The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
‘Power and Strength’ opens Friday
ESSEX — Spectrum Art Gallery of Centerbrook has curated an exhibition of “innovative and commanding” artwork to illustrate many ways artists explore the concepts of “power” and “strength.”
The show will feature established and emerging artists who create abstract and representational painting, mixed media, photography and more, according to a press release.
Presenting artists include new and returning favorites:
Jeanette Wimmer, known for her colorful watercolors and pastels of unique still life and landscapes; Katia Gretchukhina, a Californiabased artist, is “deeply intrigued” by the vibrant colors of acrylic that are perfect for her “eccentric, imaginary worlds.”
Thelma Willie Raney, an award-winning artist and educator, seeks to create both physical and spiritual balance using influences from objects found in nature, especially those with texture, light and rhythm; Robert Dietz, a pastel artist with a passion for sea and landscapes, presents a different part of nature, a “powerful” image of a bear entitled “Silent Watcher.”
Returning to Spectrum is Molly Waite Lund, an analog collage artist who repurposes vintage papers and experiments with color, shape, relationships and negative space; as is assemblage artist Ron Bence, whose passion is assembling separate and distinctive objects into larger visually stimulating works. He finds balance within the materials he works with blending metal, wood, and found objects rescued during his travels, according to the gallery.
Several artists at Spectrum, inspired by the theme, have created companion pieces for work now at the gallery. These include Pat Damiani, who is creating new work in addition to her painting “Here Comes the Judge,” an oil on canvas that captures a scene of struggle on a baseball field.
Award-winning artist Ned Farrell is creating a new work to accompany his piece, “Trike in the Mist,” an “ethereal” woodsy scene with a “majestic” triceratops as the subject. Daniel Dahlstrom also has two new works in the show along with his oil painting, “Sailing on the River. “
Artist Nancy Gladwell returns with her piece, “Before the Fall,” depicting a woodsman in action, as does Patti Maher, whose “Running Free,” a wild horse in watercolor, will be on view.
Other Spectrum favorites include mixed-media artists Regina Thomas, Marianne Dietz and Kim Kordonowy. Also, painter, jewelry designer and fabric artist Gloria Nilsson shows her work both in the gallery and in the artisan store for this show.
There are multiple representational and abstract painters showing pieces in acrylic, oil and watercolor, including Maria Johnson, Marjorie Sopkin, Tammy Blais, Linda Reid, Linda McCarthy, Tatiana Ferraro, Jennifer Gibson, John Murray, and Rosemary Gates, who works in a variety of mediums including oil, charcoal and pencil, the news release said.
Photography is wellrepresented by Dianne Roberts, Robert Thomas, Paul Essenfeld, Scott Camphausen and others.
Also showing will be glass artisans Maryann Flick, Sharon Lewis and Jean Gresham; polymer clay artists Beth Terhaar and Kristie Foss; fiber artists Elaine Sych and Holly Walker; potters Gina Rubin, Jana Rutty and Lynne Scullion.
Returning jewelry designers with new spring pieces are Valerie Owens, Lisa Fatone, Linda Saucier and Michelle Gore. In addition, Joanna Biskupski and Kat Huddleston have created new statement pieces for the show.
Jillian Nielsen, who specializes in leather and fiber jewelry pieces, has created new designs, as has Sandra Huber, whose passion is lamp work.
Not to be missed are the new gourds by Marie Angersola, home décor items by Joanne Brown and Barbara HernandezFroelich, utensils of sustainable wood carver Glenn Paskiewicz, as well as new pieces by Marsha Borden, who uses mixed media and fiber.
An opening reception will be held March 24 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Open house weekend is March 25 from 1 to 6 p.m., and March 26 from 1 to 5 p.m. at 61 Main St. in the Centerbrook section of Essex. The gallery showing runs through May 6.
Hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For information, call 860767-0742, visit Spectrumartgallery.org or follow Spectrumartgallery on Facebook.