"Figuratively" by Karen Bonnano at Art & Frame

© Karen Bonanno

Paintings by Karen Bonanno are featured in an exhibit called "Figuratively" at Art & Frame of Danbury from September 25 through November 5, 2016. Also on view are selected works of glass artist Heidrun Morgan. There is an opening reception on Saturday, October 1 from 5 pm - 7 pm, with music by Wendy Cahill and Daniel Patrick Higgins.

Karen says of her work in her artist's statement, "I am most interested in the figure, whether it be in an interior, exterior or an undefined atmospheric space. Through expressive mark making and color choice, the figure is formed and solidified in its environment. Not so much capturing a likeness of a particular person but rather a gesture and mood that contributes to the narrative of the painting. My main influences are the artists of the Bay Area Figurative movement including David Park, Richard Deibenkorn and Elmer Bischoff as well as Cezanne, Bonnard and Matisse."

Art & Frame of Danbury is located at 60 Newtown Rd, Danbury, CT. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Saturday 10 am - 6 pm.

"The Restless Planet: The Earth's Many Moods" Peter Howe at Five Points Gallery

© Peter Howe

Photographer Peter Howe's exhibit "The Restless Planet: Earth's Many Moods" curated by Power Both will be at Five Points Gallery in Torrington, CT from September 29 through November 5, 2016. There is an opening reception on Friday, September 30 from 6 pm - 8:30 pm. The exhibit will be in the West Gallery.

Howe is a former picture editor of Life Magazine. He is the author of two books on photography, Shooting Under Fire, and Paparazzi, and several children's books.

From Five Points Gallery's website: "During my career in photography people were usually the subjects of both the pictures I shot as a photographer and published as an editor. Several years ago I had a traumatic brain injury and found I was no longer able to function as an author, something I had been doing for about a decade. This brought me back to taking photographs, and I became fascinated by the idea of unpopulated landscapes. Instead of photographing the inhabitants of earth I concentrated on the planet itself. This is the land as it may have been before we crawled out of the sea, and as it may be when the last humans leaves."

In addition to Howe's exhibit there will be two solo shows of paintings--in the East Gallery, Geoffrey Detrani's "Way Station," and in the Top Gallery, Walter Kendra's "The Florence Series."

There will be an artist conversation with all three on on Friday, October 21 at 6 pm.

Five Points Gallery is located at 33 Main St., Torrington, CT

Newtown Arts Festival, Sept. 17 and 18, 2016

The weekend of September 17 and 18, 2016, the Newtown Arts Festival takes place at Fairfield Hills, Newtown, CT. The event runs 10:00 am - 6:00 pm both days, rain or shine.

Among exhibitors are photographers Tara Tomaselli and George Duncan, and painter/sculptor Julia Provey, who are clients of Still River Editions.

"James Grashow: The Prince of Prints" at The Center for Contemporary Printmaking

© James Grashow

"James Grashow: The Prince of Prints" will be on display at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking from September 10 through December 10, 2016 with an opening reception on Saturday, September 17, from 3 pm to 5 pm. The exhibition showcases the woodcuts of Grashow, a long-time resident of Redding, Connecticut.

From the press release:
Grashow received his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees at Pratt Institute, in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York and received a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Florence after graduation. Grashow has created album covers for rock artists including Jethro Tull, The Yardbirds, Ramsey Lewis and Deep Purple. His work has been exhibited at The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, The DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Garden, The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Peabody-Essex Museum among others. Grashow said, “I'm thrilled to have a retrospective print show at CCP. I've been doing woodcuts since the early sixties. It's incredible to be able to review your history through your work. Thinking about each piece and how it's a breadcrumb on the trail of your life. Having the show so close to home makes the experience even richer. I moved from NYC to Redding over forty years ago and can see how this area has woven itself into my work. Working on wood and living among the trees and gardens has been a perfect fit. Redding has not only been my home it's been my teacher. I look forward to sharing my work with my friends and community.”

Prior to the Opening Reception for James Grashow: The Prince of Prints, and in conjunction with Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play, CCP has partnered with the Stepping Stone Museum for Kids and the Maritime Aquarium of Norwalk to create a Fish Parade, on September 17 from 1pm to 3 pm. The Fish Parade will feature vibrantly painted, large-scale cardboard fish created by Grashow and decorated by area children.

Weather permitting, the parade starts at CCP and wends its way through Mathews Park, as the colorful school of fish make their way to their final destination at the Maritime Aquarium. All activities surrounding Worldwide Day of Play and the Fish Parade are free.

