Exhibitions

Current

Br00klyn Betty, Kandy Lopez
Yarn/Rope/String Catalogue
Fio/Cabo/Corda (POR)

YARN/ROPE/STRING:
FIBER ART NOW JURIED EXHIBITION
DECEMBER 8, 2022 - MARCH 12, 2023

Fiber Art Now and New Bedford Art Museum/Art Works! present Yarn/Rope/String

The Fiber Art Now Yarn/Rope/String exhibitions were designed to encourage innovative use of fibers that artists incorporate into new and exciting works of art. The jurors for the 2021 and 2022 exhibitions in print had this to say about the expanse of this expressive niche of fiber art:

Yarn/Rope/String 2021 juror María-Elisa Heg, Curatorial Fellow at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, said “Yarn/Rope/String features a selection of arresting pieces that showcase some of the best craftsmanship in fiber today. Whether grappling with the uncertainties of the age or deep in exploration of material and process, these pieces grab on and ask you to look closer, and for longer. Selecting from so many excellent submissions was no easy task, a sign of exciting things to come in the field. Above all, the works in Yarn/Rope/String prompt delight, wonderment, and contemplation through their skillful execution.” crafthouston.org

Yarn/Rope/String 2021 juror and tapestry artist Micala Sidore stated, “It is terrific to see how many people choose fiber as a means to express themselves. Not all the work displays the same level of ability—it never does. But it testifies to the engagement of the makers. I seek work that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The last of these criteria is what tells me that I am seeing something that is special.” Over the past 40 years, Sidore has given talks, published more than 45 articles, and exhibited her own work in North America, Australia, and Poland. She is the author of The Art is the Cloth (Schiffer Books, 2020). hawleystreet.com

Yarn/Rope/String 2022 juror Michael F. Rohde has been weaving since 1973. His work is in the permanent collections of the George Washington University Museum, The Textile Museum in Washington, DC; the Mingei Museum in San Diego, California; the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles in San Jose, California; the Ventura County Museum of Art in Ventura, California; the Racine Art Museum in Racine, Wisconsin; and The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. “It is always a special privilege to be given the chance to see a large body of work, but a challenge to select only a few,” said Rohde. “Some of the things I looked for and found include excellence in craftsmanship, new ways of expressing ideas with fiber, and occasionally work that addressed what happens outside of the studios yet impacts us all. Not all works embodied all criteria. This led to a selection that was diverse and hopefully with some things that are new to each of us.” michaelrohde.com

