Painting between the lines: West Newbury artist shines by leaving something to the imagination

That's how Boston gallery director Andrew Witkin viewed the oil painting by West Newbury's Peggy Luderer.

Luderer's piece featuring two house painters on side-by-side ladders struck Witkin each time he looked at it, leading him to award it Best in Show in the Newburyport Art Association's Regional Juried Show. The 11th annual show opens tomorrow in the art association's galleries at 65 Water St. in Newburyport.

Luderer's "House Painters #1" beat out 480 entries in all media from 226 artists for the top honor, which comes with a $500 prize.

"It tells a story yet leaves key parts unanswered," Witkin said of Luderer's painting in his written judge's comments. "The balance between generality and specificity lend an aura of completeness that had me quite pleased by looking at the piece."

Witkin also credited Luderer for balancing a uniform tone with pockets of shade to provide "just the right amount of tension to the composition."

Luderer said she began taking photos of painters working on houses along Route 113 last year, drawn, she said, by the way the sunlight hit the scaffolding and ladders. Then last summer while on Martha's Vineyard, she stumbled on the scene that provided the inspiration for "House Painters #1."

"I was intrigued by this beautiful old building and these two guys painting it," she said. "I thought when I put it into the show that this is going to either hit someone or not."

Luderer, who moved to West Newbury a little more than a year ago, has begun devoting more time to her art. After working in watercolor for years, she recently returned to oils, and said she likes the texture afforded by the thicker medium.

In addition to her Best of Show entry, two additional pieces by Luderer — including another in her house painters series — were accepted into the art association's Regional Juried Show.

For the first time, artists were allowed to submit digital images as part of the jurying process for the show, which resulted in entries coming from across New England.

Witkin, director of the Barbara Krakow Gallery on Boston's Newbury Street, ultimately selected 140 pieces, including paintings, drawings, mixed-media, sculpture, photography, prints and digital art, for display. He also awarded $2,000 in cash prizes, which will be handed out at a reception Saturday night.

"I was very impressed with the breadth and depth of the work," Witkin wrote in his comments. "It continues to amaze me how dedicated such a large group of creative people are."

r Peggy Luderer of West Newbury, Mary Alice Arakelian Memorial Award for Best in Show for "House Painters #1," $500.

r Eva Hoffman of Ipswich, Institution for Savings Charitable Foundation Award for Oil for "Water," $150.

r Margette Leanna of Newburyport, Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank Award for Acrylic for "The Other Acadia," $150.

r Janice Reynolds of Haverhill, Newburyport Area Industrial Development Foundation Award for Pastel for "Tropicana Dream," $150.

r Linda Laterowicz of Ipswich, Philip J. Stern Memorial Award for Watercolor for "Autumn Fog on the Merrimack," $150.

r Darlene Furbush Ouellett, Sam Sargent Award for Mixed Media for "Hold on to Your Hats," $150.

r Glen Szegedy of Lowell, Laura Coombs Hills Award for Sculpture for his wood sculpture "Bioform #677," $150.

r Leonard Joiner of Methuen, Mildred Hartson Award for Drawing for "Wisdom," $150.

r Barbara Nachmias-Kedesdy of Newbury, Mildred Hartson Award for Printmaking for her monotype "Vine Lines," $150.

r Joanne Neary Morris of Newburyport, General Excellence Award for Photography for "Teakettle Parade," $150.

r Michael Doran of North Andover, Newburyport Art Association 60th Anniversary Award for Excellence for his watercolor "Bottle Dream," $75.

r Susan Hebenstreit of Merrimac, honorable mention for her oil painting "This Was Home," $25.

r Robert Pyle of Reading, honorable mention for his photograph "Light Form #1, Fort Warren, Boston," $25.

r Deborah Citron-Stevens of Essex, honorable mention for her print "The Grandchildren," $25.

r When: Tomorrow through June 15. Awards ceremony and opening reception Saturday, 7 to 9 p.m.

r How: Free admission. Gallery hours Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Call 978-465-8769 or visit www.newburyportart.org.

Photos

"House Painters #1" by West Newbury's Peggy Luderer took Best in Show in the Newburyport Art Association's 11th annual Regional Juried Show. Courtesy photo