Arts
September exhibits at Silvermine: a reflection of human nature
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Sep 8, 2010 - 1:02 AM

“Obscura” by Windsor, CT artist, Ann Hodgon-Cyr

The exhibits opening at the Silvermine Guild Arts Center, located in New Canaan, CT, on September 26 reflect the nature of the human condition as seen through the eyes of the artists... from private places of refuge to archetypal hero. Running through November 5th, the show will feature new works by Silvermine Guild Artist members Ann Hodgdon-Cyr, Elizabeth Back, Gail Lee and Michael Manning. All are invited to the opening reception on Sunday September 26th from2pm to 4pm.

“At one time or another in life, we each must seek a place of shelter, of peace. Whether it is a physical place of comfort or a mental escape, we need to find our refuge” says artist Ann Hodgdon-Cyr. Using the camera as her paint brush “Refuge” reflects the artist’s concept of refuge where the images speak to her mind and heart representing the human condition. “I have been greatly influenced by Imogen Cunningham, (a major photographer of the last century) especially her images of fragments of the body and her use of light and shadow.” For Ms. Hodgdon-Cyr, the face reveals or hides the inner person; the body strips everything down to basics, the surface of the flesh, the forms created by the muscles and bones. The basic forms act as a metaphor for human survival as the artist works with dark and light, gritty textures and fragmented body imagery to paint the raw tenor of her images.

A resident of Windsor, CT, Ann Hodgon-Cyr went to the University of Hartford Art School and studied at the Woodstock School of Photography. She has received many awards including the Merit Award from COLOR magazine, Juror’s Award and Top Award for Photography from the New Britain Museum of Art and Best in Show from the Essex Art Gallery. She has exhibited in Galleries in both Connecticut and New York, and has participated in many juried shows and exhibitions in the New England area.

In Elizabeth Back’s exhibit, “Visceral Structures,” there is an exploration of growth and decomposition incorporating two- and three-dimensional mixed media pieces which seek to transcend the traditional constraints of the exhibition space. Some shapes recall oceanic polyps or specimen slides blown up to an inflated scale. The exhibit in itself is a contradiction: the artist uses natural materials to create hidden zoological matter. Beeswax, clay, seaweed, oil paint, paper, wood and metal transforms the space into an investigation of the subtlety of simple life forms and the rich worlds that lie beyond the range of human vision. According to Ms. Back, “The viewer will not know if they are viewing a cluster of microscopic life forms or the guts removed from a large and exotic animal. As a group, these pieces suggest the intersection of the microbiological and the exaggerated.”

“Microscopy” by Elizabeth Back from Norwalk

From Norwalk, CT, Elizabeth Back was introduced to encaustics after she completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the school of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Since her first public show in New York City, Elizabeth has gone on to exhibit in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. She became a Silvermine Guild Artist member in 2006 and is also a member of the Sediment Art collective based in Washougal, Washington. Her work was featured in the 2008 publication “Embracing Encaustics: Learning to Paint with Beeswax.”

“Back to a Place I Never Left” by Pound Ridge, NY artist, Gail Lee

The show by Pound Ridge, NY artist Gail Lee, “Back to a Place I Never Left,” is about memories, abandonment, and the passage of time. The exhibit is a combination of abstract works using a variety of media which expresses the artist’s emotions and feelings; with the more literal pieces dealing with specific times and places, such as the place where she grew up. About her work, Gail Lee says “I have been working on a series of pieces that combine my experience in graphic design, photography, printmaking and painting. My objective is to create exciting visual works on subjects that are meaningful to me, often pieces that are relevant to past and current times and issues. My hope is that seeing my work will cause the viewer to reflect on their own past and see beauty, even in abandonment and the passage of time.”

Gail Lee graduated from the University of Georgia with a BS in Fine Arts. She has worked as a graphic designer, a potter and a professional photographer. A Silvermine Guild Artist member since 2005, she has exhibited in numerous juried and one-person shows in the Northeast.

“The Light Bulb” by Michael Manning from Montclair, NJ

Throughout his life, Michael Manning has been drawn to the stories found in mythology and religion, questioning the meaning and purpose behind them and the messages being imparted. His paintings began to use stories within mythology, along with his perspective of right and wrong, as a framework to address current issues faced by society. “Everyday Hero” is an exhibit of new paintings by Mr. Manning focusing on a central archetypal hero figure using the traditional hero pattern as the starting point. With the hero pattern as background, the traditional deeds and adventures of the hero are substituted with events found in everyday life, from the artists’ point of view. The end results are narrative paintings that use allegorical images to show everyday events as equivalent to the actions of a classic mythological hero. “While my use of mythology has been vital, my current work has established a more immediate relevance. I see the new work as a kind of new mythology – new stories, commenting on new issues. These stories have been constructed from my individual point of view, but with universal significance and meaning.”

Residing in Montclair, NJ, Michael Manning earned his BFA from the Philadelphia College of Art. He has had solo exhibitions in Connecticut, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as selected group exhibitions. He is associated with “Sixhand painting,” an international group of artists working together on collaborative abstract paintings. The group works and exhibits in Germany, Italy and the United States, working together on each painting.

For more information call 203-966-9700 ext. 20 or visit our website at www.silvermineart.org.


About Silvermine Guild Arts Center

Silvermine Guild Arts Center located in New Canaan, Connecticut is one of the oldest artist communities in the United States. Located on a four acre campus, the center is comprised of a nationally renowned artist guild, award winning school of art, offering multi-disciplinary art classes for ages 2 to 92, a gift shop and galleries offering over twenty contemporary and historic exhibitions annually. The center also provides innovative arts education in Norwalk and Stamford schools through its outreach program, Art Partners, and hosts a lecture series and special programs throughout the year. Silvermine Guild Arts Center is a nonprofit organization.

Silvermine Guild Arts Center Mission

Grounded in the belief that art is vital to the spirit, creativity and wholeness of human beings, the mission of Silvermine Guild Arts Center is to cultivate, promote and encourage growth through the arts; to showcase and serve artists; and to foster arts education and appreciation opportunities for the greater community.

New Gallery Hours: Silvermine Galleries are open Wednesday through Saturday, 12p.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1pm to 5 p.m. For more information, call (203) 966-9700 ext. 20or visit the website: www.silvermineart.org.


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