William Butcher painting show opens Fri., Feb. 7, at Reynolds Fine Art in New Haven

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
William butcher: Allegories of the Heart and Mind
Feb. 7—Mar. 14, 2014.
Artist Reception: Fri., Feb. 7, 5—8 p.m.

Press release from Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to present Allegories of the Heart and Mind, a solo exhibition by the artist, teacher and profound thinker William Butcher. Butcher paints out of Connecticut and has been teaching at Suffield Academy for the past 30 years. He holds both BFA and MFA degrees from the Drake School of Fine Arts, studying under the internationally recognized artists Jules Kirschenbaum and Cornelis Ruhtenberg.

William Butcher: "The Reflection"

William Butcher finds the inspiration to create by allowing his subconscious visions and imagery, generated by the heart and mind, to come to the surface. The thoughts and ideas that present themselves to the artist, via our visual world, take form in his paintings and sculptures. His work is constantly in the process of reaffirming itself. Butcher states that he "is driven to bring these to life in a visual form... It is only in allegory that I can hope to garner a meager understanding of the hidden forces that drive my compulsion to create." The praxis of unfolding one's inner thoughts and feelings into visual language has become William Butcher's attempt in exploring the mysterious and spiritual curiosities of human life and nature.

The show will be on display from Feb. 7—Mar. 14 at Reynolds Fine Art located in New Haven’s historic 9th square on 96 Orange St. The show's opening reception will be held on Fri., Feb. 7, from 5—8 p.m.

Susan Weinreich show at Reynolds Fine Art opens Friday

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
Breaking the Boundaries: The Art of Susan Weinreich
Oct. 4—29, 2013.
Artist Reception: Fri., Oct. 4, 5—8 p.m.

Press release from Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to offer a hand picked selection of early Vintage Drawings executed by the artist, Susan Weinreich, in the 1970’s. Raw and Frenetic, these drawings were created on the cusp of the artist’s descent into schizophrenia. Also included in this exhibition is a selection of signed black and white woodcut prints, powerfully bold and unique, produced from the 35 original blocks executed by Weinreich during the acute phase of her illness. A corresponding selection of the original blocks, themselves, will also be on display throughout the show. The exhibit concludes with significant and highly compelling large-scale pastels and mixed media works created during the early phase of Weinreich’s recovery.

"Art is the noblest way to make a seeming tragedy into the occasion of triumph. Susan Weinreich's drawings and paintings have that redemptive quality: they reach unabashedly into darkness and thrust into shattering clarity, telling the story of their sometimes tortured inspiration from a hard-earned place of safety. These brave pictures, suffused with intimacy, elaborate her unstinting gaze at both the smoothness of the world’s surfaces and the jagged turmoil of the human mind. Susan Weinreich is remarkable for the art she has made in sickness and in health, for the profound emergence from schizophrenia she has achieved, and for the intense self-awareness that has marked her recovery." — Andrew Solomon, PhD, is a writer and lecturer on politics, culture, psychology and the arts.

Woodcut by Susan Weinreich

Susan Weinreich is a celebrated American Artist, Lecturer and Mental Health Advocate whose paintings and drawings have been exhibited across the nation. At the request of galleries, universities, public corporations and private non-profit organizations, Susan has spoken in the United States and Canada about her art and the impact of her past illness on her life. Her art and life story have been featured in the national press, including the New York Times.

Originally diagnosed in 1975 with paranoid schizophrenia while attending the Rhode Island School of Design. Weinreich's recovery from her illness provides an important lesson for us all in the power of heroic commitment, perseverance and healing to affect change. Her work both as an advocate for those less fortunate and as an artist has made much impact on the lives of many people and their energy.

Ms. Weinreich's artwork is in the collection of numerous individuals, public and private, including, The William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas, the World Corporate Headquarters of Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Four Winds Hospital, in Katonah, New York.

The show will be on display from Oct. 4—29 at Reynolds Fine Art located in New Haven’s historic 9th square on 96 Orange St. The show's opening reception will be held on Fri. Oct. 4.

Show of work by Mette Rishøj opens Friday at Reynolds Fine Art in New Haven

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
Un/bound: By Mette Rishøj
July 12—Aug. 13, 2013.
Artist Reception: Fri., July 12, 5—8 p.m.

Press release from Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to present Mette Rishøj in her first exhibition in the United States.

Mette Rishøj was born in Randers, Denmark. There, she studied art at Aerø School of Fine Art. Her work has been showcased in numerous collective and personal exhibitions throughout Copenhagen and other cities in Denmark.

Mette Rishøj: "Factory Outlet"

Mette was awarded the Nbex Gallery Prize in 2007 and some of her work is now part of the City of Copenhagen's art collection. Mette's work is dramatically energetic through her use of color and choice of subject matter.

