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SPECTRUM: EXHIBITING ARTISTS

Courtney Alan My work investigates memory and perception through colorful abstract paintings. Bright colors create a lyrical rhythm that reflects patterns of thought, expresses an expansion and relief and comments on our ever changing perceptions. I am inspired by an inclination to connect with light in nature and the dynamic interactions of colors and life-bearing forms that offer hope. My visual vocabulary echoes feminine curves and flora inviting the viewer to approach the canvas where they are.
Joyce Andersen As the world emerges from the pandemic haze, it invites us to see things in a new light.  Each image I offer here is an every day occurrence seen through a lens of renewal and refresh.
Lynne Arovas Mixed media/collage is a very forgiving medium, which is in part why I relate and enjoy the process.  There is always the possibility to change — recreate.
Sarah Balcombe A complex relationship to the environment and an interest in displacement and memory has dominated my art. Carving into a canvas of oil and acrylic, applying, removing and layering with charcoal, I explore how landscape imprints upon its inhabitants. Born in London, UK, now living in coastal Connecticut, landscape has been my singular continuity, supplying seemingly infinite, yet eroding iconography. As I distill, I narrate that cycle and renewal of seasons, color to monochrome and back again.
Gigi Barrett Slowly emerging from my cocoon of Covid and isolation, l feel a rebirth as Spring emerges through the darkness of Winter.
Hints of life and hope as colors transform the bleak landscape into a feast for the eyes.
The colors, smells and delights that Spring brings are reflected in these whimsical works of Hope, Transformation and Renewal.
Elyse Barton The past two years have been like no other … and our world and lives have forever changed. My world was flipped. I moved to Connecticut after living in Brooklyn for 15+ years, working a high pressure job in advertising where art became an afterthought. I moved, I had space and I started painting again… after 8+ years. I started looking and seeing and exploring which led to sketching and making and painting. My transition back to art is my renewal… a true extension of myself.
Anita Bausman Flowers grow to be bigger and stronger each they return, and they have the chance to become new again. I really enjoy painting flowers and I think they are a perfect example of renewal. 

Waves come and go, different each time they return to shore.

Michael Brennecke This is a series of paintings created by revisiting work that I felt were less than successful in the first go round. I then added a new and very different textural layer to them in a way that allows the original composition to show through the overpainting. To me it seems like a pretty literal example of renewal.
Bevi Bullwinkel These two works are part of my “Harmony” series which reflect the need and hopes for harmony of purpose and renewal for a more peaceful future.
Anelisa Calmet I play and use colors and shapes that makes me feel happy  and give me hope, sending positive emotions through my paintings. There is always a connection between art and healing.
Benjamin Casiano I began this journey losing vision from one eye. Now the one eye figurative are a reflection of my disability. 

A self portrait of my alter-ego. But as the years went by, solid colors wasn’t enough to tell my story.  

I went back revisiting my work. They took on a life with a mosaic exploding into a kaleidoscope of color

The pixels describe a previous life of many moons ago when I was a designer. 

Leonardo da Vinci was right when he said, No work is ever completed but only abandoned.

Rita Castillo-Ghandour Every piece of my work has a little of a renewal on it, it’s a new beginning, for me as well as for the materials. On this collection, I used as much recycled paper as possible, allowing a second life to colorful left over gift or wrapping tissue. I cover them with paint as well as an acrylic enamel or UV resistant media, depending on the composition.
Dianna Catania My work is a reflection upon upheaval and the renewal of myself that I continually search for every day. I began painting again after losing my corporate job due to the Covid pandemic in 2020. It felt as if my world had collapsed. Everything I worked so hard for, all my time and energy, was erased. The internal process of creating these pieces became a therapeutic outlet to find my identity in a different world. Creating has become an extension of the energy I exert into the world around me.
RUTH CHAPMAN In response to being separated from people and places we love over the last two years, I began looking at my immediate surroundings with renewed eyes. This narrower range of view has increased my appreciation for the simple beauties of everyday life. The lovely polka-dots on a begonia, the gentle roundness of a baby robin, the opera pink of a flower just opening. This persistence of localized beauty in the face of global trauma gives me a sense of connection, well-being, and hope for the future.
Jeffrey Chapman Through the pandemic, photography has let me escape my conscious mind and allow my subconscious to process where we are and where we’re going. I can walk through the world and feel it more than think about it. Along the way, I’ve been exploring the tension between absence: of people we love, of strangers whose company was part of daily life… and presence: the weathered spaces we’ve created that promise to wait for our return, the stubborn resilience of nature that sets the stage for renewal.
John Cole Your old favorite poem renews you, same with that painting by Matisse, or is it Hockney – ,you’ve had the poster for 20+ years. Same for that song that you know by heart: The art we love revives us, renews us.   Our good zone can be expanded by occasionally sampling offerings from the untranslated side of the menu.   I hope my paintings might provide renewal as would the exploration of an unfamiliar but delicious tasting menu.
Cynthia Cooper I think of this series of paintings as marchers in a parade that will pull in viewers to march along with me. They burst out with exuberant colors on an upward trajectory. The upward-curving stripes are my vocabulary for movement, which I interpret to be “moving in the right direction”… soaring toward transformation.
ELLEN CRAIG PERLWITZ Nature offers daily renewal if we pay close attention, through color and form.
Ron Crowcroft Cadence and Cascade:universal positive energy cascades down, and healing sounds flow down, created by the motion of the outstretched wings.

