DesignerGrill Pop-Up at SoNo Arts Celebration August 5-7, 2011

Sono Arts Celebration is August's first street festival of fine arts, crafts, music and food in downtown South Norwalk, Connecticut. The event runs from Friday August 5 from 6 - 11 pm, Saturday, August 6 from 10 am - 11 pm,  and Sunday, August 7 from 10 am - 5 pm.

During the festival, DesignerGrill Pop-Up Shop at  creativeplacement will be featuring design-centric products and artwork by Designer Journals™, The Weather sKwirl™, FreshBeam, Lys Guillorn (Saturday only) and Gourganics (Sunday only) — plus vintage, fashion, and more. The pop-up shop will be open from 10 am - 6 pm on Saturday, and 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday.

On Saturday the 6th, our own Lys Guillorn will be bringing her handmade photographic cards, button jewelry, bags from upcycled clothing, pins from vintage ephemera, and other small works.

creativeplacement is located at 13 North Main St., South Norwalk, CT in the heart of the arts district.

Upcoming at The Gallery at Still River Editions - Moments of Grace®: Ben Larrabee / Reception Thu., Sept. 8

Photo: "Herbie & Albert"
© Ben Larrabee
We are pleased to announce that our next show will be Moments of Grace®, a solo exhibition of black-and-white portrait photography by Ben Larrabee of Darien, CT.

The exhibit takes place from August 30, 2011 to October 28, 2011.

Opening reception Thursday, September 8, 2011, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.. Free and open to the public.

Larrabee’s black and white portraits of children and families are far from staged. More than just depictions of individuals, the portraits engage the viewer in a feeling of connection. Larrabee says, “My work is not about my camera: I really want to make the camera itself disappear so that I’m performing effortlessly and my subjects are acting naturally unselfconsciously, expressing their spirit and their love for one another.” Larrabee calls the instances of synergy he captures in his subjects’ lives “Moments of Grace®”.

Ben Larrabee is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design where he studied under noted photographer Harry Callahan and earned at BFA in photography. He also studied at Yale University, where he earned an MFA in graphic design. Larrabee’s work has been exhibited nationally and is in the permanent collections including The George Eastman House (Rochester, NY), The High Museum, Atlanta, GA, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, and the Museum of Modern Art, NY. Larrabee lives in Darien, Connecticut with his wife and creative partner Trudie Larrabee.

Larrabee's archival fine art prints are made by Master Printmaker, Mark Savoia at Still River Editions.

George Wittman's "The Four Seasons of the Field"











Painter George Wittman of Kent is featured in a solo exhibition at Scott & Bowne Fine Art & Furnishings which runs from July 30 - September 5, 2011.

Wittman's paintings were inspired by the produce and landscape at Marble Valley Farm in Kent, CT which is a working organic farm leased from the Kent Land Trust. The paintings capture the freshness and light of the year Wittman spent observing and painting the farm.

Scott & Bowne is located at 27 North Main St., #1, Kent, CT. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, July 30 from 4-7 p.m.

Erik Ofgang of the Hartford Courant did a nice piece on Wittman, which may be read here.

Tony Donovan's Saw Mill Photographs at the Essex Art Association

© Tony Donovan
Photographer and client Tony Donovan's black and white photographs from his saw mill series are featured at the Essex Art Association's Exit Gallery, located at 10 North Main St., Essex, Connecticut from July 29 until August 20, 2011. There will be an artist's reception on Friday, July 29, 2011 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Tony Donovan's photographs are an intimate look at the way of life centered around the family-run sawmill at which he worked in preparation for making a film around 1973.  The images are both lyrical and graphic, and have one foot rooted in journalism and the other in fine art. There is more information about the origin of the images here.

His prints combine the artistry of film photography with the new technology of archival fine art digital (giclee) printmaking.



Pamela Hochstetter Open Studio and Exhibition Opening

© Pamela Hochstetter
from pamelahochstetter.com
Painter and process artist Pamela Hochstetter is featured in two events taking place Saturday, July 9, 2011.

