New Show Features Best In Show Winners At ArtFusion

Self Portrait 2016 by Gwendolyn Lanier

Pottstown, PA – The Chosen Two, a new show at ArtFusion 19464, opened on September 17 and will run through October 1.  This show will feature artwork from the winners of a Best in Show contest from ArtFusion’s 2016 Winter Member Show. Visitors to the show voted for their favorite artists, and the two artists who received the most votes won their own show. Artists Joe Hoover and Gwendolyn Lanier will present an amazing collection of 3D and 2D artwork. Gwendolyn and Joe invite the community to a meet the artists reception on Friday, September 23 from 6-8pm. The reception is free and open to the public. RSVPs to 610-326-2506 or info@artfusion19464.org are appreciated.

With a strong interest in art since childhood, it was natural that, after retiring from teaching school and choral conducting, Joe Hoover would choose painting as a

Above and Below by Joe Hoover

hobby. Shortly thereafter, memberships with member of the Pottstown Area Artists’ Guild (PAAG), Berks Art Alliance (BAA), and Chester County Art Association (CCAA) changed this casual hobby into a year-round commitment to group, solo and juried shows. Joe’s initial focus was on floral subjects in transparent watercolor. More recently his is exploring more varied media and subject matter. Among recent honors were Excellence Awards in two CCAA Watermedia Shows, a Best in show at a PAAG Membership show, and a Purchase Award and Honorable Mention in BAA Regional Juried Shows. For Joe, perhaps the biggest honor of all is simply exhibiting in the company of an ever expanding group of fine artists. Joe has been a Working Artist Member at ArtFusion for over 10 years.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Gwendolyn Lanier began making art in 2000 at the Essex Art Center in Lawrence, Massachusetts. In 2009 Gwendolyn received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Studio Arts degree at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston MA.  Her primary focus as an undergraduate was Ceramics Figurative Sculpture. In 2012 she received her Post Baccalaureate in Graduate Studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia PA, where her exploration of drawing led her to her current body of work.

Gwendolyn’s art has been featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Lawrence Eagle Tribune, and at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts during the 2008 NCECA Confluence Conference. She has shown her work at the Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, Katherine Weems Gallery in Boston, and other galleries across the East Coast. Gwendolyn is currently a Working Artist Member and instructor at ArtFusion.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

MCCC Awards Student Artists At The 38th Annual Montgomery County High School Art Exhibition‏

Students from area high schools participated in Montgomery County Community College’s 38th Annual Montgomery County High School Art Exhibition, and 31 students received Awards of Excellence for their artwork. Photograph by Arnold Winkler.

Blue Bell, Pa.—More than 150 parents, students, teachers and community members attended the opening reception and awards ceremony for the 38^th Annual Montgomery County High School art show on March 9 at Montgomery County Community College’s Fine Arts Center Gallery, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell.

During the awards presentation, 31 students received certificates in recognition of their artwork, along with gifts of sketch pads and pencils. MCCC’s art faculty served as judges of the show, which included 260 entries from area high schools.

The following students received Awards of Excellence:

Hatboro-Horsham High School: Catherine La Salle, “Strawberry Heart;” and Celine Santoro, “Greed.”

The Haverford School: Conor Bradley, “Rainy Day;” and Parker Handerer, “Soda Pop Abstraction.”

Lower Moreland High School: Mary Bridget Dykan, “Lucy;” and Samantha Maurawsky, “Abstract Flower.”

Methacton High School:  Emma Cortellessa, “Pears;” Olivia Lauman, “Electric Bones;” Juliana Nemitz, “Not Your Elvis Pelvis;” Kevin Roy, “Anna;” and Somaly Tum, “Nature.”

North Penn High School:  Nora Alamiri, “Still Life;” Jessica Rogovin, “Breathless;” and Florianna Tulli, “Sister.”

Perkiomen Valley High School: Maura Cunningham, “The Big Tree.”

Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School: Kara Wilson, “Into the Woods.”

Souderton Area High School: Ellie Andrade, “Art Supplies;” Alison Casagrano, “Mosaic;” Caitlin Dechert, “Helpless;” Lydia Kulhanjan, “Tea Tree Set;” and Cara Romaniello, “Yarnspiration.”

