“NEIGHBORHOOD”: This painting by Heather Barros is part of “Outside — Inside,” her joint exhibition with Larry Mitnick, on view April 6-30 at Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville. An opening reception is on April 15 from 1-4 p.m. 

Painters Larry Mitnick and Heather Barros each approach the notion of “Outside — Inside” from their particular vantage, yet one finds common ground in their exhibition to be presented at Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville April 6-30. Mitnick’s work is more formal and abstract, while Barros’ work bends to the figurative.

These artworks present the viewer with shape and color. Mitnick’s paintings are exclusively geometric. He invents shapes and forms to create his own landscapes. Barros’ oils and pastels allude to corresponding shapes and colors in the landscape. Within her urban scenes, viewers find squares and triangles ready to be abstracted — if they choose to see them that way. While viewers may never divine Mitnick’s specific inspiration, there is a structure in each of his compositions. Fragments of his thinking become visible once their eyes discover the link between any two elements.

“OPEN WINDOW”: This work by Larry Mitnick is featured in “Outside — Inside,” his joint exhibition with Heather Barros, on view at Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville April 6-30.

Other of Barros’ landscapes are more organic. A sandy country road leads to a stand of trees. Light leads to darkness. Color delineates form and space. And here, despite his straight-edge precision, Mitnick echoes Barros. His trapezoidal shapes also suggest light leading to dark, but in a layered way. One senses depth in the separation of Mitnick’s layers, as one senses depth in Barros’ receding country road. But in Mitnick’s work, the ordering of layers — our perception of which are near, and which are far — can have multiple interpretations.

Barros ventures into the outside world, while Mitnick ventures within. Art is a portal that connects the two worlds. There is beauty to be found, whether one is inside looking out or outside looking in.

Artists’ Gallery is located at 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville. An opening reception is scheduled for April 15 from 1-4 p.m. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit lambertvillearts.com.