‘RESURGENCE REGROWTH’ AND FRIDAY EXHIBIT OPENS

Spectrum Art Gallery and Artisans Store of Centerbrook presents its summer exhibit, Resurgence and Regrowth, a celebration of renewal. The show runs from July 17 through Sept. 6. New and original fine art and one-of-a-kind artisanal crafts are also presented.

Several new artists at Spectrum include Kathleen Werner, who creates large paintings from centered geometries, with distinctive movement through the use of multiple and varied symmetries; Ted Paulsen, a graphic artist, creates colorful drawings that blend humor, beauty, and fantasy; painter Hillary Griffin, inspired by her decades of travel captures scenes of nature, focusing on seascapes, countryside scenes, wildlife and still life; Joan Brault, presents a colorful, eye-popping countryside pastel and Lauren Cryan inspires us to enjoy nature through her fantastical mandalas while her husband, Steven Cryan, reminds us of the beauty of our coastline.

Other fine artists in the show include B. Rossitto, a painter who works in acrylic and oil to create vivid pieces that flow with movement; Bivenne Harvey Staiger, an award winning watercolor artist known for her ability to capture dramatic natural motifs; Don Dressler, an artist, photographer and inventor who works in industrial graphics and explores a variety of mediums in his work; and Jacqueline Dee Parker, an artist whose materials include antique book papers and other ephemera to create vintage paper collages and mixed media paintings.

Returning favorite Gloria Nilsson is exhibiting a social distancing beach scene while painter Catherine Satsuk focuses on nature’s resilience. Oil painter Edith Skiba LaMonica, treats us to several of her vibrant bouquets while painter Jane White, known for landscapes and renderings of house portraits, creates in pastels the serenity of Spring in Chester, and Patti Maher graces the show with a delicate watercolor bird portrait that explores simple, elegant lines.

Another returning favorite is painter Melissa Imossi, a contemporary realist who focuses on the flow of light in her images. Painter and calligrapher Ned Farrell is also involved in Spectrum’s Summer how with World Hugs, part of his Golden Earth Series of paintings, exploring the love between ourselves and our terrestrial home.

Rosemary Webber, an illustrator and artist who works in oil, acrylic and pen, presents a new still life in oil on canvas. Deborah Churchill, an artist who crafts exquisite mandala artwork using a technique called “dotism” which forms elaborate images shows pieces symbolizing our “new normal.” Kim Korondowy, an artist who uses paint and fabric in her pieces, shows two pieces inspired by the endless parade of wildlife in the pond behind her home. Artist Steven Ostrowski presents a new work created with feathers and acrylic on canvas; and Svitlana Tatulych, shows one of her abstract mixed media pieces which combines organic materials such as wood and fine crystals.

Photographers include Paul Ramsey, a favorite at Spectrum; Howard Margules, who shoots a wide range of subjects with an emphasis on candid, un-posed portraits; Barbara Weaver, a nature and wildlife photographer; Dianne Roberts who exhibits precious images of our feathered friends; Faith Bilansky who works with striking color as well as black and white, exhibits her sense of humor in her piece for the summer show. Judith Secco, also a digital photographer, illustrates her technique using layers, textures and composites in a stunning portrait of flowers dying and then regrowing, while Sue Mullaney, another multimedia artist and photographer, explores this same theme. Elin Dolle and Paul Essenfeld, new to Spectrum, and considers himself a “street photographer” both document for the summer show the resurgence and growth of the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

Many fine artisans include Maryann Flick, a gallery favorite, with new, vibrantlycolored stained-glass panels and boxes, both functional and decorative; Andy Teran who works as a wood carver sculpting his popular driftwood sea creatures; Clara Buitrago, a polymer clay artist with a passion for animals and nature; artisanal candle crafter Janice Wood; Lynn Webber, a glass artisan who uses repurposed glass to design birdbaths, garden totems and seed feeders; and returning favorite potter Nancy Scilipote. Creative jewelry designers bringing in new pieces for the Summer show are Dawn Lombard, Linda Saucier, Carol Dorman; Sandra and Whitney Huber and polymer clay jewelry designer Kristie Fosse. And new to Spectrum is jewelry designer, Kristin Trainor who creates “fun & funky jewelry for EVERY body” from simple explorations using sterling silver to playful explosions of color with non-traditional materials. Returning fabric artisans include Sylvia Loomis, Holly Bollier and Elaine Sych.

The gallery’s summer hours are noon-6 p.m., Thursday to Saturday (noon-6 p.m.) and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Also, Spectrum adheres to all safety measures and asks visitors to wear masks and use hand sanitizer upon entering.

Spectrum Art Gallery and Artisans Store is at 61 Main St., Centerbrook. For info call 860-767-0742 and visit spectrumartgallery.org

“Columbine,” archival digital photograph by Judith Secco

“Spooning,” an archival digital photograph by Paul Ramsey

Contributed photos “New life,” oil on canvas by Catherine Satsukis