Rishøj's paintings depict a world with inherent hope. A place where even after the worst catastrophic event, there is something to look forward to. This artist easily conveys her expressive talents through her vivid paintings. Reynolds Fine Art is proud to host an exhibition by Mette Rishøj.

Friday opening for Margot Nimiroski show at Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
Making Waves: New Work by Margot Nimiroski
June 7—July 9, 2013.
Artist Reception: Fri., June 7, 5—8 p.m.

Press release from Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to present Margot Nimiroski in her first solo exhibition at the gallery. The show will be on view from June 7 through July 9. There is a reception Fri., June 7, from 5—8 p.m.

Margot Nimiroski: from the "Harbor" series

The new landscape and seascape paintings by Nimiroski are very soft and ethereal. Yet, they express energy and movement through a process of layering and pouring paint onto the final surface. This self-taught artist does not use brushes, but prefers sponges and soft cloths to get the desired effect. Nimiroski has lived near or on the water for most of her adult life and her paintings represent a love of the sea.

The Branford Harbor is her constant source of inspiration—always changing and always beautiful. However, her paintings are not specific to Connecticut and could be any beautiful body of water. These works not only capture the tranquility of the harbor, but the liveliness of the waves.

Artist's reception Friday, May 3, at Reynolds Fine Art in New Haven

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
Horizons: New Work by Robert Reynolds
May 3—Jun. 4, 2013.
Artist Reception: Fri., May 3, 5—8 p.m.

Press release from Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to present Horizons, new work by gallery owner and namesake, Robert Reynolds. Stemming from numerous visits to the Netherlands, Reynolds’s new body of oil paintings and monoprints boasts vivid Dutch landscapes as its subject. Horizons will be on view from May 3 through Jun. 4; an artist's reception is scheduled for Fri., May 3, from 5—8 p.m.

Robert Reynolds: "Giethoorn, Netherlands"

The unique, tabletop flatness of this region sparked the artist’s curiosity when he noticed a recurring, and often over looked, feature that was unavoidable in each vista: the horizon. Thus, Reynolds was prompted to investigate the idea of the horizon in history and how we experience it everyday, whether we realize it or not. Questions such as if this line acts as a joiner or a divider between heaven and earth motivated the artist and come through each work to evoke feelings of longing and wonder in the viewer. These works challenge the mundane concept of a horizon line to become a desire to know the unknowable and mystery of the distance.

Anna Held Audette retrospective opens this Friday at Reynolds Fine Art in New Haven

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
View of the Past: Anna Held Audette
Feb. 1—Apr. 3, 2013.
Artist Reception: Fri., Feb. 1, 5—8 p.m.

Press release from Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to present Anna Held Audette in her first solo exhibition at the gallery. View of the Past will showcase a selection of Audette’s paintings, prints and drawings that came out of her illustrious career as an artist, writer, and teacher, spanning over fifty years.

Anna Held Audette: "Italian Forms"

Subjects such as abandoned factories, ships, bridges, and the dilapidated space launch site, Cape Canaveral, have been memorialized through Audette’s canvases. Stemming from her underlying interest in structure, Audette’s paintings are an exploration of the speed and effect of decay on modern industrial powers. These objects and locations, however, are not depicted as foreboding omens of the demise of industry, but rather, the artist has approached them with sympathy in feeling their neglect and emptiness. Audette’s paintings possess reverence for their subjects and act as symbols of hope for rebirth. These works are both realistic and abstract as her tendency is to focus on shapes, spaces, shadows and light. This technique has allowed the artist to capture the spirit of her subjects. Audette said of her work, “The relics remind us that, in our rapidly changing world, the triumphs of technology are just a moment away from obsolescence. Yet these remains of collapsed power have a strength, grace and sadness that is both eloquent and impenetrable. Transfigured by time and light, which render the ordinary extraordinary, they form a visual requiem of the industrial age.”

In addition to Audette’s paintings, Reynolds Fine Art will be showing a selection of works on paper by the artist. Where Audette’s canvases tend to convey auras of resilience and power, despite their subjects declining condition, her prints and drawings possess the softer quality of a delicate, personal narrative. These works create an intimacy with the artist and reveal more of her internal conflicts; lighthearted and simple thoughts are juxtaposed with images that elicit a darker, more contorted, emotional response.

In 2008 Anna Held Audette was diagnosed with Fronto-Temporal Degeneration, an extremely rare form of Alzheimer’s. Since her diagnosis, Audette’s cognitive functions have declined, but with the assistance of a former student she has carried on with painting and drawing.

