Artist Member Spotlight: Joe Burger

Joe Burger is a self-described newcomer to the art world. He began his foray as an artist with colored pencil and has branched out into watercolor. Joe has shown his artwork in Arts Center East’s Animalia Exhibit and the 8^th Annual ACE Artist Members Exhibit, as well as other exhibits around Connecticut and Massachusetts. His artwork is not limited to any particular subject, but his time spent working in drafting and aerospace is often evident.

As a child, Joe dreamed of being a pilot and enjoyed drawing airplanes. “Before I was 15 I had painted 4 large aircraft o the basement walls. But I had zero interest in formal art theory or history.” When he grew older, Joe used his talents working as an engineer at Hamilton Standard. “I worked as a designer ‘on the boards,’ as they say, doing layout drawing and analyses for turbo machinery such as jet engine starters and cabin air conditioning and pressurization systems. It was natural for me.” Joe later moved on to work in nuclear power, but clearly never lost his artistic eye.

Joe is building his community in the art world through teaching and friendship. “I am grateful to local artists for all they have taught me and for their friendship: Doug Gillette, Robert O’Brien, and most importantly, my all-time favorite watercolorist, Art Scholz. Another recent impressionistic watercolorist is instructor Allan James of Deep River CT. I am hoping to move a bit in the impressionistic direction in future works.”

In his current work, Joe sometimes works from photos for reference, but often just creates the composition himself. “I am not limited to any particular subject, although I leave the floral work to others. Still life compositions are not my favorite either. Often I like to imply a story in my work.” Joe’s Holding Traffic, for instance, conveys a particularly amusing story to viewers. It’s this penchant for story telling that has made Joe’s works so popular, and, in some cases, quick to sell. Although, Joe may be the first to be critical of his own work. “I try to follow the basic rules of good composition. But I have my stack of failed paintings.” Joe’s paintings are some of the favorites among the ACE Artist Members, and we look forward to seeing what story he tells next.

More of Joe’s work can be seen on his website. joseph-burger.pixels.com

10/30/2019

October Exhibit Openings

It’s All Fun and Games
Marvin Bachner: An Artist’s Retrospective

Two new exhibits opened at Arts Center East on Sunday, October 27. It’s All Fun and Games is one of ACE’s most eclectic juried exhibits. The exhibit features over fifty selected pieces, ranging from sculpture to photography to oil painting and clay work. Each piece uniquely celebrates fun, humor, nostalgia, or games, with, perhaps, a pinch of irony for good measure.

Gene Suponski

Randall Nelson

Scott Rhoades

Karen Suponski

Award Winners

1^st Place: No Place Like Home, pastel, by Karen Suponski
2^nd Place: Summer Trouble, sculpture, by Randall Nelson
3^rd Place: Bonding Day, acrylic, by Bernard Duffy
Honorable Mention:  Falling to Pieces, acrylic, by Scott Rhoades
Honorable Mention: Day Sailing, photography, by Gene Suponski

Congratulations, artists!

It’s All Fun and Games is sponsored by Jerry’s West Hartford, Gamblin, and The Battle Standard LLC.

Thanks to our exhibit jurors, Tao Chen and Steve Hamlin.

Marvin Bachner: An Artist’s Retrospective opened in the Eureka Gallery at Arts Center East, also on Sunday October 27. The exhibit features work spanning the career of Marvin Bachner and includes both painting and sculpture.

Marvin Bachner with family

Says Bachner of his work, “upon my retirement, I thrust my whole self into creating art. My approach as been an experimentation with unusual materials such as circuit boards, styrofoam, and various other materials, to create relief sculpture. I also work with traditional materials, oils, watercolors, pastels, and acrylics.”

Both exhibits are on display at Arts Center East, Thursday–Sunday, 1:00–5:00pm, through November 24.

10/23/2019

Artist Member Spotlight: Tom Ouellette

Tom Ouellette is photographer, long-time ACE Artist Member, and newly an ACE Signature Artist Member. Tom has been involved with Arts Center East, in one capacity or another, since its inception. His work has been included in all of ACE’s past Photography and ACE Artist Member exhibits.

For Tom, photography has been a lifelong hobby. But it was while Tom was a student that he began to consider photography more seriously. “I was inspired to take a more professional approach to photography by a high school Humanities teacher and photographer.” Since then, he has turned his passion into something more. “Over the past 10 years I have developed a small business selling photographs, cards, calendars, and other gifts at craft fairs, farmers markets, and gift shops.”

Tom took his personal business experience and put it to work at Arts Center East. He worked with other volunteers to establish the gift shop, which has continued to grow over the years, and will soon be undergoing renovations. Tom also helped start the ACE Annual Holiday Fair. The growth in size and popularity of the Holiday Fair is much to Tom’s credit.

In his own work, Tom prefers both natural subjects and a natural approach to the photography process. He shoots, prints, mats, and frames his photos himself, and uses little to no digital enhancement or manipulation of the images he captures.

