Sunday, October 30, 2011

PRESS RELEASE: Small Works at Gander Gallery in Manchester Center


Gander Gallery, 4716B Main Street, Manchester Center, is pleased to announce our first annual Small Works exhibition on view from December 9, 2011 through January 8, 2012. Work of current gallery artists will be represented. An opening reception will be held on Friday, December 9. Please come in and join us for hot chocolate and cookies from 4 pm to 6 pm. All are welcome.

Gander Gallery is a recent addition to the Manchester, Vermont art scene but has much deeper roots that go back to our family art gallery, the Bittersweet Gallery, which was an exciting place to find emerging artists in Montauk Long Island during the 1970s and 80s. At Gander Gallery, we continue our dedication to showcasing the work of established and emerging artists of Vermont, and elsewhere, who have been selected for their creative passion and excellence in their chosen genre.

Our purpose is to sell original fine art to clients who will enjoy their selection for years to come. We believe that when you bring a piece of artwork into your home you also bring home your connection with the artist. During the year you will have opportunities to meet our artists and discuss their work, background and viewpoints.

General Information: Gander Gallery, 4716B Main Street, Manchester Center, Vermont 05255 Tel: 802.768.8396 E-Mail: Gandergallery@gmail.com Web Site: www.gandergallery.net Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 12 pm - 6 pm; Sunday 12PM - 4 PM.

Image: Dale Sherman Blodget, 5 Lemons, Oil on Panel, 6x6

Saturday, October 29, 2011

CALL TO ARTISTS: Holidays in America

Art's Alive will present a 2 month group exhibition from Dec 1, 2011 until Jan 31, 2012 in both galleries at Main Street Landing's Union Station and Wing building of artwork representing Iconic images of the Holidays in America with a focus on the relationship between commercialism and belief.

We need at least 40 pieces! This exhibition will run for 2 First Fridays and have a closing reception tba in late January.

Artists who are interested in contributing to this exhibition should email:artsalivevt@yahoo.com Intake is Sunday, November 27, 2011 at Union Station from 12:00-3pm.

2d or 3d mediums - ready to hang (must have wire and be able to be hung on s-hook and chain); 3d pieces must be delivered with pedestal - 2d pieces no larger than 40" x 60" - 1 piece per artist.

Friday, October 28, 2011

REVIEW: Janet Fredericks “Minute Particulars” at Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery



by Jocelyn Grayson

While visiting refugee camps abroad with her husband Tom, who founded the organization "Magicians Without Borders”, Janet fills her sketchbooks with elaborate observations of places seen on her travels. When she is at home in her quiet garden and studio, she spends time observing what she calls the most common of plants, becoming increasingly attuned to their amazing intelligence.

For the past 15 years Janet has been drawn to water as a subject and motif for her work. Early on she drew hulls of boats and ships, which especially in her ' burning boats' series became metaphors of universal human experience, which took on an epic quality in association with symbols taken from classical myth and allegory. The more she has become fascinated by what she calls the “language” of water itself, the more intimately engaged she has become, not only with the mapping of those things that can be seen on the surface, but also with those things that “lie beneath”, that cannot be defined in literal ways, but can only be sensed on a deeper level. Water combines aspects of the ephemeral and the eternal which affect us in different ways. In its randomness, Janet has also allowed herself to discover what she calls " a regulatng force" which unites the dissimilar and the disconnected in its ever moving flow.

"For me," she writes,"drawing is about discovery, recording with marks on paper the language of my environment."

Her current exhibition is entitled Minute Particulars after a line from visionary poet and artist William Blake,"He who wishes to see a vision, a perfect whole, must see it in Minute Particulars." And it is, interestingly enough, this rare combination of passion and patience, to see things large that are writ small, that distinguishes Janet's work, and makes it memorable.

These new drawings and paintings explore her increasing absorption in the life of insects and what this life has to tell us. This interest began when she started to go outdoors to draw plants in her own garden, discovering what she describes as "common plants in disturbed soil.” Her attention to the plant itself was arrested by the quantity and variety of insect life that were being drawn to them, pollinating, eating, mating, living... and she became aware of a kind of Indra's Net of interdependency and diversity. "One cannot sit quietly and observe these creatures without pondering some big questions, like what intelligent force drives this miraculous activity, and what role do we as humans play in all of this?"

In a recent waking vision, Janet was visited by her brother who died when he was ten years old. He appeared to her with a swarm of bees hovering over him, one speaking by his ear. It was as if this was a signal to pay attention to what the bees could be saying and Janet has since been alerted to the language of the smallest of creatures and what they might have to say concerning the seismic shifts which are beginning to affect us on this planet. As Joanne Elizabeth Luce said, she is beginning to hear "the voice of the infinite in the small."

These paintings of insects and the world of plants depict the beauty and the fullness of life ascending, spiraling upwards with a rich, ripening fecundity. Her palette has changed from the more subdued colors of some of her earlier works, and they shimmer with rich ochres, brilliant blues, golds and reds, as if dazzled by the beauty of butterflies (the symbol of Psyche or the soul in classical myth). But there is a disturbing radiance. These paintings celebrate the miraculous bio-diversity of the world, while combining the sense of fear and wonder. Words not completely heard carry messages to us on the wind.

Like most great art, Janet's finest works ask questions rather than providing answers...What are the insects prophesying to the wind? Yet the predominant sense of her works still remains one of beauty, intimate and rare, which is captured lingeringly, intricately in the spell of the moment.

Minute Particulars will be at Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery through November 29.

