The Gift of Art at Building Blocks Gallery

The Gift of Art opened at Building Blocks Art Supplies and Gallery on Sunday, November 23. The opening reception was well attended by artists, members of the Ridgefield Arts Council, and many other art lovers and friends. The show features 19 area artists, including Tina Phillips, Leo Ortiz, Noelle Carr, Janet Iffland, Michele RoFrano, Randy Carboni, Bobbi Eike Mullen, Michael Keropian, Amy Bock, Robin Heit, Janice Sweetwater, Daniel E. Kosh, Pam Ackley, Melody Best, Bill Moran, Annie Kosh, Mary Gates, Marie Lynch, and Tina Sturge. The show runs through December 28, 2008.

Emelie Howard Exhibit at Ridgefield Rec Center

Emelie's art, an exhibit of work by Emelie Howard, will be on display at the Ridgefield Recreation Center, 195 Danbury Road, from November 2 - 30, 2008. There will be an opening reception on Sunday, November 2 from 2-5 pm.

Emelie Howard is an artist, writer, and filmmaker who lives in Ridgefield, CT. She is also an advocate for education about heart disease, the #1 killer of men and women in America. As a member of WomenHeart Emelie traveled to Washington, DC in June 2008 to encourage our legislators to pass the HEART for Women Act.

Emelie's mixed media artwork is often witty and personal, and reflects the dynamic personality of the artist. For more information about Ms. Howard please visit her website at www.red-yllc.com.

Noelle Carr at Cafe Svago

Noelle Carr's work will be on exhibit at Cafe Svago, 408 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT from October 6 - November 2. Noelle's paintings celebrate flowers for their visual beauty and feminine tradition while exploring their symbolism and meaning.

Building Blocks Gallery New Show - Bobbi Eike Mullen

Homeland Journey, a show of landscapes by Bobbi Eike Mullen, will open at Building Blocks Gallery in Ridgefield Sunday, October 5 from 2:30 - 5:00 pm. Bobbi is a popular area artist and art instructor who shows regularly. The show will be on exhibit until October 26.

Juried Shows - Behind the Scenes at Ridgefield Guild of Artists

This week I had the chance to work behind the scenes at the Ridgefield Guild of Artists as the juror selected works for the Guild's 31st annual juried show. The juror was Benjamin Genocchio, art critic for The New York Times.

Juried shows reflect the perspective of the juror. Mr. Genocchio was a confident juror in that he made decisions quickly about what was accepted or not. He had his own vision of what he wanted the show to be - and it was very different than mine.

That said - what is the purpose of a juried show? Are the works selected the "best?" Can anyone ever say what is the best when art is so subjective? With another juror it would be a very different show.

So what is the purpose of a juried show? Are juried shows relevant? Art is personal. The artist has her own personal relationship with each piece. The viewer then brings his own experience to what he sees in each work. So what we have is Benjamin Genocchio's show. His view, his instincts, his feelings, his perspective of area artists. That is what makes a juried show relevant. It is one person's view, and in the end that is how every work of art is experienced, by each viewer in their own way.

New Art Exhibit at Ridgefield Library

"Traditions of India," a photography exhibit by Barbara Paul, is on exhibit at Ridgefield Library until October 11. Ms. Paul lives in Westport, CT and travels through Asia and Africa capturing the local culture and traditions with her camera.

Most local libraries have an active exhibition program. I am a frequent visitor to the Ridgefield Library, and more often than not I make sure to walk through the Dayton Program Room to see the current show - and it is always worth it.

Art enriches my life, creating it, viewing it, and participating in the dialogue in my own way. Viewing the shows at my local library has been a great way to incorporate art into my family's daily life. It has been a perfect venue to introduce my children to different artists in a relaxed setting at a place they love - the Library. Please take a moment next time you visit the library in your own town to stop and check out the current exhibit.

Why Not? at Housatonic Museum of Art

Why Not? is a regional juried exhibition of women artists opening at the Housatonic Museum of Art at 900 Lafayette Ave in Bridgeport. The opening is Thursday, September 4 from 5-7 pm and the show will run through October 24.

From Housatonic website: "The question "Why Not?!" suggests freedom, boundary-stretching, new possibilities. To what established "No!" do women artists respond: "Why Not?!" The works in this show are the responses of women as they engage the question with personal, historical or universal issues."

I can't wait to see this show. This is a very exciting, yet tumultuous time for women. It is amazing in that a woman was almost the Democratic nominee for President, and a woman is the Republican Vice Presidential nominee. But their campaigns have garnered criticisms that would never be applied to their male counterparts. How many times did I hear snide remarks about Hillary Clinton's outfits? And there are actually people in the media commenting that perhaps Sarah Palin should not run for such a demanding office because if elected, how will she be able to be a good mother to her children? I think many of our past Presidents also had children, and they managed to do the job without ever being questioned about how they will juggle the needs of their career and their family.

We live in a great country that gives women choices. The choice to have children, the choice to pursue a career, the choice to do both, and the choice to take a completely different path. All choices, and all voices, are relevant and contribute to society as a whole. I hope this show presents voices from area women artists with diverse views and beliefs.

Ridgefield art openings, Sunday, September 7

There are two wonderful art openings this Sunday, September 7, right here in Ridgefield. The Enchanted Garden at 529 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rte 7) will host an exhibit of new work by Suzanne Benton called "Captivating History." The opening is Sunday at 3:00 pm. Suzanne is an internationally known artist and member of the Silvermine Guild of Artists in New Canaan. She has also contributed to local culture by participating in local arts events and continuing to show often in her hometown of Ridgefield.

Building Blocks Gallery at 49 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rte 7) will have an opening reception Sunday from 2:30 - 5:00 for Brendan Loughlin. Mr. Loughlin has been called "Connecticut's Modern Day Van Gogh" by Yankee Magazine. On Saturday, September 6, Mr. Loughlin will give a free art demonstration of his Pastac technique from 2-5, also at Building Blocks.

Both openings on Sunday are on Rte 7 very close to each other. Support local artists and arts organizations and visit them both!

Connecticut Artists - Welcome

Area artists have a new place to gather on the web, the Connecticut Artists blog. Connecticut Artists hopes to bring together local and area artists in an interactive format where we can discuss upcoming shows and interesting arts news and events.
This was a great summer with lots of arts events. I showed work at the first Ridgefield Art Walk on August 16 and it was a wonderful night in town. Over thirty artists participated with exhibits in stores along Main Street and Bailey Ave. Hundreds of people came to meet the artists. I hope this becomes an annual event for Ridgefield!
The fall is always an exciting time for art with lots of shows coming up. I'll update regularly with info about interesting shows and news about artists and friends.