Jim Felice's Hatchet Job, and Open Studio

© Jim Felice
The front of Jim Felice's exhibition announcement card features a hatchet. The back of the card reads: "My studio practice is based on four words: question, seek, discover and investigate.

In asking a question, one seeks an answer that leads to discovery, which demands further investigation in which asks more questions; and the process repeats itself over and over again.

And one day I asked, 'What would it look like if an axe went through it.'"

If that doesn't intrigue you, I don't know what will.

Jim Felice is a sculptor, painter, restorer and musician. His show is at the Upstairs Gallery at Molten Java, 213 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel, CT, from March 5, 2012 - April 13, 2012.

Also
Jim Felice Studios is having an open studio event "Possibilities" on Saturday, March 3 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. featuring the work of Jim Felice, Katie Bassett, Kenny Hess, KVEAZY, and various guest graffiti artists. Jim Felice Studios is located at 15 Great Pasture Road, Danbury, Connecticut. There are plans for other open studio events throughout the year.

Second Art-For-All Opening Saturday March 3, 2012


The second of three juried Art-for-All exhibits to benefit Centro Hispano / Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury opens at the center on Saturday, March 3, 2012 from 6 - 9 p.m. The exhibit will be on view through Friday, March 30, 2012. The Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury is located at 87 West St., Danbury, CT.

The third exhibit is at the Mercurial Gallery, and opens on Saturday, March 10 from 4 - 7 p.m. at 11 Library Place, Danbury, CT, and will be on view through Friday, April 13.

The first of the exhibits opened at Art and Frame on Saturday, February 25, and will be on view through Sunday, March 11.  The winner of their juried exhibition was Raz, with a photographic self-portrait printed by Still River Editions.  Art and Frame is located at 60 Newtown Rd., Danbury, CT.

The Photography of J. Avery Wham at Trumbull Town Hall

© J. Avery Wham
The photography of J. Avery Wham will be on exhibit at Trumbull Town Hall, 5866 Main St., Trumbull CT from March 2 until April 5, 2012. There is an opening reception on Friday, March 2, from 6-8 p.m.

Wham is a professional photographer who divides her time between New York City and Trumbull. She is a graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Read the story about Wham in the Trumbull Times.

Banjie Getsinger Nicholas: Silver Linings

"Feathered Guests"
Egg Tempera on Gesso Panel
© Banjie Getsinger Nicholas
"Silver Linings: Literal/Metaphorical" is a new show of egg tempera paintings and silverpoint drawings by Banjie Getsinger Nicholas from Whitson Gallery & The Brick Wall Exhibition Space at UCONN Torrington, Feb. 27 - May 11, 2012. Nicholas is an accomplished artist and teacher who works with remarkable materials and subject matter.

From the gallery website:
"The mediums used by artist Banjie Getsinger Nicholas, egg tempera and silverpoint, are two of the oldest mediums used by artists through the centuries. [...] These materials are little changed from those used by the old masters centuries ago. Banjie says, “Their ‘organic’ nature adds to the pleasure of the process for me. Through these paintings and drawings I maintain my personal connection to the natural world and hope some of the reverence I feel will connect with viewers of the work.”

There is an artist's talk and reception on Thursday March 1, 2012 - 7 - 8:30 pm.

Nicholas has recently written an instruction book on silverpoint drawing that was published in February, 2012.

Tony Donovan Featured in "On The Street," Vermont Center for Photography

"Informers Beware"
© Tony Donovan

Tony Donovan of Ivoryton Studio is featured in the Vermont Center for Photography's exhibition of street photography titled "On the Street" from March 2 to March 31, 2012.

Donovan has two photographs in the show, "Informers Beware" and "Commuters," both of which were printed by Still River Editions. Both images are from his Irish series, taken in the early 1970s during a time of great upheaval for Ireland. There is more information in an earlier blog post here about a prior exhibition of some images from the series.

There is an opening reception on Friday, March 2 from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m during Brattleboro's Gallery Walk.  Vermont Center for Photography is located at 49 Flat St., Brattleboro, VT.

The Naturalist's Studio at the Gunn Memorial Library

"Made from Scratch"
© Banjie Getsinger Nicholas
The exhibit "The Naturalist's Studio" will be on view from February 25th to April 29th, 2012 at the Gunn Library at 5 Wykeham Rd. Washington, CT. A reception will be held on Saturday, February 25th from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.

The artists included in the show are: Frannie Aeschliman, Ted Dove, Eileen Field, Mary Hawvermale, Richard Heys, Roxana Laughlan, Phyllis McGoldrick, Marge Muzyczka, Sarah Payson, Martha Schwerdtle, Ted Schwerdtle, Faith Stewart-Gordon, Gertrude Thiel and Cherra Wyllie, and Banjie Getsinger Nicholas. According to the Gunn Library's website, "The artists are class members and artists who have met in Warren at Banjie’s studio on Friday mornings for many years."

Keith Johnson in group exhibition "Stone Work" curated by Stephen Vincent Kobasa

"Yuma Rocks"
© Keith Johnson

The group exhibition Stone Work: Artists' Encounters with Hard Places is on view at the the Institute Library, 847 Chapel St., New Haven, CT from February 11 through March 10, 2012. There is a greeting of the artists on Saturday, February 11, from noon until 2 p.m.