Discrete Synergy: Individual elements work together in order to create a positive effect greater than their individual parts, in order for  the human spirit to overcome obstacles and soar beyond limitations.

Forward Echo: The energy sent out from the present into the future, reflected back to the present.

Pilgrim: The seeker of light and positive energy.

Mary Davidson This body of work which consists of thirty paintings, “STAMPED ABSTRACT SERIES” has renewed my spirit, where the final layer of paint, done with stamping tools adds depth and mystery, which I found my viewers to enjoy. The painting presents colorful, geometric large scale shapes, which are bold, dramatic, captivating and complex. The many elegant, amorphic, intricate shapes which flow throughout, keep the eyes moving. These playful, dynamic, creative works, give the viewer a chance to pause.
Erin Dolan In my recent body of work, I am seeking peace, calm and a place to be. Throughout the pandemic there have been many personal and larger global challenges humanity has faced. I am pursuing a place of calm and at times vibrancy in this new body of work. These pieces have been a renewal into my own art practice.
Alane Ellenbogen The very process of creating art is an act of renewal. It demands looking at different perspectives and an immersion in the process. I often find that what results reveals thoughts or emotions that I was unaware of. Art of the past and nature are sources of renewal for me.
Almudena Fernandez Vicens Our lives are in constant movement and change. As an artist I try to reflect that constant change through the use of different materials that can be transformed in form and texture allowing me a deep exploration to understand how I can manipulate the materials to bring them to life in ways they were not necessarily designed for. Trimming elements in search of the essence and lean towards minimal expression with monochromatic palette and open spaces.
Bonnie Figgatt My intent in these works has been to express energy through juxtaposed textures.
Emily Fisher At its simplest, my photography seeks to capture and celebrate the natural landscapes where I live and travel. But the human subjects in my images illustrate a deeper quest to understand the complex and symbiotic relationship between people and nature. I have always photographed, but since the birth of my first child, the camera has become my preferred medium of expression and tool of my aesthetic worldview. My work is a manifestation of the relationships I have with people and places.
Derek Freres This is a series called transitions, one in “Blue” and one in “Wedge.” From hundreds of small cut strips of glass a whole has been composed, a whole that “transitions” from one hue to another. Some colors have been diluted and others enhanced in pigment to display the process of change. From many colors become one, from pieces we transition to a whole, from disparate members and experiences a renewal occurs. 
Maria C. Friscia Forms of nature speak to me in terms of human emotions.  Nature pleases me and touches me, evoking enthusiasm for solitude–a quasi-religious experience with God and the universe.  Nature frees me from all onuses of life, and when looking at landscapes, I find myself concentrating on the “self”–that which is to me the spirit, the soul of being.  Through investigating nature, I am compelled to understand myself and reflect on my role and purpose of being.
John M. Fuchida Living with a mental illness for most of his life, John Fuchida counts his blessings that his darkest days, months, and years may be behind him. “It wasn’t without struggle, but I have been gratified many times throughout the journey. Art has played a big part in my salvation.” For nearly two decades, Fuchida works with the at-risk population as a counselor and art therapist. He is dedicated to helping people with disabilities find their voice, self-expression, and relief from daily struggles.
Bill Gore Songs of the Saugatuck – My image making is grounded in photographs of the Saugatuck River and all that I see in the present tense.  But I am drawn to digital imagery as an avenue into my mental pictures that combine observation, memory, and imagination.  These images are focused on the energy of cascading falls, the mystery of still pools, and the life forces that unite and nourish all that lives along the riverbanks.
Howard Gould Being confined by COVID i returned to an art form I hadn’t looked at in decades- photography.  This “Renewal” or reawakening became as therapeutic as it is a creative outlet.  Combining Generative/Procedural/Computer based art with the more traditional photography has also created a new medium in the space and allows for deeper and more renewed expressions, in my opinion.
Asami Green My canvases are filled with intuitive expression of a present moment of acceptance in which art allows us to connect to our conscious, subconscious and imagination. Art is my way to encourage an ethereal connection to the wonder of the universe through the vibrant colors and textures and movement throughout the artwork. My paintings are spiritually transformative with awareness and representation of personal healing, growth and renewal as life inspires me in multidimensional ways.
Jaffa Gross Spring has always been a time for renewal and rejuvenation, the season during which my artistic creativity and productivity peaked. This year, as we are also exiting the long period of living with the pandemic, the uplifting feeling of freedom and starting anew generates new energies and unlimited possibilities to reach out to the world, with unrestrained creativity and ideas!