Reynolds Fine Art, located at 96 Orange Street, is part of the 9th Square’s historic district in downtown New Haven, a new up and coming area to shop, dine, and experience art. The mission of Reynolds Fine Art is to contribute to the economic and cultural ecosystem through vibrant samples of artwork, not only in our home neighborhood, but also in the Lower Chapel district and in New Haven as a whole. Periodically shows, demonstrations, lectures and workshops are held to infuse New Haven with diverse aspects of the art world.

Landscape show opens Friday at Reynolds Fine Art in New Haven

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
Vista: A Study of the Land
Dec. 7, 2012—Jan. 31, 2013.
Opening Reception: Fri., Dec. 7, 5—8 p.m.

Press release from Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to present Vista: A Study of the Land. This group exhibition will feature the work of nine national artists whose approach to landscape paintings are as diverse as their subject. Exhibiting artists are Peter Roux, Bradford Johnson, Gregory Kammerer, Sean Thomas, Margot Nimiroski, Scott Duce, Robert Reynolds, Kyle Andrew Philips and Christie Scheele.

Peter Roux: "The Mysteries No. 26"

Vista is a glimpse of nature as translated through the eyes and hands of nine unique artists. Tranquil, ethereal landscapes are juxtaposed with ones that show signs of a vigorous, ever changing world. While one artist may employ the practice of landscape painting as a retreat from modern life, to stand in awe of natural beauty and recall the ideologies of past masters of the genre, another artist looks at man's imprint on the land and embraces both the tension and harmony created. Each scene, however, captures obsession and memory in paint.

In technique, each artist's approach varies just as much as the land's terrain. Vista is composed of minimalist to highly obscured views of the world. A landscape may be recreated through a very controlled, pensive hand, or its atmosphere may be captured through embracing its unpredictable nature. Whether the landscape is used as the subject or simply as vehicle through which to explore the medium of painting, each image in this exhibition is sure to capture the viewer with its beauty and mystery. Not only are we invited to view the same landscape as the artists who painted it, but also to experience the same place in our own, individual way.

This opening is free and open to the public, and will coincide with the Ninth Square first Friday event, "ShineOn9."

Friday night opening of drawing show at Reynolds Fine Art in New Haven

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
The Line
Nov. 2—Dec. 1, 2012.
Opening Reception: Fri., Nov. 2, 5—8 p.m.

Press release from Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to present The Line, an exhibition that examines the purpose and life of drawing in relation to art making. This group exhibition will feature the work of twelve different national artists whose use of the medium in this context broadens the boundaries typically associated with its name.

Injoo Whang: "Yellow Infinity"

Ranging from studies to full completion, all pieces are works of art. From realist to abstract expressionist, these drawings are evidence of the flexibility and transformative nature of drawing. Whether it be through the use of graphite, ink, metal point, pastel, or even embroidered thread, each artist in this exhibition has offered their interpretation of The Line in their own way.

The artists featured in this exhibition are Dennis Angel, Anna Held Audette, Cathi Bosco, Jane Catlin, Beverly Gardner, Robert Reynolds, Geoff Silvis, Rick Stevens, Daphne Taylor, Sandra Vlock, Susan Weinreich, and Injoo Whang.

Opening reception at Reynolds Fine Art in New Haven Friday evening

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
Robert Reynolds & Mary Black
Oct. 5—27, 2012.
Opening Reception: Fri., Oct. 5, 5—8 p.m.

Press release from Reynolds Fine Art

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to present a two-person exhibition featuring Mary Black, a California native, in her debut at the gallery, along side new work by Robert Reynolds.

Mary Black's primary concerns in her approach to art making have always been directed toward process, surface, and materials. Painting exclusively in encaustic paint for over a decade, Black has mastered an often unruly medium. Encaustic paint, a material comprised of wax, pigment, and dammar resin, that is heated and fused, is very difficult to control. The artist's relationship with this hot wax, however, is fluid and intuitive. She openly embraces the challenges that occur in the creation of a wide spectrum of surfaces, from flat and transparent, to dense and scarred.

Though Black has limited control over her material—it is her intention to trust her body's response to the medium—her work is a reflection of her interest in Jungian psychology, duality, and the unconscious mind. When viewed as a group, the array of oppositions in each piece, whether it is color, texture, or light and shadow, are ultimately attracted to each other like magnets to form a solid union. Black has said of her work, "There is a very destructive aspect to my work, as it is only through the process of destruction and creation that I am able to build the layered, raw surfaces I am attracted to...It's about creating chaos, organizing chaos, giving into unplanned responses, and then letting go of my intentions."

Robert Reynolds, the gallery owner and namesake, will be exhibiting a new series of work. Deriving from a collection of sketches made over the past twenty years, Reynolds has taken a bare bones approach to painting as a method of sorting through living. These minimalistic, abstracted oils on linen are documents of fragmented memories and disjointed pieces of time. Much like cut up negatives on a light box, each canvas is a vaguely remembered still frame from the artist's past.