LEMUEL ELDRED: WHALE SHIPS AT WHARVES, PAINTER'S PRINTS OF A BYGONE ERA
DECEMBER 1, 2022 - FEBRUARY 19, 2023

Mentored in the studio of William Bradford, Lemuel Eldred was a Fairhaven artist, well known for painting marine and desert scenes, and later as a printmaker.
As the whaling industry drew to a close at the end of the 19th century, Eldred captured the return of the ships as they docked in New Bedford for decommissioning.
Eldred’s preferred technique for this potentially sentimental subject was etching because he strongly felt it to be the best vehicle for direct expression.
Elegiac and elegant, Eldred’s prints faithfully capture the retired vessels' quiet majesty resting at their final destination, in the city in which they originated, the city that for a time lit the whole world.
Lemuel Eldred Bio (ENG)
Lemuel Eldred was a Fairhaven artist, mentored in the studio of William Bradford. After years in Boston, Paris, and Northern Africa painting marine and desert scenes, Eldred settled in a studio at the foot of William Street in New Bedford. Here, he undertook a series of copper plate etchings of the aging whale ships in the harbor. These prints show the boats being laid up, towed, repaired, and coming in from their final journeys, never to return to the whaling grounds again. The etchings were very well received when they were published, The Fairhaven Star wrote of Towing Out (The Josephine with tug Nellie), “A picture of this kind will grow in value as the years pass on, and even now there is a growing demand for mementos of the nearly by-gone whaling days” (Dec 26, 1903). As the city of New Bedford watched their well-known ships being decommissioned one by one, Eldred suffered the personal loss of his friend and mentor William Bradford in 1892. Eldred had a documented sentimentality for both history and the material culture of whaling, and his nostalgia is evident in these prints. That feeling may come just from witnessing a dying industry, but the memory of painting those same ships and harbor with Bradford at the beginning of his career lends another layer of depth to Eldred’s work. The medium of etching is possibly the best method for Eldred to convey his nostalgia. Eldred’s paintings took weeks or months to complete, as oil paint allows for reworking to perfect a composition. This more studied approach can take on a contrived sort of emotion, but according to Eldred, an etching is a purer impression, he writes in the New Bedford Sunday Standard, “true etching is a direct thought of the artist, and the more impulsive and frank it is, the better it is, and that is why it is nearer the artist’s feeling because the work, though drawn on copper to duplicate it, is nearer to his first impulse than a painted impression of it” (Nov 12, 1911). Eldred’s printmaking style has the feel of a sketch, with cross hatching and energetic line work, but does not suffer for accuracy. These prints show the aging whalers as they are, looming large in the water and surrounded by the men that worked on them and the industry that supported them.
Lemuel Eldred Bio (POR)
Lemuel Eldred foi um artista de Fairhaven, orientado no estúdio de William Bradford. Depois de passar anos em Boston, Paris e África do Norte pintando cenas marinhas e desérticas, Eldred instalou-se em um estúdio ao pé da William Street em New Bedford. Ali, empreendeu uma série de gravuras em chapa de cobre dos velhos navios baleeiros no porto. Estas impressões retratam os barcos sendo estacados, rebocados, reparados, e que chegam das suas últimas viagens, para nunca mais voltarem aos locais de caça à baleia. As gravuras foram muito bem recebidas quando publicadas. O Fairhaven Star escreveu de Rebocar para fora (O Josephine com rebocador Nellie), “Uma imagem deste tipo crescerá em valor com o passar dos anos, e mesmo agora há uma procura crescente de lembranças dos dias quase desaparecidos de caça à baleia” (26 de dez. de 1903). Enquanto a cidade de New Bedford assistia ao desmantelamento um por um dos seus navios mais conhecidos, Eldred sofreu a perda pessoal do seu amigo e mentor William Bradford em 1892. Eldred possuía um sentimentalismo documentado tanto para a história como para a cultura material da baleação, e a sua nostalgia é evidente nestas gravuras. Esse sentimento pode vir apenas de testemunhar uma indústria moribunda, mas a memória de pintar esses mesmos navios e o porto com Bradford no início da sua carreira empresta outra camada de profundidade à obra do Eldred. O meio artístico da gravura é possivelmente o melhor método para Eldred transmitir a sua nostalgia. As pinturas de Eldred demoraram semanas ou meses a completar, uma vez que a tinta a óleo permite a reelaboração para aperfeiçoar uma composição. Essa abordagem mais estudada pode assumir um tipo de emoção artificial, mas segundo Eldred, uma gravura é uma impressão mais pura, escreve ele no New Bedford Sunday Standard, “a verdadeira gravura é um pensamento direto do artista, e quanto mais impulsiva e franca for, ainda melhor é, e por isso está mais próxima do sentimento do artista porque a obra, embora desenhada em cobre para replicá-la, está mais próxima do seu primeiro impulso do que uma impressão pintada da mesma” (12 de nov. de 1911). O estilo de gravura de Eldred tem sentido de esboço, com hachura e trabalho de linha energético, mas não sofre por exatidão. Estas gravuras mostram os baleeiros envelhecidos tal como estão, aproximando-se em grande escala na água e rodeados pelos homens que trabalharam neles e pela indústria que os apoiou.
Lemuel Eldred Bio (ESP)
Lemuel Eldred fue un artista de Fairhaven, orientado en el estudio de William Bradford. Después de años en Boston, París y el norte de África pintando escenas marinas y desérticas, Eldred se instaló en un estudio al pie de William Street, en New Bedford. Allí realizó una serie de grabados en cobre de los viejos barcos balleneros del puerto. Estos grabados muestran los barcos varados, remolcados, reparados y llegando de sus últimos viajes, para no volver nunca más a las zonas balleneras. Los grabados fueron muy bien recibidos cuando se publicaron, The Fairhaven Star escribió de Towing Out (El Josephine con remolcador Nellie), “Una imagen de este tipo crecerá en valor a medida que pasen los años, e incluso ahora hay una creciente demanda de recuerdos de los casi desaparecidos días de la caza de ballenas” (26 de diciembre de 1903). Mientras la ciudad de New Bedford veía cómo sus conocidos barcos eran desmantelados uno a uno, Eldred sufrió la pérdida personal de su amigo y mentor William Bradford en 1892. Eldred tenía un documentado sentimentalismo tanto por la historia como por la cultura material de la caza de ballenas, y su nostalgia es evidente en estos grabados. Ese sentimiento puede provenir simplemente de ser testigo de una industria moribunda, pero el recuerdo de haber pintado esos mismos barcos y el puerto con Bradford al principio de su carrera confiere otra capa de profundidad a la obra de Eldred. El medio artístico del grabado es posiblemente el mejor método que tiene Eldred para transmitir su nostalgia. Los cuadros de Eldred tardaban semanas o meses en completarse, ya que la pintura al óleo permite reelaborarlos para perfeccionar una composición. Este enfoque más estudiado puede adquirir una especie de emoción artificial, pero, según Eldred, un aguafuerte es una impresión más pura, escribe en el New Bedford Sunday Standard, “el verdadero aguafuerte es un pensamiento directo del artista, y cuanto más impulsivo y franco es, mejor aún es, y por lo tanto está más cerca del sentimiento del artista porque la obra, aunque dibujada en cobre para replicarla, está más cerca de su primer impulso que una impresión pintada de ella" (12 de noviembre de 1911). El estilo del aguafuerte de Eldred es esbozado, con sombreados y trazos enérgicos, pero sin perder precisión. Estos grabados muestran los viejos balleneros tal y como son, asomando en el agua y rodeados de los hombres que trabajaban en ellos y de la industria que los sustentaba.
Lemuel Eldred Index
"Home Port" by Lemuel Eldred