These paintings represent my enthusiasm and excitement, as we usher-in this new post-pandemic life and possibilities!

Barry Guthertz The image chosen, a new Lotus bud along side a bloom depicts nature’s renewal process.
Inness Hancock I use oil paint and watercolor to develop richly saturated, layered paintings. I focus on transparency and gesture to create dynamic, bold compositions that contrast with a subtle and well-defined palette. My deep connection with nature informs my spiritual and artistic practices and through this exploration I believe we are able to know ourselves, which brings hope and renewal.
Adair Heitmann The feather is sign of connection to nature and to the divine. Feather helps me lighten up even in the midst of despair. It shows me redemption, resilience, and a connection to something far greater than me. There is a magical and mystical element to feather. It literally dropped into my world over the past two years. In my clay monotype with chine collé, the feather can be spiraling down or floating up. If it lands — it is safe on the ground. If it lifts up — it has ascended, both are right!
Lauren Hunt For me, there is nothing that speaks more to the feeling of renewal, than the spring season.  The awakening of the earth, buds emerging and opening up, a feeling of hope, along with steady rain, and all those gorgeous greens…..MIMOSA, SPRING GREEN, CELERY, VIRIDIAN, MOSS and so many others.  I created this artwork during 2021, while in the midst of the very troubling Pandemic.  I realize I was creating, perhaps subconsciously, with a fierce determination of hope, renewal and better days ahead.
Ning Jia “I’m still standing”: My uncle recently passed by this car on a country road in Ohio. It probably has been through several generations of owners, and experienced periodical neglect and then, much care. Through several renewal on its life, the car is still standing. 

“New Home”: This old apartment experienced another renewal when my sister-in-law bought, renovated, and moved in to it. It’s been much cherished since. 

Marcy Juran In the botanical kingdom, flowers and trees usually are showered with attention – countless images of various species have been photographed and painted over centuries, poems written, music composed. The vegetable kingdom, and often the fruits, have been mostly overlooked… at best, often footnotes in a still life, or an afterthought in an historic tableaux. Spring brings the traditional time of greening, planting, and renewal to the garden, and in this series, “Humble Beauty”, I celebrate these.
Erin Karp I moved from Manhattan to NJ during the pandemic (because of the pandemic) & everything about my life (& everyone’s lives) changed, dramatically. I make the bulk of my photographs in Europe, but COVID forced me to halt travel; I felt totally uninspired in the suburbs & existential questions abounded. I finally went to Denver, Nov. 2021, had time alone, & made new work that reignited my spirit. Renewal for me is in these photographs; feeling excited to see & feeling inspired again was my renewal!
Constance Keller On wandering walks with camera and dog, absorbing the enormity of the landscape and how intimate it feels to be caught up in a breeze, a wave, a reflection, a human story.  What was it like?  Exploring elements of art: line, shape, form, value, space, color and texture along with principles of design:  rhythm, balance, emphasis, proportion, gradation, harmony, variety and movement and their impact on the natural world. Leaving behind actuality, turning to the abstract to answer my question.
Terry Kessler Schwarz The triptych begins with the initial confusion that exists when considering the issues in today’s world. It is followed by the realization that things seem so upside down at first glance. However, the final piece depicts beauty and harmony that truly exists when considering the bright side of what the world offers us.  

