Opening Reception Saturday, June 29, from 2:00-4:00p Mythology sometimes gets a bad rap, as if it were nonsense or an untruth or an affront to common sense. But mythology is none of those things. It is a truth of sorts, something that resonates with a palpable veracity. It is a way to make sense of the world, even if only for a short time. I invited the six artists selected to participate in the exhibition because I have been impressed by the aesthetic caliber of their work and their dedication to their respective crafts. But beyond that, I sensed a commonality. Each was trying to explain something about the universe or their place in it, consciously or not. Adrian Tio has the most obvious tether to traditional mythology. A printmaker of Puerto Rican descent, much of his imagery is derived from the culture of the Taino, the native people of much of the Caribbean. His prints often include hummingbirds and iguanas, the avian and earthbound avatars of the spiritual and the physical....

Read More

Folk art on its own is an art that taps into the history and traditions of different cultures.  It is art created by everyday people exploring their communities, life experiences and heritage on a deeply personal basis rather than relying upon formal training in artistic genres. Folk art is deeply rooted in traditions reflecting the artist’s past, heritage and customs. The fact that it is described as “folk” art says a great deal.  It is art that is created by people and for the people.  In the 1700’s and 1800’s folk art described art that was created by craftsmen, laborers and members of the working class.  They employed skills they had learned in the trades and used their imaginations to create uniquely beautiful pieces representing everyday life. Their art techniques were usually simple, childlike designs and bright colors.  These artists were much more concerned with expressing themselves than with accuracy, proportion and realism.  They were much...

Read More

Opening reception on September 7, 2024 from 1:00-3:00p  Where there is decay, there is growth. From the wreckage, new life emerges. “No mud, no lotus,” a phrase coined by the Vietnamese Zen Buddhist spiritual leader, Thich Nhat Hanh, is both fact and metaphor. The lotus flower puts down roots in mud, and only out of the muck does the exquisite lotus bloom. This is an allegory of our emotional lives, for without suffering, there can be no joy. Providence-based artists Amy Wynne, Johnathan Derry, and Michele L’Heureux explore these themes in their materials, processes, and content. From discarded and altered materials, new creations are made that tell new stories.  The negative spaces created by removing material reveal positive forms. The sculptures, paintings, and drawings in this exhibition reveal how through destruction, there is resurrection and redemption. https://www.amywynne.com/ https://www.johnathanderry.com/ https://www.michelelheureux.com/ (Image: L-R   Amy Wynne, Johnathan...

Read More

I love listening to the story as it develops when I am drawing an idea, making material choices, and feeling the connection between the lines and the motion as an image is carved out of wood or linoleum. The final gesture of the ink transferring from the printing plate to paper brings me the joy and revelation that keep me working in the creative arts. Most recently in a desire to downsize I looked at the pieces of wood and linoleum that I have stored. Holding on to them has allowed me to recognize my attachment to the image they hold and the prints that were produced. I realized that the carving was indeed asking for another life beyond storage. In 2019 I began to take classes in painting, which inspired me to revisit my carved images with a new eye. Most recently I pulled out many of my old woodcuts and started painting the carved images. I am finding that re-surfacing the pieces with bright colors gives them new life and tells a new story. I am able to paint a three dimensional...

Read More

From the Roman mosaic interiors of Pompeii, to the gold flecked ceilings of Byzantine churches in Ravenna, Italy, to the exquisitely preserved tile floors of Zeugma, Turkey, mosaics have been important clues to our understanding of ancient cultures.  The enduring quality of tile mosaic art has allowed us to see how these ancient civilizations lived, loved, warred and died.   For over ten years, the New England Mosaic Society has brought together mosaic artists who are using this medium to express modern life; creating work as technically masterful, creatively constructed, and relevant as anything being done elsewhere in the world.  Please join us for an exhibition of work by our talented members, a group of American mosaic artists pushing the boundaries of this amazing medium, continually exploring how an ancient art form can be imbued with contemporary...

Read More

Mandala in Hindu and Buddhist traditions is a symbolic diagram used in the performance of sacred rites and as an instrument of meditation. The mandala is basically a representation of the universe, a consecrated area that serves as a receptacle for the gods and as a collection point of universal forces. Man, by mentally “entering” the mandala and “proceeding” toward its center, is by analogy, guided through the cosmic processes of disintegration and reintegration. Mandalas are also therapeutic art forms, not only for the creator of the piece, but for those who gaze into and immerse themselves into the design. Many contemporary mandalas are created using the dot painting technique. Dot painting is a product of traditional Indigenous Australian art meeting modern western culture. When searching for a meaningful self-care discipline outside the standards, I was drawn to something in the art world, regressing back to my youth when art was carefree and not intimidating, something that was...

Read More