Springfield Township High School:  Brennan Grimes, “Skull and Pearls;” and Patrick Pascal, “Trophy Pose.”

Spring-Ford High School: Elizabeth Camilleri, “Café;” Darien Carpenter, “Rose Garden Necklace;” Abbie DelRomano, “All Lives Matter;” and Madison Michel, “Detour Through Central Park.”

Upper Dublin High School: Ester Kim, “Empty.”

Upper Merion Area High School: Douglas Burkitt, “Pensive Stare.”

Upper Moreland High School: Romala Hopkins, “Morning Dew;” and Janet Patel, “Zebra.

The exhibit opened March 9 and will continue through March 25. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed weekends.

The next exhibit at the Fine Arts Center Gallery, the 49^th Annual Art Students’ Exhibition and Competition, opens on April 11 and runs through April 29 and features the artwork of MCCC students. The community is invited to the opening reception and award ceremony on Wednesday, April 20, 5-7 p.m. For more information about the exhibition, contact Gallery Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DestinationArts for information about upcoming performances and art exhibitions.

ArtFusion Artists Win Best In Show‏

Arboreal by Joe Hoover

Messenger by Gwendolyn Lanier-Gardner

Joe Hoover and Gwendolyn Lanier-Gardner were the winners of the Best in Show competition during ArtFusion’s 2016 Winter Member Show. The two artists won their own show in the ArtFusion gallery in the fall of 2016. The show promises to be an amazing exhibition of work, showcasing the work of Joe, who has been a Working Artist member for over 10 years and Gwendolyn, who joined the group two years ago.

Visitors to ArtFusion’s gallery during the show were asked to choose their favorite artist and make a donation in support of that artist winning Best in Show. Each $1 donation counted as one vote. All proceeds from this fundraiser help support the non-profit community art center.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

Montgomery County Community College To Host Third Annual Tri-County High School Art Exhibition‏

Photograph caption: “Long Term,” oil on canvas by Isabel DeGuzman of Perkiomen Valley High School.

Pottstown, PA —High school students from Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties will display their best artwork at Montgomery County Community College’s Third Annual Tri-County High School Art Exhibition and Competition in the College’s Fine Arts Gallery, North Hall, 16 High Street, Pottstown.

The exhibition opens Wednesday, Feb. 17, and will continue through Friday, March 4. The artists’ reception also will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 17, from 5-7 p.m. with the awards ceremony at 6 p.m. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the community.

This annual event enables up-and-coming student artists to exhibit their work in a professional art gallery and share their talents with the community. This year’s artwork will feature a wide-variety of subjects created in various mediums. MCCC art faculty members will be reviewing the artwork and will be available to answer any questions about the College’s art programs.

Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Closed weekends. For more information about the exhibition, contact Gallery Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.

Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DestinationArts for information about upcoming performances and art exhibitions.

Help support the arts and art education programs at Montgomery County Community College by becoming a Friend of the Galleries.  Donations are tax deductible. For more information, contact the College’s Foundation at 215-641-6530.

Inclusive Arts – Accessible Events For January & February 2016‏

Join us for EXPERIENCE ARTS & ACCESS Tuesday, January 26, 2016 2:45 to 5:30pm Banana Factory 25 West Third Street Bethlehem, PA 18015 This mid-winter festive gathering celebrates the achievements of Arts & Access midway through a year of offering greater accessibility. Arts & Access launched last July to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act through the lens of the arts. Currently, thirty arts organizations have teamed up with social service agencies to offer more than fifty events through June 2016, that intentionally reach people with disabilities and their family and friends. The diversity of programming include live theatre performances that are audio described and open captioned for people with visual and hearing loss; sensory friendly performances for children with autism, and a dance workshop for Parkinson patients and their caregivers. “Cultural access is really about customer service,” says Randall Forte, Executive Director of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council. “It’s about making your customers feel welcome and comfortable. Experience Arts & Access seeks to raise awareness of the needs as well as the abilities of persons with disabilities. Featured artist and National Storytelling Champion Anne Thomas will perform autobiographical stories crafted with a mix of dark humor, high energy and rare common sense. She speaks not only to survivors of disability, illness and tragedy, but to everyone who has a body, a dream, obstacles, hope and determination. Experience will also allow visitors to explore an arts experience through the simulated reality of a person with a physical, sensory, or cognitive limitation. Guests will be encouraged to test the different technologies that are available, such as audio description and open captioning, voice activated wheel chairs, plus a tactile exploration of a 3-D image of a painting. The event is FREE and open to the everyone, particularly someone with a disability. Please RSVP to attend at info@lvartscouncil.org or 610-437-5915. Light refreshments will be provided.