First, Hochstetter is hosting an open studio event at 31 Keeler Rd. Bridgewater, CT from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Following that, there is a reception for her exhibit A Year in the Barn -- Painting the Feminine Voice,"at Burnham Library, 62 Main St. South, Bridgewater, CT. The opening reception is Saturday, July 9, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.  The exhibit lasts from July 1-31, 2011 during library hours.

Hochstetter's paintings are energetic and bright. In addition to her own fine artwork, Hochstetter is a facilitator of the creative process, helping others freely express their creative potential.

~Lys

Laurie Lambrecht in the New York Times

Flash with Level
© Laurie Lambrecht
Client Laurie Lambrecht was written up in the New York Times on June 19, 2011 for her exhibit of photographs "In Roy Lichtenstein's Studio 1990-1992" at the Drawing Room in East Hampton, NY. The show came down June 27, 2011, but I wanted to give a mention of her presence in the Gray Lady.

I have previously written about her here and here.

~Lys

Art opening at Still River Editions this Thursday: Keith Johnson and Mark Savoia

The Gallery at Still River Editions is having a reception for Photographs by Keith Johnson and Mark Savoia on Thursday, June 23, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Gallery at Still River Editions is located at 128 East Liberty St., Danbury, CT. Directions are on our website.

You may know Mark Savoia as co-owner and master printmaker at Still River Editions. Keith Johnson is a fine artist and art educator from Hamden, CT. Both Savoia and Johnson were 2010 winners of fellowships from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

Both artists have in common a keen observation of art hiding in plain sight in the everyday world, and a sense of humor.

The Facebook events page is here.

Matt Frieburghaus at the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art

Multi-media artist and client Matt Frieburghaus will be exhibiting a single channel video at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY from June 18-September 4, 2011. The show is called "Iced" and is labeled a "group exhibition that explores seductive materials and the sublime desire for cool relief during the summer heat."

Artists include Betty Bressi, Aaron Carpenter, Kasarian Dane, Ed Davin, Corey D'Augustine, Amanda Dumas-Hernandez, Matt Frieburghaus, Michael C. Johnson, Zerek Kempf, Ben Knight, Rena Leinberger, Elisa Lendvay, Jonathan Leiter, Karen Lofgren, Viviane Rombaldi-Seppey, Tomas Ronse, Allyson Ross, and Gabriel J. Shuldiner.

In addition to being a nationally exhibited artist, Frieburghaus is an Assistant Professor of Digital Media at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Frieburghaus holds an MFA in computer art from Syracuse University and a BFA in animation from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

There is an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, June 18.

Our First Open House Day Was a Success

Catherine Vanaria photographing
Robert Jacobsen
We had a great day on Saturday! New and familiar folks came through and looked at the exhibit "Photographs by Mark Savoia and Keith Johnson", shared some food and drink, and had their photos taken by Cathy Vanaria for her "Faces of Danbury"series.

The Danbury News-Times wrote a story on the show, which drew in some local folks we hadn't met before. We also had clients and friends from as far away as New Jersey. I'd like to thank everyone who stopped by for for helping make it a fun day.

Edith Borax-Morrison and
Mark Savoia discussing a print
Keith Johnson had to miss Open House Day, as he was returning via the Blue Ridge Parkway from a teaching gig at Penland in North Carolina. He will be at the opening along with Mark Savoia on Thursday, June 23, 2011.

~Lys

Saturday, June 11 is Open House Day - Come visit us!

This Saturday June 11, 2011 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., we are hosting the grand reopening of our gallery as part of the State of Connecticut's Open House Day. Come hang out with us, check out the new show, eat a snack and meet fellow artists and art-goers.

Featured will be our inaugural exhibition Photographs by Keith Johnson and Mark Savoia, which was also printed by Still River Editions.

11 pm Gallery opens

1 pm Gallery talk and discussion on digital printmaking with Mark Savoia, photographer and Master Printmaker

12-3:30 pm Participate in Faces of Danbury with photographer Catherine Vanaria. Portraits will be taken on a first-come first serve basis. Those who participate will be sent an 8x10 print after the event.

If you want to make a day of it, also in the area: The Danbury Museum and Historical Society (who have a fabulous exhibition on women's hats featuring photographs by Catherine Vanaria) and the Danbury Railway Museum. The Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield is only a 15-20 minute ride away.

