By Barbara Nair
(November 2, 2021) Spectrum Art Gallery and Artisans Store of Centerbrook presents its 2021 Holiday Show, Peace on Earth with an extended open house weekend Friday, November 19 (6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.); Saturday November 20 (1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) and Sunday, November 21 (1:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.). The seven-week exhibit, through January 9, 2022, presents new and original artwork and fine crafts that explore our personal, geographic, and economic worlds at peace, through both imagery and mood.
Presented through a variety of mediums, the gallery exhibit, located at 61 Main Street, Centerbrook, Connecticut, offers visitors the opportunity to take in the art and fine crafts, while enjoying a glass of wine and snacks to celebrate the opening of the show and hope for the upcoming season.
Peace on Earth is for art lovers who can discover a new artist as they add to their collections, and a place to find a unique gift for oneself or thoughtful and one-of-a-kind presents for friends and family. There are dozens of stocking gifts, as well as handmade ornaments crafted by local fine artisans available for purchase from the Gallery’s seven-foot annual Holiday Tree.
Spectrum is so pleased to welcome returning and new customers to our annual holiday show which this year has a particularly celebratory mood as we all feel a bit safer and are more out and about. So come visit us for the holidays and let’s celebrate together. Barbara Nair, Spectrum Gallery Director
Many returning favorites as well as artists presenting for the first time at Spectrum include Rebecca Terhaar, a fine artist who presents her Laniakea Collection featuring satellite images of the galactic supercluster that the Milky Way and the Earth call home. “Laniakea” in Hawaiian means “open skies” or “immense heaven”. These designs express a hope for a world of peace and integration. Patricia Corbett is an oil painter well-known for her paintings of local landscapes and bridges using a mixture of the French and California Impressionistic style. In Peace on Earth, she presents several vibrantly colorful works in oil. Cheryl Seaver, new to Spectrum, paints objects like books and teacups that tell stories. These objects can be larger than life and tend to be whimsically representational. Nisha Manglani is another first-time presenter at the gallery. Her creativity touches upon her Indian cultural and ethnic background displayed through her work at Spectrum, Sitar Peace.
Vincent Palladino, a fine painter and sculptor from New York, presents a new work in this show. He creates with various materials, shown in his sculpture “Robin’s Nest” in which he incorporates twigs and spray paint. Painter Stephanie Rogers crafts peaceful “soft-scapes” or scenes to soothe the soul. She works in oil and acrylic in an Impressionistic style with warm, yet powerful colors. Watercolorist John Murray has a passion for art that is matched by a natural talent to capture various subject matter such as expressive coastal scenes, intimate woodland pictorials, and seasonal treks through the countryside; several of his holiday-themed works are in the holiday show. Daniel Dahlstrom, also new to Spectrum, is an award-winning artist who paints scenes of his beloved Chester, Connecticut, the Connecticut River, the Long Island Sound, and surrounding vistas of the beautiful New England countryside. He works “en plein air” and out of his studio.
There are many returning favorite photographers at Spectrum but also new ones such as Colleen Reilly, an award-winning photographer who shoots landscapes, wildlife, architecture, flowers, and people. Doug Hockman captures sublime natural scenes characterized by long exposures and camera panning. His works achieve further distinction by being mounted on wood panels, equipping them perfectly for display without the need for framing. Linda McMillan, an artist while known for decorative ceramics and expressive portraits presents her fine art photography in Peace on Earth
Spectrum’s annual Holiday Show includes many fine artisans working in ceramic, pottery, glass, fabric, wood, wax, paper and more. New artisans in the Store include crocheter Holly Walker who has a selection of fun toys for children of all ages. Joan Weir offers stained glass pieces with unique designs emphasizing picture frames, ornaments and contemporary suncatchers. A new fused glass artist Thomas O’Connell presents original and vivid work with gift items ranging from fun humorous birds to one-of-a-kind colorful bowls. Bill Waldron, a fine art woodworker, brings his beautifully crafted walnut Advent candleholders and Menorahs to the gallery for this special season. Many fine jewelry designers are included such as polymer clay artisan Beth Terhaar, new to Spectrum, who displays her love of the medium and its endless possibilities of color, texture, and shape in her collection of jewelry and ornaments
As mentioned, Spectrum exhibits its annual Holiday Tree with stunning, original ornaments to enjoy in the Gallery, and for purchase for home or given as a thoughtful gift. Many artists and fine artisans have contributed ornaments to the Tree as well as have created one-of-a-kind holiday cards and decorations. These artists include Diana Rubacha, Maryann Flick, Lisa Fatone, Marie Angersola, Joanne Brown, Tammy Blais and many more.
Spectrum Art Gallery and Artisans Store is open Wednesday through Saturday (12:00-6:00 p.m.) and Sunday (12:00-5:00 p.m.). From December 11 through the 24, 2021, the Gallery is open daily. Shop Spectrum Anytime, the gallery’s online store and gallery at www.spectrumanytime.com with shipping available throughout the US – a perfect choice for convenient holiday gift giving; gift cards are also available in the Store and online. For more information call (860) 767-0742 and visit spectrumartgallery.org. Follow on social media at facebook.com/spectrumartgallery, instagram.com/spectrum_art_gallery, and twitter.com/spectrum_ct
Photos courtesy of Spectrum Art Gallery.