Frank Guida in a solo drawing exhibition at Greenwich Audubon Center

© Frank Guida

Frank Guida is featured in a solo exhibition of his pencil drawings opening Saturday, September 10, 2016 from 3 pm - 6 pm at the Kiernan Hall Nature Art Gallery at the Greenwich Audubon Center, 613 Riversville Rd, Greenwich, CT. 

"Meeting Past" 2016 at the Akin Free Library in Pawling, NY

(installation view) © Catherine Vanaria

Catherine Vanaria, Mark Savoia, and Lys Guillorn of Still River Editions/Connecticut Photographics are among the over 90 artists participating in the annual exhibition "Meeting Past" at the Akin Free Library in Pawling, NY curated by artist and photographer Bibiana Huang Matheis. The exhibit runs from Sunday, September 11 through Sunday, October 23, 2016. The opening reception is on Sunday, September 11 from 1 pm - 5 pm with refreshments and a musical performance by "Jazzmen."

The artists participating in Meeting Past were asked to respond to the exhibits in the Akin Library in the medium of their choice. Vanaria's piece includes tintypes of dollar store items packaged in a wooden box, and is located on the first floor of the Akin Library. Guillorn's photograph and assemblage are in the basement, which houses the Gunnison Museum of Natural History. Savoia's photographs are on the upper floor which houses the Pawling Historical Society's collections.

Also among the artists exhibiting are David Haislip, and Dayna Wenzel who were in the "LOCALworks" exhibition at the Gallery at Still River Editions early in 2016. Haislip and Wenzel's works are also in the Gunnison Museum in the basement.

The Akin Free Library is located at 378 Old Quaker Hill Rd., Pawling, NY. A small donation to the museum is suggested as an entrance fee.  The library will be open on Saturdays and Sunday from 1 pm - 4 pm during the exhibition.

Robert Kalman's "Dogs Among Us" at Soho Photo Gallery

"Luis with Shai" © Robert Kalman

Westchester-based photographer Robert Kalman is exhibiting a collection of dual portraits titled "Dogs Among Us" at Soho Photo Gallery from September 7 through October 1, 2016. There is an opening reception on Thursday, September 8 from 6 pm - 8 pm.

A quote from Kalman via the gallery's website:
“These photographs aren’t really about dogs. They’re really about relationships. Deep ones. So deep that a man inked his deceased dog’s likeness onto his chest. So deep, another man admitted his dog feels closer to him at times than his wife and kids. So deep that one woman responded to my question, ‘What would your life be like without her?’ with ‘I would have no life without her.’ These dual portraits were made in and around New York City’s Tompkins Square Park during 2016.”

Soho Photo Gallery is located at 15 White St, New York, NY. Regular gallery hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 1 pm - 6 pm and by appointment.

Loft Artist's Association: Lost + Found 2016 Annual Juried Exhibition

From September 8 through October 2, 2016, the Loft Artists Association Gallery is host to the juried exhibition "Lost + Found," with juror Larissa Bailiff, a New-York based art historian, educator and writer. Among those exhibiting are WCSU Assistant Professor and Connecticut Photographics/Still River Editions co-owner Catherine Vanaria, and photographers Paul Berger and Karla Bernstein, clients of CT Photo/Still River Editions who have also exhibited in our gallery.

The complete list of accepted works and artists is here.

There is an opening reception and awards ceremony on Thursday, September 8, 2016 from 6 pm - 8 pm.

The Loft Artist Association is located at 575 Pacific St., Stamford, CT.  Regular gallery hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 1 pm - 4:30 pm.

Vanessa R. Thompson "Gobbet" and Mark Savoia / Jim Felice "Wood Domicile" at the Trailer Box Project

"Rib" detail © Vanessa R. Thompson

The Trailer Box Project is hosting an opening reception on Saturday, September 10, 2016 from 5 pm - 7 pm for two concurrent exhibitions, "Gobbet," and "Wood Domicile." The exhibits run until October 15.

From the press release:

The new show, “Gobbet,” features the work of Cambridge, Massachusetts photographer Vanessa R. Thompson. "She will exhibit her series of abstracted images of raw meat within the Trailer Box Project Space. Inviting the viewer to thrill over the deep, organic energy of the natural world, Thompson uses meat from her local butcher to disconnect her audience between the obvious and the suspect. Thompson received an MFA at the Art Institute of Boston and has exhibited throughout New England."

