The Human + Animal Bond
Spectrum Art Gallery’s First Show of 2021 Opens January 22nd
Spectrum Art Gallery and Artisans Store of Centerbrook presents its newest exhibit, The Human + Animal Bond with an opening weekend Saturday, January 23rd (12:30-6pm) and Sunday, January 24th (12:30-5pm). The six-week exhibit (through March 7) is located at 61 Main Street, Centerbrook, Connecticut.
We all bond with animals – both wild and domesticated. We awake to birds singing. We tell our pets our secrets near the fireplace. We even cover our eyes and ears to avoid witnessing the obvious fact of life that animals can be both prey and preyed upon. And during these months of quarantine, this powerful human-animal bond kept many of us grounded and hopeful. Presented through a variety of mediums, the exhibit explores formidable aspects of human and animal interactions.
Several artists newly presenting at Spectrum Gallery include painter Anna Pikos whose work flows between abstraction and surrealism creating dense and precise patterns. Artist Cheryl Bartley, known for her colorful folk art paintings in both oil and acrylic, depicts stories of happy scenes of simpler times. Kathleen Emery is a fine art oil painter whose work includes landscapes inspired by New England and her travels to Italy, as well as nature and portraiture. Joanna Chapin, also new to Spectrum, is a watercolorist who presents a work capturing a gentle human-animal scene. And Patricia Parente, an award-winning artist, who has worked in many mediums including watercolor, oil, acrylic, cut paper, collage and graphic design, presents a close relationship between a cat and his owner.
Returning favorites to Spectrum include Maria Johnson who explores everyday life using emotionally expressive brushwork in her paintings. Ted Genard presents a lush oil on canvas for this exhibit; he works in a variety of mediums in addition to oil using graphite and charcoal, photography and gold leaf. Teri Glassman returns with a new oil work; she explores multiple mediums and is often found working en plein air. B. Rossitto, an award-winning painter, returns to Spectrum with an oil that demonstrates a powerful human + animal Bond. Catherine Satsuk presents a tender oil on canvas that captures the spirit of a child and animal connection. Patti Maher presents a new watercolor piece; she uses pencil, pen and ink, watercolor, and at times a combination of all. Also at the Gallery are painters Pat Damiani and Julianna Cameron with oil on canvas works, as well as painter and calligrapher Ned Farrell with a new mixed media piece using gold flakes.
A variety of original photography and limited-edition prints are presented including those by Sezgi Hermans, a photographer and painter, who presents a mixed media piece, born and raised in Turkey and based in Philadelphia; she has exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the East Coast. Larry Bilansky who specializes in “nontraditional portraiture” and live action photography such as the performance of theatre, sports, and dance. Other photographers offering exciting work include Dianne Roberts, Elin Dolle, Faith Bilansky, Maryann Flick, Paul Ramsey and Elaine Sych.
The Human + Animal Bond includes many fine artisans such as Kat Huddleston, a fused glass and dichroic jewelry artisan from Chicago and new to Spectrum Gallery. An award-winning artist, Huddleston is inspired by nature’s primal elements which she explores through her materials when bringing her glass creations to life. Maryann Flick, a gallery favorite, offers new, vibrantly-colored stained-glass panels and boxes, both functional and decorative. Also returning to Spectrum is wood carver Andy Teran as well as ceramicist Rosemary McClain who shows a bold new sculpture that captures the bold spirit of a human-animal bond. Additional artisans presenting original pieces include glass artisans Lynn Webber, botanical artist Anna Sidorow with new pressed flower works and fabric artisan Holly Bollier showing exquisitely felted animal figures. Jan Velsmid, new to Spectrum, displays one-of-a-kind cloth gift pouches while Debra Bento and Deborah Churchill offer a selection of designer masks. Many exciting jewelry designers are in the Artisans Store and include Pauline Clifford, jewelry designers and glass artisans Jean Gresham and Melinda Shea, and Kristie Foss who designs stunning unique jewelry pieces with polymer clay.
Spectrum Gallery recently enhanced and relaunched its online shopping site, Spectrum Anytime, at spectrumanytime.com. It is the place to browse and shop online with shipping available throughout the US – a perfect choice to discover new artists while adding to one’s collection, as well as a convenient option for gift giving. Additionally, gift cards are available in the Store as well as online.
Spectrum Art Gallery and Fine Artisans Store is open Wednesday through Saturday (12-6pm) and Sunday (12-5pm). It adheres to all safety measures and asks that visitors wear masks and use hand sanitizer upon entering. For more information call (860) 767-0742 and visit spectrumartgallery.org. To follow on social media visit facebook.com/spectrumartgallery, instagram.com/spectrum_art_gallery, and twitter.com/spectrum_ct