Our newest PROMOTIONAL VIDEO for Arts & Access We’ve just released the second in our ongoing collection of Arts & Access promotional videos! This edition gives a more intimate look at the Summer and Fall 2015 programming that supports our mission for inclusive arts in our region. The organizations involved have produced quite a variety of accessible arts experiences – theatre performances, visual arts classes and exhibitions, and dance workshops – all celebrating and representing a wide variety of disabilities. Beautifully produced by Marco Calderon, our hearts are touched each time we see the laughing faces of the participants and encouraging words of those involved. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the celebration thus far! We are looking forward to the events planned for this year – we are only halfway through and we have already made such an impact. View our newest video on YouTube If you didn’t catch our last edition featuring the Launch Party in July 2015, here it is!

ARTICLE: See the Music, Hear the Art! In October, SATORI played a classical music concert for an audience who couldn’t hear it – and it was wonderful. SATORI is participating in the Arts & Access initiative of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council, a yearlong celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, seen through the lens of the arts. As a performing arts organization with deep roots locally, we wanted to be a part of this special series of events – and thought we already had an ace in the hole. For almost two decades, SATORI has been presenting in-school music education programs that combine classical music with an array of vibrant images and drawings, projected overhead as the musicians play. Surely the addition of a visual component to a music performance might make it more appropriate for a deaf or hard-of-hearing audience? READ MORE on our blog Come see SATORI Chamber Music Ensemble perform at our Experience Arts & Access Event on January 26th!

JANUARY 2016 ACCESSIBLE ART – PHASE II TACTILE DESCRIPTION Now through June 1, 2017 Lehigh Main Gallery Open during gallery hours Presented by Lehigh University Art Galleries & Museum Teaching Collection of multiple artists’ work in Audio Description and Tactile Description (3-D image to touch) for the visually impaired. Gallery Hours: Wed-Sat, 11am – 5pm; Sun, 1-5pm; Closed Mon-Tues. Handicap Access • Blind & Low-Vision • Audio Description ARTIST IN RECOVERY – MONTHLY ART EXHIBITIONS January 8, 2016 & February 5, 2016 Recovery Partnership 1:00pm – 3:00pm Featuring artists who express their journey with mental health. Held every first Friday. Free. Handicap Access • Mental Health “LIFE ACCESSIBLE” – PHOTOGRAPHY BEYOND THE LIMITS OF SIGHT January 8, 2016 through February 22, 2016 Banana Factory Open during gallery hours Presented by ArtsQuest Photographer Stephen Cunic’s 3-D images, created using various layers and texture, allow visually impaired patrons to experience his scenes using their sense of touch. Free and open to all. Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-9:30pm, Sat & Sun, 8:30am-5pm. Handicap Access • Blind & Low-Vision ICE CREAM WARS 8.0 January 9, 2016 Da Vinci Science Center 10:30am – 2:00pm Presented by Da Vinci Science Center Presenting teams from regional and global companies in a playful competition to create fresh batches of creative ice cream flavors. Sign Language interpreter for each presentation. Handicap Access • American Sign Language FREE PARKINSON’S DISEASE WELLNESS FAIR January 11, 2016 Good Shepherd Health & Technology Center 10:00am – 1:00pm Presented by Good Shepherd Rehabilitation For those with Parkinson’s and their families / caregivers. Demonstrations, education, health screenings. Registration recommended: 610-776-3393. Handicap Access • Cognitive Health DANCE FOR PD – TWO-DAY PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP January 23 & 24, 2016 Zoellner Arts Center 10:00am – 1:00pm Presented by Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange / Mark Morris Dance Group Intro to the internationally-acclaimed Dance for PD (Parkinson’s Disease) program. $100 tuition for two-day workshop, reservations required: pittsburghdancepress@gmail.com. Handicap Access • Cognitive Health *FREE MOVEMENT CLASS ON JANUARY 23 FROM 2:00-3:30 PM – Appropriate for anyone with PD. PUPPET-MAKING CLASS January 23, 2016 IceHouse Center 11:00am – 1:00pm Presented by Mock Turtle Marionette / Easter Seals This hands-on session will consist of puppet-making, learning a set of jokes and songs, and a twenty-minute performance. Free and open to public. Handicap Access • Cognitive Health

