Trippin’ at Bowersock

Bonding over a shared love of symbolism and narrative, painter Steve Bowersock and sculptor Jeanne McCartin present “Trippin’: A Surreal, Fantastical, and Engaging Journey Into Two Very Peculiar Minds.” The show opens at Bowersock Gallery, 373 Commercial St. in Provincetown, on Friday, Aug. 20 and runs through Sept. 2. There will be an opening night reception from 7 to 9 p.m.

Both artists use the protracted stress of the pandemic as grist in a no-holds-barred response to our collective anxiety. Bowersock’s paintings offer a surreal vision of horned figures in positions ranging from benign to confrontational, set against a backdrop of soft skies and color that look toxic yet alluring.

McCartin uses cellulose, polymer clays, and papier maché to create narrative sculptures — images of women unbridled and empowered framed in stage-like settings embellished with props. They’re spiky, raw, and riveting — with a marionette-like quality and Tim Burton air.