An Opening Dialogue – The Nature of Abstraction

September 19 – November 8, 2015

Panel Discussion: The Nature of Abstraction

Sunday, October 18, 2-5 pm

Janet Purcell article on Exhibit in NJ.com

Bucks County Herald Article on Exhibit

Abstract art is both very old and very new. Originating in primitive figurative representations by prehistoric peoples, it has barely celebrated its 100^th birthday in the hands of modern artists, many of whom drew inspiration from their ancient ancestors. Against this historical backdrop, the focus of this exhibition is abstract art now, as represented by living artists of distinction collected regionally and more broadly.

Artists whose works are on display include painters Virginia Cuppaidge, Amaranth Ehrenhalt, Janet Filomeno, Micheal Madigan, and Maria Schon, and sculptors David Cann and Mark Pettegrow.

The artists in this show variously identify the inspirations for their works, including nature and the feminine, water, music and poetry, energy, life events and cycles, spirituality, sensuality of line and form, discovery and insight, memory, and creation itself. Whatever else can be said of abstract art, it is not one thing but many, and forms a continuum of works defined by the degree to which they reveal their specific inspirations. This is no less true for the sculptors than the painters. Also true of all the artists is their seriousness of purpose in creating works that will vitally affect their audiences: in the hands of accomplished artists, the partial absorption or complete absence of figurative content in no way diminishes the evocative power of abstract art.