This opening event will coincide with the Ninth Square first Friday event Create on 9, during which Mary Black, who will have flown from California to be with us at the event, will be available in the gallery to speak about her encaustic process. Additionally, this is the opening weekend of City-Wide Open Studios. Join us on Saturday as Robert Reynolds paints outside the gallery throughout the day.

Reynolds Fine Art "Wheels" show opens Friday, car show on Saturday

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
Wheels
Apr. 20—May 11, 2012.
Opening Reception: Fri., Apr. 20, 5—8 p.m.
All-Day Car Show: Sat., Apr. 21, Noon—8 p.m.

Press release

Reynolds Fine Art is pleased to present Wheels, a fine art exhibition and car show. The first of its kind in New Haven, this exhibit will feature art work that revolves around the theme of wheels.

Join us on Friday night, Apr. 20, from 5—8 p.m. for a gallery opening reception. This group exhibition will feature work in a variety of media, including painting, photography, and sculpture. In some cases the work itself is created of recycled car parts or road signs. Bruno Ratensperger, Connecticut based classic car photographer, will be exhibiting; commissions available. In addition, on display in the gallery will be handmade motorcycles by Lock Baker. Bikes will be displayed curtesy of Devil’s Gear, New Haven Power Sports, and Zane’s Cycles. This unlikely and exciting juxtaposition will serve to bridge the gap in the viewer’s mind between form and function of art.

Sat., Apr. 21, from 12—8 p.m. will be an all day auto show. Antique and performance cars will be on view in the parking garage adjacent to Reynolds Fine Art. A section of Orange Street between Chapel Street and Crown Street will be closed off to road traffic to allow additional cars and motorcycles to be displayed. Surrounding businesses will be participating in this event as well. Be sure to stop by Arpaia Lang, located at 806 Chapel Street, to join in a raffle of jewelry custom made for this event!

This event is free and open to the public. A portion of proceeds from sales will go to benefit Autism Speaks.

Artists' reception at Reynolds Fine Art Saturday

Reynolds Fine Art
96 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 498-2200
Small Works
Nov. 11, 2011—Jan. 12, 2012.
Artists' Reception: Sat., Nov. 12, 4—8 p.m.

Press release

Reynolds Fine Art, a contemporary fine art gallery, is pleased to present an exhibition of small works in a variety of media including painting, ceramics, glass, and jewelry. This group show will feature the works of Josh Gold, Melody Lane, Robert Reynolds, Susan Roberts, Barbara Marks, and Steve Crohn.

Josh Gold is a ceramic artist whose creations explore subtle asymmetry. His work vacillates between the competing, yet complementary, contours of a pot. Through the technique of wood firing, the clay’s natural variations are brought out, serving to further create a tactile aesthetic within the viewer’s experience.

Melody Lane’s art encompasses clay and glass, a combination of earth and fire producing a distinct and hand-made quality. She creates through an ancient process involving painting terra sigillata, burnishing, smoking, carbon wash, and waxing. Her work often recalls ancient symbols and religious allusions, striving for the rejuvenation of these motifs in contemporary form.

Robert Reynolds, owner and namesake of Reynolds Fine Art, will be showing a series of abstract works and landscapes in this exhibition (see image). His abstract oil paintings are executed over old blue prints, representing his upbringing surrounded by the building profession. These abstract works are formed from a quick sketch that is then transformed into expressive brush-stokes of bold, contrasting color.

Susan Roberts’ jewelry is an eclectic collection of artistically designed bracelets, necklaces, and earrings created from hand-cut precious and semi-precious stones and metals. Her jewelry creates a resonant and breathtaking addition to any ensemble. All are limited editions.

Barbara Marks’ canvases are remnants of what she has seen and experienced. These moments are then translated as her mind recalls them into colors and shapes, provoking the viewer to take note of the ordinary through her abstract approach. Through her work, she seeks to convey the sensation and memory of an experience.

Steve Crohn’s paintings use color to create an emotional response from their abstract relation to landscapes, feelings, situations, and ideas. He explores the variations in reference to the viewer's perception and challenges one to experience new feelings and ideas in reaction to his work. Through the dimension of color used in his work, the viewer can relate to and enjoy his paintings on multiple levels. He strives to create a universal emotional current, giving his work a profound presence.

Located on 96 Orange Street, the mission of Reynolds Fine Art is contribute to the economic and cultural ecosystem through vibrant samples of artwork, not only in our home neighborhood, but in the Lower Chapel district and in New Haven as a whole. Periodically, shows, demonstrations, lectures, workshops and art sessions will be held to infuse New Haven with the different aspects of the art world.