retained something of the magic of a child’s vision. It was said of Klee, that although his art is childlike, it is never childish. The same can be said of these paintings by Catherine Finsness.Barbara Finsness, who I understand is Catherine’s mother, is exhibiting four watercolours, mainly of sailboats and how nice to see a mother and daughter exhibiting together.Milton Hill and Ami Zanders are collaborating together, in that Mr Hill provides the cedar ground upon which Ms. Zanders prints her images.A related work to those by Milton Hill and Ami Zanders, is that of Kelly Howe, in that she has produced a mobile-like work, that is likewise painted on cedar.An unusual work is, “Summer Blaze” by Kate Anfossi. This is a highly colourful encaustic, or wax on canvas painting. It seems that the artist has formed a line of colourful crayons along the bottom and then applying heat, has allowed the molten wax to run down the canvas, intermingling with each other along the way. The end result is an effective and colourful abstract.I was pleased to see the acrylic landscape by Wynne Colley, of reflections at Spittal Pond. I think this is the finest painting I have seen her do. It is a cool painting, in that the colours used, tend to the cool, such as varying greens and greys.Alice Coutet is exhibiting several of her hyperrealist landscapes, but additionally, in one submission, she has moved into abstraction. It will be interesting as to where she takes this departure.Michelle Lindo is exhibiting four landscapes in oils. I say landscapes, as they are all based upon scenery. Although the underlying scene in each painting remains detectable, the end result is something quite abstract. All are impressive.Two works of note are the photographs of Cathy Pereira. These show two different and unusual views of the Dockyard, as seen from the upper deck of one of the cruise ships.Jackie Stevenson is showing several works, including a monoprint called, “On the Beach”, in which she depicts a girl sunning herself on the sand.She also has a smallish painting of a yellowtail snapper.Vanessa Turner is exhibiting an abstracted image in pastel of a banana plant. It is one of the larger works on exhibit and of note is the care that she has taken in selecting the frame.The exhibition continues through September 26.