Small Works! at Carriage Barn Arts Center

The Small Works! art exhibition at the Carriage Barn Arts Center runs through December 21 and highlights small scale art. The work on view by 50 artists, mainly from Connecticut and New York, range from delicate drawings, paintings, and photographs to finely crafted sculpture and ceramics. The juror of the exhibition is Lee Findlay Potter, Director of the David Findlay Jr. Gallery in New York, which specializes American painting and sculpture from the late 19th century to the present. Lee is the fifth generation of art dealers in her family and her father David Findlay is a long-time resident of New Canaan.

Birds, by Isadora Lecuona Machado

Miniature works for the show were thoughtfully selected to provide a a historical and educational context for some of the contemporary art in the show. The history of miniature art goes back to the earliest periods of artistic production. The exhibition includes miniature manuscripts and Old Master prints, thereby tracing the evolution of such intimate gem-like works that require close examination. An early illuminated manuscript leaf exemplifies the painstaking attention to detail in medieval and early Renaissance devotional works. Two later examples of the highly sophisticated art of printmaking from the 1600s are Wenceslaus Hollar's masterful etchings. Hollar, a leading 17th century Bohemian printmaker, made a notable series of tiny etchings after the Renaissance sketches in the renowned collection of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, who intended to catalogue his drawings.

These early examples of miniature art are juxtaposed with contemporary works to provide a deeper understanding of their changing functions and meanings over time. The painting on an antique book cover by New York artist Holland Cunningham is contrasted with an early printed mathematical manuscript dated 1734 that has tiny decorative illustrations. Italian Renaissance paintings provide the inspiration for David Barnett's assemblages in shadow boxes, notably the Madonna whose head with a golden halo is placed on a body made up of mechanical parts. Another re-interpretation of a Renaissance painting is Isadora Machado's intricate pen drawing of the Mona Lisa. Machado's elaborate and patterned drawings of moths and birds have the luminescent and decorative quality of early stained glass windows. Robbii Wessen's assemblages of found organic and mechanical elements recall the imaginative objects from Renaissance cabinets of curiosity. Other such fanciful creations include the ceramic Pot Heads by Connie Nichols, literally tiny pots with whimsical heads on top.

The exhibition transitions to a group of abstract works, beginning with some examples of the recently deceased Sal Sirugo (1920-2013), who has been called "a hidden treasure of the Abstract Expressionist movement". Sirugo began creating highly original works in the late 1940s, but while many of his Abstract Expressionist contemporaries worked on huge canvases, he preferred to work in more modest dimensions. His miniature ink drawings on paper have a mysterious, meditative quality that draw the viewer into his unique way of seeing.

To accompany this show, there will be a Children's Art Workshop led by Nancy Scranton on December 7 and 14. The Gallery hours are Wed.-Sat., 10 am - 3 pm; Sunday, 1 - 5 pm. The gallery is located in Waveny Park, New Canaan. For more information, visit www.carriagebarn.org

Journey to a Magical Cloud Forest at Oliver Wolcott Library & White Flower Farm

The Oliver Wolcott Library on 160 South Street in Litchfield is hosting the photographs of Sue Kennedy through April 25 in the Gallery of this lovely library.

Twenty years ago Sue Kennedy was in Texas working on a Kinesiology and Adapted Physical Education PhD. If anyone had told her that photographing and raising orchids was what she would be doing today, she wouldn't have believed them. She is here to share her journey, and hopes you will smile, find joy, and most of all, peace from these images of her quiet and powerful children of the Magical Cloud Forest.

Sue's father was a pediatrician in the Torrington/Litchfield area, but he always had a second great passion...orchids. Before medical school he earned a PhD in Botany from Cornell and dreamed of discovering and naming a new orchid. 

After retiring from medicine and armed with a U.S. Department of Agriculture permit, he and his wife took many collecting excursions including the Amazon, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Venezuela, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Plants were brought home, potted or mounted, and treasured in his "quiet place," the greenhouse he had built.

When her father passed away and her mother became ill, Sue was forced with a dilemma - let the orchids die, sell them off or give it a go. She dove in and never looked back. With each blossom she began to see and photograph the unique character of each plant. She shared her images with friends and would see their eyes light up with a kind of childish wonder, peace and joy. Sue continues to capture how light is reflected and penetrates; how it enlightens; how each bloom is a fascination.

