The visually captivating artwork of Eric Montoya and the collaborative work of Ron Schmitt and Ric Hall are on display at the City Hall Gallery through April 5.

Montoya is a Washington-based painter. His series, Memoir Americana, explores individual historical narratives and their place within a collective historical narrative. The individual paintings are presented as memory-scapes, expressing Montoya’s personal view of what it means to be part of the American fabric, depicting memories spanning the years before his birth through the present, roughly from 1965 to now. He is interested in asking how we untangle the imagery and language of the past in our present.

Schmitt and Hall work collaboratively, side-by-side, using pastel. Schmitt and Hall began their collaborative style in 1983. Stemming from a “two heads are better than one” type of exploration, the two artists ultimately began working in tandem.  Standing side by side, they work simultaneously on a horizontal surface, periodically placing the piece on an easel to view the progress from a fresh perspective. Over time, a kind of collective subconscious developed between the two, and the images began to display a more figurative, often surrealistic, sense of narrative.

The Auburn City Hall Gallery is presented by the City of Auburn and Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation. For a 2011 Gallery Brochure or for information on other cultural arts programs, go to www.auburnwa.gov/arts or call 253-931-3043.

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On exhibit

• What: Art exhibition of Ron Schmitt and Ric Hall and Eric Montoya

• When: March 2-April 5, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

• Where: Auburn City Hall, 25 W. Main St. Admission is free.