Birds are chirping, flower buds are poking their heads out of the earth, and the first exhibit of the spring season is hanging

"Still Life With Jars" at The Laurel Tracey Gallery in

Red Bank.

"Exploring the Still Life," featuring paintings by renowned artist Francis Cunningham, opens at the White Street gallery Friday and will run through April 23. An opening reception will be held Saturday, 6- 8:30 p.m.

The selection of paintings in the show encompasses nearly 50 continuous years of work.

Of the paintings in the exhibition, the artist said, "The objects depicted and their arrangement on the canvas are vehicles of changing thought and expression. Note the edges, hard or soft, the relationship of objects to one another and to the rectangle of the canvas, the play of arches and angles and the range of color value, as well as what the objects are.

"Furthermore, although of itself a painting doesn't change, you do. Your relationship to the painting can change from viewing to viewing, as one must surely discover exploring the designs within the design over time and in changing lights. In still life, nothing is static, nothing exhaustible."

"Carriage House Still Life" Cunningham has had one-man shows in Washington, Chicago, New York, Stockholm and Copenhagen, and has participated in group exhibitions extensively in the U.S. He taught at the Brooklyn Museum Art School and the Art Students League. In 1980 he cofounded the New Brooklyn School of Life Drawing, Painting and Sculpture with the sculptor Barney Hodes. In 1983 they cofounded the New York Academy of Art.

He currently maintains studios in New York City and Mill River, Mass. His work includes landscape, still life and the human figure.

For more information, contact the gallery, located at 10 White St., at (732) 224-0760 or visit www.laureltraceygallery.com. Gallery hours are Tuesday 1-5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and other times by appointment.

Designed by Eileen Russell-Gerber

"Morning Light" "Canton Bowl With Pears" "Chime Knife and Barking Spud"