After visiting the Library, stop by White Flower Farm to look at the fabulous selection of plants to be found there. White Flower Farm is located on Rte. 63, 167 Litchfield Rd. a few miles south of the center of Litchfield.  Visitors to White Flower Farm will offers a wide array of plants for sale.  The shop at White Flower Farm opens in April.  Visitors may also explore several beautiful display gardens that are adjacent to the shop. A special deal only available at the Farm is to earn one Pettingill Dollar for every $10 spent on plants and accessories.  Bonus dollars can be redeemed from July 1 - August 31 -- gift certificates are not included in this offer. For more information about White Flower Farm visit  www.whiteflowerfarm.com.

For more information on programs at the Oliver Wolcott Library call 860-567-8030 or visit www.owlibrary.org. For information about the Litchfield Hills visit www.litchfieldhills.com

Vijay Kumar: Etchings, A Retrospective at Center for Contemporary Printmaking

The fall exhibition, featuring a splendid array of original prints by Vijay Kumar, at the The Center for Contemporary Printmaking (CCP), 299 West Ave., in Mathews Park, Norwalk runs through Sunday, November 3, 2013. The Gallery is open Monday through Saturday 9 am to 5 pm, and Sunday, 12 to 5 pm; it is closed Columbus Day and Veterans Day and admission is free.

A narrative is apparent in all of Vijay Kumar’s artworks. When Vijay was a child, he and his family left their home, during the religious strife that troubled India as the country gained its independence from Britain. Traveling the world — from India to the Middle East, Europe and the United States — his artistic focus has centered on the geometry of urban spaces. In the fall exhibition, many pieces are untitled and are essentially architectural, linear jumbles such as stacked houses and buildings. The eighteen prints in the series “India Portfolio,” reflect the sorrow and loss of the refugee. In the background, a New York Times article from Dec 11, 1992, published the headline “Hatreds of India.” Abstracted figures set in conflict or in positions of mourning dominate the series.

Born in Lehore (then part of India) and based in New York City, Vijay Kumar has had numerous solo exhibitions of his drawings, prints and paintings in the United States and abroad.  Vijay is the curator for the Indo-American Arts Council’s annual Erasing Borders Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art of the Diaspora. He has also curated print shows in New York and Ohio in the United States, and in India. Mr. Kumar teaches printmaking at several graphics centers in New York City, and at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking, in Norwalk, Connecticut.

About the Center for Contemporary Printmaking

The Center for Contemporary Printmaking (CCP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the art of the print: intaglio, lithography, monotype, silkscreen, woodblock printing, paperworks, book arts, and digital arts. Housed in a handsome 19^th-century stone carriage house, this 5,000- square-foot historical landmark is located at 299 West Avenue in Mathews Park, in Norwalk Connecticut. CCP workshops, gallery, and offices are open Monday through Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm, and Sunday, 12 – 5 pm. The Grace Ross Shanley Gallery features acclaimed exhibitions throughout the year, and is handicapped accessible. Artists who participate in the Artist-in-Residence Program have the opportunity to live and work in the Helen Frankenthaler Printmaking Cottage, adjacent to the main building. Edition printing is offered by the CCP Master Printer and Associate Printer. For more information, please call 203-899-7999 or visit www.contemprints.org. The Center for Contemporary Printmaking is a member of the statewide Connecticut Art Trail, a partnership of seventeen world-class museums and historic sites. 

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

ARTSPACE-Torrington Opens First Show of the 2013 Season

ARTSPACE-Torrington, located at 33 Main Street in Downtown

Torrington, begins its 2013 season with an exciting show of one-of-a-kind photographs by West Hartford artist, Robert Calafiore whose work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions.  Most recently, Calafiore’s work has been shown at the New Britain Museum of American Art, the Nina Freudenheim Gallery (Buffalo, NY), Nest (New York City), as well as the  University of New England (Portland, ME), and the University of Massachusetts (Dartmouth, MA).

The series of work shown at the ARTSPACE-Torrington gallery consists of large C-print photographs, 40” x 30”, taken with a pinhole camera.  This particular series features ordinary glass objects which are lit and photographed. The type and intensity of lighting, length of exposure, and color and surface of the subject can be controlled by the artist to produce varying results. The end result is a one-of-a-kind image which is produced without creating film negatives or digital technology.  Part of Mr. Calafiore’s interest lies in the ability of the pinhole camera to transform ordinary objects into items of beauty.

The opening reception for Mr. Calafiore will be held in the gallery on Friday, January 25^th  from 6-8 p.m.  Mr. Calafiore will present an artist talk on Friday, Feburary 8^th at 6 p.m. 

