Tom Anderson and Christopher Mathie have each shown their paintings many times not only here at Childhood's End where they are popular regulars, but throughout the country.

Mathie is one of the best pure abstract expressionists in the Pacific Northwest. Much of his latest work, which I have seen online only, is outstanding. He is taking some slightly new directions in abstraction that are exciting. When he veers more into paintings of more recognizable subject matter, however, the work is not as good. Often the subject matter detracts from the pure painting, and in some instances the painting style doesn't fit well with the subject matter, and it is some of these paintings Childhood's End is currently showing. A good example of how the imagery fails to work with his slashing and dripping paint application is a large painting of a fishing boat with a big outboard motor on the stern moored to a pier. The clash of style and imagery simply doesn't work. Likewise, with his two small paintings of crabs in rough water. The expressive paint application in his depiction of water is fine; I especially like his use of splatters of thin, milky-white blue. But the hardshell crabs themselves seem harsh and out of place.

His best representational work are his many seascapes and paintings of heavy surf crashing against rocky shores. Two excellent examples of these are "Finding the Truth I've Been Searching For" (a rather pretentious title) and "In Sight of the Sea II." Each of these is strong and expressive. I could enjoy looking at them for days. A similarly successful painting is "Gliding In," a long, horizontal painting of a seabird (approximately one foot high and four feet in length). The bird is coming in for a landing on rough water, its spread wings filling the length of the canvas. This one is a rare instance of the image fitting both the format and style of the painting.

Anderson is a solid painter who uses metal sheets, brads, and an infinite number of odd materials and techniques to create richly varied textures and simple geometric patterns. The paintings in this show are typical of what we've been seeing from him for decades - decorative, stylish and competent. My favorite works in this show are the six paintings from the Glyph series. "Glyph Series #1, 2, 3 and 4" are small paintings divided into two nuanced zones of light color with darker or more colorful shapes like hieroglyphics painted over them. The dark-and-light values and the color intensity vary depending on the tone or value of the underlying zones of color. "Glyph Series #9 and 10" are slightly larger and more lyrical and rhythmical. Anderson's swooping lines are one of his greatest talents. They have the freedom and rhythm of birds in flight.

I've never before seen Rabun Thompson's ceramic totems, and I was impressed with them. They consist of ceramic shield-like shapes stacked vertically on ceramic spools. My guess is a metal rod runs up though them, otherwise they would defy gravity. A pair comprising "Small River" (51 inches high) and "Tall River" (73 inches high) is decorated with winding blue shapes that flow top to bottom like a river. On the river banks are decorative fronds and branches. Coincidentally, the fronds look a lot like the leaves and branches on Anderson's large paintings in the lobby at Providence St. Peter hospital.

Two totems called "Shoreline" are almost identical to the river pieces but with zig-zag blue shapes representing where water reaches shore instead of the winding rivers.

Also showing are ceramic bells by Chistine Burris. These are bells of the type acolytes might have rung in medieval churches with intaglio scenes and figures. They are very elaborate and executed with fine craftsmanship.

Childhood's End Gallery, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, through April 17, 222 Fourth Ave. W., Olympia, 360.943.3724