Images:
Luminosus, 2011, 48 x 48"
Of the World in its Becoming, 2011, 30 x 40"
Psyche's Ascent, 2011, oil on canvas, 28 x 39.5"

Press Release: Robyn Pierce and Jennifer Palkowski at Green Bean Visual Arts Gallery, Montpelier


Robyn Pierce and Jennifer Palkowski have traditionally exhibited together at the Green Bean Visual Arts Gallery. Their work complements one anothers in a simple child-like demeanor.

While Jennifer’s watercolor paintings offer an imaginative storybook theme, Robyn has a mix of media that evokes raw instincts of a child-like happiness.

Robyn and Jennifer’s art creates a balance of playfulness. Come view
, “Origins and the Species” at Capitol Grounds starting November 1st to November 29th.

Closing reception is held on Tuesday, November 29
th. 4-6PM. Cupcakes provided.

For more information visit
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Fans-of-Green-Bean-Visual-Arts-Gallery/176207625774864 or email curator@capitiolgrounds.com

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

PRESS RELEASE: New Work by Carol Boucher, River Arts, Morrisville


Gallery at River Arts Presents: New Work by Carol Boucher November 10 – December 23, 2011 Opening November 10, 5-7pm Artist Talk 6pm River Arts Center, 74 Pleasant Street, Morrisville, VT

The Gallery at River Arts is pleased to present New Work by Carol Boucher at the River Arts Center in Morrisville, VT,
November 10 – December 23, 2011. There will be an opening reception on November 10th, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m, with an Artist Talk at 6p.m. The exhibit will feature oil pastel paintings created from imagination, memory and personal photographs this year.
Carol Boucher has been a professional artist for over 20 years, selling her oil pastel paintings, oils, acrylics and monotypes at juried art shows across the US. Boucher is represented locally by Burlington City Arts, and in Stonington, CT by Devon House Country Collections Gallery, and has won numerous awards. Please see www.carolboucher.com for gallery and news.
The Gallery at River Arts is located at the River Arts Center, 74 Pleasant Street in Morrisville, VT. Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 10-2. For off hours, please call River Arts: 802-888-1261. Admission is free. For more information, call or visit their website at www.riverartsvt.org.

Press Release: Nicholas Heilig at 2 Burlington locations


Epic. Classic. Grand. Ambitious… This could be a description of Andy Warhol, but it also happens to sum up the theme of Nicholas Heilig's latest series of images. Pop star & stencil inspired, this shows have something for everyone. Subjects span the gambit from G.I. Joe to Marilyn Monroe and back again. Each image consist of three colored layers of card stock which were hand cut and combined to form patterned silhouettes and symbols. The resulting work is minimalistic, meant to mimic, and mainly a movement for the masses. The series can be seen at Nunyuns, (139 North Champlain Street, Burlington VT), and Speaking Volumes, (377 Pine Street, Burlington VT), for the months of October, November & December. Visit http://www.popuppeople.blogspot.com for a sneak peak at some of the images.

Call to Artists: Blinking Light Gallery in Plainfield

Call to Artists: The Central Vermont Artists' Marketing Cooperative, which operates the Blinking Light Gallery in Plainfield, VT, invites area artists to join the Cooperative and sell their work in the Gallery. The Cooperative is a ten-year old non-profit, community-focused organization whose mission is to help market and promote the work of area artists, authors and musicians in Central Vermont and neighboring areas. Work is offered for sale in the Gallery. Commissions are structured according to what category of work you are selling and the hours worked in the Gallery. Art exhibits, receptions and author readings are held throughout the year. The Gallery is operated entirely by members and volunteers and is open Thursday through Sunday. There is a simple jurying process for applicants. To inquire about

joining, call Helen at 802-454-7119 or e-mail info@blinkinglightgallery.com.

To learn more about the Gallery and view the work of some of our current

members, please go to www.blinkinglightgallery.com.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

PRESS RELEASE: Lisa Forster Beach at Helen Day Art Center in Stowe


Lisa Forster Beach is an award-winning artist living in Stowe, Vermont. She is widely recognized for her drawings, acrylic and watercolor paintings. They represent her responses to her environment experiences, impressions, and perception, both seen and felt. Her work includes representational landscapes and vibrant abstractions.

Her abstract and experimental works grow from her representational studies, and this link to reality anchors strong compositions. Her layered use of paint represents the layers within her own consciousness and those in others.

Beach earned a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Rochester Institute of Technology and a BS in Art Education from Edinboro Universtity of Pennsylvania. She is acclaimed for her teaching, and her classes have produced numerous promising painters. She was selected as a signature member on the National Watercolor Society in 1986.

Lisa Beach will teach a workshop on Technique and Composition on Saturday, November 5th from 9:30-3:30 at Helen Day Art Center. Registration is available online at helenday.com

She will give an artist talk about her work on Friday October 28th at 6:00pm just prior to her opening reception.

William Tortolano of St. Michael’s College will give a talk on Thursday, November 10th at 6:00pm on the subject of the Group of Seven, an early 20th century group of influential painters from Canada. This talk is made possible by the Vermont Humanities Council.

Images:
Cultural History, acrylic on paper
Mountain Streambed, collage

Friday, October 21, 2011

REVIEW: Watercolor Exhibit at Chandler Gallery in Randolph

WET: Washes, Energy & Technique at Chandler Gallery

by Dian Parker

Chandler Gallery’s current juried exhibition is a showing of watercolor paintings, all by members of the Vermont Watercolor Society. The society was founded by a small group of painters in 1995 and today there are over 200 members. The Vermont Watercolor Society’s mission is to promote the awareness and appreciation of watercolor to the membership of all levels of ability and to the community by providing opportunities and venues for participation, education, fellowship, and exhibitions.