FYI we have air conditioning.

Facebook events page  

We will also be having an evening art opening on Thursday, June 23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. (Keith Johnson is teaching at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina and will miss Open House Day, but will be here for the opening on the 23d.)

Ben Larrabee's Kozo Prints featured at 49th Annual CCNS Art Show

"Horses, 2009"
© Ben Larrabee
Three of Ben Larrabee's Kozo Paper Prints will be featured in the CCNS Art Show taking place June 9-12, 2011 at Community Cooperative Nursery School, 4 Trolley Place, Rowayton, CT.

Larrabee uses Japanese Kozo paper to energize his photographs with additional dimensionality, and a sense of movement. Kozo paper is made from the mulberry tree, and is also known as rice paper because it was once used to wrap rice.

The annual art show showcases over 100 local and nationally recognized artists. The opening night admission is $25 and includes a pass for admission the rest of the weekend; all other days admission is $10. 40% of art sale proceeds is donated to CCNS (and tax deductible).

Magnificent Millinery at Danbury Museum & Historical Society

© Catherine Vanaria
“Magnificent Millinery: Three Centuries of Women's Hats in Danbury” is an exhibit opening Saturday, June 4, 2011, at the Danbury Museum & Historical Society. There will be a ribbon-cutting by Danbury's "first lady" Phyllis Boughton at 10 a.m. followed by refreshments. The museum is located at 43 Main Street, Danbury, CT.

Twenty display cases with over 300 hats from the museum's collection are exhibited with other hatting items from Danbury's history in the millinery trade. The exhibition was curated by guest curator Erika Ketelhohn-Askin.

For the past year or so, our own Catherine Vanaria (printer, photographer, and WCSU professor) has been photographing hats from their collection that are from the colonial period up until the mid-20th century. Her large-format prints are featured in the exhibition.

The Mercurial did a story on it here. The exhibition runs until October 15, 2011.

From the opening:
Cathy Vanaria at the opening, photo by Mark Savoia

Tarrywile Park & Mansion Plein Air Festival June 1-4, 2011, Danbury

There is a plein air art happening taking place from June 1, until Saturday, June 4, 2011 at Tarrywile Park and Mansion, 70 Southern Blvd., Danbury, CT. Artists will be painting and photographing en plein air (live from the landscape outdoors in the open air) from dawn to dusk June 1-June 4, culminating in the Plein Air Art Exhibit and Sale on Saturday, June 4, 2-6 pm, where over 100 paintings and photographs from local artists will be offered for sale.

Tarrywile is a beautiful park, and has a lot of trails to hike and explore as well as water features and open fields for observing birds and other wildlife.  There is even a crumbling castle in the part of the park across the street from the mansion.

Also happening Saturday the 4th is an exhibit opening at the Danbury Museum and Historical Society. Details in a separate post to follow.

Robert C. Jacobsen's super-natural world at Cafe Atlantique, Milford

"Pepper Runs Through the Prickly Peach"
© Robert C. Jacobsen
Robert C. Jacobsen is featured in a solo show of his digital fine art at Cafe Atlantique, 33 River St., Milford, June 1-31, 2011, opening June 4, 2011.

Jacobsen's photographs start with hyper-real representations of the natural world. Familiar fruits and vegetables are rendered unfamiliar as their scale becomes huge. Jacobsen plays with their colors, shapes, and textures; these aren't "still lifes" in a traditional sense. He works extensively on his images, and each individual element is part of his palette that when combined becomes lively abstraction.

His signed, limited edition giclée prints were made by Still River Editions.

From the opening:
Robert Jacobson at the opening, photo by Vernon Howard

Westport Arts Center: Solos 20II Juried Members Exhibition

Westport Arts Center is hosting Solos 2011 Juried Members Exhibition from May 20 - June 26, 2011, juried by Robin Jaffee Frank, the Alice and Allan Kaplan senior associate curator of American paintings and sculpture at Yale University Art Gallery.

