On Tuesday, “06880” culture correspondent Robin Moyer Chung checked out the Artists Collective of Westport winter exhibit, at the Westport Country Playhouse barn. All works are 12″x12″ — and all are for sale. She reports:
This time of year is always stuffed with craft sales, pop-ups and gift guides. The Artists Collective’s is one of many.
Yet unlike many of these shopping events, this exhibit has a soul.
With a nod to consumerism, all of the paintings are portable, at one square foot, and at affordable price points.
(Artist/Tammy Winser)
The unintended and interesting consequence of this democracy is that it allowed me to consider the uniqueness and substance of each work, rather than thinking, gift-wise, of its size and practicality.
Which doesn’t mean I think all of them are great. I don’t. A couple of pricier ones feel as though the artist expects us to be grateful for the opportunity to own a toenail clipping from their body of work. Yeah, no.
But these don’t detract from those truly effective in their narrative and worth.
“Celebration” by Lynn U. Miller, with her studied and swirly swoops of ribbons and confetti, is so optimistic and energetic that I stepped in close to see the brushstrokes and markings.
“Celebration” (Lynn U. Miller)
Looking at Ken Runkel’s “Honey, Come Quick, There’s A Spider In the Tub!” I laughed out loud, both for its masterful, humorous nightmare of an arachnid, and because it was painted by a man — and we all know that men should be our protectors against all things spidery and rodent.
Virgina Zimmerman’s “Twilight – Mykonos, Greece” is a quiet, sturdy homage to a near-mythic island that now crawls with tourists. She somehow blends the island’s notorious color scheme — bright white and bright blue — into a serene palette.
“Ruby and Amethyst,” with artist Mary Harold
,In “Sun Solstice,” Jennifer Wyman made the photo of a colorful dahlia on a sunny day into a sepia print, focusing not on the blossom’s beauty but on a drama and resoluteness belying its ephemerality.
There are other stories — one artist’s canvas honors her journey when 11 people in her life passed away within several months of each other. Another artist stumbled onto a local-sh store window displaying 2 dolls, compelling her to stop and photograph them because they were “so creepy.” (And it is. Was. Hopefully the dolls have been removed.)
(The Artists Collective of Westport exhibit runs through December 21, at the Westport Country Playhouse barn. Gallery hours are noon to 4 p.m.)
Part of the whimsy of the exhibit: This is not a work of art. It’s the actual HVAC system for the Playhouse barn. (All photos/Robin Moyer Chung)
Impressive
Robin, thank you for the shout-out about my ‘based-on-real-life’ illustration “Honey Come Quick…There’s a Spider in The Tub.” You obviously have a discerning eye as well as a keen sense of humor!
Thanks for a great story Robin!
I’m not sure about the comment about the “pricier” ones… if an artist spent a great deal of time and effort on a piece, should they not charge what they believe it to be worth?
Nancy, thank you for your comment. I only refer to a couple of outliers which happened to be pricier than most. I’ve long been a fan of your art and anyone who sees it can recognize your exactitude, imagination, whimsy, and skill. Your piece in this exhibit is well worth it’s price.
Fun 12×12 art exhibit showcasing so many talented artists!!
Also- Interesting talking to Mr Runkel and Ms Bowman who are two of the participating artists.