An entire exhibit of watercolors can be problematic, especially with the title of show being WET, which didn’t exactly lure me to see the show. Watercolor demands a sure hand, otherwise the medium can come across as insipid and weak; airy pastels, dripping washes of sky and field, hints of a scene or a figure not well defined. Fortunately Chandler Gallery has chosen some strong watercolors that express bold statements; well done and arresting.

One of my favorites is Moonglow by Cheryl Johnson. The yellow glow of the moon is reflected in a pool of dense cobalt blue. The painting’s rich color rings on the wall. Another wonderful painting is by Jane Harissis, titled Grande Marche. It is a delightful composition of an old French food market with orange and red fruits arranged on a stand, under hanging lights that cast down a golden glow. Windows ensconced in iron grillwork give the painting its expanse. The colors are exciting.

One of the most detailed paintings is by Harold Aksdal. In Willow in the Harbor Aksdal uses pen and ink with subtle washes of color to create intricate details. The combination works well; the grand, fallen willow lies in the water, still alive, still vibrant. Wise One, by Jeanne Maquire Thieme, is of an old cherry or apple tree with its delicate pink blossoms shimmering, drawing the eye across the painting.

Painted Bush by Rebecca Gottesman is a riot of red, blue and yellow density, the light shining through a labyrinth of leaves. Two snow scenes are lovely: Maurie Harrington’s Glades, with skiers swinging out of the forest, the trees laden with wet snow, and Gene Parent’s Snow Season with a lone figure in a pink wash of sunset.

One of the few abstracts in the show is Rocky Shore by Marni McKintrick. She uses blocks of color stroked with feathered edges that looks almost Japanese. Inn at Shelburne Farms by Claudia Carl with its ochre buildings and turquoise roofs is striking. The shadows of the tree branches across the buildings is a lovely touch.

The show runs until November 12.

Images: Moonglow, Cheryl Johnson, watercolor
Grande Marche
, Jane Harissis, watercolor, 14 x 10


This review was first published in the Herald, Randolph on October 20, 2011

PRESS RELEASE: Members' Juried Theme Exhibition, Trees, at Bryan Memorial Gallery in Jeffersonville



TREES
is the subject of Bryan Memorial Gallery's 2011 biennial theme exhibition. The exhibit opens to the public on Friday, November 4. The Reception for the artists is Sunday, November 6, from 3 - 5, preceded by the Artists Roundtable at 2 PM. Work by Jeanette Fournier will be featured in the Middle Room. The exhibits continue through Sunday, December 23. Gallery hours are 11 - 4, Thursday - Sunday and by appointment. The gallery will be closed on Thanksgiving.

The Family Ties Exhibit, also at the gallery, continues through Sunday, October 30, 2011.

Image:
Philip Letiecq: White Tail, oil

PRESS RELEASE: Sally Linder at The Gallery at Main Street Landing in Burlington


Approaching a Threshold: A New Exhibition of Paintings by Sally Linder
The Gallery at Main Street Landing
60 Lake Street, Burlington, Vermont

Exhibition November 4 – 12, 2011
Artist Reception Friday, November 4, 5 – 7PM

“The polar bear may be just the canary in the coal mine… If we can save the polar bears, we will ultimately save ourselves.” Theodore Roosevelt IV
Roosevelt’s statement succinctly reveals with emotional accuracy global warming’s effect on our planet and the entire Earth family. Sally Linder’s most recent painting series from the last two years explores climate change and its effects on the Arctic landscape, specifically the polar bear. Blending representation and abstraction the paintings are both evocative and beautiful. Concern for and love of Earth along with command of the craft and process of painting is readily apparent in the deeply worked surfaces. She turns to oil based products for the painting surface (Mylar) and the mediums (tar and wax along with oil paint and oil stick). Through intensive research into the Arctic, polar bears, and global warming the paintings respond to issues such as oil exploration, extraction and transport, coal mining, species adaptation and cultural relocation. At the forefront is the magnificent polar bear in full regal attire and presence.

Wanting the paintings to deepen reflection, create a larger space around the climate crisis and to hopefully promote involvement, the Burlington exhibition will be multi-disciplinary with related events at the gallery throughout the week. At the opening reception on November 4, Gus Speth, cofounder of NRDC and a professor at Vermont Law School will give remarks. At 7 PM, award winning filmmaker David Wright will present his National Geographic film Realm of the Great White Bear and his new trailer An Uncertain Future from his recent filming on Cooper’s Island, Alaska.

On November 11, 7-9 pm in the gallery, Amy Seidl, author of Finding Higher Ground, and Joe Roman, author of Listed: Dispatches from America’s Endangered Species Act, will give readings and hold a conversation with the audience about species extinction, climate change and navigating an uncertain future. For the full list of events during the exhibition week and to see the paintings go to www.sallylinder.com

Linder is collaborating with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Immediately following this exhibition selected paintings will go to NRDC’s headquarters in New York City for subsequent exhibitions. Sally exhibits and has won numerous awards nationally and internationally. Her work is collected in the United States and abroad. She lives and paints in Burlington, Vermont. For more information, contact Sally Linder , 802-734-7344, sallylinder@gmail.com, www.sallylinder.com

Images: Gossamer, Taking Control and Custody, Sentient Being

CURATOR'S ESSAY: Creating the Inaugural Exhibit at the Gallery at Phoenix Books in Essex Junction

We welcome essays by exhibit curators, describing how they came to choose artists and work for a particular exhibit, placing the work in context, and saying what they hope audiences will experience and enjoy. – Ed.

