The Housing Assistance Corp. (HAC), Cornell University Students, and Cotuit Center for the Arts recently collaborated on an art project.  The finished product is on display at Cotuit Center for the Arts from April 5 through May 4

May 5 – June 10

Opening Reception Saturday, May 5 5-7pm

Mr. Charney’s prints are in many private collections and have been selected for juried exhibitions in Rochester, New York; Baltimore, Maryland; Worcester and Cape Cod, Massachusetts; and Sanibel and Ft. Meyers, Florida.  His prints have received numerous awards at these shows.

“For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with printmaking.  It’s a perverse art form: as much craft as art.  It requires time and patience to acquire the technical skill, like a musician who must painstakingly master the instrument before being able to make beautiful music.  Unlike painting, the outcome in printmaking is indirect, hidden, the result uncertain until the very end.  But then there is nothing as satisfying as “pulling” the final print, the “Aha!” moment when you lift the paper from the press and see what God hath wrought.” – E. Charney

Call for Artists: 4 Juried Exhibitions for 2012 season at Cotuit Center for the Arts

 We are seeking submissions for upcoming juried exhibitions.   “Portraits” to run June 16 through July 22; “Gender in Art” to run September 8 – October 13; “Shades of Grey” to run October 17 through November 17 and “Inspired by Wonka” to run November 21 through December 22.

All interpretations of the subjects will be considered, artists are invited to enter up to two pieces, and 3 dimensional and large works are encouraged.  The fee for entry is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Works must be delivered gallery-ready with appropriate frame and wire (if hung).  Drop and retrieval information below:

“Portraits” will run in tandem with a solo exhibit by Jon Friedman.  This show will be juried by Mr. Friedman and Maggie Van Sciver.  Drop off for jurying is Monday, June 11.  Retrieval of artwork is Monday, July 23.

“Gender in Art” will run in tandem with an exhibition of work by Cape Cod artists Jackie Reeves and Richard Neal. Drop off for jurying is Tuesday, September 4. Retrieval of artwork is Monday, October 15.

“Shades of Grey” will run in tandem with a solo exhibit by Jennifer Day.  This show will be juried by Ms. Day.  Drop off for jurying is Monday, October 15. Retrieval of artwork is Monday, November 19.

“Inspired by Wonka” will run in tandem with the Center’s holiday family production of Willy Wonka where works inspired by food and chocolate are the focus.  This show will be juried by the Center’s curatorial committee.  Drop off for jurying is Monday, November 19. Retrieval of artwork is December 27

In all cases large and 3 dimensional work is encouraged

May 5 – June 10

Opening Reception Saturday, May 5 5-7pm

Traditional Tea Ceremonies, May 6 at 1pm and at 2pm

Participating Artists:

Tom ODell

Donna Knight

Lois Hirshberg

Denny Howard

Hollis Engley

Jean Mangiafico

Ruth Bleakley

Hope Grossman

Paul Wisotzky

Sara Ringler

Andrea Favret

Richard Johnson

Tom OConnell

Yukimi Matsumoto

Yoko Kawashima Watkins

Ko Kawashima Patten

A Taste of the Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony, or Cha-no-yu, meaning “hot water for tea”, is is a special event in Japanese Culture. It is an interlude in which one leads oneself for the moment to the spirit of beauty, and quietude. It’s a way to detach from the daily routine and to attain inner peace. To help people turn away from the hustle and bustle of the world around us and to reach serenity, to feel that everything in the universe in it’s unity with the whole

There are 4 principles: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.  Every aspect of the ritual is aesthetics.  Everything from the utensils used, the environment of the tea room, the actual making of the tea, have a specific purpose in creating an atmosphere that teaches us to see the beauty in the ordinary, simple and small things. The tea ceremony itself is an art form that uses a whole spectrum of Japanese culture: architecture, ceramics, brush painting, textiles, flower arranging, and  more.

On May 6 at 1pm and again at 2pm Yoko Kawashima Watkins will be demonstrating how a traditional tea ceremony is performed.  The Japanese Tea Ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a ritual involving ceremonial preparation and presentation of a powdered green tea, matcha.  There are specific utensils that are used, as well as movements and handling of the utensils.  Admission $10

In this exhibit, we have asked several artists to create images and forms that show how they have been influenced by the Japanese aesthetic. There will be traditional as well as non-traditional arts that will be represented.

Come experience the essence of the Japanese Culture through this ancient tradition introduced from China to Japan 700 years ago, when Zen Monks started to develop this art form.

Also in the galleries: Portraits – An Open Call Juried Exhibition

The first of three juried exhibits.  The subject is portraits and the work submitted will be juried by Jon Friedman and Maggie Van Sciver

July 28 – September 2

Opening Reception Saturday, July 28 5-7 pm

The Big Picture will be an  open juried photography exhibit, specifically showing works that are 24″ x 30″ or larger. Photographs from all over the country will be evaluated and the jury will choose the best collection for this exciting new exhibit.

September 8 – October 13

Opening Reception Saturday, September 8 5-7pm

This exhibit will serve as the backdrop for thematic programming at the Center during the show.  Theatrical productions of all male and all female casts will run concurrently and there will be male vs. female poetry slams.  All in good fun, of course!

“People and things are in a never-ending condition of pulling together and breaking apart and I have tried in my work to reflect some element of that continual state of flux.” – Richard Neal.

“Memories and imaginings are the driving forces behind my work. I’m interested in  the connection between what we see and what we invent in our minds.  If I’m the creator of my imagined world then why not be the inventor of my waking days. “ – Jackie Reeves

October 17 – November 17

Opening Reception Saturday, October 20 5-7 pm

While this work explores the mystery of natural phenomena, it communicates a vastness of air, water and space that suggests something is going to happen, or has just happened. Few elements are solid. Most are fugitive, completely contrived yet completely believable. The imposing shapes suggest an infinity which is both elegant and overwhelming, and though one might lose a sense of equilibrium, this is my personal experiment after all.

I think of my work as a traveling experience, the destination of which is a place that transcends ordinary visual experience, a place that I believe in and am awed by. I rarely know how a piece will end up and I don’t want to, though I trust that I will learn as I go.  – Jennifer Day

Shades of Grey – Open Juried Exhibition

The third of four juried exhibits.  Painter Jennifer Day will serve as the juror for this show.

November 21 – December 30

Opening Reception Saturday, December 1 5-7 pm

This is one of our favorite annual exhibits in the galleries. During the festive holiday period, we invite our members, students and teachers to display work at the Center. It’s our way of saying thanks to all the visual artists who support the Center through their memberships and through participation in our classes.

This exhibit illustrates one of the benefits of membership at Cotuit Center for the Arts. We are thrilled to fill our walls with work exemplifying the many talented visual artists we call our family.

Inspired by Wonka

Food and chocolate inspired by Willy Wonka will be the focus of this final open call juried exhibit for the year.