ON VIEW IN HAL GOMER GALLERY
Art Around The Town Exhibit
Hal Gomer Gallery I June 13 - July 31, 2024
Reception: June 20, 2024 6 - 8 pm
This June and July, Chesapeake Arts Center will host an exhibition featuring artists that call Anne Arundel County home in honor of our community. Come to the opening reception at CAC on June 20th in the evening for a unique opportunity to discover local artists and experience the creative talents of Anne Arundel County artists. Let's get creative to showcase and appreciate the talent in our community as this event is a part of Anne Arundel County Arts Month!
This exhibition is on view in our Hal Gomer Gallery from June 13, 2024 - July 31, 2024.
Christian Burgos - “From growing up on comic giants like Jack Kirby, Jim Lee, Dwayne Mcduffie and Alex Ross, I execute my artistic vision through my work as clearly and transparent as possible. By virtue of my knowledge on surrealist fundamentals and an understanding of the color spectrum, my pieces can truly captivate the human eye. As a result of my love for comics I naturally include bold lines, vivid colors, personal life experiences and places in my dreams I hold most dear to my heart included in my work.”
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Karen Britton - “Through my art, I like to bring vibrancy and life to the ordinary. I use various mediums to create depth and dimension, allowing me to express a wide range of energies. By adding color where there isn't any and creating color where there shouldn't be any, I can elevate the mundane and transform it into something beautiful and captivating. My art is a reflection of my creativity and my unique perspective on the world around me, and it has the power to inspire creativity while uplifting those who view it.”
Ricky Chenoweth - My name is Ricky, I go by the stage name of RC online and on social media, I’ve worked as a freelance artist for over 10 years now, and now more of a full time artist as of the last couple months, I work in a variety of mediums and subjects, through water colors, soft pastels, computers and graphics. I specialize in surrealism and pop art, but don’t shy away from commission works as well. The Chesapeake arts center is where I got my start over a decade ago. Here I was able to grow an audience and meet a ton of like-minded people that allowed my creativity to grow. Honestly if you can think of it, there’s a solid chance I can make it.
Kathy Daywalt - “ I find watercolor to be continually interesting and beautiful. Color is delicious, and textures and patterns are fascinating! These are a few of the reasons I continue to be an artist, and continue to push to the edge. This is where figures, objects and landscapes can become just left or right of center, not quite dead on, a little quirky and evocative. Bold color thrills me – subtle color and nuance draw me in to see what is there. I enjoy the give and take that water media provides – watercolor, gouache, watercolor crayons and pencils – sometimes I tell them what to do. But sometimes, they tell me.”
Alison Gayne - “My work tries to catch fragments of the past and share those displaced memories through images. I intentionally use colors to symbolize the eternal nature of these moments in time. The objects and actions in the work depict moments of play which represent dreams and aspiration often connected with the creative process. My work has always been about an attempt to bridge life’s mysteries with material truths. The pieces here represent a nostalgic exploration that revisits moments in time and instills a lost, mystical quality to them. The materials used for the work includes ink, paint, pastel, charcoal, different types of paper, ink, marker, and found material. The paintings are sealed with a varnish that literally and metaphorically glosses those past moments in time. Art in its purest form derives out of an intuitive process, and as an artist what I choose to express is channeled from something larger than myself as an individual. The process of making art takes on a deep, visceral, and profound manifestation that evolves beyond ego, the artist, or anything that can be categorized. My work is a continued attempt to bridge life’s mysteries with material truths.”
Colleen Hawk - Colleen Hawk is a multidisciplinary artist and creative working in the Mid-Atlantic region. Colleen studied at Delaware State University, where she earned her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in 2014.
Colleen's art is characterized by layers of symbolism and narrative, as well as a fearless use of color and dynamic compositions. As an artist, she is skilled in several disciplines, including oil, watercolor, acrylic, fibers, and woodworking. This versatility lends itself to an ever evolving portfolio of work, that often embraces themes of the feminine experience tempered with dark symbolism, as well as an appreciation of the natural world.
Currently, Colleen works primarily in her home studio outside of Baltimore, with her husband, Jon, and several pets.
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Gary Honig - “My work involves layers, literally and figuratively. Having studied, visited with and observed contemporary art closely, I recognize when techniques and concepts I have been using all along appear and are validated in art history. My work is influenced by painters like Lee Krasner, Lary Poons, and Joan Mitchell. To a great degree, my paintings reflect my adventures, which some might consider unconventional.