The public is encouraged to visit the gallery during normal hours:  Fridays from 6-8 and Saturdays and Sundays from 2-4.  The gallery is also open by appointment; to schedule an appointment, please contact Executive Director, Judith McElhone (860-309-2932).   ARTSPACE-Torrington may also be open during special downtown events. 

About ARTSPACE

ARTSPACE-Torrington is supported in part by the Torrington Downtown Partners and the Arts and Culture Commission of Torrington (ACT).   33 Main Street, located at the corner of Main and Water Streets in Downtown Torrington, is a former retail space that is now home to the city’s newest gallery.  Each month, a new show of contemporary work by one or more professional artists will be featured in the gallery.     

For further information about ARTSPACE-Torrington please visit www.artspacetorrington.orgwww.artspacetorrington.org.  For area information www.litchfieldhills.com

New Gallery at Greenwich Audubon opens Dec. 1

The Greenwich Audubon has combined forces with Joel Oppenheimer, the venerable natural history art gallery located in Chicago and Charleston.  This gallery is best known for the work of many outstanding naturalist artists and painters including John James Audubon.

The Greenwich Audubon, the first established nature education center in the country by the National Audubon Society has a long history of  protecting birds and their habitats as well as teaching people the principles of conservation.

The gallery will be located in the newly renovated Kiernan Hall and will feature four exhibits a year. The first exhibition, opening December 1  explores all the editions of Audubon’s work in the Nineteenth Century. A highlight of this exhibition is that it will show comparative examples of nine prints in the different versions including Havell, Bien, Octavo and watercolor editions.  The subjects that will be featured in the exhibit are the Osprey, the Great Blue Heron, the Carolina Parrot, the Gyr Falcon, the Great Egret, the Passenger Pigeon, the Louisiana Heron, the Ruby Throated Hummingbird and the Dusky Duck.

Joel Oppenheimer, president of his namesake gallery, author, and one of the foremost Audubon experts in the world, sees this collaboration as an opportunity to educate and bring Audubon’s rich history to life, “John James Audubon is considered to be perhaps the greatest natural history artist of all time.  His body of work in ornithological art is iconic.  Collectors and admirers of his works continue to be enthralled with his accomplishments and how he shaped the genre of natural history art. Audubon brought images of birds and mammals to life during his time of exploration and we want his work to continue to inspire current and future generations.  We are grateful to have this opportunity to collaborate with The Audubon Center of Greenwich both in its conservation efforts and in telling Audubon’s story,” said Oppenheimer.

It is the hope of the Audubon Greenwich that these ornithological masterpieces will inspire and engage people in the conservation of birds and their habitats.

At the December 1^st grand opening reception, Joel Oppenheimer will talk about the significance of Audubon’s contribution to art and conservation.  His remarks will begin at 7:00 p.m.  Private showings of the exhibit can be scheduled from 1:00 – 4:00 by appointment.  All prints in the exhibition can be purchased either framed, or without.  Thirty percent of the proceeds from sales will be donated on an ongoing basis to The Audubon Center of Greenwich.  The opening reception will be held on Dec. 1 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

To R.S.V.P. for the Grand Opening on December 1, 2012, or to make a gallery appointment, contact Audubon Greenwich by phone (203-869-5272 x239) or by email (greenwichcenter@audubon.org)

About Joel Oppenheimer

Established in 1969, the fine art galleries of Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. in Chicago and Charleston offer a stunning array of natural history art from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, as well as fine art framing, and complete conservation and restoration services.  As a natural history art gallery, Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. is dedicated to the connoisseurship of collecting and preserving the art of natural history and celebrating the contributions of the explorers who recorded the flora and fauna of the past three centuries.  Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. strives to provide collectors with an unsurpassed selection of the finest examples of prints and paintings from the golden age of natural history art including rare works by John James Audubon, Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Dr. Robert Thornton, John Gould, Basilius Besler, and many others.

The Design Show at Peter Lawrence Gallery

The Peter Lawrence Gallery is proud to announce a new exhibit “The Design Show” which will run from October 12-November 11, 2012, with an opening reception on Sunday, October 14, 2012 from 1-5 pm.

The Design Show will feature handmade, sustainable, live-edge furniture by award winning woodworker Peter Lawrence Scalera, and assemblage pieces by Arista Baltronis made of antique tools that have been refurbished and covered with Swarovski Crystals.

