Glad I was able to attend the very lively opening of Still, a group still life exhibition hanging at Platform Project Space in DUMBO through Oct. 29. With eclectic juxtapositions of straight representation, emotional expression, and seemingly pure abstraction, this show, curated by Elizabeth Hazan, gives a broad view of the many contemporary approaches to still life painting. Patrick Neal 's mysterious combination of red onions, Snake Plant and drapery that suggests foliage, and perhaps even insidious snakes questioning the actual Snake Plant, is painted with subtle warm and cool transitions that add even more mystery to the scene. Hanging in the adjacent corner is Lizbeth Mitty 's very red painting of a long table with flowers that points to Alice in Wonderland's Mad Hatter scene where everything is just a bit skewed from reality - in an exciting and stimulating way. Audrey Levinthal evocative painting of image overlays allows the dreaming of all kinds of dreams, while Trevor Winfield's floral brings us back to earth with a vibrant color that is grounded in form. Contrasting with it all is Jacob Patrick Brooks' abstraction that pushes the experience of still life beyond its physical appearance. Also in the show are works by Olive Ayhens, Ezra Johnson, Mary Jo Vath, Susan Jane Walp and B. Wurtz. An added benefit to attending the exhibition was being able to sneak to the back studio where the glorious color of Elizabeth Hazan's paintings hang in various stages of completion.