Art Live: CCAA re-opening

Posted by Constance McBride on May 4, 2021

Gregory Blue Studio

Exciting news about Chester County Art Association’s (CCAA) re-opening was announced in March, and now the time is near. CCAA will open its doors just in time for Mother’s Day with an exhibition titled “VIEW” featuring the artists of the Chesco Studio Tour. County Studio Tour (CST) has partnered with CCAA to connect with all the patrons of Chester County before the tour. The opening is an opportunity for supporters and collectors to peruse all of the artists’ work in one place, prior to the tour weekend. The exhibition will be on display for the month, including the actual tour dates of May 15^th and 16^th. A live reception will be held on Thursday, May 6^th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. In addition, the gift shop, a favorite pit stop between CCAA’s two galleries, is open now too. Hours are weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday’s from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

“VIEW” gives patrons a chance to think about who they will choose as their favorite artist on the tour. Local businesses joined forces with CST to create “County Cash.” One vote cast is an entry to the raffle which generates a chance to win $100 worth of County Cash to use for a purchase. The artist with the most votes will win $500.00. It’s a fun highlight of the tour. Visit here to cast your vote. The CST encompasses a lot of towns proving just how many artists are creating work in Chester County. To name a few, artists in Exton include Saurabh Oza (Studio #26) an abstract painter who is hosting jeweler Leslie Clearwater and another jeweler, Nilanjan Bhowmik (Studio #27), who says this about his unique works, “Beautiful bygones attract me and fuel me to create artistic expressions that get a new life.” In Phoenixville, Teresa Haag (Studio #5) and Siobhan Bedford (Studio # 6) are opening their doors and in West Chester, painter Terri Elliott and ceramicist Susan Bankert will be at landscape painter Gregory Blue’s (Studio #44). Rachel Romano (Studio #23) is excited about hosting at her new studio in Coatesville. On board with Romano are Jill Beech with new mixed media pieces, Annie Patrizi with her fun bird paintings applied to antique boxes, and glass artist Steven Schaefer.

Sunrise on the Sahara Remembered by Linda Dubin Garfield at DVAA

In Philadelphia art news, Da Vinci Art Alliance is hosting Linda Dubin Garfield this month with a solo exhibition titled “Footprints: Travel Landscapes.” Garfield has spent decades creating mixed media collages inspired by her travels to 37 countries on every continent. In a typical year, she travels during the summer and creates works using the impressions left by the landscapes and cultures upon her return home. But as the pandemic swept the globe, Dubin Garfield was forced to cancel her plans only to spend time reminiscing about past travels. The show is comprised of a series of mixed media works on paper inspired by her past experiences. It’s an appealing concept. Dubin Garfield said, “Usually I travel and use my impressions of what I just saw and felt to inspire a new series of works on paper. Since 2020 did not allow travel, I relied on what remained in my mind’s eye to create mixed media works on paper from memories and impressions.

Travel to all seven continents and lots of time in the studio helped me create ninety 12" by 12” mixed media works, some of which will be included in my solo exhibition.” A live, Covid-19 safe opening and birthday party is scheduled for May 13^th and, in lieu of gifts, the artist is asking people to donate to a charity that relates to her art theme. This year the charity is “Women in Leadership” (WIL) which invests in underserved women globally who take the lead in becoming self-sufficient, elevating their families and their communities. Visit here to see the exhibition and for more information about WIL visit here. For more about Dubin Garfield, visit here. Also in Philly, “New Grit: Art & Philly Now” opens on Friday, May 7^th in the new contemporary galleries at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA). After years of planning and a massive reconstruction, the PMA is putting on a extensive show featuring 25 artists with ties to the city.

Another event worth checking out is at PAFA, join VP of Public Education, Monica Zimmerman, on Mother’s Day for a special tour of a collection highlighting the many manifestations of motherhood. Register to attend here.

Closer to home, the Yellow Springs Art Show is on view now through May 23^rd. The month-long show can be viewed in person or online here.

Whatever you do this week, support the arts!!

About Constance McBride

A native of Philadelphia, Constance McBride lived in Arizona for 16 years, where desert observations made a transformative impact on her work as a research based visual artist. Passionate about contemporary art, she was actively engaged in the local arts community. She served as a board member for several art organizations, managed an artist collective/gallery space, curated and juried several exhibitions and wrote for two arts publications in Phoenix. She taught ceramics at Shemer Art Center and Museum and exhibited her work both locally and nationally. McBride returned to Pennsylvania in 2018 and resides in Chester Springs with her husband and two dogs. In West Chester, she serves as a board member at The Art Trust Gallery at Meridian Bank and teaches ceramics at Chester County Art Association. She also teaches at Clay on Main in Oley, PA. She is a member of American Craft Council, Philadelphia Sculptors, and Women’s Caucus for Art, Philadelphia Chapter.