Scalera, who is co-owner and regular exhibitor at the Peter Lawrence Gallery will premiere a new series of “wood under glass” pieces at this show. Scalera has been working in wood design for over forty years, and recently completed a full, custom furniture fit-out at CraftBar in NYC. Additionally, he has completed major projects at Eva Scrivo Salon, Craft Restaurant, Colicchio and Sons restaurant (also in NYC), and numerous residential interiors in NY and CT. The 2010 “Best in Show” recipient at the Providence “Fine Furnishings and Craft Show” says of his own work: “I’ve always thought of my work as ‘Functional Art.’ Function plays a large part in my designs.”

Arista Baltronis will exhibit work from her ‘hardware on the rocks” series of assemblage pieces. Baltronis meticulously refurbishes old tools of all kinds before applying Swarovski Crystals to the surface of each piece, transforming old tools into works of art. Baltronis, whose past exhibitions include the Alexandria Museum in Los Angeles, and the Viridian Gallery in NYC says of her work “I am having such fun with this new direction of work. It is very exciting and challenging to learn new skills and new techniques and apply them to an everyday object to make it into something completely unique.”

The Peter Lawrence Gallery is located at 703 Kent Road in Gaylordsville, CT, and is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12-5pm. There is no admission charge to the gallery or to any gallery event. We are continuing to exhibit sculptures by James Travers in the sculpture garden through November. For more information please visit www.peterlawrencegallery.com. For travel information www.litchfieldhills.com

Art is Timeless at the Peter Lawrence Gallery

Peter Lawrence Gallery is presenting a new exhibit, “Art is Timeless” that will feature functional art/clocks by Michael Johnston and oils, watercolors and ceramics by Jessie Novik.
The exhibit runs from Friday, August 3 to Sunday, September 2 with an opening reception on Sunday, August 5 from 1:00 pm until 5:00 pm. Refreshments will be provided by Johnny’s New Fairfield Food Center.

Clock by Michael Johnson

Michael Johnston of Norwalk, CT is a muralist and street artist. This art form drove Michael’s passion to understand the vast dimensions, styles and genres of art. He realized his own personal obsession with sharp edges, technical designs, futuristic concepts, mechanical images, and clocks could all be channeled into his art. Using recycled and discarded materials whenever possible, often times old electronics, Michael tries to convey movement, flow, and continuity in his art. He considers himself an abstract expressionist, frequently utilizing additive sculpture to intensify and bring to life thoughts and ideas.

Village by Jessie Novik

Jessie Novik has been inspired by the many places she’s traveled, including a hike up to Machu Picchu, exploring rice fields in Bali, camping with Bedouins in Sinai, and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. She is an artist and a craftswoman, and states, “No matter what is my vehicle, I will always make art, and I cannot wait to acquire new methods for birthing my overactive imagination.”

About the Peter Lawrence Gallery

Peter Lawrence Gallery is located at 703 Kent Road (Rt. 7), Gaylordsville, Connecticut, and is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, or by appointment. For more information please contact Peter at 203-746-5533 or by email at peterlawrencegallery@ymail.com or www.peterlawrencegallery.com. For area information visit www.litchfieldhills.com.

Kelp Denis Folz

The First Annual Sculpture Exhibit and Culture Fest is being hosted by Peter Lawrence Gallery located on the banks of the Housatonic River on Rte. 7 in Gaylordsville through June 17th on Saturdays and Sundays plus Memorial Day.  This exhibit will feature works by locally, nationally and internationally recognized sculptors. This fun-filled cultural event will include an artist walk and talk, musical entertainment performed by Broadway stars and jazz musicians, box lunches, wine tasting, and other artisanal delicacies. Visitors to the event can explore sculptures inside and outside.

The Inside Gallery will host an eclectic grouping of smaller works including those by: Suzanne Benton, listed in Who's Who of America and Who's Who of American Artists, an international artist whose works are in private collections worldwide; Jocelyn Braxton Armstrong, a critically acclaimed ceramic artist; Dalton Ghetti, a Brazilian-born pencil sculptor whose work is currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England; Michael Johnston, an artist who uses recycled electronics to build futuristic, steampunk-style sculpture; Justin Perlman, an internationally trained sculptor and winner of the Marquis Who's Who in American Art Reference Award; Derek Uhlman, recently accepted into the Copley Society of Art, is an award-winning sculptor who likes to push the envelope; and Patricia Warfield, recognized nationally as a consummate artist, is constantly experimenting with a wide variety of media.

