Remember the scene from “Ghost” where a spectral Patrick Swayze tag teams with a weepy Demi Moore in a sensuous moment at her potter’s wheel?

The wet, overworked clay becomes an afterthought as the reunited lovers’ interaction intensifies.

Well, tone down the romance, swap ceramics for mixed media and ratchet up the attention to making a worthwhile piece of art, and you’ve got the collaboration between Lawrence artists Anthony Pontius and Jenn Dierdorf.

The evidence of their creative affair will occupy the walls at Olive Gallery and Art Supply through the end of the month.

Pontius, a painter, and Dierdorf, a Kansas University sculpture student, are artists in their own right, so teaming up has required a certain amount of trust — and a good sense of humor.

In fact, the name of their exhibition was inspired by the hilariously steamy titles of Harlequin romance novels. During one of their trademark goofy conversations, the couple dreamt up “Vacillations of the Heart” as their alternative to real titles like “To Tame a Vixen” and “The Reluctant Hunk.”

So to “amplify the cheesiness” of their cooperative artistic venture, Dierdorf says, the couple tweaked their make-believe novel title to “Vacillations of the Art” and slapped it on the postcards for their show.

“It’s kind of a romantic notion, what we’re doing,” Pontius says.

More directly, the exhibition title refers to the back and forth of the couple’s creative process.

Lawrence artists Anthony Pontius, left, and Jenn Dierdorf have collaborated to create mixed media works for an exhibition that opened Saturday at Olive Gallery and Art Supply, 15 E. Eighth St. The couple's art will be on view through August. They were photographed Tuesday at their home.

Pontius might begin by painting something in oils or acrylics and then leave the incomplete work in the couple’s home studio. Dierdorf might come by later and add collage elements. Each artist contributes layers until both agree the piece is done.

“The way these things work is there’s this back and forth between our hands,” says Pontius, who has a master’s degree in painting from KU, where he is a lecturer in the painting program. “It becomes this unification of our minds.”

The finished products gel in such a way that it’s not apparent more than one artist had a hand in creating them. But if you try to dissect the works, don’t bother asking the artists who did what.

“I like that they’re anonymous that way,” Dierdorf says. “I don’t think you can separate them like that. We definitely expect people to try. We’re hoping the paintings won’t let them.”

There are about 20 pieces in the show, all on Masonite and ranging in size from approximately 9 by 9 inches to 13 by 14 inches. Each floats in the center of a painted wood frame, edges exposed so the layering process is evident.

Working in tandem has perpetuated Pontius and Dierdorf’s excitement about art.

“I wish we would have started earlier,” Pontius says.

“Because we’re having such a good time,” Dierdorf adds.

Honeys Lovin

Their jocular mood comes through in wacky titles like “Chicken and Dumplings” and “Tree City USA.”

“We like to amuse ourselves,” Dierdorf says.

“There’s a lot of satire, I think, in the work, dark humor,” Pontius says.

“Nonsense,” Dierdorf clarifies.

“But nonsense is good, I think, for a healthy life,” Pontius concludes.

As if on cue, the soft-spoken couple — Pontius with tattooed arms, a beard and dark tousled hair; Dierdorf with fine, ebony strands tucked behind her ear — starts joking about rigging a raffle for one of their works so they get the money AND get to keep the painting.

It’s all in jest, of course.

Their sincerest hope is that people are interested in their creations. If they’re interested enough to take them home, all the better.

“Even if we don’t become filthy rich off the show,” Dierdorf says, smirking, “we’ll be satisfied just knowing people are enjoying our art.”