Curator's Essay:
Creating Our Inaugural Exhibit at the Gallery at Phoenix Books

by Kristin Eaton

When Mike DeSanto, the owner here at Phoenix Books and Cafe, announced that we were officially launching The Gallery at Phoenix Books, I was thrilled. What could be better than spending my working hours surrounded by books and fine art? We all chimed in on which artists we’d love to see on the walls for our Grand Opening, with Mike making the final calls. We wanted our inaugural exhibit to showcase the quality and range of artistry in our community, and ended up with an exhibit featuring Cubism and photography, graphic art and Impressionism, pen-and-ink on paper and oil on canvas.

Rick Evan's Page 100 Comics are ideal for a gallery-cum-bookstore. Rick takes commissions for these black-and-white pen-and-ink drawings based on page 100 of (almost) any book. A few samples hang on our wall, along with some of his other work. I'm a big fan of their clean lines and bold panels, especially in Page 100: Sabriel. Rick has a brilliant knack for expressions: Sabriel's as she contemplates climbing a seemingly-endless stairway, a dragon's combination of serenity and ferocity in Page 100: Dealing with Dragons, the grandson’s full-body grin of victory in Page 100: Northern Borders. These are beautiful and evocative pieces in themselves, but it’s intriguing, too, to see how Rick adapts the written material to a visual medium: which actions and bits of dialogue he keeps, which images predominate.

Jonathan E. Russell's pieces range from a Cubist landscape (Mother Nature's Wild West) to an extreme close-up of a rose (Pink Rose), to his almost Futurist Elements series. Bold color choices and dynamic shapes are present throughout; those shapes invite your eye to roam throughout the piece and appreciate the painstakingly-executed color gradations.

Jonathan - in his own words - "uses abstraction and focus to help people really see the natural world:" "Mother Nature's Wild West" depicts a sunset behind rolling hills, but also a reclining woman. Pink Rose focuses so intently on the spiral formed by the petals that I'm drawn in by this innocuous but alluring painting. Fire, Water, Ice, and Light (members of Jonathan's Element series) use simple color schemes to emphasize repeated curves or angles that evoke the element in question. Fire and Water would work beautifully as a pair, as would Ice and Light.

Karen Dawson's landscape paintings share Russell's bold palate, but her works are all swirling lines that almost look as though you could dip your hands into them and come up with your fingers streaming paint. Tall Grass Orange Sky II is a perfect example of this, particularly the namesake tall grass in the foreground and the green-blue-purple trees in the midground. Her color choices are vibrant and - delightfully - a tad surreal, as in Wells Beach with Surfers, where the much of the sand is bright yellow and pink. My particular favorite is RT 2, Fishing Access Area, in which a gnarly tree dominates the foreground, its red and orange branches shooting up like flames.

To look at Joshua Mower's photography, you wouldn't know he's a student at Essex Middle School. His work in this exhibit includes both landscapes and closeups - of , say, a monarch butterfly or a Polyphemus caterpillar. The latter, bright green against the mottled browns of a stone and what looks to be a forest floor, is particularly charming. You almost expect the little guy to to light up a hookah! Blue Dragon depicts a dragonfly on silver fabric. The dragonfly’s body cuts across the frame on a diagonal, head down, the texture of the wings playing against the texture of the material. Joshua exhibits a true natural talent and a keen eye for capturing the moment.

Daphne Tanis paints with a loose brush and a pallet that includes a lot of blues and purples. She depicts peaceful, almost contemplative, country and waterside themes. The latter are my favorite, especially when water dominates the foreground. In Morning at Perkins Cove, for example, those trademark loose brush strokes mimic the motion the water's surface beautifully. Her other landscapes are equally charming: Mount Mansfield from Irish Settlement captures both the clean lines of the snow-capped mountain and the soft green landscape below. These scenes are lovely reminders of New England’s capacity for timeless moments.

This exhibit opened on Foliage Open Studio Weekend, and will be up through the holidays. We also have up an exhibit featuring the imaginative work of Kristin Richland and Karen Witt, as well as a rotating exhibit by members of the Essex Art League. With this wide variety of subjects and styles (not to mention prices, with many original pieces between $50-$150), we hope our inaugural exhibit will serve a triple purpose: to give Phoenix’s wonderful patrons a taste of original local art, to welcome the area’s art fans into Phoenix, and to expand the reach of the artists themselves into a new community. Selfishly, meanwhile, we’re thrilled about the way this artwork enhances and energizes the physical space here at Phoenix. As Mike has said, “It is quite transforming.”

Images: Page 100 Sabriel by Rick Evans, Pink Rose by Jonathan Russell, RT 2, Fishing Access Area by Karen Dawson, Polyphemus by Joshua Mower

PRESS RELEASE: Free Halloween Party at the Bennington Museum

Come if you dare! Come to the Bennington Museum for a frighteningly good time at the Halloween Party on Sunday, October 30 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. when admission is free! The day offers events throughout the museum that provide excitement for children and adults of all ages. Come in costume and join the fun with spooky crafts, ghoulish games, scavenger hunts, and see if you are brave enough to enter the giant spider web. There will be cemetery tours, guessing contests, gallery hunts and goodies to eat. At 3:30 p.m. join the costume parade through the museum. This event is free to all, so bring friends and enjoy a day at the museum!