Photographer client Keith Johnson is featured in the exhibition. The artists are: Marion Belanger, Frank Bruckmann, Daniel Buttrey, Anne Doris-Eisner, Emilia Dubicki, Keith Johnson, Constance LaPalombara, Roy Money, Kerry O'Grady, Matthew Weber.

The exhibition was curated by Stephen Vincent Kobasa.

Danbury Museum's Valentine's Day Cake Creation Celebration, Saturday, February 12, 2012

The Danbury Museum and Historical Society is hosting its third annual cake contest and tasting in honor of Valentine's Day on Saturday, February 11, 2012 from noon to 4:00 p.m. There will also be a special cake auction to benefit the museum. The general public is invited to attend and judge the contest. The $10 admission charge includes samples of all the cakes (on which you can vote), champagne, sparkling water or milk. Children under 10 are free.

Bakers will be competing in two categories: taste and decoration.

The "Locally Grown" art exhibit is still on view.

The Danbury Museum and Historical Society is located at 43 Main St., Danbury, CT.

"Stone Soup" at Koenig FrameWorks in partnership with HVCA


"Stone Soup" featuring artists Judith Secco, Mally DeSomma and Thomas Nackid will be on exhibit at Koenig FrameWorks in Newtown, CT from February 10 through March 19, 2012. The exhibition is a partnership with Housatonic Valley Cultural Alliance's Accessible Art Project.

The exhibit is called "Stone Soup" in a reference to the folk story of the same name, with the artists' different talents becoming more than the sum of their parts when put together. The artists' mediums are as follows: Judith Secco, photography; Mally DeSomma, painting; Thomas Nackid, painting/illustration.

There will be an opening reception on Friday, February 10, 2012 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Koenig FrameWorks is located at 97 South Main St., Newtown, CT.

Marko Susla in "Searching for the Perfect Storm"

© Marko Susla
Marko Susla is among the finalists whose work is being exhibited in "Searching for the Perfect Storm", a storm-themed juried group photography exhibition at Method Art, Scottsdale, AZ. The exhibit began on January 3, and is on view until February 25, 2012.

Images from the show may be viewed here.


Christine Brooks Cote of the Still Point Art Gallery, at which Susla is a Gallery Artist, wrote about Susla's work:

“Marko Susla pursued independent study in photography and is currently under the mentorship of a fine art professional. His current interests are disparate, ranging from the beauty of scenic and landscape photography, the dark side of documenting abandoned structures and places, and, most recently, the beauty and drama of nocturnal photography. Perhaps what seems disparate is actually a balance.

Marko Susla's work has been shown in a number of exhibitions around the United States, including: Vermont Photography Workplace in Middlebury, Vermont; The Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado; Presidio of San Francisco and New Orleans. His work was also part of an online gallery project based in Kópavogur, Iceland. Susla has also had work published in Burn Magazine and SuperMassiveBlackHole.”

Bobby Grossman's Low Fidelity at Vertu Fine Art, Boca Raton, FL

"Debbie Harry, Pepsi, 1977"
© Bobby Grossman
"Low Fidelity: The Photographs of Bobby Grossman 1975-1983" will be at Vertu Fine Art, Boca Raton, Florida from February 16 through March 15, 2012.

The exhibition of mostly black-and-white photographs captures a time when New York City was still gritty. After graduating from RISD, Bobby Grossman was in the heart of the downtown art and music media scene, documenting the human landscape which included many up-and-coming and already notable scenesters.
He was the official photographer for Glenn O'Brien's TV Party, punk-dada public access TV program, which featured a rotating cast of characters that included O'Brien, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Debbie Harry and Fab 5 Freddy. 

Grossman's images of Debbie Harry, and a contact sheet of Andy Warhol eating cornflakes are the centerpieces of the show. 

There is a preview of the images here on Vertu's website.

The silver gelatin prints for the exhibition were printed by Master Printer Catherine Vanaria of Connecticut Photographics.

There is an opening reception at Vertu Fine Art on Thursday, February 16 from 7 - 10 p.m. Vertu Fine Art is located at 5250 Town Center Circle Suite 128 in Boca Raton, Florida

Ben Larrabee's "Ships Inn" at Rowayton Arts Center

"Ships Inn, 2011"
© Ben Larrabee
Photographer Ben Larrabee's intimate black and white portrait of his wife and muse Trudie Larrabee was accepted into the juried show "Expressions" at Rowayton Arts Center. The show is on display from February 5 through February 26, 2012 at Rowayton Arts Center, 145 Rowayton Ave., Rowayton, CT.

Ben Larrabee writes about the experience and image:

 "02.06.12 
Ships Inn, 2011

When Trudie and I went to Nantucket last summer for our two weeks of shooting, we spent the first day at Ships Inn before our rental was available.

We discovered that the first day had to be a transition day.

It became a day to shift our energy, tune into each other, allowing time to reorient and connect. We had no agenda, no place to go, nothing to do.

