Big Paintings in Black & White, Small Works in Color

Today our July exhibitor Richard Samuelson finished hanging his show which will be up in the gallery through this month. Almost every inch of wall space is covered with his captivating pieces, so much so that it almost feels as though you're inside the mind of the artist. The large paintings in greyscale are offset by small, colorful acrylic works. Though the sizes all vary, there is almost a uniformity in shape, and very playful cartoons and sketches are intermingled between the aforementioned paintings. Samuelson has provided us with an array of swirling brushstrokes and fierce line work that appears to have been pulled from a far off plane or emotional realm that is closest to the artist himself. Join us next Friday evening, July 10, for a Meet the Artist Reception at the Ocean City Arts Center from 6-8:30 pm.

NEXT WEEK

Our summer classes officially begin. Are you signed up yet?

Introduction to Figure Modeling with Chad Fisher

There will be a demonstration of this upcoming class on the Ocean City Boardwalk next month (official date TBA, but contact the Arts Center if you're interested). Held by instructor Chad Fisher, the demonstration is entitled Head Structure and Portrait for Beginner /Intermediate/Advanced students.

This will provide an in-depth analysis of the portrait with an emphasis on both specific anatomy and sculpture technique. We will study the overall structure of the face with exercises intended to sharpen our understanding of planes and how features relate to one another. After a brief introduction to the material, a demonstration will be given focusing on sculpture and drawing technique to help students understand where “form” begins and where it ends.

Enjoy a nice time out on the boardwalk in lovely weather seeing art in progress and learning something while you're at it!

Some information about Chad can be found at:

National Sculpture
Grand Central Academy
and Sculpture Competition Winners

A completed work in progress

Above are two photos of Marie Natale with her painting A Pleasant Stroll on the Avenue. The top photo is Marie working on the piece at our May 30th Spring Sampler, and below is her and Jack Devine with the completed work. Marie is a watercolor instructor here at the Arts Center. She achieves fresh, clean, glowing effects through the method of direct painting and truly creates magic on the paper.

Pleasure Avenue Meet the Artists Reception

This past Friday was our Meet the Artists Reception for our 2009 Annual Themed Show. This year's theme, Pleasure Avenue, was brilliant in that it was open to so many avenues of interpretation. Pleasure Avenue is a street here in Ocean City, often thought of as "one of the great unsung, quiet residential neighborhoods" (said by our President, Dr. Jack Devine), and so the local ties the theme had provided a wonderful atmosphere for the opening whose attendees felt a close bond with the works. The artists invited to participate in this group show also had the option to create works that responded to the words "Pleasure Avenue" in a literal sense. So with each of these ideas fused together, the body of work we received yielded much aesthetic promise. As said by the President of the Board of Trustees, and this goes for all of us, we "are delighted that the show has brought a new consciousness to this fine old street and [we're] delighted that so many artists responded so beautifully to the Arts Center's appeal for work."

Below are photos from the reception.

Cynthia Sabatini and Zoe Rosenberg stop for a photo opp at the opening.

Board Members pose in the gallery.
From left to right: President Jack Devine, Vice President Peggy Lloyd,
Paula Fortune-Angelo, Connie Smedley, and Eleanor Raymond.

Artist Lance Balderson with his painting Spring Pleasure

People enjoying themselves in the gallery.

Artist Louis Castagna with his polytych Four Perspectives.

Old and new generations enjoying the work.

People talking at the reception.

Artist and former Board member Fred Arnold with his
painting A Walk in Wales (top left).

The show will be up in our gallery through the month of June. Following Pleasure Avenue will be BIG paintings in black and white, small works in color by artist Richard Samuelson. If you stop in the gallery this month, be sure to pick up a MEET THE ARTISTS guide available at the desk or at the gallery sign-in.

Jitterbug Formation to "Bandstand Boogie"

Dancers from Follow Me Ballroom, taught by Carrie Reilly and Ed Fischer. This performance opened the Spring Concert last Friday, June 5, 2009.