The view from the Central Park reservoir reflects the peaceful setting that is reborn each season. Walking there I feel a sense of rejuvenation and peace of mind.

Audrey Klotz Every piece of my work is a renewal… I force myself to find a flame to ignite my inner thoughts and feelings, by placing my abstract images on canvas. These images are often great surprises to me, allowing my soul to be renewed with a new understanding of where I might be going as well as where I have been… look at my work as (metaphorically speaking) foot prints in the sand…
Laney Lloyd During these last few challenging years I have found an even greater appreciation for beautiful light and color in nature – sunlight at the times of day it changes quickly and the vibrant color in flowers.
Katya Lebrija This work is a celebration of renewed relationships and physically getting together after an unprecedented period of social distancing imposed by the recent pandemic.
Barbara Loss 2020 was a year of Home, of Archives, of Prayer. That Upside Down Time was followed by photos of nature, of reflection, of optimism, of hope. of child’s wonder, of gratitude and finally of a return to the train and urban renewal.
Carol Luders My most recent works are what I call my “Dream Series”, the theme of which stems from the isolation of the “Era of Covid”. Didn’t we dream of the freedoms that we had lost? of returning to our more sociable selves? of being somewhere else? What we have learned about ourselves whilst spending time in isolation will reflect on who we are going forward.
Cynthia MacCollum The natural world inspires me. My daily practice, for more than two years, has included a meditation on time and nature consisting of daily walks to the nature center near my home.  As a painter and printmaker, I find inspiration in fragments of nature held close for reflection.  I employ a personal vocabulary of fluid marks and organic imagery to express the sensual pleasure and ephemeral quality of the natural world. The pieces in my submission were inspired by the very early growth of plants
Dan Makara While inspired by Ukrainian resiliance  in the face of Russian invasion, my piece is about the universal theme of Ego, Greed , & false notions of racial superiority. The work is interactive with the viewer in that a neon sequence is initiated and vintage lenticulars move when viewers walk past. A toy missile hovers above the surface. The smiley face, clown and dancing ballerina suggest renewal thru art.

THIS represents my kinetic art piece best.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKHdM80NgQQ

Galina Mariani Renewal exhibits itself primarily and most importantly in peoples’ feelings of liberation, access to human touch and warmth, relationships and happiness after surviving isolation, loneliness and seclusion
Andrea Marschalk Before the pandemic, I always defined myself as a landscape painter, but like everyone else, I missed human relationships immensely and the sense of normalcy that a common human experience affords and sustains us all. I began to paint people doing common yet seemingly extraordinary things, like singing in church, taking a subway, eating out, talking to a friend on the street, going to a play. These paintings were my imaginative scenarios that I craved to do again, but could only do with paint.
Michael McCarter The subjects in my images reflect an uplifting representation of lightness and renewal, an inspirational image.
Nancy Moore The series of Unconventional Women I’ve been working on for the past ten years is a tribute to the resilience of women and their ability to reinvent themselves. Women are so often called upon to renew their inner resources in response to the many roles they play. And, on a meta-level, the very act of painting this series during the #metoo era, the pandemic, and intense political upheaval has provided this artist with a renewed sense of purpose. I’m on a mission!
Mary Moross Renewal for me means discovery or understanding of soul and interconnection. My imagery stems from nature and the feeling it gives me of awe at its ever changing drama and nuances.
Paul M. Murray I am a visual traveler often venturing beyond the pathways of others in my photographic journeys.

I remain open to possibilities, trust my instincts, and discard labels that are divisive. I use technology to increase my creative options and productivity not to replace my vision. Color, light, and gesture are important elements in my work.

Renewal is a part of the life cycles of daily life, society, and the environment, and I have tried to reflect that in the images I have provided.

Barbara O’Shea In “Through His Eyes” I see new beginnings and discovery though the young boy.
Hank Paper My submitted images convey renewal through giving to others, giving to yourself, giving to each other; discovering by circumstance or determination new resources in – oneself or a new environment – to move your life forward.
Kristin Pierce This piece was created to portray light and movement, during a time of darkness and stagnation.  “Quiet” aims to inspire hope, grace, and renewal. 
Vera Rahn  
Jan Raymond It’s been a confusing time to say the least. But coming out of it I am looking forward to spring with its warmer days and summer with its bright colors. 

