Wild, Wonderful at Art Center
All things wild and wonderful are on display this month for the annual Nature & Wildlife Art Exhibit in the Rittelmann Gallery at The Art Center, 344 S. Main St.
The exhibit opens with a reception at 7 p.m. Friday.
The art show boasts more than 70 pieces in a variety of disciplines, such as oil painting, acrylics, watercolor, metal and wood sculpture, photography, digital, silver prints and mixed media art. Most of the works are for sale and range in price from $40 to $2,300.
Not to be missed is a large water color painting entitled "Lion," by Harmony artist Bill Perry. The unique color choices give this lion a fabulous depth with eyes that are simply mesmerizing.
The exhibit also showcases a variety of sculptures.
"The main exhibit this year features an unusually wide variety of entries, ranging from traditional oil paintings to some very unique pieces of sculpture made of recycled objects, which seems to be a trend," said AABC President Paul Scanlon.
"Knoch High School art instructor Doug Kamer's 'Fork-upine,' a larger-than-life sculpture created with recycled tack-welded silver forks and spoons is sure to be a crowd pleaser, and Haley McKinney's wooden stick sculpture is amazing in its detail, grace, form, and creativity."
Over in the Mezzanine Gallery, 30 oil paintings by Butler artist Marianne Krainz will be featured. Her work includes conventional landscape pieces as well as a collection of miniature oil paintings and highly detailed painted eggs.
"Meri," as she is known, is primarily a self-taught artist who began by watching Bob Ross paint on his television show.
"I took group instructions from Mr. Harry Hickman and Mr. Glenn Garry Stovack, who both encouraged me to 'do my own thing,'" Krainz said.
Showing in the Member's Gallery will be a tribute in memory of Robert "Bob" Sutton. The exhibit is courtesy of his granddaughter Sarah Sutton and shows off his intricate wood marquetry art, featuring nature themes. The technique utilizes different hues and shades of thin strips wood to create a colorful and textured looking work.
Opening night will also see a woodturning demonstration by well-known Sarver artist Linda Van Gehuchten.
She has been active with Turners Anonymous of Pittsburgh and Indiana County Woodturners and has served on the board of directors of the American Association of Woodturners. She also belongs to the Craftman's Guild of Pittsburgh and the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh.
Gehuchten has demonstrated in the United States, Mexico and Venezuela for both local clubs and national organizations.
She will demonstrate how to "turn" a bowl from wood and will debut some of the projects she plans to teach in a class at The Art Center. She will be turning the vessel out of cherry using bowl and spindle gouges and, to add surface treatment, a texturing spiral tool.Admission to the reception is free and light refreshments will be served.The juried show will be judged by Stuart Thompson, professor of art emeritus and former chairman of the art department at Seton Hill University in Greensburg.A former captain in the Navy, Thompson received a bachelor of science degree in art education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, holds a master of science degree in art education from Penn State University, and also received a doctoral degree in philosophy and art education from PSU.He was awarded the Pennsylvania Higher Education Outstanding Art Educator for 1989 by the Pennsylvania Art Education Association, the 1995 Art Achievement Award from Edinboro University, and the 2003 CASE Professor of the Year, Seton Hill University.Awards for the Nature & Wildlife Art Exhibit include Best of Show ($250 cash prize), second place overall ($150 cash prize), third place overall ($100 cash prize) and first, second, third and honorable mention winners for each category of art.Admission to The Art Center is free. More information is available by calling 724-283-6922 or visiting the Web site www.butlerartcenter.net.
<B>WHO: </B>Associated Artists of Butler County<B>WHAT: </B>Nature & Wildlife Art Exhibit<B>WHEN: </B>Opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. Gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 9 p.m. Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.<B>WHERE: </B>The Art Center 344 S. Main St.<B>INFORMATION: </B>724-283-6922 or www.butlerartcenter.net
