Chris Curtis A Storm on Jupiter	Art critic Ric Kador discussing the works of Paula McCullough

may 4, 18 & 25th, 2007

A series of three evenings featuring speakers and smaller-scaled exhibitions.

The West Branch Gallery & Sculpture Park is proud to present Three Fridays in May, a series of exhibitions with guest speakers. With innovative artwork and stimulating commentary packed into a fast-paced format, this series explores the connection between the aesthetic and the intellectual with the belief that greater understanding of art yields greater enjoyment. Join us as we involve artists, analysts, and audience in digging deeper into the meaning and pleasure of the arts.

Friday, May 4th an exhibit of works by stone sculptor Chris Curtis and master woodworker Nori Morimoto presents sculptures as “Objects of Contemplation,’ the subject of Nancy Dwyer’s comments. Nancy Dwyer, an internationally known sculptor and assistant professor of sculpture at the University of Vermont, believes sculptural objects return to the viewer the aesthetic and intellectual energy that accompanies their creation. This is especially true of the sculptures of Curtis and Morimoto, which share a minimal Asian aesthetic that joins principles of balance, simplicity, and harmony into modern forms.

Friday, May 18th the gallery will feature works by Giovanna Cecchetti, Judith Stone and Paula McCullough, three artists combining traditional and new media in their works. Cecchetti incorporates digital processes and oil and acrylic painting in her works, while Judith Stone collages tightly executed drawings with photographs and tinted plexiglass. Paula McCullough creates assemblages of photography, reclaimed metal objects, and puzzle pieces that push the boundaries of two-dimensional and sculptural paradigms. Ric Kasini Kadour, Vermont Editor of Art New England, will examine these artists’ works as harbingers of a new way of working- a hybrid of traditional and new methods. Kadour suggests that these artists are uniquely collectible because their art forms are developing in response to our increasingly computerized era.

Friday, May 25th an exhibition of the works of Galen Cheney will open. Cheney’s canvases employ paint, asphalt and aluminum to achieve a surface that is as richly textured as it is boldly colorful. Ruth Erickson, curator of the Firehouse Gallery in Burlington, Vermont, will delve into the emotional energy that Cheney’s method and palette elicit in the viewer. Erickson places Cheney in the venerable tradition of Abstract Expressionism while drawing out themes particular to Cheney’s work. Erickson will examine the artist’s role in times of war and the power of art to form connections in divisive times.

DETAILS: The gallery is located at 17 Towne Farm Lane, right off the Mountain Road in Stowe, Vermont. All are invited to these evening discussions, which are free and open to the public. The dates for this event are May 4th, 18th, and 25th, with each exhibit running for a week following the opening. Receptions begin at 6 pm, with comments from 6:45-7:00 and a question and answer period following. Refreshments and conversation will follow. For more information, contact Amy Rahn at 802.253.8943.