Rom-coms rely on the notion that opposites attract. Contrast and conflict make for good drama, even when we know the answer to “Will they or won’t they?” is that they will.
“Sharing Spaces,” on view this month at Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery in Waterbury, may not give us a meet-cute, but in presenting works by Shapleigh and Peggy Smith, the show paints a picture of very different sensibilities. The Stowe couple, now 80 and 79, respectively, met as teenagers and have been married for 32 years. While their works aren’t exactly in conflict, each artist speaks their own aesthetic language.
Shapleigh presents photographs of Vermont granite quarries and landscapes, most of them in black and white. They are often stark, almost abstract, highlighting the geometry and patterns of each rock face.
“White Granite” is a study in contrast, with black streaks down white rock faces that are crisscrossed by fissures and ledges. White ripples on black water at the base of the cliffs pull the eye horizontally. Spruce trees sprouting from ledges bring another texture to the image, white branches frizzing out over black shadows. As in many of his photographs, Shapleigh uses a long depth of field to keep even faraway details in focus. That compresses distance, heightening the scene’s abstract qualities.
People are present in these photos only through their works. In “Single Wire Into the Water,” for instance, dramatic fissures camouflage a rusted cable bolted to the rock face. Other human artifacts, such as “Turn Buckle” and “Old Wire Spool in the Woods,” are more obvious, but the images don’t give us a sense of who left these objects to rust.
Peggy, by contrast, brings us characters galore. The viewer knows exactly whom she’s picturing in a series of folk art-inspired painted clay sculptures. There’s “Zeke (Maine Fisherman),” in a jaunty red hat and overalls, holding a seagull in the crook of his arm as though it’s a beloved pet. Busts of four women face off in “The Bridge Ladies,” each holding her cards close. The oldest lady wears a shrewd expression, while another wears pearls. A third boasts bright orange hair and too much makeup; her partner buries her face in a fan of cards. Nearby, “Ralph (Boston Terrier)” patiently awaits his owner on a pedestal, looking both worried and resigned.
While Shapleigh’s works in the show reflect a single focus, Peggy also presents a second, very different group of sculptures. Works such as “Reclining Woman” study the figure from a more modernist perspective, exploring form rather than character. The little clay sculpture, with its polished black finish, emphasizes the lift of a hip, the slope of a calf. Beside it, “Seated Woman” exaggerates the mass of shoulders, while the figure’s crossed legs are gestural and light. These are well-seen, subtle creations, rather than whimsical ones.
That diversity of output is par for the course for Peggy, who is also a photographer and works in mixed media, though only her sculptures are on display at Axel’s. In an email, she said, “I move through different materials and methods constantly, always trying to learn new techniques and apply them to other mediums.”
Despite the differences between the spouses’ approaches, they occasionally meet on the same page. Shapleigh said they both work daily in their home studio, often asking each other for advice. That synergy comes through in a few places in the show, as when Peggy’s studied “Torso” is displayed beside Shapleigh’s minimalist “Reflection of a Branch in the Quarry Pond.” With their delicate lines, it’s almost like the two pieces are in quiet conversation, ignoring any drama we might perceive playing out elsewhere in the gallery.
This article appears in Mar 19-25, 2025.
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