Artists selected for the exhibition include: Miggs Burroughs, Westport, CT; Eric Chiang, Westport, CT; Megan Craig, New Haven, CT; Gayle Gleckler, North Salem, NY; Joan Miller, Westport, CT; Andrea Morganstern, Bridgewater, CT; Neil Ira Needleman, Katonah, NY; Lawrence Russ, Southport, CT; Ivo Stoilov, Oakville, CT.

The opening reception is Friday, May 20, 2011 from 6-8 pm.

Westport Arts Center is located at 51 Riverside Ave., Westport, CT.

City by the Sea Art Fair, May 14-15, Bridgeport, CT

"Harbor Star, New Haven, 2011"
© Lys Guillorn
Our own Lys Guillorn's photograph, "Harbor Star" was selected to be included in the first annual City by the Sea Art Fair juried art exhibition on May 14 and 15, 2011, at Captain's Cove Seaport, 1 Bostwick Avenue, Bridgeport, CT.  The carbon pigment giclee print was made from a scan of Guillorn's original 120 film negative double exposure taken in New Haven harbor.

The artists from a variety of media who were selected for the exhibition are Michele Beaulieu, Heather Braxton, Helen Cantrell, Matt Chop, Herm Freeman, Jessica Glick, Lys Guillorn, Delayne Gratopp, Karl Heine, Neil Layne, Anthony Mobilia, Brechin Morgan, Andrew Mullen, Wendy Nylen, Kaz Oda, E. Fitz Smith, Patricia Warfield, Allen Wittert, and  Israel Zevallos.

There will be music on Saturday by John Moore from 12:30-4:30 pm, and Sunday by Tony Gabriel from 12:30-4:30 pm Sunday. Also this weekend, the all-female-crewed Tallship Unicorn will be in the harbor and giving free tours.

Captain's Cove includes a restaurant (where you can get seafood to eat in  and shops in tiny, multi-colored colonial and victorian-style buildings.

An article on City by the Sea in the Connecticut Post

Koenig FrameWorks' Spring Photography Show: Fantasy

Koenig FrameWorks in Newtown, CT is presenting their Spring Photography Show from May 6 - May 27, 2011. The call for submissions was themed "Fantasy", and includes 60 images by 33 photographers. The theme was an intentional departure from the traditional, meant to inspire creative responses.

Client Paul Berger's photograph, "Enchanted Rainforest" is among those included. Client Elisabeth Levy is also participating.

There is an opening reception on Friday, May 6 from 6 pm - 9 pm. Koenig FrameWorks is located at 97 South Main St. (Route 25), Newtown, CT

Nancy Lasar to present at The Affordable Art Fair, NYC

The Affordable Art Fair NYC takes place this weekend from Thursday, May 5 to Sunday, May 8 at 7W New York, 7 West 34th St. (near 5th Ave / the Empire State Building), NYC.

"Adagio"
Digital, Acrylic, and Mixed Media,
36" x 30", 2010
© Nancy  Lasar
Printmaker and mixed-media artist Nancy Lasar of Washington, Connecticut will be represented by A.I.R. Gallery's Booth A-2 as part of the multi-gallery initiative Art x Women.

On Sunday, Lasar will be doing a short talk on cliché verre (a printmaking technique) she uses in conjunction with digital printmaking at 1:30 pm at booth A-2.

"B. W. Grinnell: Land Used" Exhibition at W.P.A. Gallery at Ward Pound Ridge

© B.W. Grinnell
Photographer Benjamin W. Grinnell will be exhibiting "Land Used: Photographs of America and Abroad" at W.P.A. Gallery at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River, NY, from May 7-June 5, 2011.

Grinnell's photographs explore the relationship between the natural environment and the human-made objects within it as seen through his extensive travels.

I like the way Grinnell puts it in his artist's statement, "There are so many untold tales and lives tied to the land (and sea), and these photographs are merely a glimpse, usually from a passerby's vantage, of what was and what may yet be.  As such, the relics - the barns, telephone poles, tower cranes, trucks, boats, weathervanes, windmills and more serve as cairns to guide one's interpretation of these untold and unfinished stories."

Grinnell's book, Americana from Road and Rusty Rail is previewable here.

There will be an opening reception on Saturday, May 7, from 11-4 pm. The gallery is located at Route 35 and Route 121 South, Cross River, NY.