Artists:

Maria Estela, Serafini, Nancy Alimansky, Winchester Artists' Network, Ella Putney Carlson, Elizabeth Mitsuye Horwitz, Dominique Lecomte, Peter G. Engeldrum, Jenks Center Artists, Winchester Public Schools Students, Alexandra Richardson, Sachicko Furui.

January 2007. Maria Estela Serafini, Textiles

Maria Estela Serafini was born in Argentina. She has lived in the Metro Boston area since January 2001.

At the end of the ‘70s and in the ‘80s she was dedicated to china painting, and took drawing classes at the same time. In the ‘90s she began to work with textiles, with great enthusiasm, in the workshop “La Rueca” (Cordoba) where she was one of the disciples of Graciela Szamrey, the exquisite Argentinian plastic artist.

Estela Serafini says:

Weaving is one of the oldest languages of the world; through it I can tell many small stories; I can sing with my best tone of voice the joy of life or its saddest side and the simplest things of life or the most meaningful. With just the strength of a thread, I can fly high in the sky and own infinity.

Moreover, I always have the feeling that while I am weaving, I keep the Wheel of Life, the heart of the most precious treasure of my life steering, working, going forward and forward. In other words, I am still keeping the fire in the middle of my dwelling so that it will burn constantly, as it did for the first human beings.

Award-winning artist Serafini has exhibited her work widely in the United States and in Europe.

February 2007. Nancy Alimansky, Watercolors

Harbor in Fog

Nancy Alimansky began painting in 1989, and she chose to work in watercolor. It continues to be an exciting, fascinating and challenging medium for her.

Plein air painting is Nancy’s preference; her favorite subjects are landscapes - street scenes, harbors, and New England waterfront subjects. She is also drawn to architectural subjects in the city and enjoys painting in the various neighborhoods of Boston.

She strives to lay down the correct color and value as directly as possible without using many layers of paint. This gives a freshness and vitality to her work which is characterized by her use of strong shapes and vibrant color.

In the past seventeen years Nancy has exhibited in more than 98 juried exhibitions. Her work was included in the 136th annual International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society in New York. She has also had numerous solo exhibits in Massachusetts and in Rhode Island.

Nancy has won several awards but is especially proud of the Gold Medal she received for Best in Watermedia at the 60th annual exhibition of Audubon Artists in New York. The editor of American Artist magazine saw this national show and interviewed her for a feature article in their October 2003 issue. She has also been awarded the title of “Copley Artist” at the Copley Society and is a “Signature Artist” for both New England Watercolor Society and the Rhode Island Watercolor Society. One of her paintings was selected for inclusion in the 1999 publication, “The Best of Watercolor Three” published by Rockport Publishers. Her work has appeared in two calendars: the 2006 Calendar published by the Rhode Island Watercolor Society and New England Artists Calendar, 2004, published by Brooks Pharmacy.

Nancy is an artist member of the Copley Society, Cambridge Art Association, New England Watercolor Society, Rhode Island Watercolor Society, Rockport Art Association and the North Shore Arts Association where she served as Vice President (2001- 2003). She is an Associate Member of the American Watercolor Society.

Nancy is a graduate of Wellesley College, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Boston College. She has been an Associate Professor at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA since 1985 where she teaches courses in computer technology and management. Her website is: www.alimanskygallery.com

March 2007. Winchester Artists' Network, Glory Days.

Winchester Summer Dream, oil painting by Tony Fenn.

During the month of March the Winchester Public Library will be hosting Glory Days, the annual group show of the Winchester Artists' Network. On display are the works of more than two dozen local artists. These exuberant works span the range from the traditional to the surreal and abstract. The media include painting, drawing, calligraphy, photography, ceramics, lipstick, nail polish, and computer art, to name a few. The artists range from long-time professionals through self-taught amateurs to those who have just recently been introduced to art. What unites them and shows through this show is a love of art and a passion for exploring and illuminating that which cannot be reduced to words.

