Opening reception at Silver Circle Gallery in Putnam Fri., Oct. 4

Silver Circle Gallery
75 Main St., Suite 3, Putnam, (860) 928-2900
Selections from CT ArtList
Oct. 4—27, 2013.
Opening Reception: Fri., Oct. 4, 6—9 p.m.

Press release from Silver Circle Gallery

The Silver Circle Gallery in Putnam, CT. is proud to present Selections From CT ArtList, a group show featuring new work from Amy Almeida, Jessica Bartlett, Tiffany Johnson, Ashleigh Kay and Lori Warner. There will be an opening reception on Fri., Oct. 4 from 6—9 p.m. at the Silver Circle Gallery. The show will run from Oct. 4—27, 2013.

Amy Almeida is a New Fairfield-based painter. She has an MFA from Western Connecticut State University. She says of her work, "I reproduce recognizable inanimate objects by portraying them in unrecognizable situations rooted in my own experiences. By altering the scale and color, I create a visual tension between the familiar objects and how they are functioning. My paintings symbolically embody sadness and despair allowing for an experience that is authentic. While confrontational, I paint visceral awareness that suggests something happening beneath the surface of our immediate understanding."

Jessica Bartlett who also has an MFA from Western Connecticut State University, and lives in Torrington, CT will exhibit her contemporary landscape paintings. "I find that landscapes have provided me the ultimate opportunity for seeing my environment (and my work) in an excitingly unpredictable way while kneading line into paint and paint into line. As the seasons pass I find myself preoccupied with the concept of painting fluidly and directly and using strokes of color to separate planes and depth through light. I have also found myself noticing the qualities of the surface of the paintings and their ability to either draw in and/or keep a viewer out of the picture space. This realization in particular has allowed my work to become more than just the study of my environment but to also become an outlet for expression."

Tiffany Johnson has an MFA from Western Connecticut State University, and has completed residencies at The Vermont Studio Center, The Chataqua Institution, and most recently Weir Farm National Park in Branchville, CT. She currently lives in Danbury CT, but she has created series of paintings about exploring, and developing an intensely personal relationship with the places she depicts, including Harlem, NY, Vermont, Chataqua and CT. When asked to describe her paintings, she says, "My work is based on an idea of interpreting a situation of who I am—of the past and present—and how I absorb and gather the settings I am placed in through color to express a moment or feeling."

In addition to being an exhibiting artist, Ashleigh Kay is also the Marketing & Outreach Coordinator of the Silver Circle Art Center, and has been instrumental in organizing and promoting the CT ArtList exhibition. She has a BFA in Painting from The Hartford Art School at The University of Hartford, and has been actively engaged in the local arts community since graduation in 2009. She exhibits her work locally and internationally.

Lori Warner has a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, and owns and operates the Lori Warner Studio and Gallery in Chester, CT. Lori creates unique woven monoprints, and encaustic paintings.

The Silver Circle Gallery was established in 2008 by Carly Martin, longtime resident of northeast CT, who envisioned having a fresh and inspiring space where local and regional artists and artisans could exhibit their work, sell one-of-a-kind handmade gifts and boutique items, and individuals of all ages could improve their quality of life by taking art classes. With the support of many passionate and dedicated individuals, Silver Circle has become a haven for the artistic community and an advocate for the benefits of creativity for any and every one.

"Hammered & Nailed" open call and reception at ArtSpace Hartford Friday, May 28

ArtSpace Hartford
555 Asylum Ave., Hartford, 06103
Hammered & Nailed
May 28—June 8, 2011.
Opening reception: Fri., May 28, 6—10 p.m.

Press release

Art can be REVOLUTIONARY! That is one of the goals behind Hammered & Nailed: Free Creative Open Call to be held on Sat., May 28 from 6—10 p.m. at The Hartford ArtSpace Gallery located at 555 Asylum Street in downtown Hartford, CT.

Event organizers, Joe Bun Keo and Ashleigh Kay are Hartford Art School Alumni Class of 2009, Connecticut natives and affiliates of the group NLUV (Now Let Us Vindicate). After graduating, it was quickly realized how difficult it is for artists to work and progress in The Greater Hartford area. Being the go getters that they are, Bun Keo and Kay felt they had the power and even more so, the responsibility to change this.

Hammered & Nailed is exactly that, the initiative to change the status quo and create an opportunity. An opportunity in which artists, poets, performers, musicians and the like can come together for a gathering of creativity and social networking. We want creative collectives and organizations to come together and build resources and a think tank to help further inspire and motivate the arts and invest in the untapped creative energy here in Connecticut.

Through the organization of Hammered & Nailed, Ashleigh & Joe have reached out to local businesses in the Hartford area, while emphasizing the positive impact to the art community and city of Hartford that the event will have. Generous sponsors of Hammered & Nailed now include Blick Art Materials of Plainville, Wood N Tap of Hartford, City Steam Brewery and Cafe of Hartford, The Half Door of Hartford, WineWorks of Southington, Square Root of Food Creative Catering of Manchester & The Flatbread Pizza Company of Canton.

One of the biggest aspects of Hammered & Nailed is that of community, not only the local business side but community in the sense of every artist has to hang their own work, bring potluck to the reception, and assist in taking down the show. It’s all volunteer based and about having the spirit to want to participate in an event where you can meet other creative minds and just connect and collaborate. There are no fees to the artists and participants of Hammered & Nailed, just the opportunity to be actively engaged in a growing artistic environment.

It is the hope and vision of Ashleigh, Joe, and the rest of the NLUV crew that Hammered & Nailed will truly be revolutionary in the sense that this could be the start of something huge, the start of an art movement and the revitalization of how people think of art in Connecticut.

It just takes someone or something to start a revolution and the rest…is history.

About the producers:

Ashleigh Kay:

Experimentation has always been essential to my process, driving and forming my work, it requires abandonment of doubt and willingness to let go. I’ve learned how to work without restrictions and to allow myself to make mistakes. This process has manifested itself as a necessary channel for my emotions. Through the abstraction of texture and color, a time and place is created that is without words, evoking emotion, critical to the outcome of the works.

Joe Bun Keo:

It's like coming midway into a conversation; finding yourself in that awkward silence with a soundtrack of crickets chirping, and blank faces asking "um...okay...what now?"

You're stuck trying to find a resolution; whether it's by attempting to catch up to speed with everyone else or interjecting with a hasty subject change or an offbeat icebreaker. Things may go awry and fail miserably or they can just move on without consequence.

I flip my misunderstandings and shortcomings in language to turn them into experiments with wordplay. There will be clichés, punch lines, pop culture references and contemporary youth vernacular involved. I also enjoy the reexamination of what people take for granted. The most mundane of utilitarian objects or overlooked situations can be taken out of the comfort of their given context and shown in a new light. The end result could be clean, quick, clever, dry, sarcastic, but nevertheless accessible and relevant. The dialogue between the work and audience may seem short, but remnants resonate.