FEBRUARY 2016 PUCCINI ARIAS February 13, 2016 – 7:30pm / February 14, 2016 – 3:00pm Miller Symphony Hall Presented by Allentown Symphony Orchestra Puccini’s Greatest Hits performed by Allentown Symphony Orchestra. Projected subtitles. Handicap Access • Deaf & Hard of Hearing • Open Captioning FAMILY CONCERT – HEART AND SOUL: VOICES OF THE FUTURE February 28, 2016 Zoellner Arts Center 3:00pm Presented by The Bach Choir of Bethlehem / Mercy Learning Center Four fabulous youth choirs join The Bach Choir and Bach Festival Orchestra in a program of favorite choruses by Bach, Handel, and Randall Thompson. General Admission: $18, Students $7. Handicap Access • Cognitive Health

Montgomery County Community College To Host Chester County Art Association’s Invitational ‘Members Show’

Yellow Roof by Sherry McVickar

Floral by Monique Kendikian-Sarlessian

Black Cows by Heather Davis

Red by Favi Dubo

Pottstown, PA— Montgomery County Community College is pleased to host Chester County Art Association’s (CCAA) Invitational “Members Show” at its Fine Arts Gallery, North Hall, 16 High Street, Pottstown from Wednesday, Sept. 16, through Friday, Oct. 16.

A “Meet the Artists” reception is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 5-7 p.m. Both the exhibit and the reception are free and open to the community and are sponsored by Alice Legge Penza.

This exhibit features an array of artwork in a variety of media of more than 20 participating members, including:  Annette Alessi, Favi Dubo, Heather Davis, Karen Delaney, Jim Fitzgerald, Marcia Gasser, Joseph Hoover, Hugo Hsu, Rhoda Kahler, Monique Kendikian-Sarlessian, Emily Manko, Jeremy McGirl, George McMonigle, Sherry McVickar, Kathy Miller, Roe Murray, Wendy Scheirer, Don Shoffner, John Suplee, Eileen Tolan and Denise Vitollo. McVickar is the curator of the exhibit.

“The CCAA Members Invitational show at Montgomery County Community College includes a curated selection of CCAA artists. Within the show, visitors will witness tremendous artistic talent and focus, while viewing a range of materials and subject matter. The Chester County Art Association is proud to have these artists represent our organization, and we thank the Montgomery County Community College for this wonderful opportunity in their unique and beautiful venue,” said Karen Delaney, executive director of the CCAA.

CCAA’s roots extend back to 1931 when it was founded by several prominent artists and community leaders, including illustrators William Palmer Lear and N.C. Wyeth, and art critic Christian Brinton, according to CCAA’s website. The group met weekly in private homes to sketch and plan exhibits, and for several years, they held their exhibits at West Chester University.

In the early 1950s, area resident Mary E. Page Allinson donated an acre of land in West Chester, where CCAA’s present art center was built in 1953. With donations from resident WW “Chick” Laird and bequests from Stewart Huston and Alison Farmer Wescott, CCAA added four acres, a second gallery and several studios by 1974.

Since its founding, CCAA’s mission “is to be a source of inspiration, creativity, and community by connecting artists, students, patrons and the wider community to and through art.”  CCAA hosts several art-focused community programs, including summer day camps, classes for adults and children and scholarships for deserving youth, and it has a satellite location known as the Exton Square Studio. For more information about CCAA, visit http://www.chestercountyarts.org/.

MCCC’s gallery hours are Mon.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information about the exhibit or the gallery, contact MCCC Galleries Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.