The artists invite the public to join them in the Library, Thursday, March 29th, from 6-8 PM for a grand reception to meet the artists and help celebrate this show. Artists participating in this year's show are: Joan Baldwin, Sue Clark, Muriel Crum, Michael Emerald, Peter Engledrum, Tony Fenn, Lee Ferrara, Mildred Fischer, Mark Flannery, Robin Goodale, Mary Grassi, Brian Hart, Mary Hart, Thomas Hart, James Herbert, Bob Hesse, Carol Keller, Joe Krivickas, Ruth Lieberherr, Susan Livida, Madeleine Lord, John McConnell, Sandra McRae, Carolyn Sirois, David Stirling, and Fenton Nelson Stirling.

April 2007. Ella Putney Carlson, Ellaprints

There are little scenes we pass every day and all too often we do not take the time to appreciate the beauty of these passing vignettes. That is the theme of this exhibit. The photographic works capture every day moments of grace that we too often take for granted.

There are little scenes we pass every day and all too often we do not take the time to appreciate the beauty of these passing vignettes. That is the theme of this exhibit. The photographic works capture every day moments of grace that we too often take for granted.

Carlson has a portrait and fine art studio in Dunstable where she does commission portraiture of individuals and families, maternity portraiture and babies, as well as fine art photography and photo memory books. Her work explores the use of overlaid textures, color enhancements, and added paint strokes to arrive at the finished pieces.

Carlson also teaches digital imaging and photography and illustration at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell and the New Hampshire Institute of Art and also teaches workshops for the New Hampshire Professional Photographers.

She has received various awards for her work including, most recently, three Fuji Masterpiece Awards in 2006 and a federal grant for her exhibition at the Mogan Cultural Center in Lowell. She is a member of the Dunstable Artisans, a group of juried artists in all media from the Groton / Pepperel / Dunstable Area.

Ella Putney Carlson's website is: www.ellaprints.com

May 2007. Elizabeth Mitsuye Horwitz, Fans

The exhibit is a collection of pieces influenced by the intricate fan designs featured on many kimonos. The work is inspired by the complex designs and special feel of the Japanese paper called washi and is focused on adding dimensions and innovative shapes to the static scenes on the paper.

“I grew up in a house in Tokyo, Japan, that was filled with contemporary Japanese prints,” says Ms. Howitz. “Japanese washi paper was everywhere. From the wrapping paper of something you bought in the store to folding origami paper at home with my mother, beautiful paper was everywhere. I started to cover eggs with washi many years ago, and later began using it to make simple jewelry — like earrings made of origami cranes.”

“My process…allows me to utilize the imagery of the papers in creative ways. I spend time thinking about how to reconfigure the static scenes on the paper into something more dramatic…The pieces are all cut apart and rearranged into a three dimensional fan.”

Learn more at: liz@lizhorwitz.com

June 2007. Dominique Lecomte, Images, Voyages, Impressions

Print titled lattente

The artist has written: I am drawn to the American West by the forms and the grandeur of its landscapes. In the Northeast, I look for the mystery of lakes and forests stretching as far as the eye can see, or for the charm of the coasts with their small villages, rocky edges, and sandy beaches. From the South, I keep the vibrancy of the colors, from the North, the rigor of the vast and empty spaces. Cities offer the permanent spectacle of their buildings and colorful crowds. Sometimes, a detail is enough to evoke everything.

I spent my early years in Rambervillers, a town in Les Vosges (France) After a two years sabbatical devoted to study many forms of visual Art at Ecole de l’Image (School of Images) in the nearby town of Epinal, I exhibited oils, acrylics, and etchings. In 1994, I went to the United States to teach French and philosophy in an international school. I specialized in linocuts and woodcuts. Photography, which I always used as a visual travel log, became the base of my work.

My private or public buyers live in Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and the United States of America. Galleries in France and the United States represent me. Visit my website: www.lecomtedominique.com

Besides art and philosophy, I like reading, writing, traveling, hiking, swimming, and snow-shoeing.

July 2007. Peter G. Engeldrum, An Electronic Eulogy

photograph: flare glow 1

To eulogize is to speak well of, or praise highly, especially the dead. This is a photographic eulogy to long "dead" electronic vacuum tubes and other electronic detritus.

