Art center showcases first virtual gallery
Janine Simmons titled this photo “Solitude” and said "I was wandering on the beach as sunset approached and came across this young girl, alone and waiting, not unlike how many feel these days." Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Anna Kristina Goransson felted this grass emerging from some old wood. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Anna Kristina Goransson felted this fantastic plant coming out of a log. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Diane Kelley’s bride and groom sculptures. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Andy Costa was challenged in school to make this painting out of common household items. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Anne Donnellon painted “Tres Agaves” in watercolor. She said it was "My first watercolor... It is inspired by the oil paintings of cacti by Mexican artist Azuela. It represents my love of Mexico, missed time there this year, and my concerned uncertainties about the health of Mexican friends." Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Jack Boeson photographed one of the rocks that Stevens loves so much. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Reporter Tim Seeberger submitted “Bedroom pop” a photo about the loneliness of being stuck in his bedroom at home during coronavirus. Photo courtesy: Tim Seeberger
Mattapoisett artist John Magnan’s “Stephenson’s Revenge” is a commentary on how AT&T’s former CEO Randall Stephenson “$64,000,000 golden parachute” when he retired in March, while a majority of the country was surviving on stimulus checks. Photo courtesy: John Magnan
Janine Simmons titled this photo “Solitude” and said "I was wandering on the beach as sunset approached and came across this young girl, alone and waiting, not unlike how many feel these days." Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Anna Kristina Goransson felted this grass emerging from some old wood. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Anna Kristina Goransson felted this fantastic plant coming out of a log. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Diane Kelley’s bride and groom sculptures. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Andy Costa was challenged in school to make this painting out of common household items. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Anne Donnellon painted “Tres Agaves” in watercolor. She said it was "My first watercolor... It is inspired by the oil paintings of cacti by Mexican artist Azuela. It represents my love of Mexico, missed time there this year, and my concerned uncertainties about the health of Mexican friends." Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Jack Boeson photographed one of the rocks that Stevens loves so much. