Wonderful to be a part of this exciting exhibit at the Sohn Fine Art Gallery in Stockbridge. This benefit show for the photography department of IS183 was exquisitely put together by gallery proprietor Cassandra Sohn and impeccably judged by Sohn, Savannah Spirit, and Scott Barrow. Nice weather prevailed for the duration of the reception as we all gathered onto the sidewalk for the climactic awards ceremony.
Thank you, Aimee.
Honored and pleased to announce my inclusion in this exhibit:
1ST ANNUAL COMMUNITY ARTS EXHIBITION
Juried Photography Exhibition at Sohn Fine Art Gallery To Benefit the Photography Department at IS183 Art School of the Berkshires
Written by: Cassandra Sohn
Sohn Fine Art Gallery is pleased to present its 1st Annual Community Arts Exhibition, a juried group show featuring photography by 19 artists. Staying true to Sohn Fine Art’s mission to integrate Community, Arts, and Education, the exhibition includes supporters and students of IS183 Art School, as well as students of Cassandra Sohn (owner of Sohn Fine Art). A percentage of sales from the show will be donated to the photography department at IS183 Art School of the Berkshires, a non-profit community arts school located in Stockbridge, MA. The school encourages people of all ages, means and skill levels to enrich their lives through hands-on experience in the visual arts.
From journalistic to contemporary, this exhibition features a wide range of photography. Eric Korenman stages mysterious and modern Hitchcock-like scenes where people seem spontaneously buried (and questionably murdered) by flowers. Peggy Braun‘s contemporarily poised Audubon birds stand in contrast to her softly texturized beach scene. Leo Mazzeo‘s saturated abstracts were shot with his iPhone, bringing to question the quote by Chase Jarvis, “The best camera is the one that’s with you”.
Artists will be awarded in two categories, students and supporters. First Place will be voted on by the judges, and the “People’s Choice Award” will be voted on by the public who visit the Gallery prior to and during the reception. So come by and put in YOUR vote! Winners will be announced at the reception on Saturday April 28, 4:00 – 7:00.
The exhibition will be judged by: SCOTT BARROW – Freelance photographer who is inspired and enriched by the magic of light. Barrow’s long list of clients and exhibitions include the Nikon House in Manhattan, Kodak’s Hall of Images at Epcot Center, American Express, IBM, Infiniti, Polaroid, The Wall Street Journal, American Airlines, Berkshire Living Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Discover, Disney and National Geographic. SAVANNAH SPIRIT – New York based curator and photographer. Savannah’s most recent exhibitions in Manhattan include New York Magazine’s 2011, reviewed Hotter than July and Symbiotaxiplasm. She is the guest editor of ASMP NY’s blog Sharpen and her work was recently in The Nation Magazine and The New England Post. CASSANDRA SOHN – Freelance photographer and the owner of Sohn Fine Art, Sohn photographs for a variety of clientele and exhibits internationally. She started Sohn Fine Art as a vehicle for creative collaborations and the go-to center for photographic arts and archival printing in the Berkshires. Sohn teaches at IS183 Art School and Berkshire Community College.
FEATURED ARTISTS: PATRICK BARRY, CHRISTINA BIEDERMAN, STEVE BLANCHARD, PEGGY BRAUN, DENISE CHANDLER, JOANIE CIOLFI, MARSDEN EPWORTH, SUSAN GELLER, KEN GREEN, ERIC KORENMAN, CYNTHIA HUGHES, LEO MAZZEO, MAURICE PETERSON, PEGGY REEVES, LORRAINE ROMAN, SUSAN SABINO, EDWARD SCHWARTZ, ALEX SOHN, KIM WATERMAN
*20% of sales will be donated to IS183 Art School.
Exhibition March 23 – May 7, 2012
Reception Saturday, April 28, 4:00 – 7:00. Winners will be announced during the reception!
Public can vote for “People’s Choice Award”.
SOHN FINE ART – GALLERY & GICLEE PRINTING
6 Elm Street, 1B-C; Stockbridge, MA; 413-298-1025; info@sohnfineart.com; WWW.SOHNFINEART.COM
My included work:
“Hot Buttered Clock”. (c)Leo Mazzeo.