The Bennington Museum is located at 75 Main St. (Route 9) and is open daily in September and October from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The museum is just a short ride from Manchester, Williamstown and eastern New York. For more information, visit the website at www.benningtonmuseum.org or call 802-447-1571.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

PRESS RELEASE: Janet Fredericks at Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery in Shelburne Village



Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery will be showing Minute Particulars: New Work by Janet Fredericks, beginning with an opening reception with the artist on Friday, October 28th, 6-8 p.m. The exhibit will run through November 29th.

Beginning with Adirondack chairs and drawings of women and children in the 80's and progressing through a decade using boat hulls, monumental tankers, nautical knots and fish as her subject matter, Janet Fredericks has always explored her subjects with curiosity and depth.
In 2000 Fredericks’ interests took on a more environmental direction as she worked with and in water, creating large drawings exploring what she calls “the language of water”.

In this new body of drawings and paintings the artist invites the viewer to consider how giving our attention to something as small insects can give us a much bigger picture. The exhibit's title, Minute Particulars recognizes the infinite in the small, as stated by the mystic poet/artist William Blake: "He who wishes to see a vision, a perfect whole, must see it in Minute Particulars".

In two large drawings entitled Listening and Looking children stand attentive as insects clamor about them. There is something on the wind, unseen messages abound in this work while their “ominous luminousity” further draws us into their mystery.

Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery is located at 86 Falls Road, in Shelburne Village. Hours are Tue-Fri 9:30-5:30, and Sat 10-5. For more information call 985-3848, write: mail@fsgallery.com, or visit
the website at www.fsgallery.com www.fsgalleryvt.wordpress.com

Images:
Foreshadowing, 2011, oil 12"x12"
Looking, 2011, graphite, ink, acrylic was on paper,50" x 38"

PRESS RELEASE: Year Round Sculpture Exhibit Open at Shelburne Ponds Studios

Shelburne Pond Studios has recently expanded to include an outdoor sculpture exhibit. The placement of eight exceptional sculptures throughout the fields and meadows at 1260 Pond Road in Shelburne adds another creative dimension to the artist community that has come together at this iconic rural location.

Two large scale polished aluminum pieces by Richmond artist Bruce Hathaway are complemented by a sprawling Corten steel assemblage by Underhill artist Leila Bandar. James Westermann of Morrisville has recently added his 17ft. tall steel pipe sculpture to the exhibit.

West Rutland marble is the chosen medium for sculptures by Kevin Donegan of Hinesburg, Rae Harrell of Hinesburg and Katharine Stockman of Shelburne Pond Studios. And stone sculptor Jim Santos presents a piece in Laurentian granite on an African marble base.

The outdoor sculpture exhibit is open to the public year round during daylight hours.For further information please email Katharine Stockman at shelburnepondstudios@aol.com.

Image: Jim Santos (of Stowe, Vermont), Podium, Laurentian granite, base of African granite

Monday, October 17, 2011

PRESS RELEASE: Antony Galbraith at the Dark Art Gallery, South burlington



LOCAL ARTIST EMBRACES THE DARK IN NIGHTMARE VERMONT 2011

So. Burlington, VT October 17, 2011 – Visionary artist, Antony Galbraith, is premiering new artwork work at the Dark Art Gallery as part of Nightmare Vermont 2011. The exhibit Encountering the Dark Being opens Thursday October 20th at 6:30 with the premier of Nightmare Vermont 2011 and runs for the following ten days concurrent with show times.

According to Galbraith, "The artwork installation presented at Nightmare Vermont is the byproduct of a spiritually engaged path, in which I explore the roots of persona and archetypal patterns embedded within humanity. It is inevitable when examining the subconscious, that one reaches the dark places of the Self. Darkness is often considered something to be avoided, yet, true personal growth can only be achieved when facing the aspects of Self that one fears."

"The dark aspect is not something to be feared, for to fear the dark, is to be afraid of our own nature. It is to be understood as part of a natural cycle of rise and fall, expanding and contracting, reaching out and turning inward, etc. Overcoming or engaging fear openly can be a transformative and initiatory process even in our busy modern lives," he added.

Event organizers are excited by the synergy of the artwork and the show's story line. In a Nightmare Vermont first, the artwork begins the journey in a mystical world. "Crows, falling leaves, twisting vines, wolves, masks and mythic creatures become symbols for heeding the call, descending and ultimately transcending the darkness found within," explained Galbraith. After leaving the gallery, ticket holders will indeed descend into a different world.

Wendy Farrell, a long-time member of South Burlington Rotary Club, the presenting sponsor of Nightmare Vermont explained that, "I have long held the belief that Nightmare is a way to explore the darker side of human nature and enhance our appreciation of life. It is so exciting to meet an artist who shares that perspective."

"In primitive cultures, facing fear was a necessary catalyst for growth, an honored sacred rite, which allowed for the evolution of spirit and achievement in social standing. Over time we have lost touch with this sacred ritual, mistaking darkness and fear for something negative or evil, and, as a result, we fumble along," explained Galbraith.

Antony Galbraith found artistic expression early in life. As a child he was fascinated by birds, animals and the natural world in general. Much of his youth was spent drawing, painting and exploring nature. In 2002, he took Buddhist precepts and was given the dharma name DoAn (pronounced Doe-Ahn), which means “Way of Peace”. Through his Buddhist practice he found a spiritual path guided by art, one which focuses on exploring the interstices of nature and myth and in developing techniques for creating a living mythic tradition relevant to contemporary life. His paintings, primarily watercolor and ink pieces, are testaments to his ever-evolving spiritual exploration. His paintings are in private collections throughout the US, UK and Asia. Antony also writes and works with fiber as part of his creative exploration.