I usually enter a painting or series through a conceptual phase, where I initially seek to channel a motivation. I am sensing my way in, which could come in the form of what the painting might look or feel like, it could start with a potential title. Overall, my paintings vary in content and to best of my ability they reflect my personality. I want to see who I am in the painting.”
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Liza Marie Figueroa - “I am a mixed media artist who enjoys expressing my feeling through my art and also takes inspiration from family, nature and world of fantasy.”
Meg Matthews - “MiMuLiLu means 'Milk Mustaches & Living Lupie' and began in 2013 after deciding to focus on health and happiness, which meant learning to embrace my creativity, and my disability, to share my life experiences and creations with others.
For a lifetime I have lived with complex post-traumatic stress, and for over a decade now I have been living with several autoimmune disorders… these aspects of my life guide everything I do, from making a home with Mr Husband to creating art and craftwork. Generally, I am inspired by nature, simple patterns, lively colors, and traditional crafts, but also purposeful and meaningful work” ~ Meg Matthews
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Mike McNally - Mike McNally is a local artist that has resin artworks on display for this exhibition.
Diane Osburn - “My vision as an artist is to move the viewer to think, reflect, smile, and enjoy. I am an abstract painter who loves to create feeling, movement, and energy with acrylic and sometimes oil paint. I like creating with bold colors and texture to reflect my feelings at any given time. Every painting starts with a basic idea, but I allow the rhythm of the process to guide me along the journey. That for me is the beauty of creativity.”
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Tim Pratt - “I celebrate local history through the art of pyrography.”
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Krys Redman - Krys Kay is a non-binary artist from Maryland. They are a diverse artist with a focus that leans towards pop art, nostalgia, and exploring the human body and experience through a variety of mediums. Krys most notably finds inspiration in the emotional experiences of themselves and others, as well as their own childhood interests.
Atalante Shay - “I was born to immigrant parents, making me a first-generation American, and I grew up in Hyattsville, Maryland. From a very early age, I always had a crayon or paintbrush in my little hand, and I was either drawing or painting. I attended the Washington Waldorf School from Kindergarten until 9th grade, which helped shape my artistic abilities. Next, I attended my local public high school- Northwest High School, where I graduated with AP art courses, thanks to my high school art teacher, who believed in me! Finally, I continued my visual arts studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, graduating with a BFA in Painting and Printmaking! Since graduating college, I have submitted my art to several juried art shows through the Annapolis Arts Alliance. However, I also decided to leap of faith and submit my artwork to Gallery 57 West, which I was accepted into. Showing my artwork in Annapolis, Maryland, has always been on my bucket list. While at Gallery 57 West, I co-hosted an art show with the Gallery and Gigi's Playhouse Annapolis, showcasing adults with Down Syndrome!”
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Kimberly Spasaro-Williams - “My name is Kimberly Spasaro-Williams. I have always loved sketching and drawing with an interest in painting since a very young age. However, I only recently started really getting into all forms of painting since retiring in 2016. I prefer watercolor and acrylic painting but I’ve also used oil and pastels as well. I specialize in realism, impressionism and photorealism. I’ve also been experimenting with painterly style but really struggle with leaving loose brush strokes and paint splotches on my canvas. This struggle is real! I’ve had no real formal training in painting, I am self taught. I did have a class in college for sketching and drawing. The teacher would put on a smooth jazzy tune by Norah Jones or Amy Winehouse and I remember I would just float away in my own creative world. So when I started painting, I found myself doing this same thing and now painting is an escape for me. I have no worries in the world while painting.
I’ve been commissioned to create custom paintings on several occasions based on clients’ photographs and ideas. I’ve painted just about everything from their pets and family members to their favorite landscape and nature photographs and even their prize possessions like boats! I really love to create custom paintings from personal photographs which connect deeply with my clients. It’s so satisfying to see the look in their eyes when they see their special moments and memories portrayed on various artistic surfaces.”
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Alicia Tillman - Creative Alicia Tillman works in pencil, acrylics and digitally. She is currently focused on everyday people and things. Raised in Norfolk, Virginia, Alicia has always had a creative spirit, but being an artist always felt like a hobby. She went on to get a degree in Industrial Design and studied Interior Design. The technical skills she acquired now uniquely influence her process and how she sees her own work. Sometimes creating art is her internal battle between the logical, analytical and the imaginative free-spirit, but she has chosen to throw herself into her practice and share it openly.
