Encouraging warmth in the iciest of times is a task often met with withdrawal; we hunker down with mugs and layers and wait for more temperate skies. With her exhibition Summer in Winter, Amherst resident and UMass grad Nancy Miller and the Williston Northampton School defy this logic. Centered on summer themes, scenes and colors, Miller’s collection of paintings brings to mind a warmer time that occurred not long ago and will occur again soon enough.
Using sun-bleached greens, tans and terra cottas, Miller attempted to recreate summer in her work, but the task was not always an easy one. Initially inspired by the season as it was happening, the artist was forced to create some of these works in the fall, after the heat and brightness of the summer had subsided. Assisted by music and video of summer scenes, Miller was able to evoke summer inspiration.
Jan. 6-Feb. 13, reception: Jan. 11, 2-5 p.m., Grubbs Gallery, The Williston Northampton School, 19 Payson Ave., Easthampton, (413) 529-3207, www.williston.com.