October 10 A wide range of mediums, styles and talent greet the visitor to the City Hall exhibition of local art. Oil, acrylic and watercolour paintings are displayed alongside photography, pottery, batik and even a papier mache doll.

As always, Bermuda's coastline and scenery were well-represented, inspiring artists of various degrees of skill to render the usual images of white roofed houses and seascapes; some being populated by schmaltzy or ill-proportioned figures.

Fortunately, there were more than enough exceptions, such as the works of Otto Trott, Jon Mills and of Christopher Marson; the latter's hazy, loosely painted watercolours (Sunshowers and Summer Morning) exploring the myriad of colours of the sea and sky. The abstract impression of John Smith's Bay by Fred Franzen is also remarkable, the landscape being condensed to a pattern of shapes and soothing, muted colours. Perhaps the images of Marson, Trott and Franzen are notable because they attempt to portray Bermuda in a different way, seeking fresh perspectives on a much-painted theme.

The flora of Bermuda was also abundantly on show, Aloe Aloe and in the Moat by Tracey Williams were two outstanding watercolours with such attention to detail and to the play of light, that the images were almost tangible and three-dimensional.

Predominantly, the paintings in the show used pastel palettes and familiar imagery, but some bolder and more intensely coloured paintings stood out and accosted the viewer: the effective simplicity of Lapstrake by Gillian Outerbridge and the work of Graham Foster who uses Bermuda as a backdrop to his abstract Technological Triptych and surreal Bermuda Fish Kettle images.

The Triptych portrays fantastical `fishing machines' inhabiting the beaches, rapacious hardware which spill blood on the idyllic shoreline of the Island.

With the Fish Kettle, the artist shows that he can paint realism as well, albeit with a very surreal twist.

The photography of Cig Harvey and Neil Duffy offer up tiny glimpses of Bermuda still-life and seashore; small but powerful images that draw you in to peer more closely. Duffy's interesting presentation using belts and wing nuts is gratifying, particularly as some artists are guilty of considering roughly knocked together frames as value for money for their patrons.

Jonathon Northcott's pottery continues to explore the themes of organic textures and shapes: fish and snakeskin, plants, vegetables and the coral reefs are all evident in his vases and platters. Reef Vase, displayed at the entrance, looked like it was moulded at the bottom of the ocean, its body nearly caving in to form a conch shell cleft, and its outer surface textured with an encrusted barnacle effect.

The exhibition had to display an eclectic mix of pieces drawn from a wide range of amateur and professional artists and, no doubt, was problematic to hang. I did feel, however, that the entrance to the exhibition would have benefited from a couple of stronger images, the two small pastel paintings that flanked the access to the hall failing to make much of an impact.

Consequently, they may not have received the attention they deserved.

On the whole, the work of more established artists ensured there were many strong pieces to guarantee an interesting visit to the BSOA exhibition, and the work of promising amateurs is always inspirational.

JUSTINE MACKEY NOTABLE -- Otto Trott THEATRE REVIEW REV