To learn more about the artist visit HYPERLINK "http://www.doanart.com" www.doanart.com

The Dark Art Gallery is located in the entrance of Nightmare Vermont at 22 Picard Circle, South Burlington. The Dark Art Gallery is open to the public and free of charge.

Contact: Wendy Farrell

www.nightmarevermont.org/index.php/dark-arts-gallery.html

To learn more about Nightmare Vermont 2011 visit NightmareVermont.org

To learn more about South Burlington Rotary visit SouthBurlingtonRotary.org

PRESS RELEASE: Shelburne Pond Studios 2nd Annual Grand Opening

12 Artists in 1 Barn Plus
New Outdoor, Year Round Sculpture Exhibit

Oct 22nd, Saturday: 10am-4pm

Shelburne Pond Studios is please to present our 2nd Annual Grand Opening. Come support local artists who've been working all summer and who look forward to sharing what they've been up to!

Since our first grand opening last year, new artists have joined and added new energy to the studios. Also, several site specific sculptures are now set amidst the adjoining meadows.

For this opening we will be using our new front gallery, which will exhibit some of each artist's work. Refreshments & hot mulled cider will be available.

The twelve artists include: Charles Norris-Brown - portraiture & illustration, Cricket Radio - silk screen & fabric arts, Dana Dale Lee - oil painting and drawing, Elizabeth Rideout - book binding, restoration & book arts, Jill Abilock - fiber painting and artist books, Nikki King - book artist, Jenn Cullen- watercolors, Kathy Stockman stone carving & sculpture, Laurel Fulton - oil painting & giclees, Lyna Lou Nortstrom - painting, drawing, prints and mixed media, Stephanie Bush - oil painting

OCT 22nd, SATURDAY: 10am-4pm
Shelburne Pond Studios: 1260 Pond Rd, Shelburne, VT

Website: www.shelburnepondstudios.wordpress.com

Thursday, October 13, 2011

REVIEW: Jim Richmond at The Chelsea Public Library

by Dian Parker

In the tiny village that I call home there is a unique building made of red brick: the Chelsea Public Library. It shares its Romanesque Revival building with the town hall. The library building features two round turrets with finials, an arched entrance, and marble steps.

Alden Speare, born in Chelsea, helped pay for this building in 1892. Inside the library is a plaque honoring Speare and stating his goal for a perpetual free library, installed over an elaborate fireplace. It is a gem of a building and thanks to its new librarian, Nick Clemens, it has become a gem of a library.

The Chelsea library has now added art to its walls, which makes it even more lively and rich. The current exhibition is by Jim Richmond, an artist who has been painting for nearly 60 years, with a number of his paintings included in collections around the world. His work has been shown in numerous New York City galleries as well as the Dartmouth Regional Show. Most recently he taught at the Mountain School in Vershire, VT.

Richmond’s compositions, that span many years, are striking and often unexpected. A woman leaping up in the air next to a jumping horse. A duck next to a vase of geraniums. In Jackie and Legs, a boxer dog stares at the viewer from a sandy beach with a woman’s sandaled feet following behind. Dash is an oil painting of a greyhound dog in full run, careening along a field with a large unusual house in the distance. The dog is magnificent; muscular and sleek; obviously a creature built for speed. The house is partially hidden; mysterious.

A pair of small paintings, Truckers, portray a large woman driver getting out of her large truck. Only the door of the truck is shown but Richmond still manages to convey the huge size of the truck. In all of his paintings his use of color is intriguing; dark purple mugs on a stark white tablecloth; shocks of orange , green and blue in Rory and the Jumping woman.

Even though I normally do not write of sales figures in my articles, I must mention that of the 15 paintings for sale in the library 10 have already sold. What a wonderful surprise in a climate where art sales are supposedly declining.

We need art to enrich our lives. And the need for public libraries is absolute. Thank you Alden Speare for your foresight. Thank you Nick Clemens for making our library flourish. May the Chelsea Public Library continue to display wonderful art.

The current art exhibit is on display until mid-November. The library is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, as well as Saturday morning.

This review first appeared in the Herald, Randolph, on Oct. 13, 2011


Images:
Jackie and Legs, Dash

PRESS RELEASE: Lyna Lou Nordstrom and Amanda Vella at Art's Alive Gallery at Main Street Landing's Wing Building in Burlington



Art's Alive Presents
Lyna Lou Nordstrom
& Amanda Vella

Through October 31, 2011

Artists' Reception Friday Oct 14, 6-9pm

Artist Talk Thursday Oct 20 7-8pm

Art's Alive Presents Lyna Lou Nordstrom & Amanda Vella at Main Street Landing's Wing Building. There will be an Artists' Reception Friday October 14 from 6-9pm featuring live music and an Artists' Talk on Thursday October 20 from 7-8pm.

These two dynamic Burlington Artists will present their prints and paintings to the public in both an expository and academic sense. Art's Alive invites the public to enjoy this work as both an aesthetic and educational experience.