J B Armstrong Soul Sister

The outdoor sculpture is situated in a  idyllic four-acre garden along the Housatonic River.  On display in this beautiful rustic setting will be monumental works by Jan Abt, German-born, New York-based sculptor who creates abstract figurative pieces inspired by Picasso, Henri Moore and the ancient Greeks; Jennifer George Andrea, a kindergarten teacher by day and a large-scale sculpture artist in the off hours; Cindy Booth, a Hudson Valley artist creates large-scale copper and steel sculptures "beyond the thinking mind"; David Boyajian, an acclaimed master sculptor, founder of the Sculpture Barn in New Fairfield, CT who creates monumental works that are both conceptual and rationally accessible; Steven Brooks an award-winning architect turned sculptor loves the physicality of creating forms and shapes with his hands; Margie Cohen who is transfixed by creating whirling, spinning and rolling sculptures out of steel; Jim Felice, a master restorer and award-winning creator of sculptures that, in his use of scrap matter, redefine the use and purpose of industrial materials; Denis Folz an intentionally styleless artist whose works are informed by Van Gogh, Max Ernst and Andrew Wyeth, leaves it to the viewer to define his work; Lannie Hart whose sculptures evoke nature, religious images and cultural references with a strong feminine point of view; Peter Holmberg, a local sculptor whose works are among a collection situated on a private estate; David McNeil a former police sketch artist, now seeks to construct abstract shapes from nature created by a living thing and to capture its energy in its form; M. Meken-Silvestri an award-winning fused-glass artist who works with delicate fragments to create solid works that sparkle and dazzle; Justin Perlman, mentioned earlier; Richard Pitts, a professor at FIT in New York City and a multi-media sculptor who constructs abstract sculptures as metaphors for the  environment; Judy Rowley who currently uses debris from Hurricane Katrina as the substance of her sculpture to pay tribute to the resilient spirit of the people of the Gulf Coast ; and Marcia Spivak¸ one of the pre-eminent metal horse sculptors in the country.


In addition to sculpture, the Festival boasts live entertainment, and local artisan delicacies. The delicacies include a box lunch prepared by local Gaylordsville Country Store; chocolate truffles, hand-made in the French tradition by Carol Monnerat Artisan Truffles of Branford, CT; simply heavenly cakes baked with all natural, allergen-free ingredients by Izzi B's of Norwalk, CT; tasting rare raspberry, rhubarb and cassis wines from White Silo Farm and Winery of Sherman, CT, or traditional grape wines and sun-ripened berry wines from Jones Family Farm of Shelton, CT, both Connecticut Wine Trail Vineyards; and more. A Jazz ensemble from the Easton, CT Jazz Guild will be among the performers, as will Broadway stars Niki Scalera (Footloose, Hairspray, Tarzan, Jake's Women), Tevin Campbell (Hairspray and R&B recording star under the direction of Quincy Jones) and others.

Ghetti Elvis

The Sculpture Fest is a ticketed event. Admission includes entry to the sculpture garden and gallery, a box lunch and a glass of wine, a catalog and map of the garden, tours and talks conducted by sculptors, musical entertainment performed by Broadway stars and jazz musicians, and wine tasting.

The local artisanal delicacies will also be available for purchase. The events will take place on each Saturday and Sunday for the run of the show, and on Memorial Day Monday. There will be 2 sessions each day at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Only ticket holders will have access to the Garden and the activities taking place therein on Saturdays and Sundays.
The sculpture in the Gallery will, of course, be open to ticket holders and those without tickets, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In addition there will be Free Fridays: On Fridays, during the run of the Sculpture Fest, the Sculpture Garden can be viewed free of charge. There will be no other activities taking place on Fridays.

About Peter Lawrence Gallery

Peter Lawrence Gallery was originally established as a "showroom" for the live-edge furniture of award-winning woodcrafter Peter Lawrence Scalera and his wife, abstract artist Jill Caprio-Scalera (Jage). It was always their dream to have a gallery to show their work and the works of other artists. The gallery is tucked away a few miles south of the scenic village of Kent, CT, between the rolling hills of the Litchfield Hills and the Housatonic River. The Sculpture Festival, to run every weekend from through June 17, 2012, will be the crowning achievement for the inaugural year of the Peter Lawrence Gallery.

Peter Lawrence Gallery is located at 703 Kent Road (Rt. 7), Gaylordsville, Connecticut. It is a part of The Basket Shop and Carriage Barn complex, two delightful country gift shops selling New England Americana. The Gallery will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday and Memorial Day Monday from 11:00pm to 5:00pm, or by appointment. To purchase tickets for the Sculpture Fest or for more information please contact Peter Lawrence Scalera 203-746-5533, visit www.sculpturefest2012.com., or www.peterlawrencegallery.com, or email peterlawrencegallery@ymail.com.