Many faces of man reflected in exhibit

by Shanna Fanelli assistant features editor

Emotions are the make-up of man.

With brushes, paints, pencils and pastel, Susan Schary, professional courtroom artist, has worked her cosmetology on canvas. The result is a collection of pieces that demand reaction .from the viewer.

The artwork of Schary, now holdmg court in the Grace and Joseph Gorevin Fine Arts Gallery within the Holy Spirit Library, is a challenging compilation that not only reflects.but also projects, the many faces of man.

There is a compatibility throughout the room.

The Victorian era is a theme strewn through many of the paintings. Lace, pearls, china dolls and flowers proclaim their presence with rich, velvet-like color.

The innocence and peace of children and fairies reside next to women with feathered masks and highlighted locks of hair.

"I love children and dolls," Schary said. "They are the purest of heart.''

Sharing the innocence is also the terror, anguish and worry lines of court trials, including scenes fr-0m the Thomas Capano, John DuPont and Arthur Bomar trials.

Several mob trial scenes and a picture causing one man to exclaim, "Now that's a Kennedy!" over "The many faces of Kennedy," also contribute to the display.

"It's amazing," Mary Alice Rogers said. Rogers, a close friend of Schary's, was taken with Schary's style the fust time she laid eyes on a carefully de- photo by tailed painting of the artist's family. "I was hell-bent on meeting her," she said.

Susan Schary's oil on canvas entitled "Ladies in Waiting."

Detail is not the only trait associated with Schary.

Having gone through her own "dark ages," Schary is now reveling in the "joy of life."

Many times, the figure posing for the observer is a relative or friend.

Schary's youngest daughter, Karima, is the object of the appreciative fairies in the work "The Portrait Sitting." Mary Alice is the young woman beneath the veil in "The Feathered Mask.''

"It is very important in jobs of negativity to honor an outlet that brings joy," Schary said, referring to her courtroom works and her own personal pieces. "It brings a balance."

The exhibition of recent works by Susan Schary, entitled "Dichotomy," will be on display in the gallery of the Holy Spirit Library through March 21. Many of the works are available for purchase and unframed prints are also on sale for $120 each.

For more information call (610) 902-8380 or (610) 9028255.