Art's Alive is Host Sponsored by Main Street Landing. For more information, contact Alex Dostie, 802.310.3211 Email artsalivevt@yahoo.com

Images: Amanda Vella, Peonies, Oil on Canvas, 2011; Lyna Lou Nordstrom, Raging River II

PRESS RELEASE: Annual Gingerbread House Contest at The Chaffee Art Center in Rutland



The Chaffee Art Center is inviting everyone – kids, adults, students and professionals – to let their culinary imaginations run wild! Participate in a special holiday event, the annual Gingerbread House Contest, the Chaffee's edible art show and contest. Create a holiday work of art using entirely edible materials, gingerbread is only one of the many possibilities! Participants will exhibit their creations December 1-18, 2011 during the Chaffee's Winter All Members' Exhibit. People's Choice Voting will take place from December 1-8, with a special reception on Friday December 9 from 5-8 PM to announce the People's Choice Winner. Gingerbread creations must be delivered to the Chaffee November 29-30th. Applications can be found at www.chaffeeartcenter.org, or by visiting the Chaffee Art Center.

CHANGES: Vermont Institute of Contemporary Arts (VTICA) due to open in Chester on December 1

A former milliner's shop, hardware store, grange hall and most recently, the American Legion Hall on Depot Street in Chester, is getting a new life as a home for the contemporary arts. Renovations are underway for a first floor gallery and performance space in the historic clapboard building. The building will be the home of the Vermont Institute of Contemporary Arts (VTICA). A December l opening is planned.

Spearheading the organization are Andover residents Robert Sarly and Abby Raeder, VTica's Executive Director. Sarly is an acrylic and watercolor artist and an art lover. He has been a patron of the arts for over thirty years and has close ties with the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAMM) and the Out of the Blue (OOTB) Gallery in Cambridge, MA. Raeder has been a creative facilitator throughout her years in retail, interior design and construction management.

The first floor of the historic building will include 2,000 square feet of exhibition and performance space. Contractor for the project is Richard Crocker - Builders, Inc. a Chester based company with over 30 years of experience. As Crocker said, "the building reflects Chester's architecture with a tipped up stone foundation, slate roof and clapboard exterior. At first, the building had wood shakes, but when the railroad arrived they were able to add a slate roof. It is now about 120 years old and in great shape."

Renovating the 100 plus year old building is something Crocker believes in. "It is in my bones. Housing contemporary art in an old building is not a disconnect but rather an innovative use of Vermont's buildings."

The building project includes the addition of insulation and display lighting that meets Efficiency Vermont guidelines. Efforts are being made to recycle scrap metal from the building. One of the first objectives in readying the building was to open up the space including raising the ceiling and installing skylights. When completed, the building will house second floor apartments/artists' teaching studios and a hearth barn museum.

Architect for the project is Theresa C. Findiesen, AIA of Rupert. The project uses "familiar textures and materials in a slightly contemporary way." This includes a standing seam roof, vertical square joint ship lap and timber with metal connections. As a result said Findiesen, "VTica's function, while being very much about creating art, is utilitarian. The institute is the vehicle that moves the arts from discretionary to necessity."

The Vermont Institute of Contemporary Arts can be reached at P.O. Box 972, Chester, VT 05143. To reach Abby Raeder telephone 802-875-4808. The website is www.VTica.org. E-mail is info@vtica.org. Progress on the building and the programming can be followed on facebook.

PRESS RELEASE: Watercolor exhibit at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph

Visit the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, Vermont and view WET: Washes, Experimentation, Technique, a juried watercolor exhibition featuring fifty works by members of the Vermont Watercolor Society (VWS).

All the watercolors are original, not previously shown in a VWS exhibit and are for sale. The exhibit runs until November 12th. The Chandler, 71 Main St, is open on Fridays, 4 - 6 pm or on any Saturday or Sunday, 1 to 3 pm.

On October 29, a watercolor lecture and demonstration will take place from 10 AM to noon at the Chandler. Admission is free. All are welcome. Visit the Chandler’s website for more information at: http://www.chandler-arts.org.

The VWS, a non-profit organization founded in 1995, is dedicated to promoting the awareness and appreciation of watercolor to its membership at all levels of ability (now 260 strong) and to the community by providing opportunities and venues like this one for participation, education, and fellowship. The VWS invites all watercolorists from novice to professional, or those who are just curious, from Vermont and beyond to join as an Associate Member. For more information contact Joann DiNicola at: lourig@comcast.net.

Image: Harald Aksdal with Willow in the Harbor

PRESS RELEASE: Jan Ghiringhelli and Phillip Robertson at City Center in Montpelier



Paint and Print:
The Vermont Landscape

Recent work by Jan Ghiringhelli and Phillip Robertson

November 7 - December 2, 2011
City Center in Montpelier, Vermont

Jan Ghiringhelli loves Vermont, loves its countryside back roads, where she roams searching for that AhHa moment. Excited, she piles out of the car and sets up her equipment, bent on capturing the spirit of place that had called out to her. In this exhibit are Jan's spirit images from around Central Vermont.

Phillip Robertson is an interdisciplinary artist and printmaker, living in Vermont since 1994. Inspired by the natural landscape, Robertson uses imagination and memory to look beyond realism to make a statement about the pastoral landscape tradition in the 21st century.

Jan Ghiringhelli and Phillip Robertson are members of the Art Resource Association. Visit the ARA website at: www.artresourceassociation.com For more information about the exhibit and for sales contact Jan (229-5209) or Phillip (472-9369).

