The Great Gallery at the Historic Salem Courthouse houses art made of wood. Nothing one immediately imagines predicts the extraordinary show inside.

Gyula Varosi (deceased) used a wooden pedestal as a base for a four tiered verticle, aporoximately 18” high, topped by a 5”  figure suggesting a female. It opens the show which is full of surprises and riveting work.

Paul Schneider presents “Medicine Bundle”, 6 long sticks about seven feet tall, protruding from colored balls. The balls are separated by the sticks here wrapped in braided mohair. The result is engaging and unique.
Schneider has at least a dozen tabletop sculptures which combine wood with other materials: copper rings, dried roots, horn, sparkling jewels, paint and stone.
A spectacular cross cut of maple, polished but unadorned, exposes a pale, desiccated center within hundreds of outer rings.
A huge gourd on a pedestal is intersected by two bundles of twigs evident through a  circular hole and sides of the gourd. The result encourages the viewer to project its use: scientific, astronomical? 
Two wall boxes, reminiscent of Joseph Cornell’s style, complete Schneider’s installation.

Randy Dumas has furniture on display, a side table and two which are cocktail sized. Each is upheld by black wrought iron
legs. The cocktail table legs are pairs of open designs, sculptures in themselves. Pots and bowls are displayed on table tops. The small pieces are stroked in dazzling color: vermillion, lime orange and chocolate.
Dumas names “charcuterie boards” for two magnificent rectangular scenes,  a forest and a beach, made of oak and maple respectively. They are covered in resin and appear first as paintings, secondly as charcuterie boards. Exquisite.

“Cy Little carves birds”, so easy to say, so demanding to do.
A heron properly perched on a weathered log, nails and claws hold him. The double feather out of his crown softens the deadly impression of his beak and feet.
A realistic loon, scalp, yellow leg and elegant tern are so persuasively rendered, one finds one’s self stroking them to be assured they are not real.

Hannie Varosy painted three decoys, a wood duck and male and hen Mallard. The paint is masterfully handled suggesting they be displayed indoors rather than on a lake.

Chris Hubbard has made a large structure from which to hang magical stars. They are woven from native woods and transport the viewer to the Holidays. For tabletops, she presents groups of five pointed stars for three dimensional decoration. Her enterprise is Birken Hill   at 561 Blind Buck Rd., Salem.

The doorway at the Great Gallery in Historic Salem Courthouse is opened Saturdays from 11-3 and upon request.
This is a remarkable show, invigorating, not to be missed.

Review: Gerry Cuite