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.