Quentin James McCaffrey at Nicelle Beauchene Gallery

Never much more than a foot high, Quentin James McCaffrey’s small paintings at Nicelle Beauchene Gallery encourage viewers to draw close and peer into imagined domestic interiors that act as portals into other times and places. Here, ‘Mirror with a View’ presents us with a mirror (or is it a painting of a mirror’s reflection?) that reflects not us but a view of a landscape through a door, a painting of clouds on the domed ceiling and four paintings that lead the eye into other landscapes.  Though McCaffrey offers a profusion of exits via paintings, ceiling and door, the diminutive size of each limits our fantasy escape, instead underscoring the tantalizing possibilities of illusion.  (On view through July 7th).

Quentin James McCaffrey, Mirror with View, oil on canvas over wood panel, 16 x 13 x 1 ½ inches, 2023.

Published by

Merrily Kerr

Merrily Kerr is an art critic and writer based in New York. For more than 20 years, Merrily has published in international art magazines including Time Out New York, Art on Paper, Flash Art, Art Asia Pacific, Art Review, and Tema Celeste in addition to writing catalogue essays and guest lecturing. Merrily teaches art appreciation at Marymount Manhattan College and has taught for Cooper Union Continuing Education. For more than a decade Merrily has crafted personalized tours of cultural discovery in New York's galleries and museums for individuals and groups, including corporate tours, collectors, artists, advertising agencies, and student groups from Texas Woman's University, Parsons School of Design, Chicago's Moody Institute, Cooper Union Continuing Education, Hunter College Continuing Education and other institutions. Merrily's tours have been featured in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Sydney Morning Herald and Philadelphia Magazine. Merrily is licensed by New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs as a tour guide and is a member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA USA)

Leave a Reply