Tonight we had another double opening reception at the Boatworks. In the front room we had Affordable Art, A Holiday Sales Exhibition. Participants were given some space to show some "affordable art", which was limited to things no larger than 11"x14" and with a price of no more than $100. Most of it turned out to be paintings, hung in clusters representing each artist (participants could have up to 5 items on display), but we also had some groupings of ceramics. This is a cash and carry show, meaning that anyone who makes a purchase can take it home immediately, without waiting until the end of the exhibition. In fact, some things left the wall tonight, but the artists will have the ability to replace them with new items, so make sure to come back often over the month.
Meanwhile, the back gallery has a very different show, a Members' Showcase: Three Artists. Interested artists had the opportunity to apply for this exhibition and a committee of members of the Board of Trustees selected three of those applicants to share the space: Lisa Bagwell, Hillary Binder-Klein, and Andy Carvalhais. All three have in common that their images include recognizable subjects. Beyond that it's a fairly diverse group.
Lisa has been a member for many years and is known far and wide for her use of cast off materials in the creation of her sculptures. The pieces in this show are made from such things as small plastic cigar mouthpieces, disposable plastic eating utensils, small bottles, plastic disposable cup lids, discarded bits of toys- someone throws it away and she has art material. And she has a remarkable ability to turn the colors, shapes, and textures of garbage into things and creatures we easily recognize and want to look at.
Also in this show is Hillary Binder-Klein, a little more traditional. The paintings are typically landscapes, portrayed in colors that match our expectations of landscape painting. The mats and frames are very tasteful. Her preferred material is acrylic paint on a heavy paper with the texture of canvas, a texture that remains very visible through the paint, and the glass they sit behind. The style is modern, but the feel fits within the long and respected tradition of landscape painting.
The third member of this showcase group is Andy Carvalhais. His work is also representative, matted and framed, and makes use of color, but after that very different from the other flat works hanging on the adjacent walls. His preferred medium is drawing, making use of pencil, charcoals, pastels, all in very bold colors. The compositions are very complex and mix figure, objects, and graphics, making regular use of items of popular culture. The intended response varies from piece to piece, but psychology and expressive emotion are common elements.
So, affordable art in the front, member showcase in the back, all on view through December 28, 2018, with no admission fee. The side room is a work in progress right now (receiving complements from many who viewed it tonight), but we'll save the report of that until it is done.
