Monday, December 27, 2010

JANUARY 2011: ART IN ENERGISM: surrealist KATIA JIRANKOVA LEVANTI



World renowned surrealist Katia Jirankova Levanti shares memories of her life in Prague manifested in a series of fantastic, flying, pulsating images. This show* has traveled almost as much as she has, and we are excited to have her for the month of January. *As seen in INK magazine earlier in 2010.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

DENNIS SIRRINE

features “And Now For Something Completely Different” new works by Dennis Sirrine

Prior to moving to the Velvet Mill I went through a transformation that resulted in a fury of abstracts that were a release of these emotions. I remember being asked by a very good friend of mine several years ago why I didn't paint something that was coming from the soul...just letting it out without trying to illustrate something that everyone can recognize. Non-objective painting, if you will. It took many years of self-denial before I allowed that to happen. Perhaps part of moving on was to let go of the objects or denials that were holding me back. This freedom of expression might have been my own bit of exorcism. I grew tired of painting just "pretty pictures". Now, I'm not saying I won't be painting any more pretty pictures if I want butter on my bread. Sometimes the object will be very obvious; other times not. I don't know what direction my work will go, but I'm still trying to let that guilt go when the urge to express myself takes over.
-Dennis Sirrine


October 1-31 with Opening Reception Sunday, October 3, 2-4PM


433 Boston Post Road Westbrook, CT 06498
860.388.7826
http://www.gofavenetucci.blogspot.com/
Gallery Hours: Mon. - Sat. 10-5; Sun. 11 - 4. This event is free.












Thursday, September 2, 2010

“Social Entropy… order > disorder”

NEW WORKS BY LAURENCIA CIPRUS

September 1-30, with Artists Reception and Discussion

Sunday, September 5, 2-4PM


About the Artist:

…Vivid deconstructed landscapes, depictions of globial transients and cartoon views of shoreline snapshots…“Social Entropy… order > disorder” departs from the artist’s earlier representational work to navigate a fresh spectral view.

Working from her studio in Essex, Laurencia is a lifelong painter and visual artist who strives to highlight the quest for social change through her work.

Nomads of the Millenium, 24x36, mixed media

She attended Paier College of Art and has studied extensively with notable instructors. Laurencia is a board member of The Art League of New Britain and an artist member of The Guilford Art League.

Her work is exhibited regionally and is in private collections.

Gallery Hours Monday – Saturday 10-5; Sunday 11-4

This event is free and open to the public.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Featured In August: JENNIFER HOLMES

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jennifer Holmes: Paintings from Nature


"Jennifer Holmes' career has now reached a new level. While she has won Connecticut awards for a decade, her new direction and years of working on her craft have brought more and more mention as being among one of the most prolific of New England plein air painters." - Amy Sidman, Argosy Gallery
“Plein Air painting is exciting to me because I love to be outside in the natural world. Like a good 'read' you are so involved you are aware of nothing else. When you triumphantly close the book you are still full of the emotions and the mood. You are still there. Working to create that same sense of presence for the viewer is part of my challenge.
The natural world we view for painting landscapes and seascapes incorporates color, space, and abstracted shapes, combined with composition, to create a mood and inherent excitement. Painting in the traditions of the outdoor painters of Old Lyme and Rockport, I paint on location as much as possible. Painting en plein air, or painting out of doors, allows me the chance to capture a bit o' the life in constantly changing moments.”

Ms. Holmes paints in Watercolors, Acrylics, Oils, and Pastels. After attending Rochester Institute of Technology, Hartford Art School, and finishing with a BFA in Graphic Design and a Minor in Marketing Management at Central Connecticut State University, she chose to pursue painting. While studying Pastel with Frank Federico and Claudia Post, she was encouraged to expand her efforts to include Drawing and Oil Painting with Bernard McTigue and workshops with the Plein Air Painters of America.



Regularly showing at the Lyme Art Association, The Mystic Arts Center, and the Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society, Jennifer has earned Artist Member level in The Connecticut Academy of Fine Artists and the New Haven Paint and Clay Club, as well as Elected Artist at Lyme Art Association, Mystic Art Association, and The Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society. She holds membership in the American Society of Marine Artists.

Showing primarily in New England and New York, Jennifer's works have won numerous awards: Top Award: IDIOMAS, LLC, from Clinton Art Society, The Award of Excellence; Mystic Elected Artist Show. Award of 2nd Place; Lyme Art Association Elected Artists Show; all in 2008. Other Shows: The Connecticut Academy of Fine Art Show, Hudson Valley Art Association 76th Annual Show, The Springfield Academic Artists Show, and The Salmagundi Art Club 31st Non Member Show in New York. Recently Jennifer's painting: "Winter Marsh" was accepted for exhibition in the Paint America "Paint the Parks" 2008 Competition, in the Top 100 Exhibit.

Welcome Elizabeth Egan, Molly McDonald



Handprints in whimsical retro style.
 Layers of color dance on the field.
Happy with versatility.
Elizabeth Egan

Peaceful Compositions; Fiery Color, Big Skies
Expressions in Oil
Molly McDonald

Saturday, July 24, 2010

What A Wonderful Weekend We Had!


