Artists to be showcased at Drifting Grounds | Arts & Entertainment

A group of artists who first joined together for a joint show several years ago will once again showcase their work this weekend, although in a new location.

The Ocean View Showcase of Fine Art, set for Saturday, Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be held this year at the Drifting Grounds coffeeshop in the Heneghan’s Run complex on Atlantic Avenue (Route 26).

Eight artists will present their wares, including photography, painting, woodworking, jewelry, tilework and textiles. The group’s show was initially hosted by fellow artist Damon Pla. Since Pla recently moved his studio to Lewes, they decided to try to find a new host.

With the help of the Drifting Grounds staff, “We have managed to put it together ourselves,” said MaryFrances Berger, a member of the group who will be showcasing her photography at the show.

“The owners of Heneghan’s Run have been gracious enough to let us do this,” Berger said.

A former real estate agent, Berger said that, after her 40-year career ended, she began looking for a hobby to captivate her attention in retirement.

“I decided I needed to learn something so that I could keep my mind active,” she said.

After a brief foray into foreign languages, Berger found that passion — in photography.

“I picked up a camera and it became a passion,” she said.

These days, she focuses her lens on everything from wildlife and sunrises — she said she is on the beach capturing daybreak’s palette nearly every day — to family beach photos.

“There is almost never a time when my camera is not with me,” Berger said.

One of the things about photography that she loves, she said, is that “I’m always learning… You’re never going to know it all.”

Joining Berger in the Ocean View show will be:

• Susan Callahan, textile artist — “I work to upcycle classic clothing made of natural fibers to make unique one-of-a-kind wearables. I remove color and replace it with new bright tones. I use both natural and commercial dyes to overdye jackets, skirts and shirts. I use unique dying method called ice dying,” Callahan said.

• Justin Cavagnaro, blown-glass artist — “My work showcases my long-standing fascination with glass as a medium and my passion for the processes by which these pieces are created. Though at times influenced by classic forms, I give all my pieces a contemporary touch,” Cavagnaro said.

• Deborah Bryant, ceramic arts — “I started as a painter, then took a pottery class and was drawn to the creative possibilities of clay and its practical and functional use. Having grown up on the coast, the beauty and tranquility of the ocean has always been an inspiration,” Callahan said.

• Mary Yeagley Bower, ceramics — “Nature is my ultimate inspiration — finding the beauty in the small details and unexpected places of our environment and its creatures. My work is simplistic in design but full of relief and texture to bring the details of the subject to life,” Bower said.

• John Donato, painter — Donato describes his whimsical style, found in murals and smaller pieces throughout the local area, as having “smile impact.” He uses a complex dry-brush technique to keep his work “refreshing, timeless and collectible,” he said.

• Dawn Pierro, jewelry — “In my work, I use a wide range of techniques, including stone-setting, metalsmithing, precious metal clay, beadwork, enameling, cold connections and anything else I can get my hands on,” Pierro said.

• Travis Bower, woodworker — “Trees share their natural beauty and majestic nature with us through their entire life. When I look at a raw piece of wood, I see the beauty that lies within and work to bring it out to share with the world through its second life,” Bower said.

Drifting Grounds is located at 117 Atlantic Avenue, Ocean View.