The Shenandoah Valley Art Center, during the month of August, in the Cabell/Arehart Gallery is exhibiting the works of Gene Provenzo.
His main work has been as an educational historian and cultural theorist while art and design have been constants in his professional life as a professor at University of Miami (1973-2013). Beginning in the late 1970s, he began to work on various projects involving innovative toy design, book design, the creation of museum exhibits, as well as multimedia and video game development.
Separate from his professional work, and inspired by the 1980 retrospective exhibit of the work of Joseph Cornell (1903-1972) at the Museum of Modern Art, he began to work as a collage and assemblage artist. Throughout his academic career he would occasionally be invited to exhibit pieces, including a1979 exhibit of his system of “Golden Mean Blocks” at the Renwick Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Having retired from research and teaching, he is now devoted to working full-time as an artist.
Gene’s own words about the exhibit:
“This exhibit is a result of my fascination with the work of the Mexican artists, Jose Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913), Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) and Diego Rivera (1886-1957). Posada was a lithographer (the creator of many of the images we associate with dancing skeletons and the “Day of the Dead”); Kahlo was primarily a portrait painter and surrealist; and Rivera an epic and political muralist. Reflecting on each artist and their work, I have created a series of sculptures, collages and assemblages. I would hope that if each of the three artists were able to see this exhibit, they would easily recognize its relevance in the context of their individual biographies and the works they created as artists. I would hope that they would find much that I have created to be funny, and that at the same time they would appreciate the reverence and respect I hold for their work.”
An opening will be held Saturday, August 4, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and the public is encouraged to come and meet the artist. August 8, 2:00 p.m., an Artist’s Talk by Provenzo will be open and free to the public.
In the Hallway Gallery, the Gerry Coe Memorial Exhibit is a retrospective look at the body of work, including watercolor and encaustic paintings, which were the product of a life haunted by depression. The works reflect the struggles and determination to live life well with faith and courage.
Having received a Master of Fine Arts in painting from JMU, she was an accomplished artist who enjoyed teaching. Coe taught two-dimensional art at Waynesboro High School from 1991 to 2001. She was an amazing teacher, full of fire and passion for her curriculum and students. She challenged her students to strive for the highest degree of accomplishment, to find their own voice as artists, and to feel satisfied with their success. Giving back to the community and those in need made her loved by many.
In the Members’ Gallery, the theme Blue will be interpreted by SVAC members through a variety of media and creative ideas.
Author, Jane Congdon will be at SVAC on August 7, 2:00 p.m. talking about her late in life hike of the Appalachian Trail. Her book, How the WILD EFFECT Turned Me into a Hiker at 69: An Appalachian Trail Adventure, is newly published and she will be sharing tales from it! Free and open to the public!
Applications from professional artists and artisans are now being accepted for the 46th Annual Fall Foliage Art Show to be held October 13 – 14. One hundred and fifty of the artists selected by the standards committee will showcase their works including painting, printmaking, wood, pottery, glass, jewelry, sculpture and mixed media.
The artists bring high quality art and craft to this two day outdoor show. Join us as we turn the streets of downtown Waynesboro into an outdoor fine art festival for the weekend!
Also featured are gourmet food trucks, craft beers, and great local music. Bring your spare change with you! Shenandoah Valley Art Center is challenging visitors to fill up three huge containers of change to help us bring the 416 Studio project to life. A little change makes a BIG CHANGE in the future of our art community! Jars will be at SVAC, in the Food Court, and at the Information Booth.
Open studio opportunities in the Virginia Ross Education Studio are available to printmakers and ceramic artists. Access to top of the line clay and printmaking equipment and space to work will be furnished for $60 per quarter. Apply on line at www.SVACart.com.
The art center is a retail alliance partner with the Artisan Center of Virginia and an ACV Trail Site. In the SVAC Gift Shop you can find the perfect creative gift in fiber, jewelry, wood, glass, pottery, and more by juried artisans from Virginia and SVAC member artists.
The Shenandoah Valley Art Center is located in downtown Waynesboro at 122 S. Wayne Avenue. Galleries are open to the public 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call (540) 949-7662 or visit www.svacart.com.
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Chris Graham