For the more information about upcoming exhibits and activities, like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DestinationArts, and visit our website at http://mc3.edu/arts/fine-arts.

Help support the arts and art education programs at Montgomery County Community College by becoming a Friend of the Galleries. Donations are tax deductible. For more information, contact the College Foundation at 215-641-6530.

See Life Through Their Lens

“Nightfire” by John Rizzo

“Vineyards in Winter” by Mary Kosar

“Rusty Summer” by Carol Brightbill

POTTSTOWN, PA – ArtFusion 19464 is proud to announce a new all photography show opening in their main gallery. Shutter showcases the work of 20 local photographers, giving visitors a unique view of the world of each artist as seen through the lens of their camera. The show includes a wonderful diversity of style, from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and textural pieces that intrigue the eye and engage the mind.

Shutter will run through March 21 and can be viewed any time during regular hours. The ArtFusion gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday from 10am-3pm. They are closed Sunday and Monday.

ArtFusion invites the greater Pottstown community to a reception on Saturday, March 14 from 12-2pm. Light refreshments will be served. All receptions are free and open to the public. RSVPs to 610-326-2506 are appreciated.

Participating artists are George Abruzzo, Kristy Bell, Carol Brightbill, Melanie Franz, Lisa Foster, Bob Hakun, Crystal Haring, Joe Hoover, Mary Kosar, Sylvia Landis, Charles McCann, Pam McLean-Parker, Donna Meyers, Geoffrey Meyers, Beverly Nuzzo, Gwendolyn Parrish, Peter Rampson, John Rizzo, Richard Whittaker and Jacqueline O. Young.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

MCCC To Host ‘Color Blast’ Exhibit In Pottstown

“Winged Victory,” 2014, oil on linen, by Valley of Peace Burke.

Photo caption: “Dancing the Night Away,” acrylic, by Lois Schlachter.

Photo caption: “Dancing the Flamenco,” by Patricia Wilson-Schmid.

Pottstown, PA— Montgomery County Community College continues its 2014-2015 fine arts season with the exhibit “Color Blast,” which opens on Monday, Nov. 3, at the Fine Arts Gallery, North Hall, 16 High Street, Pottstown. A “Meet the Artists” reception is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 5-7 p.m. Both the exhibit, which continues through Dec. 12, and the reception are free and open to the community.

“Color Blast” features the vibrant artwork of three artists, who are brought together through this exhibit and their shared enthusiasm for color:  Valley of Peace Burke of Long Island, New York; Lois Schlachter of Spring Mount, Pennsylvania; and Patricia Wilson-Schmid of Lederach, Pennsylvania.

While color unites the exhibit, each artist has her own distinct style and personality, as reflected in the art.

Working as both an artist and a registered cardiac surgery intensive care nurse, Valley of Peace Burke reinterprets the visual elements of the medical world into an artistic expression that explores the interwoven relationship between body and spirit. She believes and portrays the body and mind as “sacred and whole.”

“Color is healing. It carries life and beauty into the world. I have spent most of my life near the sea and am influenced by the elements of nature. These elements are also internal, as the human body is a microcosm of the earth,” she says.

This multi-faceted artist has studied oil painting under Judy Dupic in France and has traveled and painted throughout England, Ireland, Italy, Mongolia and Spain. In addition to her nursing degree, she also is a master of oriental medicine and acupuncture physician. Her great-grandfather, Joseph A. Burke, was composer well-known to the Philadelphia area during the 1920s-40s, and his songs were recorded by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bing Crosby, among others. Valley is pleased to be exhibiting in the Philadelphia area where much of her family resides.

As an abstract artist, Lois Schlachter is in love “with the line, handsome vibrant color and a comfortable composition” and describes her work as simply “fun.” Working directly from her hand to the canvas, she lets her imagination direct her as playful and colorful images emerge.

“I feel that acrylic paint gives me the brilliant and intense color that I love,” she says. “I use color to navigate the viewer’s eye across the canvas providing an avenue to discover one fun spot after another.”

Schlachter is a graduate of The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and The University of the Arts, formerly Philadelphia College of Art.  She will be exhibiting approximately 40 acrylic works on canvas in a variety of sizes, all of which were created in the past 15 years.