Images: Jan Ghiringhelli

Phillip Robertson, Beverage Store, Linoleum Block Print

PRESS RELEASE: Annual Exhibition of Local Stone Sculptures at SPA in Barre


Rock Solid In & Out
October 4 - November 5, 2011

An annual exhibit at Studio Place Arts in Barre pays homage to stone for its eleventh consecutive year. Called Rock Solid In & Out, the exhibit includes 5 human-scale works carved from granite in an outdoors, temporary Sculpture Park and more than 20 smaller works inside the main floor gallery.

Through November 5, visitors may enjoy a variety of stone sculptures indoors and outdoors made from granite, marble, limestone, soap stone, alabaster and other stones. In addition, abandoned, once flourishing local quarries and piles of stones are also depicted in dramatic, brightly toned paintings inside the main gallery.

A new, temporary Sculpture Park recently sprouted from a former vacant lot in the heart of downtown Barre. The outdoors gallery – a former vacant lot - was recently occupied by a dilapidated building for more than 5 years. When demolition was scheduled last fall, Sue Higby, executive director of Studio Place Arts, lobbied Barre City Council for the use of the lot for public artwork.

This temporary Sculpture Park provides extra gallery space for a group of sculptures, including a full-scale, overstuffed easy chair carved from Barre gray granite that suggests, “Pull up a chair and stay awhile.” Sculpture park visitors are encouraged to rest on the surprisingly comfortable stone seat, named Daddy’s Chair, which was carved by Giuliano Cecchinelli, II, from a 1-ton block of granite.

Can’t find your keys? Sculptor Jerry Williams created a 7-foot skeleton key from a rare piece of Westerly granite, a stone hunk that was salvaged from the base of an historic sculpture at Harvard Square. He kept the antique, hand-carved, tapered marks on two sides of the sculpture and honed a smooth, cut surface on the other sides of the key. The textural contrast is striking.

Inside the main gallery at Studio Place Arts, 24 smaller-scale sculptures occupy the floor and pedestals. There are sculptures of organic forms inspired by the sea, imaginative, abstract works that show the qualities of the stone, fantastical pieces, and realistic carvings of flora and fauna. Visitors are encouraged to feel the surfaces of the stone works as they take in the richly varied exhibition.

A large sculpture called Coagulation by Gampo Wickenheiser comprised of two halves of a large, roughly textured boulder encourages touching. Its jagged exterior boldly contradicts the smooth surface of the inside halves, which are joined by a snake-like mass of metal cords surrounding an old piston. Nearby, a classic, bas-relief carving on pink granite by Giuliano Cecchinelli, Freedom from Genetically Modified Organisms depicts the hardened hands of an elderly field worker, gripping his sythe.

An emerging fiddlehead form, Green Swirl, by Mary Alcantara was created from an eye catching, variegated green serpentinite stone that she brought back from a sojourn to the western states. Behind this lovely pistachio-shaded carving, is Robert Chapla’s blue-purple toned acrylic painting of Quarry 5 at Millstone Hill, an abandoned granite quarry located just several miles from the SPA gallery.

From October 4-November 5, Rock Solid In & Out showcases the fine craftsmanship of local stone carving studios located in the greater Barre area and West Rutland region.

Images:
Green Swirl by Mary Alcantara in front; Quarry 5 by Robert Chapla, acrylic and colored pencil
Daddy’s Chair by Giuliano Cecchinelli, II, Barre gray
Procreation by Nick Santoro, Danby Marble

PRESS RELEASE: Hal Mayforth at Quimby Gallery, Lyndon State College



Conversations with a Blank Page:

Paintings & Sketchbook Shenanigans

Opening: Friday, October 14, 6 PM

Quimby Gallery
Lyndon State College
Lyndonville, VT

October 17-31, 2011

PRESS RELEASE: Event at Community Center in Plainfield


Livingtheatrevt Presents:

Paradise Lost/ / Paradise Found! !
Paintings, Assemblages, Sculpture, Chromaticcinema, Poets'jam
October 16 - November 7, 2011

In Solidarity W/ Wall Street Occ:/ 350.org / Transitiontownmont., Bioneers Conference:::::
Opening // Reception: Sunday October 16, 2011, 4pm-8PM

Jerome Lipani, Brian Tokar, Alexis Smith, Tara Gita, Elinor Randall, Marijke Russo, Len Irving, David Klein , Benjamin Davis, Marina Epstein, GoldenTrue, Janice Walrafen, Claudia Bagieckas, Phyllis Rachel Larrabee, George Peskunck Larrabee

WHERE: Plainfield Community Center, above the Coop , Main Street, Plainfield, VT

ALL ARE INVITED!!!!!*** potluck hors-d'oeuvres/ cafeTheater (?)

CONTACT: jeromeLipani , jerome@vtlink.net, (802) 223 6805

PRESS RELEASE: Matt Lerman and Carol Rogers at The Gallery at Equinox Village


Equinox Village is pleased to host two former educators for its first dual exhibit.

Photographer Matthew Paul Lerman spent 40 years teaching biology in high schools and colleges in the New York City area. He even wrote a text book: Marine Biology: Environment, Diversity, and Ecology.

Painter and Pastel Artist Carol Rodgers was a special education teacher and administrator at Fisher Elementary School in Arlington, Vermont. Ironically, she thinks her limited training affords her the freedom to use different media in a delightfully uninhibited way.

Please join these artists, other residents and the public for the Gallery Opening Event at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at Equinox Village, 49 Maple Street in Manchester Center. The event is free and open to the public. Kindly R.S.V.P. to (802) 362-4061.

The exhibit is on display until November 14, 2011. The Gallery is open from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily.

Images: Matthew Paul Lerman and Carol Rodgers