As I looked at Trudie I began to “see” her sitting in the window in a moment of reflection as she wrote down her thoughts about being a muse and our life together. I was inspired to photograph this moment in our lives. A moment that becomes one of the many in the body of work that shows our life together.

I love the layers; foreground, middleground and background, Trudie’s shape, the patterns and textures of the cushion, wallpaper and leaves outside."

Jim Felice Studios Open House Saturday February 4, 2012

Jim Felice Studios is having a series of open house days beginning with Saturday, February 4, 2012. Felice will have open studio on the first Saturday of nearly every month in 2012 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m..

Felice is a painter, sculptor, restorer, and musician who has dedicated part of his studio to nurturing emerging artists. Other artists showing this month are Katie Bassett, Kenny Hess, KVEAZY and various guest graffiti artists.

Jim Felice Studios is located at 15 Great Pasture Road, Danbury, Connecticut.

Dates for future events in 2012 are:
Feb. 4, Mar. 3, Apr. 7, May 5,  June 2, July no event, Aug. no event, Sept. 15, Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1.

Accidents: Photographs by Malcolm Tent at Molten Java, Bethel

"Form Fitting"
© Malcolm Tent
"Accidents," a collection of photographs by Malcolm Tent, will be exhibited at Molten Java, 213 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel opening on Friday, February 3, 2012 and will be on view for the duration of the month. The opening reception starts at 8 pm, and will feature a solo acoustic set of music by Tent. It is Tent's debut solo photography exhibition.

Malcolm Tent is a musician, songwriter, collector, and "punk rocker with a camera". Tent was the longtime owner of the record and collectibles store Trash American Style, now proprietor of Traveling Trash. Tent hosts a weekly radio show on called "Mr. Tent's Wild Ride" every Tuesday from 2 - 4 pm EST on WNHU 88.7 FM.

Call for submissions: "Art For All" at three Danbury venues, deadlines in February and March

Text taken from the call for submissions:

"We're looking for artists who want to be part of a benefit art show that is a collaboration with the Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury and The Mercurial Gallery.

Each artist will have an opportunity to submit ONE piece of original artwork to each of the 3 locations. That means 3 opportunities to show and possibly sell your work and 3 chances to win a $500 cash prize! (Limit 1 prize per artist)

Any type of art will be considered, we're encouraging painters, sculpters, photographers, etc.

Please follow this link to download a submission form or obtain a copy at any of the 3 locations in Danbury.

Art & Frame of Danbury, 60 Newtown Rd, Route 6 Plaza, Danbury CT, (203) 748-0197. Submission Deadline is Feb. 17, 2012

The Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury, 87 West St. Danbury CT, (203) 798-2855. Submission Deadline if Feb. 23, 2012

The Mercurial Gallery, 11 Library Place, Danbury CT, (203) 417-2215. Submission Deadline is Mar. 2, 2012

There is a $15 submission fee for each one piece of work accepted at each gallery. Please be aware that the deadline for submission is different at each venue.

Some work may be relocated between galleries or even rejected due to size and space limitations.

All accepted work will be subject to judging and entered to win 1 of 3 $500 prizes which will be announced at the end of each reception. Artist does not have to be present to win."

Noted and showing: Photographers Paul Berger and David Harlan

"Palm Reading"
© Paul Berger
"Palm Reading," a graphic, botanical black-and-white photograph by Paul Berger, was chosen for inclusion in "Tropical Paradise" at Ferguson Library Gallery in Stamford, CT. It will be on exhibit from January 26 through May 10, 2012 with a public reception on Thursday, January 26, 2012 from 6 - 8 p.m.


Paul Berger and David Harlan were among those chosen for the Carriage Barn Arts Center's 32d Annual Photography Exhibition. The exhibition was juried by Joan Fitzsimmons. The Carriage Barn Arts Center is located at Waveny Park 681 South Ave. (Rte 124), New Canaan, CT. There was an opening reception on Sunday, January 22, 2012. The exhibit runs from January 22 until February 19, 2012.


Berger's work is also currently featured in the Easton Arts Council's Annual Members Show 2012 at the Easton Library, 691 Morehouse Rd., Easton CT and will be on view until February 25, 2012. 

Shows at Molten Java, Bethel and CityCenter Gallery, Danbury feature Katie Bassett of Bethel

left © Thomas Nackid
right © Katie Bassett
Sculptor and mixed-media artist Katie Bassett's work is currently on exhibit at CityCenter Danbury and Molten Java, Bethel, both in partnership with the Housatonic Valley Cultural Alliance.

"Local Works", the show at The Upstairs Gallery at Molten Java features the work of Bassett and illustrator Thomas Nackid, and will be on view through February 18, 2012.

There will be an opening reception this Friday, January 27, at Molten Java, from 6 - 8 pm. Molten Java is now located at 213 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel. Article from the Danbury News-Times.

"Deeper than Dark", Bassett's show of mixed media, charcoal drawings, and paintings at CityCenter is on view through February 16, 2012. On February 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. there will be an opening reception at CityCenter Danbury, 186 Main St. Article from the Mercurial. The show is part of the Housatonic Valley Cultural Alliance's Accesible Art Project for 2012.