© Mark Savoia

Artist Jim Felice and photographer Mark Savoia are featured in the exhibit "Wood Domicile" in the new Trailer Box Studio Gallery.

"Sculptor Jim Felice will display his new sentinel-like wood sculptures that blur the line between the organic and industrial world. Utilizing found wood and fire, Felice’s works evoke both the serenity of treelined forests and the soaring heights of skyscrapers. Felice has exhibited throughout Connecticut and New York, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the “Award of Excellence in Sculpture” from the Northern Westchester Center for the Arts. He currently resides in Ridgefield and maintains a studio in Danbury, CT.

New Fairfield, Connecticut photographer Mark Savoia’s warm images of plywood sheathed buildings show the progress of buildings being resurrected. Using his camera’s selective view to find the irony in everyday situations, Savoia is drawn to visually perplexing images, His compelling photographs document the curiosities of his travels through the United States. Savoia is the co-owner and vice president of Connecticut Photographics and Still River Editions in Danbury, CT, and winner of the 2010 artist fellowship from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism."

Trailer Box Project and Trailer Box Studio Gallery are located at 15 Great Pasture Rd, Unit 15 in Danbury. Operating hours for the exhibition are Thursday through Saturday, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, or by appointment. For more information, please contact the gallery at 203.797.0230 or visit their visit their website at www.trailerboxproject.com.

Charles Moretz: The Art of Remembrance at Mark Twain Library

September 11, 2016 at 3 pm there will be a special program marking the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 at the Mark Twain Library in Redding Connecticut. The event will feature a presentation by Redding photographer and designer Charles Moretz about his project titled "Genius Loci: The Art of Remembrance."

Moretz's photographs of the twin towers were commissioned by the Port Authority and permanently installed in Windows on the World. Moretz talks about the project in a video by John Maher, Craig Mikhitarian, and Marty Fegy.

Those interested are asked to register online or by telephone at 203-938-2545. The Mark Twain Library is located at 439 Redding Rd., Redding, CT.

Still River Editions prints Star Trek Traveling Exhibition debuting at Comic-Con

Still River Editions is pleased to announce its role in printing an exhibition of Star Trek-inspired artwork on behalf of CBS Consumer Products. The exhibition, titled "Star Trek: 50 Artists. 50 Years." makes its worldwide debut today, July 21, 2016, at Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts in San Diego during Comic-Con International: San Diego, and will be traveling to other locations after Comic-Con concludes on July 23.

"Star Trek: 50 Artists. 50 Years." features 2D and 3D artwork by an international group of 50 artists who were asked to interpret their love of Star Trek in whatever original medium they chose. The 2D artwork was then digitally printed on fine art paper in Danbury, Connecticut by Master Printmaker, Mark Savoia of Still River Editions using a process known as giclée printing. Giclée prints are made with large format inkjet printers, using archival inks on acid-free art papers, and are known for their richness and accuracy of color.

Mark Savoia said, “It was a fascinating to see each artist’s interpretations of the Star Trek universe. Having grown up watching the original TV series myself, I felt a certain childhood connection to many of the pieces. Being a small part of 'Star Trek: 50 Artists. 50 Years.' was a bonus.”

Among featured artists are Tom Whalen, Joshua Budich, and Rocco Malatesta, and actor and photographer Leonard Nimoy. Nimoy's print is a grid of multi-hued photographs of the Vulcan salute against a black background. The piece is especially poignant following Nimoy's death last year. 

The traveling exhibition is part of the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the first airing of the original Star Trek series, created by Gene Roddenberry. The exhibit moves to Las Vegas and then Toronto in August, New York in September, the UK in October, with future tour dates being planned for 2017. 

For those interested in our local area, the exhibit will be at the Paley Center for Media from September 16-25, 2016, 25 West 52 Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues in NYC,.

Nancy Daubenspeck and Linda Lindroth featured in group exhibition "Select" at Garvey | Simon gallery

© Nancy Daubenspeck

Painter Nancy Daubenspeck and photographer Linda Lindroth, both of Connecticut, are among the artists chosen for the exhibition "Select" at Garvey | Simon in NYC. There is an opening reception on Thursday, August 4 from 6 pm - 8 pm. The exhibition runs through August 20, 2016.

Other artists included are Margot Glass, Leslie Kerby, Neema Lal, Lily Prince, Krista Svalbonas. 

