Stone, mortar and clay are cemented together to provide a gritty, down-to-earth display in the latest exhibition at the Bermuda Society of Arts at Dockyard.

The stone and mortar comes courtesy of a series of five paintings by US-born artist Roland Russell on the construction by slaves of the Cobb's Hill Wesleyan Methodist Church.

Mr. Russell's credits include a mural on the mining industry for a Canadian town and his exhibits at Dockyard are on the same grand scale.

And they would probably be best viewed dominating the foyer of a public building rather than close up in the relatively intimate Dockyard gallery where a certain coarseness of style in the manner of the Socialist Realists of the erstwhile Soviet Union is evident.

The five works are reminiscent of the Stalin-approved style showing square-jawed men and plump and rosy-cheeked women happily labouring for the state in field and factory and I suspect they may well be commissioned.

The fact that when the art form reached its apogee in the USSR, Stalin was busily wiping out vast numbers of the sons of the soil means the style probably wasn't particularly Socialist or realistic either, is, I suppose, neither here nor there, But the paintings, depicting the gruelling effort of building a place of worship by blacks -- who had already been quite literally slaving away all day -- overcomes its slightly schmaltzy themes.

It's not hard to overlook the rather heavy-handed symbolism of a black man cutting stone for the Cobb's Hill Wesleyan Methodist Church in the 1820s being visited by a dove and instead take away with you an impression of natural dignity and courage in the face of unnatural cruelty and avarice.

The clay element in the exhibition is provided by Bermuda Ceramics' Jon Faulkner Perivale Pottery's Jonathan Northcott, Christine Wellman of Omax Pottery, Bruce Stuart and Simon Shaw, Helle Pukk and Carolyn Finch of Island Pottery.

Island Pottery also shows the uncredited Lighthouse Tombstone -- a rather spooky industrial accident, apparently, which shows bone-white models of Gibb's Hill Lighthouse flattened on a kiln shelf uncannily reminiscent of a gravestone.

My personal favourites were the various items of tableware by Christine Wellman repeating a Morning Glory and Hibiscus theme -- the bowl and mug would be guaranteed to lighten the spirits at breakfast time.

The combination of sponging and hand detailing gives a fresh and natural look to her work and creamy-coloured background works perfectly with the delicate greens, purples, pinks and yellows.

Jon Faulkner submitted a total of 18 pieces -- but on two themes of Royal blue and turquoise. His candy dish in turquoise is a masterpiece of simplicity, with the edges folded and two simple strands of rope-shaped clay pressed into place as handles.

Jonathan Northcott's work perhaps shows the most versatility of the potters and the greatest eagerness to experiment.

His Mythical Bird vase echoes ancient Greece and Rome with a touch of a fantastical mediaeval bestiary thrown in and works well.

And Helle Pukk's work -- already showing major gaps, which at least proves it's a popular choice -- has hints of Wemyss ware in the rich creams and bright blue of her Daisy Bowl.

RAYMOND HAINEY ART REVIEW REV