“Flow III”. (c)Leo Mazzeo.
Two great opening receptions on consecutive evenings made for some busy days for me. After a fantastic time at Gallery 25 in Pittsfield, we traveled down to the Hudson Opera House for the opening of the 16th Annual Columbia County Council on the Arts Juried Art Show.
Continuing in the vein and direction of the previous piece I painted for Gallery 25‘s “10x10x25″ show as part of the first annual “10×10 On North” winter contemporary arts festival, this piece is another larger than life still life begun with a heavily textured application and a spray paint under-painting. The theme of the piece is a familiar one for too many folks. A heated argument develops between lovers and flowers are exchanged in an attempt to balm the issue. The title of the work is “I Love You. I Was An Asshole.”
“I Love You. I Was An Asshole.”, super heavy body gesso, spray paint, and oil on canvas, 36″x60″. (c)Leo Mazzeo.
Looks like we’ll be going to the Hudson Opera House and hanging out on Warren Street in Hudson soon. For the 5th time out of 7 submissions, a piece of mine has been juried into the 16th Annual Columbia County Council on the Arts Juried Show. This year’s juror was Carrie Haddad. The piece that was selected:
“Censorship Hypocrisy”, oil on canvas, 36″x48″. (c)Leo Mazzeo.
When the call went out to participate in downtown Pittsfield‘s “10×10 On North” contemporary winter arts festival, it almost couldn’t have happened during a busier time for me. After having sold a property in Pittsfield and purchasing a property in New Ashford within the space of a few months, I was planning on settling into the new space at a cozy and comfortable wintertime pace. However, not one to be too settled and comfortable, I contacted 9 other fellow Gallery 25 artists and pitched the idea of participation in the event to proprietor Mary McGinnis. She loved the idea and off we all went to create. This is my piece.
Based on and referenced from an iPhone photo that I took of Annie Laurie‘s punch during the Art On No Holiday Show, the piece is a loose, oversized still life rendering that begins with a coat of super heavy body gesso applied to the canvas surface with a sea sponge paint roller. I then worked a quick sketch to lay down the forms and headed to Home Depot for spray paint, which I used to vaguely indicate dark and mid-tone areas. The lightest of areas were left white gesso. From this point, I proceeded in painterly fashion with number 10 and 11 rounds to the finished project. Hope you enjoy and I hope to see you at Gallery 25 during your travels throughout the festival!
“Secret Punch”, super heavy body gesso, spray paint, and oil on canvas, 36″x24″. (c)Leo Mazzeo.
The final Storefront Artist Project “12×12″ event was a bittersweet ending to an illustrious run as one of Pittsfield‘s torch-bearing arts organizations. A full house that included many local dignitaries and arts luminaries enthusiastically examined the offerings, so generously donated by talented local artists, with high hopes of bringing home a favorite for the cost of a $25 dollar raffle ticket. While most weren’t able to secure that special first choice, that didn’t matter. The thrill of the chase, hearty camaraderie, and especially the knowledge that one’s contribution to arts programs in the Pittsfield public schools would become a worthy endorsement for the future of the arts in Pittsfield and beyond was more than satisfaction enough.
Planning on incorporating this one into my holiday card…
“Enigmacating”, super heavy body gesso, spray paint, glitter, and oil on canvas, 9″x12″. (c)Leo Mazzeo.
“Carte Blanche?”, super heavy body gesso, spray paint, glitter, and oil on canvas, 12″x12″. (c)Leo Mazzeo.
“Hot Buttered Clock”. (c)Leo Mazzeo.
As an integral part of the “Holiday Pittsfield: A Downtown Celebration!”, the “Walk On Walls” exhibit opened December 3, 3-5PM at the Lichtenstein Center For The Arts. A sizable number of participating and non-participating members of the artistic community met in the convivial atmosphere to take in this juried show of images celebrating Pittsfield’s 250th birthday.
Photograph by Nicholas De Candia.
Photograph by Nicholas De Candia.