From the press release: "The Artist Review Program exists to create dialogue with artists and to offer an accessible platform for visibility and potential exhibition at the gallery. This year’s artists are all women whose works are diverse in both subject matter and form. There is a romantic element in the drawings of rumpled envelopes by Margot Glass and in Lily Prince’s dreamlike landscapes. Krista Svalbonas and Leslie Kerby study domestic space, with Svalbonas creating collages contrasting city and country, while Kerby explores the use of shipping containers for permanent or temporary housing. Working with a different sort of container, Linda Linderoth flays and flattens vintage boxes with lavish colors and textures. Nancy Daubenspeck and Neema Lal both utilize a subtractive technique, Daubenspeck taking away and retouching layers of casein paint while Lal sandblasts her glass sculptures."

Garvey Simon is located at 547 W. 27th St., Suite 207, New York, NY 10001

"Billions & Billions of Blocks Project" by Chris Durante at Trailer Box Project

© Chris Durante

Chris Durante's exhibit “Billions & Billions of Blocks Project” opens at Trailer Box Project in Danbury with a public reception on Saturday, July 16th 5 - 7 pm, and runs through August 13. 

From the press release -- the exhibit "features Durante’s drawings as well as his work in process -- a series of numerous mixed media and wood blocks that viewers are encouraged to stack and sort as they see fit."

“I began making little blocks from the discarded wood detritus left over from my frame making business,” explains Durante. “I quickly saw the naked wooden cubes as an intriguing surface to mark upon, not unlike small six-sided sketchbooks. Using collage, paint or any and all tools available, even fire, the cube became a journal of juxtaposed language. As I made more I started to stack and sort them in seemingly endless play. These arrangements then suggested new drawings which in turn pointed back to the blocks, and so on. It’s like a huge infinite image generator.”

In addition to the exhibit in the Trailer Box Project, there will be an exhibition in Jim Felice's studio featuring photographs by Catherine Vanaria and Mark Savoia of Still River Editions. 

Trailer Box Project is located at 15 Great Pasture Rd, Unit 15 in Danbury. Hours Tuesday through Friday, from 11:00am to 5:00pm, or by appointment. 

"Artist as Curator III" at Kehler Liddell Gallery

"Trouble Ahead Trouble Behind" © Jackie Heitchue

Keller Liddell Gallery in New Haven is hosting its third annual invitational exhibit "Artist As Curator III" from July 7 through August 21, 2016. The exhibit "represents creative relationships, life-long associations, working partnerships, mentorships, personal inspirations, and friendships. To highlight these relationships, member artists will display one of their own works alongside each invited artist's work. Through this unique pairing of images, a visual conversation emerges between curators, artists, and viewers."

There is an opening reception on Saturday, July 9 from 4 pm - 7 pm.

Mark Savoia, Master Printmaker of Still River Editions is among the artists invited to participate, and was invited to participate by Kehler Liddell gallery member artist Keith Johnson. The other artists are Melissa Benson, Joy Bush, William Chickillo, Megan Craig, Vincent Edwards, Nancy Eisenfeld, Mark Ferguson, Allan Greenier, Kenneth Hanson, Jackie Heitchue, Debbie Hesse, Sheldon Credit, Dru Nadler, Peter Nuhn, Liz Pagano, Jaclyn E. Podlaski, Paul J. Thériault, and Peter Ziou.

The gallery is located at 873 Whalley Ave., New Haven, CT.

Tara Tomaselli at Norwalk Art Festival

Newtown photographer Tara Tomaselli will be exhibiting and selling her work at the Norwalk Art Festival. The festival runs on Saturday, June 25th and Sunday, June 26th, 2016 from 10 am - 5 pm both days at Mathews Park, 295 West Ave., Norwalk, CT. Tomaselli's photographs feature coastal sights and rusty trucks and objects from her travels.

According to the festival website, the event features "the works of 125 juried artists from local to national talent. They will exhibit a wide variety of media including, photography, drawing, ceramics, jewelry, painting, mixed media, printmaking, fiber, metal sculpture and glass."

In addition, the nearby Center for Contemporary Printmaking is hosting its annual "Foot Print Show and Sale" and will be open on Saturday from 10 am - 5 pm and Sunday from noon - 5 pm. The CCP is also located in Mathews Park.

Artists' Books by Rita Valley at Trailer Box Project

"Face-a-Day Club" (12 Months) © Rita Valley

Artists' books by Rita Valley are on view at Danbury's Trailer Box Project from mid-June through July 30, 2016.

Valley says of her artist's books on her website, "When a series of my collages present a coherent theme, I frequently group the collages together into an artist's book. Books are great! They are art works that can be picked up and fondled and looked at leisurely and intimately. I embrace a truly hands-on approach; no white gloves are required!"

