Stephen Carpenter uses digital images to interpret music in new show at the Edgewood Gallery

“Visual Music: Bolero de Cochereau,” at the Edgewood Gallery, presents three bodies of work. First, there’s Stephen Carpenter’s ambitious project in which he uses digital images to interpret music, specifically an organ improvisation of “Bolero” by Maurice Ravel. In addition, the show displays stoneware and porcelain pieces by Michael Hughes and jewelry created by Lily Tsay. 

Carpenter, it should be noted, has had lots of artistic experiences. He did acrylic paintings and drawings for decades. In 2015, at Stone Quarry Hill Art Park outside Cazenovia, he installed “Hilltop Pipe Dreams,” a multimedia, interactive work. In 2019, after losing vision in one eye, he turned more and more to digital creations. 

And now, he’s deep into an innovative, intersensory series that delves into sound and color, that reflects on an experience that he had in 1973 at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris. There, Perre Cochereau, on his organ, played “Bolero,” which was intended to be performed by a full orchestra. Carpenter was deeply moved by Cochereau’s performance. 

Carpenter’s current work, at Edgewood, interprets Cochereau on canvas. Five triptychs, each of which references a section of the music, appear in the show. Each triptych incorporates three sectors. The show also presents smaller, solo artworks; many of them have the word “etude” in their titles. An etude is a study, an intermediate step in creating a composition. 

What emerges is a set of digital images with their own energy, that extend well beyond reminiscing about a concert that happened 50 years ago. In the work, Carpenter heads down various creative paths. 

In one triptych, he depicts a series of chords, directly referring to music. In another, he plays with torrid colors, blending orange and red. In a third, he portrays what looks like a circle of small planets, set against a murky background and with a burst of light in their midst. 

Similarly, the solo works demonstrate varied approaches. For example, “Aria in Red-Green Aurora” is positioned vertically, focusing on wavy lines in red or green. Another piece portrays a sphere, a geometric form. Covered with warm colors, it’s  very visually interesting, one of the best artworks in the exhibit. 

And viewers will find interesting works on the walls. “Nocturne in Green Forest Murmur” is unstructured, consisting of color that bursts out. A second piece recalls Icarus, a mythical character who headed into the sky, on a doomed journey toward the sun. Indeed, Carpenter’s work depicts a small sun. 

Moreover, “Etude in Yellow-Red Pirouette,” plays with various colors, including red and blue. 

The showing of Carpenter’s current works at Edgewood introduces a complex project that’s not yet completed. The five triptychs do not represent a final line-up. The artist plans to do additional triptychs corresponding to other sections of “Bolero.” 

Edgewood, meanwhile, is currently presenting other media. Hughes has an array of his ceramic pieces on display: bowls and platters, plates and vases. There’s everything from porcelain works to plates decorated with distinctive patterns and ultra-thin vases that are shaped almost like towers. 

He’s a veteran artist who has displayed his work at various venues, including the Gandee Gallery in Fabius. 

Finally, Tsay’s jewelry, such as necklaces and small and large earrings, is being displayed. In creating those pieces, she uses glass and other materials. She’s taken part in various exhibits and festivals– the Plowshares Craftsfair staged every December, Art on the Porches,an annual event in the Strathmore neighborhood, and others. 

“Visual Music” is on display through November 17 at Edgewood, 216 Tecumseh Rd. The gallery is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is free. 

For more information, access edgewoodartandframe.com. 

Carl Mellor covered visual arts for the Syracuse New Times from 1994 through 2016. He continues to write about exhibitions and artists in the Syracuse area.