“Old Street, Spain,” Margaret Jordan Patterson, 1908. Gouache and watercolor.

OLD LYME, CONN. – The Cooley Gallery will exhibit, from October 18 to November 17, more than 50 paintings by Ralf Feyl. Subjects include nocturnes, winter and coastline scenes. The paintings vary in size with many smaller, more intimate views included.

Feyl has spent the last six seasons observing and painting scenes of his newly adopted home, the state of Maine. He was the youngest painter to ever have a solo exhibition at The Cooley Gallery, with his first opening eight years ago. Back then, as a very young talent, his paintings astounded gallery visitors and continue to captivate collectors at all levels.

Maine’s unique character and universal appeal comes from a vivid balance of natural beauty. On a primary level, it’s the rugged coastline, inland fields and forests in a clear Northern light. Other levels are harder to describe. Their qualities are arguably more subjective but ever present. Communicating the subtlety of the region’s mystique takes confidence and talent. An artist can get lost in the nuances or suffocate in the obvious. Feyl’s paintings of Maine capture the unique subtlety of the region’s character without obscuring what his work or the subject is all about.

Critics attempt to categorize Feyl’s painting and speculate about his influences. His sensuous brushwork and creative intuition make associations with the work of other artists short lived. His paintings of rocky coastlines at daybreak, with their subtle shifts of tone, are hauntingly romantic. His electric sunsets transcend clichés through their daring and success. His reverence for nature is equally evident in a small group of moonlit nocturnes included in this exhibition. Throughout, there’s something intangible and yet universal about Feyl’s painting that makes him a very popular young American artist.

The gallery is at 25 Lyme street. For information, 860/434-8807.