I think if being on a beach in the sun, of enjoying a summer shower and the joy of what’s next

Maureen Renahan Krinsley Energy is transformative, creating different forms of renewal. For example, in “Beast Among Beauty,” while there is a reference to Covid-19., amid the beauty of floating shells, floating turtles and the natural flora, the painting imposes a juxtaposition of plastic particles floating across the picture plane, the ocean of grids. It is examining climate change, deforestation and the impact on our ocean life.
Andrea Rowan What appears to be death is merely a season of hibernation, a pulling back into the core of oneself. As the Earth spins closer to Sun and the season allows, the seed slowly, courageously stretches and unfurls. No greater joy than the sighting of the first audacious crocus or the sweet smell of flowers heralding the start of Spring! Reminding us that the dark days will always pass, however lonely and long. Our spirits as the resilient and hopeful as tiny but heroic seed
Cristina Sarno I’m focusing on goddesses and the power of how a woman is so closely linked to nature.  This is since, ladies are the epitome of humanity!!!  Humanity is nature and nature is spring, since that’s when all the regrowth happens.  The flowers are blooming.  Therefor, entering three paintings, of my series of First Ladies.
Clarice Shirvell My reflections during the pandemic resulted in a series embracing my Latina heritage and the idea of Meditation in Motion. People fear the unknown and are not always open to new ideas and cultures. Being open to new ideas, and continually learning is good for the brain. It also helps to understand other people. The more we learn about each other the more we see how similar we are. During quarantine we learned to knead bread, knit, hike, all activities that allow us to Meditate in Motion.
Barbara Simonson We are all in a renewal process following the pandemic, as we re-examine what it means to be human on this earth.  For me, the greatest point of introspection has been the war in Ukraine and the humanitarian battles faced, fought and championed throughout history.
Barbara Soares As artists we must be strong & create art not only to renew ourselves but to renew hope in others.

As Volodymyr Zelensky said “Light will win over darkness”

Works created helped to renew my own life with love, peace & hope. 

PortlandSunrise, PortlandStreet study light inside darkness.

May we all stand strong renewing our humanity through the arts, no matter what.

Sue Palmer Stone Most of my pre-pandemic days had been spent photographing out in the world. But, starting in March 2020, I had to take isolation seriously due to my high-risk status. Working in my studio, at first I channeled loneliness and fear into my art. But recently, with some light at the end of the tunnel, I’ve tried to capture a sense of exuberant togetherness, through my quirky subjects gathered for “group portraits,” calm and organized, or playful and chaotic.
Wendy Trainer Kerr These last two years have been a time of deep reflection. We’ve  watched as all of our societal structures crumbled around us and we were forced to see they were never as real or solid as we envisioned they might be. Learning to dance with all of the change, the unknown, the uncertainty as elements of our collective consciousness ceased to exist while others were being birthed. Something new is emerging, it has actually already taken flight.
Richard Ventre The tumult of overthrow and the movement to restore and rebuild:  GINA / DEFIANCE 1, and KAT / DEFIANCE 5. The realization that one’s initial dreams and hopes may deteriorate over time: KAT / DICHOTOMY BRONZE, 1 . . . Really?.
Edward Zerdy My work “Fall Splendor” is a scene from the woods adjacent to my home. It’s always a colorful display in the fall, but was especially welcome during the pandemic. Nature does a great job reminding us that life provides many opportunities for renewing our spirit.  I was fortunate to be able to make this part of my art experience.
Jack Ziolkowski Just as a renewal is a process of change from one form or place in life to a different one , I take glass, break it, scratch it, melt it, and/or color it to create something new. Just as in life, some of the breaks that lend themselves to a renewed form in my glass art were made by choice and others were not, but it is always my hope that the final form is better than the broken glass itself. A forest renews by fire, glass renews by the melting, forming, and coloration that I present.
Lalya Zuwiyya My artwork reflects the theme of “renewal” because of the use of various colors and the theme of nature.

About the Carriage Barn

The mission of the New Canaan Society for the Arts, Inc. is to promote the visual and performing arts, and to enrich the community through exhibitions, education, and cultural experiences, and to operate the Carriage Barn Arts Center.

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Carriage Barn Arts Center
Waveny Park
681 South Avenue
New Canaan, CT 06840

(203) 594-3638

[email protected]