Thank you to all of our artists, guests and supporters..
Look us for Art Under The Sun and Stars this fall!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Introducing Colleen Vandeventer

Massachusetts artist, Colleen Vandeventer, has been in love with art ever since she could remember. Growing up in a family with a grandmother who was a full-time artist, Colleen was exposed to the life of an artist at an early age --“the studio, the smell of turpentine, posing as the portrait model for a studio class at the age of 11 -- it was all mesmerizing and what I wanted for my own life.
"Oil is my first love, but pastel closely follows as a medium of choice. My focus is on still life and landscape, though the figure and portrait is something I will always be drawn to and paint. Regardless of subject matter, the atmosphere, light and form draw me into the subject, and the medium takes over from there, determining the final outcome.”
Colleen has studied at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School as well as with Master Artists Scott Christensen (Wyoming/Idaho), Skip Whitcomb (Arizona) and T. Allen Lawson (Maine), Sally Strand (California), Richard McKinley (Oregon), to name a few.

She is a juried, exhibiting artist member of the Providence Art Club, Oil Painters of America, Cape Cod Art Association, North River Art Association and Attleboro Museum. Her award-winning work has been seen in juried, invitational, group and solo exhibitions and is included in private and corporate collections


GoFAvenetucci welcomes Karole Nicholson






For over 30 years, Karole has explored various expressive mediums including ceramics, collage, watercolor, and hanging sculpture. In 2002, she took her first pastel class and discovered the medium that would speak to her like no other.


Karole attended Rhode Island School of Design studying graphic and advertising design; she paints weekly in an open studio setting with Colleen Vandeventer. She has studied pastel technique from internationally acclaimed artists Richard McKinley, Bob Rohm and Robert Carsten in workshops throughout the country. Her work has appeared in many solo and group shows throughout New England. In 2008 she traveled to Peru with the Art Ambassadors Project, as part of a eight member cultural exchange project with a gallery show at the Biblioteque Gallery in Lima .



Karole is a member of the RISD Art Museum, Attleboro Arts Museum, the Connecticut, Franklin and Foxboro Art Associations and the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod. She has served as a Creative Facilitator for the Life Span Summer Work and Life Program, the ARC of Northern Bristol County and she facilitates healing arts programs.







Friday, May 14, 2010

from The Gallery Collection by Dee Griffith Mathura

Rhapsody in Blue: Gorgeous blue agate Neckpiece: geodes and slices with chunks of iridescent mother of pearl and swarovski crystals. Just Arrived at GoFA- from The Gallery Collection by Dee Griffith Mathura

An alternative approach to wndow treatment

.
Fabric Panels as Window Treatment: Stretched canvas, handpainted with a translucent quality, to allow light to filter through without compromising privacy. Artwork by Margot Claster.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

GoFA welcomes MAUREEN SQUIRES

Master Calligrapher Maureen Squires
I began my formal art training as a painting major with an affinity for the alphabet at Seton Hill University. Two undergraduate courses in calligraphy started a life-long challenge to learn many alphabets and about their origins. Two additional years with Arnold Bank at Carnegie Mellon studying Advanced Calligraphy provided further impetus. As time has progressed, the alphabet and the calligraphic/gestural line have become my primary subject matter, sometimes with text and sometimes without. My work currently is about creating atmospheres that reflect the words I write or simply creating an atmosphere. A friend observed that “The question is not whether I am painting pictures or writing letters, I am doing both.” Gottfried Pott


My colors over the past several years has reflected the palette available with Japanese watercolors on paper and acrylics on canvas. Liquid acrylics, Sumi ink, found objects, gold, silver, brass, copper and aluminum leaf round out the media. Writing instruments include broad nibs of varying sizes, Lebenzon and other brushes, Brause 500 series B nibs, reeds, bamboo and pointed pens, on a variety of writing surfaces.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Yes, she's real.

This mourning dove was sitting on two eggs that became two fledglings. Everyone has since taken flight.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

COLOR AT PLAY

More Experiments with Color by Lisa R. Fatone

"And then she jumped into the Mediterranean..." acrylic 24x30

Fun with PMS321

Thursday, March 11, 2010

HOT, COOL COLOR

"That boat" that never seems to leave the cove at the Smith Neck landing on Old Lyme. Captured at just the right time of day by oil painter Jackie White. It is also one way out to Griswold Point, and personally... I can't wait to get out there...

Monday, March 1, 2010

MARCH BREEZES THROUGH with DAN DALHSTROM'S ETHEREA

Dan Dahlstrom of Chester exhibits new work March 1-31
 with an opening reception Saturday, March 6, 6-8PM.


Subtle plays on light and shadow in the hours before dawn and at dusk are delicately rendered by this self-disciplined oil painter. Dan's eye for color was developed as a paint mixmaster at the family business Dahlstrom's Paint and Wallpaper for several years. Once the store closed, he further honed his artistic skills. He continues to build his body of work as we speak.After closing Dahlstrom’s Paint and Wallpaper in Essex, Chester artist Dan Dahlstrom concentrated on his painting.


After several years of training with noted area fine artists, he shares with us his newest collection of works; “Etherea”.

Mr. Dahlstrom captures the great atmosphere and all its nuances in his studies of the Connecticut River and shoreline that we are so fondly celebrate. You are cordially invited to come and meet Dan Dahlstrom at an Artists Reception

Saturday, March 6th 6-8PM. Stay to enjoy work by our entire family of artists, and numerous rooms of fabulous one of a kind furniture and accessories at Venetucci Home.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Tickled pink!


An experiment with energism in the color study series "Coexistence" by Lisa R. Fatone now on exhibit