Before retiring, Tom worked as a Senior Environmental Analyst at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Office of Long Island Sound Programs. A biologist and self-proclaimed birder, Tom enjoys photographing coastal scenery and farms throughout New England. “I photograph birds in coastal habitats and wildlife preserves. I have also photographed landscapes and wildlife throughout the U.S. (Arizona and New Mexico are particular favorites) and in Canada, Iceland, Ireland and Scotland. I am intrigued by barns, lighthouses and other structural artifacts of society, and I try to capture those images from unique perspectives. I strive to show artistic elements in my landscape photos.” One of his perhaps most striking and distinctly New England photographs is Winter Wind taken in Great Barrington, MA.

When asked if Tom has a preferred subject or location, he replied, “I always have my camera with me and look for the subjects wherever I am.”

You can see more of Tom’s work on his website.

10/11/2019

Take Note! Benefit Concert

The galleries were packed Sunday, October 6 for the Take Note! concert. The acclaimed a cappella group performed to a captive audience, all in support of Arts Center East’s new ceramics program. Take Note! performed arrangements of popular songs like “And So It Goes” by Billy Joel and “Blue Moon” by Rodgers and Hart, as well as a song written for the group by Krisanthi Pappas, “Raising Voices.” Concert goers were delighted with the program and the impeccable performance.

Take Note! is a 20-voice group, under the direction of Linda Tracy, and is comprised of select, talented local singers from diverse backgrounds. A nonprofit organization based in Mansfield, the group performs without charge for the benefit of other local non-profit organizations. The Take Note! mission statement speaks to the spirit of the group: “Through performances in support of charitable endeavors, we are raising voices, raising spirits, raising hope.”

Thanks to generous support from concert goers, we raised over $600.00 for the new ceramics program at Arts Center East!

09/24/2019

Dionysus Theatre Company Brings Detroit ’67 to Rockville High School

After a successful run of shows at Arts Center East, Gabbi Mendelssohn and Dionysus Theatre Company (DTC) are bringing their production of Detroit ’67 to Rockville High School. The show will be performed during the school day, Friday, September 27 for the 11^th grade class. The 11^th grade curriculum typically includes the acclaimed play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Both A Raisin in the Sun and Detroit ’67 tell stories of black families in 1950’s and 1960’s America, respectively, trying to achieve the American Dream, and confronting ideas of who has access to achieve that dream. A Raisin in the Sun is one of Gabbi’s favorite plays, and one she considered producing for DTC, but instead she chose Detroit ’67, after seeing a production at Hartford Stage. “After seeing the show,” Gabbi said, “I just wanted to take it in and process it and spend time with these characters.” Like A Raisin in the Sun, Detroit ’67 is a story centered on family relationships.

Set in 1967 Detroit, sister and brother, Chelle and Lank, have reinstituted their make-shift after-hours joint in their house on Twelfth Street, with all the hottest music of the day: The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Miracles, Martha and the Vandellas. Chelle and her brother are offering some distraction and good time, “just trying to make a lil’ money the best way we know how” (Morriseau. Detroit ’67, Samuel French, 2014, p.16). Of course, the after-hours joint is not exactly legal, and the city cops have been cracking down. But Lank wants more for himself and his family. “I’m tired of […] runnin’ joints outta my basement like I got somethin’ to hide. Like the only way I can be somethin’ is underground. I’m ready to be above ground just like them white folks. Ain’t no tellin’ what Detroit could be if we was all put to good use” (Morriseau. Detroit ’67, Samuel French, 2014, p.19-20). So Lank and his friend Sly have a plan for a new joint. But “The Big Four” have been targeting the Twelfth Street Neighborhood, and things are about to come to blows. Detroit ’67 is the first of three plays written by Morisseau, each depicting a different era in Detroit’s history (the other two are Paradise Blue, and Skeleton Crew).

“It goes without saying that Detroit ’67 is still super relevant today,” said Gabbi. “We still live in a world struggling with prejudices and inequality, but ultimately this play is a message of perseverance and hope despite the moments when the world is against you.” The play is emotionally charged, both for the actors and the audience. In light of this, the Sunday matinee performances at Arts Center East included a talk-back between the audience and cast and crew after the show. It’s this openness to engagement and discussion that Gabbi wants to bring to the high school audience as well. Prior to the performance, students will be given some background and historical context for the show. Afterwards, moderated by Arts Center East board member Joao Goncalves, students will be invited to reflect on what they’ve seen and ask the actors more about their characters and their experience with the play. “Detroit ’67 initiates a lot of dialogue and debate. It tackles issues around racism, white privilege, police brutality, riots, protests and rebellion Each of these topics are still very relevant today,” said Joao. “I am hoping the students will feel open to talk about the issues that the play raises and that they benefit from the dialogue.”

The RHS production will be staged in a way that is similar to DTC theatergoers. While the RHS auditorium has a capacity of approximately 800 audience members, this production will have a more intimate setting. Students will be seated on stage with the actors, similar to the stage set up at Arts Center East. This creates a more personal and immediate atmosphere for both the actors and audience, and also makes it easier to facilitate the closing discussion.

Beyond the message of the play itself, Gabbi hopes bringing the production to the high school will enhance the students’ experience with the material. While Rockville Highschool has a racially diverse population, “students don’t always see themselves on stage,” said Gabbi. “Each actor has a connection with their character,” commented Joao. “They have real life experiences that they bring to the stage.” This production will bring something different to the students, beyond just the words on the page.