For artist Patricia Wilson-Schmid, her style spans the range from representational to abstract, based upon her feelings when she views and interprets her subjects. Like her co-exhibitors, color profoundly impacts her work.

“As I paint from my emotions, the act of painting is who I am,” she says in her artist’s statement. “It is a line, a color, a shape, or an effect of light that inspires me. My spirit than directs me through the painting. Time embellishes my approach. In the end the paintings and I have traveled through much effort and feeling. Color is the vehicle by which I express my feelings. It is a part of who I am.”

Wilson-Schmid enjoys working in oil, watercolor, acrylic and pastels and has been painting since 1962. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and has taken post-graduate courses at Temple University, Lehigh University, Penn State University, Samuel S. Fleisher Art Institute and Montgomery County Community College. She has exhibited her work at various galleries and shows throughout the tri-state area, as well as in juried international online exhibitions hosted by Upstream People Gallery.

The show is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Mon.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information about the exhibit or the gallery, contact MCCC Galleries Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.

For the more information about upcoming exhibits and activities, like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DestinationArts, and visit our website at http://www.mc3.edu/arts/fine-arts.

Help support the arts and art education programs at Montgomery County Community College by becoming a Friend of the Galleries. Donations are tax deductible. For more information, contact the College Foundation at 215-641-6535.

Local Artist Featured In ArtFusion Solo Exhibit

Pottstown, PA –A Tribute to My Youth: The Artwork of Richardson Comly will run in ArtFusion’s main gallery from November 12 through November 30. Richardson is a local Pottstown artist and University of the Arts graduate with a BFA in animation. He mainly creates in acrylic paints but has also experimented with oil and watercolors. Richardson also likes to craft some of his own frames, and works with his stepdad, who is a carpenter by hobby, in creating them.

This show will feature original artwork that he created for the Weyerbacher Brewing Company select beer labels, classic pieces from his personal collection as well as all new artwork created just for his ArtFusion show. Richardson describes his artistic process: “My art is an expression of my subconscious. Almost every step of my creative process is left to ideas arriving by chance. I’ll do research on the painting’s subject and even sometimes create multiple thumbnails and sketches. These aren’t necessarily ideas that I will use for the painting, but more an exercise for my brain. Some artists sketch out their ideas, do their research, and reference their subject before starting a painting. I do it during. I become comfortable with what I am painting as I paint from background to foreground.”

ArtFusion will host an opening reception for this show on November 15 from 7-9pm. This free event is open to the public. Musicians Josh Jones (Univox) and Brandon Morsberger will be performing live.  Weyerbacher Brewing Company will host a beer pouring, and the Sunflower Truck Stop food truck will be parked in front of the ArtFusion building, open for business. Sunflower Truck Stop is a mobile cafe operated by Shorty’s Sunflower Cafe, a local Pottstown institution. Complimentary wine and light refreshment will be served in the gallery. The artist will also be on hand to answer questions about his work. RSVPs to 610-326-2506 are appreciated.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

ArtFusion 19464 Seeking Donations Of Military Uniforms For Exhibit

Pottstown, PA –  ArtFusion is in need of old military uniforms for an upcoming educational art exhibit. The uniforms will be used in an amazing interactive art project with local veterans.  They are able to use any size, condition or clothing item you may have (pants, shirts, etc.).  We are specifically looking for Vietnam era uniforms but will accept all types from any era.  Uniforms can be dropped off at their 254 E. High St. location during regular business hours: Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown.  The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages.  The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence.  ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists.  The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm.  The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

New Gallery Opening On First Friday In Downtown Lancaster

Northumberland County couple hang shingle on Water Street

They were only supposed to be visiting for the day.

In early June, Jody and Cheryl Fallon came to Lancaster to see a friend’s art exhibit on Gallery Row.

The Fallons, married artists who live about two hours north of Lancaster, walked around town and wound up in a gallery on Water Street.

They noticed the space next door was vacant and learned it was for rent. They looked at each other, Jody Fallon recalled, and an idea formed.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/696570_New-gallery-opening-First-Friday.html#ixzz227PgVsv7