Christopher Marson is once again exhibiting his paintings, this time in the Elliot Gallery at the Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation. It was only a couple of months ago that he and Jonah Jones had an exhibition in the galleries of the Bermuda Society of Arts, but with this show, there is a subtle difference. First of all, all the paintings in this current show are in acrylics, not watercolour, but, as I understand it, these are not just any old acrylic paints, but a new product made by Golden Paints, that resembles an oil paint in that they dry much more slowly and can be more easily blended and brushed.

Mr. Marson is best known for his watercolours and although I have to commend him for striking out in new directions, I think he is still at his very best in that medium. Nevertheless, his oil paintings and now his acrylics are getting more accomplished. I used to think that his oils were no better than average, but I now see a considerable improvement. With all his experience with painting watercolours, he has developed a considerable facility in brushwork and with painting rapidly and these abilities he brings to his new approach to painting.

Although his Elliot Gallery Show is admirable, he, at the same time, is showing several paintings in the Members Spring Open in the Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard and having seen his contributions to that exhibition, I have to report, his work in that show, is better by far than that in the Elliot show. Indeed, although Mr. Marson is one of Bermuda's most accomplished artists, the Elliot show is in danger of being mostly facile.

Regarding the Bermuda Arts Centre show, however, I will withhold detailed comment until I write about that show in another review.

Most of the paintings in this exhibition are small, only a couple being on the large side. Most are on canvas board and that too, presents a problem. Because of their size, I was altogether too conscious of the texture of the canvas and that bothered me. By contrast, several paintings are on smooth panels and thus, in these, I could apprehend the paint and brushwork without the interference of the sense of canvas.

Another issue is that of framing. In contrast to the Arts Centre show, I found the frames used in the Elliot show too common and too much alike and in many instances, not all that compatible with the paintings. There was too much gold. Somehow, the simplicity of the subject matter was cheated by the richness of the frames.

There is in this show a sense of thoughtlessness, a sense of being dashed off and that does not make for great interest. I wonder if Mr. Marson, having painted the same or similar subjects over many years, is not losing his attention. Maybe painting the same subject, over and over again has become too easy and formulaic. Maybe he needs the challenge of another subject or at least a different light. But more about that when I review the Arts Centre show.

n The Elliot show ends this Saturday.