Valley's art involves a wide range of techniques and materials, and she has described it as "quirky and often political."

Trailer Box Project is located adjacent to Jim Felice's studio at 15 Great Pasture Rd, Unit 15 Danbury, Connecticut. Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Friday 11:00am - 5:00pm or by appointment.

"Luminous Intervals" by Colin Burke opening and Open House Day 2016

"West Rock 3A June 2012 - June 2013, 2015" © Colin Burke

On Saturday, June 11, 2016 from noon - 5 pm, The Gallery at Still River Editions will be participating in the State of Connecticut's 12th Annual Open House Day with the opening of an exhibit of pinhole camera and cyanotype photographs by Colin Burke called "Luminous Intervals: Extended Exposures in Alternative Photography." We'll have light refreshments, art, and conversation. The event is free, and open to the public. 

From 1 pm - 4 pm there will also be demonstrations of cyanotype printing, one of the oldest photographic processes.

We've made a handy page of other Open House Day events happening in our area with a list of some of our favorite local restaurants to help you make a day of it. The State of Connecticut's Open House Day page, which features listings by town, is here. 

The Gallery at Still River Editions is located at 128 East Liberty St., Danbury, CT. The exhibit will be on view through September 30, 2016. Regular gallery hours are 8:30 am - 5 pm Monday through Friday. 

Faith Stewart Gordon: "Life's Joys" at the Mattatuck Museum

"Beau and the Duck-Billed Dinosaur" © Faith Stewart-Gordon

An exhibit of paintings by Faith Stewart-Gordon titled "Life's Joys" will be on view at the Mattatuck Museum from June 3 through July 24, 2016. There will be an opening reception on Sunday, June 12 from 2 pm - 4 pm.

Stewart-Gordon is an internationally exhibiting painter, cookbook author, and former restaurateur. Her colorfully idealized paintings draw inspiration from her travels, and many feature animals including her dogs.

The Mattatuck Museum is located on the green in Waterbury 144 West Main St., Waterbury, CT 06702. Hours: (Closed Monday) Tuesday – Saturday:  10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Sundays: 12 noon – 5:00 pm.

"En Theos: A God Within" Photographs by Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe at Five Points Gallery, Torrington

"Deer in Fog" © Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe

"En Theos: A God Within" is an exhibition of black and white photographs by Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe at Five Points Gallery, 33 Main St., Torrington, CT. The exhibit will be on view in the West Gallery at Five Points from May 26 through June 25, 2016. There is an opening reception on June 3 from 6 pm - 8 pm.

Artist's statement from the gallery's website: "Whether in drawing, painting, or printmaking, the process for me is about layering and energizing space in such a way that objects are fluid, interconnected and full of energy and movement. I try to utilize a variety of lines, marks and media to suggest both stasis and openness to possibility and transformation as well as the passage of time.  As I attempt to describe the multiple realities which intermingle in memory, imagination and daily life, images emerge and diverge – reconfiguring in new relationships.

Everything is open and flows back and forth: empty and full, defined by its opposite – fleeting yet tangible – air and space dissecting form and formless in an effort to capture the unity and delight of life experienced, remembered, longed for."

Moutoussamy-Ashe's award-winning photography has been exhibited internationally and is the subject of five books.  In addition to being a photographer and author, she is a social activist, civic leader, a director of the Arthur Ashe Endowment for the Defeat of AIDS, and the founder of the Arthur Ashe Learning Center.

A portion of Moutoussamy-Ashe's exhibit was printed by Mark Savoia of Still River Editions.

The gallery is also featuring two other solo exhibits concurrently by Anne Gilman and John Frederick walker.

An article about the exhibits may be found in the Litchfield County Times here.

Jim Felice's "The Circus is in Town" at the Bethel Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit

"The Circus is in Town" © 2016 Jim Felice

Jim Felice's sculpture "The Circus Is in Town" is featured at the Bethel Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, which will be on view on the grounds of the Bethel Library, 189 Greenwood Ave., Bethel, CT from May 7, 2016 through May 5, 2017.

Felice's piece is part of a year-long installation of sculpture works throughout downtown Bethel curated by sculptor David Boyajian.

Other sculptors whose work is included: David Boyajian, Murray Bodin, Richard Pitts, B.A. D'Alessandro, Glenn Zweygardt, David Gerlach, Steven Brooks, John Ferguson, Sarah Bader & Matt Rink, and New Antiquity.