There is certainly a Bermudian aura to the Context show in the Society of Arts gallery. Motifs of bay grapes marry rather well with sea-shore driftwood and, as such, justify the decision of Jodie Tucker Webster and Daniel C. Dempster to share exhibition space.

This is a refreshingly different show combining, in the case of Jodie Webster, some exquisite watercolour flower paintings interspersed with flamboyant forays into applied arts in the form of painted furniture and tapestry. The altogether quieter approach of Daniel Dempster in his latest guise, as that of a "found object'' sculptor, serves as an interesting foil.

The first thing that strikes the viewer of Jodie Webster's paintings is her mastery of colour: rarely do we see watercolour driven to such limits. The next realisation is that this artist, whose work is rarely seen here, has the kind of technical confidence that allows her to experiment in terms of composition and perspective. The result is exhilarating.

She gives in, quite happily, to a preference for painting the same object over and over again, so there is an abundance of blue and white oriental china, and quite often, she places white flowers in blue vases and blue flowers in white ones. The recurring red and white cloth on which they frequently repose is painted from unexpected angles, the severity of which save the floral studies from even a suggestion of conventional prettiness.

Her blue irises, appropriately entitled "Movement'', rise triumphantly from their vase, while her two studies of anemones are aglow with lambent colours.

One of the most powerful of these floral paintings is her "Sunflowers in White Vase'', the muted background of greens and browns hinting of autumn as the flower-heads, denuded of their brilliant petals, a couple of them floating in the water and speaking of decay. This is in sharp contrast to the brilliance of her fuchsias and the serenity of the lush white blooms of her "Study in White''.

Perhaps the centrepiece of the entire show is her "Bay Grape Chair'', a wondrous feat of tapestry embroidery in which the russet tones of the leaves reach, from a greenish ground in the Victorian-styled chair seat to a suggestion of blue skies as the leaves fan out up the winged back.

Definitely not a repository for the breakfast dishes, but breathtaking as a decorative object to be admired from afar, is her hand-painted table, which again uses the bay grape motif, worked in oils, and harbouring a clutch of kiskadees.

There are also two hand-painted screens, the most striking of which, is entitled "Study in Blue''.

Daniel Dempster has been preoccupied for some time with the effect of light and movement on the shallow waters of Bermuda's coastline and his first venture into the local art world was a series of coloured pencil studies which were striking in their evocation of translucence. Now he has taken the process a step further and, quietly dominating his half of the show, is a continuous video film of these said shallows, made under his direction but actually photographed by Antoine Hunt. This, presumably, forms the background for the objects found in and around our Island waters. Those that have been retrieved were selected by the sculptor as being outstanding examples of the weathering process and/or of intrinsic beauty.

Sculptors (if indeed this is an accurate title) of objets trouves date back to the Dadaists and Surrealist movements as part of their revolt against traditionalist art. As such, it is certainly not a new concept but one that, all too often, has provided a convenient refuge for the fifth-rate. At best, this artistic vision is surely presumptuous: I, for one, would not assume that it takes a particularly "artistic'' eye to see beauty in stones alternately polished and roughed-up by the onslaught of endless tides, or a piece of wood blanched by the sun -- kids and beachcombers do it all the time.

The most striking pieces in this collection are his two large "Lightsails'', created with sheets of mylar fashioned in the shapes of billowing sails, within a frame from the ribs of a wooden boat. Besides being of practical use, they are dramatic in form and would enhance any waterside area. It should be noted here, that the overall effect of his work has, on the whole, suffered through far too bright lighting throughout the gallery.

In some cases, Mr. Dempster has added or, more precisely, tacked on to various examples of marine timber, pieces of fine copper mesh, some hiding within, a cache of blue marbles. The intention here is to reproduce the effect of the light which, in its original state and habitat, is reflected through the water. For this pair of eyes, the desired aim just didn't happen.

There is a certain confusion, too, in what he calls his "works in process''.

These, to the casual eye, appear to be an assortment of steel poles, which will eventually become "site-specific'' sculptures which demonstrate his "waterworks'' theme. According to the artist, the technical difficulties of realising such a concept within City Hall has left this work in decidedly suspended animation. If this show took a year to plan and he could still not overcome such practical problems, we are left asking the obvious: why go ahead with half a project? "Shardik'', a wooden pylon with a square seat carved in its middle, just about sums up the somewhat egotistical stance of this kind of art. The seat has been painted in gold-leaf -- a wonderful instance of gilding the lily. -- Patricia Calnan.

ART REVIEW REV