Peter Engledrum has written: " Electronic tubes disappeared over twenty five years ago being replaced by silicon chips and printed circuit boards. Today, the lone survivor is the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) that still exists in computer and TV displays. However, even this last vacuum tube remnant is being replaced by flat panel displays.

Now, the "new" silicon chips and printed circuit boards, not tubes, are part of our planned obsolescence, and questionably sustainable, "sili-conomy". The new "sili-conomy" rapidly relegates "the latest and greatest" to yesterday's technology and then to more digital detritus. The working parts of yesterday's technological wonders pass unseen except to the curious and brave souls who want to "look inside" their electronic helpers. And what one finds is quite often a surprise.

This photographic essay " highly praises" these electronic remnants of the past. A close up (and personal) portrayal of very old vacuum tubes and discarded digital electronics.

Highly enlarged, these tubes are majestic! One sees miniature versions of the outer-space cities widely seen in science fiction depictions of the future. The architects of these little cities in a bottle were both ingenious and had a great sense of beauty and humor. High rises with vast roof antennas, ladders to nowhere, all pure science fiction.

While today's printed circuit boards may be far less romantic, they possess a beauty all there own. The geometric patterns of the "runs" on the circuit board remind me of canals, transporting their precious cargo. A close look reveals chips and components serving as bridges, buildings, and other elements of a once thriving and bustling silicon city.

Though they may be ancient and lifeless, these electronic castoffs once brought us pleasure, and enabled our daily life. Now they deserve a fitting eulogy."

Peter Engledrum's prize-winning photographs have appeared in many local and regional art shows, and in literary publications. In 2003 Peter was named one of the Top Fifty Photo-graphers in the Maine Photographic Workshops Golden Light Awards.

When not working at his “day job” as a consultant in imaging and color science, Peter does fine art and stock photography. He likes to photograph the world, and the objects in it, with unusual viewpoints, light and color. His present projects include close-up (macro) photo-graphy of old electronic vacuum tubes, and, unique interpretations of discarded printed circuit boards—“Digital Detritus.”

Contact information: D-LogE Photography ~ 781-756-0935 ~ pge@imcotek.com ~ http://www.imcotek.com/photo/

August 2007. Jenks Center Artists, Celebrating Art in August

September & October 2007. Winchester Public Schools Students, Annual Show of Student Artwork

November 2007. Alexandra Richardson, Egg Tempera Still Lifes

December 2007. Sachicko Furui

Recent Works

KOTO has a rectangular sound box that is a flat on the bottom with a gently arched top. It is six feet long, ten inches wide and three inches deep. Koto is made out of Kiri wood (pauwlonia imperialis), which grows in Japan. The thirteen strings, which stretch the length of the koto, are suspended on two and one-half inch bridges, which are moved to the right, or to the left to raise or lower the pitch of a particular string. Koto is a long zither and is played by plucking the strings with three fingers of the right hand wearing ivory finger picks. Instrument similar to koto have been played in Japan as far back as recorded history. Yamada School koto music flourished during the Tokugawa period (1600-1868). Texts are drawn from ancient and modern poetry and literature including such works as Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) and the Kokin Waka Shu (a tenth century collection of poetry).

Ayakano Cathleen Read holds the urayurushi, nakayurushi, and okuyurushi certificates of performance ability. In 1974 she became the first non-Japanese to join the musician guild of Nakanoshima Kin’ichi. Ayakano performed widely in U.S, Japan, and Africa at museum, Universities, and concert halls, on a radio and TV.

Sachiko Furui has been studying Koto with Ayakano for 6 years now on top of Art which are displayed in Winchester Library in December.

This exhibit of her recent work is made up of collage and woodcut pieces. A number of the woodcuts are from Ms. Furui’s “life project,” 100 Views of America, of which she says, “I wish to enable the viewer to enjoy the beauty of the American landscape through the eyes of a Japanese artist now living in the United States.”

More information available at www.sachikof.com