Art Watch: Chroma and Contrast

Posted by Lele Galer on April 12, 2016

VIncent's Boots by Jeanne Gunther

This Saturday, April 16th "Chroma and Contrast" opens at Beauty Gallery in Newtown Square, featuring brightly colored juried art selections from members of the Delaware Valley Art League (DVAL). Beauty Gallery is located at 3857 Providence Road in Newtown Square and offers an ever-changing permanent gallery as well as an exhibition space for a hand full of themed exhibitions every year. Swing by Beauty Gallery anytime through May 19th, or come for the opening reception this Saturday from 4-8 p.m. and vote on your favorite piece from the show for the "People's Choice Award.".

Juried art awards include the Juror's Award for Excellence to "Under the Surface" by Cheryl Schlenker, and DVAL's Leo Weisz Memorial Award for "Far and Away" by Laurie Lamont Murray. There are so many beautiful, reasonably priced paintings at this show that it will be hard to choose which one that you like the most. Be sure to look at the award winning abstract work by Denise Sedor, and the whimsical, soft charcoal scenes of outgoing DVAL President Jeanne Gunther.

Trudy Campbell's abstract painting entitled "Tuna, Sardines, Gulls and Gannets" offers mad dashes and splashes of gorgeous Spring color, guaranteed to make you forget this past week's grey mixture of snow and rain.

Tuna, Sardines, Gulls and Gannets by Trudy Campbell

If you are an artist, and you are looking for an interesting art group to join, you should consider Delaware Valley Art League. I joined DVAL two years ago to take advantage of their long list of monthly art show venues, but they offer so much more than that to their members! The Delaware Valley Art League has been around since 1947, and currently has almost 300 members.

They meet monthly at the spacious Paoli Presbyterian Church in Paoli. The members come from Chester County, Delaware Valley and Montgomery Counties for the most part, and are in the above 55 age range. At every monthly meeting, members have an opportunity to submit artwork for a juried show, attend a short meeting, witness an art demonstration and sign up for an art workshop. Meetings are very well attended, and the atmosphere is always very friendly and welcoming.

This past week, the art demonstration was lead by the enthusiastic and delightful abstract painter Jane Miluski. She showed the DVAL artists her technique to pull water color in broad washes to create abstract vistas. Her dialogue was so charming and unaffected, and her brushwork so intuitive, I am sure that she encouraged everyone in the room to try out her style!

I had an opportunity to interview the outgoing DVAL President, and artist, Jeanne Gunther, who has been president for 4 years. I asked her what she felt was most unique about DVAL, and she said " Of course I always like to focus on the talent of this group which, despite its diversity, is huge. DVAL offers its members opportunities not only to exhibit and sell their work throughout the year but to share ideas, methods with other professional artists through its monthly meetings and workshops. Friendships develop which is very special considering that most artists spend a great deal of their time alone in their studios."

Gunther has been working primarily in charcoal for the past years, but her degree from Tyler School of Art was in painting. The new DVAL President will be artist Jeanne Marston, and they have a lot planned for the year ahead. Gunther adds, "More and more of our members are getting involved with plein air painting and so our new special exhibitions chair, Bruce Poulterer is lining up appropriate events.

DVAL is also bringing back its annual art sale. Details are still being worked out but we hope to be ready by this Fall." For more information about DVAL and DVAL membership, go to www.delawarevalleyartleague.com.

Many DVAL artists entered the "Drawn From Nature" show at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove, which is open to public viewing through April 24th. This show is the 10th annual juried art show for the Audubon Center, offering more than $2000 in award money for the artists and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the way nature can inspire artistic creativity. Go to www.valleyforgeaudubon.org events for more information on this lovely exhibition. What a perfect place to spend a leisurely weekend with your family.

"The Trashy Women" will be showing at the Art Gallery at Wilson Vineyard this Saturday from 12 to 6p.m. Their up-cycled, recycled, re-imagined artworks illustrate "how one person's trash can be another person's art!" Have a glass of wine, enjoy some charming company and see some wonderful art! The Wilson Gallery is located at 4374 Forge Road in Notttingham

Up-cycled art and artifacts are also showing all month long with artist Marc Buckwalter at Ten Gallon Hat Winery in Chadds Ford and artist Jen Harley at Kreutz Creek Vineyards in West Chester and West Grove. Galer Estate Winery in Kennett Square hosts artist friends Abigail Patterson and Margaret Hershey for a pop up show on Sunday April 17th from 3 to 7 p.m. Spring, sunshine, wine and art combine to make a great April weekend!

About Lele Galer

Lele Galer is an artist who has chaired numerous art shows, taught art history and studio art, public art and has chaired, written and taught the Art in Action Art Appreciation series for the UCFD schools for the past 12 years. She worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and wrote for the Associated Press in Rome. She has been dedicated to Art History and art education for most of her adult life. Lele and her husband Brad own Galer Estate Winery in Kennett Square.