AUTUMN MEMBERS' SHOW -- Bermuda Society of Arts at City Hall -- September 15 through October 7.

*** The Autumn Members' Show, reflecting artistic output through Bermuda's long summer months, is traditionally the weakest of the four seasonal showings.

This is certainly not the case this time around, however: with a fairly modest total (69) of works selected by the jury, a high proportion of these maintain the standards expected from our professional artists and, perhaps more encouragingly, reveal some intriguing talent from newer members.

Among these, Jonah Jones is one of the most interesting -- a view endorsed by the jury who awarded his `Growth and Decay' a special commendation. While still concerned with technique as he experiments in the medium (and he is certainly not nervous about that), his work displays a sense of exhilaration that is almost infectious; as noted previously, he paints from the heart and, in a complete turnaround from the somewhat `angry' works of the Summer Show, is apparently now in mellower mood, turning his attention to the world of nature. His sensitive approach to colour and the effect of sunlight is skilfully captured in a quartet of paintings where palm and banana trees dominate, with brilliantly brushed colours gleaming above dark and fecund undergrowth. More bizarre, but just as arresting, is his witty `homage' to van Gogh, a riot of strident blue slashed with a bowl of burnished oranges reposing above a reproduction of a Vincent `rollicking-clouds' masterpiece.

Another relative newcomer to the Society fold whose work is causing great interest, is Frank Dublin, who paints the spirit rather than the reality of his subject. Working in watercolour, he hints rather than reveals, as in two contrasting studies, one of pink and yellow hibiscus and one of a woman passing through an archway. Both are painterly, but the latter study evokes an air of mystery which immediately involves the viewer.

Bruce Stuart, who has been pushing his art in all sorts of new directions of late, has several works on view. One of them, a small study, which is, in fact, `vintage Bruce', and depicts a weathered wooden structure whose faded colours are echoed in the blistered tree trunk in the foreground, has been purchased for the Society's Contemporary Collection in memory of The Royal Gazette's late arts critic, Marian Robb.

His other work, including an unusual vista of Coral Beach, reveals a looser brush and wider perspectives. Together with some other recent studies, undertaken in Santa Fe and displayed recently at a Masterworks show, this all represents a fascinating, and imaginative leap forward for this well established artist.

The Evanses (Amy and Vaughan) have been a-travelling, and have come up with some spectacular painting from refreshed palettes in the process, each of them also receiving a `Jurors' Choice' award. Amy Evans, who has adopted a looser style for some time now, has produced what must be one of her most beautiful watercolours ever. Entitled `Weekend Residence', a stately old house, bathed in golden sun with a suggestion of leaves dancing across its tired facade, is softly and lovingly painted: you can almost feel the sense of summer lassitude.

Vaughan Evans has two smallish watercolours of southern France both of which demonstrate his faultless sense of colour, and evoking this time, not the moist heat of Bermuda, but the harsh dry sun of Europe. His `High Noon', depicts a deserted street, shimmering in heat highlighted by dramatic violet shadows.

Graham Foster's `Take the Plunge', owes something to the fantasy of Chagall, with its busy lido scene where a blindfold woman (from which yellow tears flow) poises on the edge of a diving board under which a man in full evening gear hangs on, surrounded by spectators against an aqua sea and under a black, probably symbolic, sun. In different mood, though still presumably symbolic, `Prayer', brushed in oils of monochromatic tones, with a woman bowed in prayer and surrounded by skeletal trees, is a beautifully executed little painting.

There are two Sheilagh Head offerings in this show, one a panoramic view of Dockyard in which a visiting tall ship predominates, the other a much smaller, and beautifully realised work that epitomises much of this summer's weather: a stormy day when an old cottage stands stoically amidst trees that are stripped bare, and the sea and sky, melded into one, are drained of colour.

Tracy Williams `Statue Study 1's rather bizarre, photo-realistic composition of a Greek bust and a bird of paradise certainly demonstrates her technical control of classical form allied with her knowledge of how light falls on an object.

Diana Tetlow's `Gloria Monday', a mass of white daisies in a brass pot is an exquisite study in oils, as is her miniature portrait, inspired by an African carving of a African boy, and painted in rich, burnished reds.

Especially interesting for their historic value, though obviously painted from photographs, are Christopher Grimes' `old Bermuda' studies, including two of Bermuda's railway. The painting of Ord Road Station captures a nice sense of period as an assortment of people await the oncoming primrose-painted train.

Also well worth seeing is Elmer Midgett's bravura oil study of the Somerset shoreline with its darkly angular rock formation spiking the skyline and lush green trees sweeping down to a brilliant sea.

Al Seymour and Bob Herr's seascapes are hung together and while not technically perfect, both reveal a lively vigour in their handling of breaking surf.

Mention should be made, too, of two junior members, Richard Beale and Laura Mickiewicz who are showing their watercolours -- a trend which should be encouraged.

Altogether, a most satisfying and heartening show.

PATRICIA CALNAN THE SHACK -- Artist Bruce Stuart's acrylic study of `The Shack', one of the entries in the Bermuda Society of Arts' Autumn Show, and purchased for the Society's Contemporary Collection in memory of The Royal Gazette's former arts critic, the late Marian Robb.

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