COMFORT AND DISPLACEMENT:
THE ART OF RICHARD NEAL
NOVEMBER 17, 2022 - FEBRUARY 26, 2023

Recent abstract paintings and wall hanging sculpture by Richard Neal. Organized by our independent guest curator, Don Wilkinson. Curator's statement:

"Richard Neal’s paintings and assemblages do not fit into any neat category. The work hovers in that nexus between the representational and the abstract, flirting with both but married to neither. It is tumultuous and yet somehow reserved. It is 'all-up-in-your-face' dramatic while it leans in and whispers to the patient viewer.
The work that I selected for this exhibition was created over several years and while I did not consciously seek out a common narrative, one made itself manifest. Throughout the work, backcountry shacks, suburban houses, apartment buildings and skyscrapers unrelentingly take center stage. But none of those structures read as happy homes. Not anymore.
The exhibition is called 'Comfort and Displacement' as this selection of work evokes a palpable sense of loss. The abodes appear abandoned, the towers are tumbling, the boulevard in 'Big City' borders on the post-apocalyptic.
Comfort can rapidly evaporate. Slow or sudden displacement-- brought about by divorce, abandonment, foreclosure, gentrification, terrorism, war or a hundred other reasons-- is part of the human condition.
Neal’s work forces us to confront that discomforting thought and take notice."
Richard Neal Bio (ENG)
Richard Neal was born in Washington, DC and grew up in Maryland. He has lived and worked on Cape Cod for many years and makes art at Chalkboard Studio in Barnstable Village.
Richard studied art at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and received a Masters Degree in Fine Art from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. While studying at the Dartmouth campus, Richard lived in a half dozen locations in and around New Bedford, from downtown to North End to South. He found metal from North End scrapyards and rope from the wharf to make his sculptuers while in school.
His work was recently featured in a three-city tour of Cuba and is currently on view in a two-person show, Fragile, at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. He will have a one-person exhibition at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum in 2024.
Richard is the inaugural recipient of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod Fellowship. The writer, Andre van der Wende, has observed that "Neal is a master at creating distressed surfaces full of invention and the unexpected, tough and confrontational in their manufacture and effect."
Richard Neal Bio (POR)
Richard Neal nasceu em Washington, DC e cresceu em Maryland. Ele viveu e trabalhou em Cape Cod por muitos anos e faz arte no Chalkboard Studio em Barnstable Village. Richard estudou arte na Universidade de Massachusetts em Dartmouth e é mestre em Belas Artes pela Academia de Arte de Cranbrook, em Michigan. Enquanto estudava no campus de Dartmouth, Richard morou em meia dúzia de locais em New Bedford e arredores, do centro da cidade até North e South End. Ele encontrou metal em ferro-velhos em North End raspadores e cordas do cais para fazer suas esculturas enquanto estava na escola. Seu trabalho foi recentemente apresentado em uma tour por três cidades em Cuba e está sendo exibido atualmente em uma exposição dupla, Fragile, no Museu de Arte de Cape Cod. Ele terá uma exposição individual na Associação de Arte de Provincetown e no Museu em 2024. Richard é o primeiro recipiente da Fundação de Artes da Cape Cod Fellowship. O escritor André van der Wende observou que “Neal é um mestre em criar superfícies angustiadas e cheias de invenções e do inesperado, duras e conflituosas em sua fabricação e efeito”.
Richard Neal Bio (ESP)
Richard Neal nació en Washington DC y creció en Maryland. Ha vivido y trabajado en Cape Cod durante muchos años y hace arte en el Chalkboard Studio de Barnstable Village. Richard estudió arte en la Universidad de Massachusetts en Dartmouth y obtuvo un máster en Bellas Artes en la Academia de Arte Cranbrook de Michigan. Mientras estudiaba en el campus de Dartmouth, Richard vivió en media docena de lugares de New Bedford y sus alrededores, desde el centro hasta el North End y el Sur. Encontró metal en las chatarrerías de North End y cuerda en el muelle para hacer sus esculturas mientras estudiaba. Su obra fue presentada recientemente en una gira por tres ciudades de Cuba y actualmente se puede ver en una exposición de dos personas, Fragile, en el Museo de Arte de Cape Cod. En 2024 realizará una exposición individual en el Provincetown Art Association and Museum. Richard es el primer beneficiario de la beca de la Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. El escritor André van der Wende ha observado que “Neal es un maestro en la creación de superficies angustiosas, llenas de invención y de lo inesperado, duras y confrontativas en su fabricación y efecto”.
Don Wilkinson Bio (ENG)
Don Wilkinson is a freelance cultural commentator, curator, juror, educator, serigrapher and painter.
For nearly a decade, he has written visual art criticism which has appeared in the Standard Times, the Fall River Herald News, the Providence Journal, Art New England, Artscope, Ceramics Ireland, and other publications.
As a critic, Wilkinson's goal is to bring attention to the fine artists and artisans of the South Coast and adjacent communities. By thoughtfully examining their artwork with respect to art history, pop culture, social and political concerns, philosophy and more, he seeks to make it accessible not only to art aficionados but also to the casual viewer.
He has written approximately 75 local artist profiles.
He has curated exhibitions at the Narrows Center for the Arts, Gallery X, Colo Colo Gallery, Alison Wells Fine Art Studio and Gallery and other venues.
Wilkinson received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from the Swain School of Design in 1982, and earned a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Design from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 1991.
He lives in the West End of New Bedford with his wife Elizabeth, herself an artist, and their three dogs, two cats and a duck.
Don Wilkinson Bio (POR)
Don Wilkinson é um comentarista cultural freelancer, curador, jurado, educador, serigrafista e pintor. Durante quase uma década, ele escreveu críticas de arte visual que apareceram no Standard Times, no Fall River Herald News, no Providence Journal, Art New England, Artscope, Ceramics Ireland, entre outras publicações. Como crítico, o objetivo de Wilkinson é colocar em evidência artistas plásticos e artesãos da Costa Sul e comunidades adjacentes. Examinando cuidadosamente as obras em relação à história da arte, cultura pop, preocupações sociais e políticas, filosofia e muito mais, ele procura torná-las acessíveis não apenas aos entusiastas de arte, mas também ao espectador casual. Ele escreveu aproximadamente 75 perfis de artistas locais. Ele tem curadoria de exposições no Narrows Center for the Arts, Gallery X, Colo Colo Gallery, Alison Wells Fine Art Studio and Gallery e outros locais. Wilkinson é graduado em Artes Plásticas, com ênfase em Gravura, pela Escola de Design Swain desde 1982, e obteve um Mestrado de Artes Plásticas—Design Visual da Universidade de Massachusetts, Dartmouth, em 1991. Ele vive em West End, em New Bedford, com sua esposa Elizabeth, ela também uma artista, e com seus três cães, dois gatos e um pato.
Don Wilkinson Bio (ESP)
Don Wilkinson es un comentarista cultural independiente, curador, jurado, educador, serígrafo y pintor. Durante casi una década, ha escrito críticas de artes visuales que han aparecido en el Standard Times, el Fall River Herald News, el Providence Journal, Art New England, Artscope, Ceramics Ireland y otras publicaciones. Como crítico, el objetivo de Wilkinson es llamar la atención sobre los artistas visuales y artesanos de la Costa Sur y las comunidades adyacentes. Examinando cuidadosamente sus obras de arte en relación con la historia del arte, la cultura pop, las preocupaciones sociales y políticas, la filosofía y otros aspectos, intenta hacerlas accesibles no sólo a los aficionados al arte, sino también al espectador ocasional. Ha escrito aproximadamente 75 perfiles de artistas locales. Él ha sido curador de exposiciones en el Narrows Center for the Arts, Gallery X, Colo Colo Gallery, Alison Wells Fine Art Studio and Gallery y otros lugares. Wilkinson se licenció en Bellas Artes en la especialidad de grabado en la Swain School of Design en 1982, y obtuvo un máster en Bellas Artes en Diseño Visual en la Universidad de Massachusetts, Dartmouth, en 1991. Vive en el West End de New Bedford con su esposa Elizabeth, también artista, y sus tres perros, dos gatos y un pato.
Richard Neal Index

UPCOMING

4_4x5_richard_Gormley

STATE OF THE UNION WITH NELLIE
BY JANE O'HARA
JUNE 1, 2023 - AUGUST 20, 2023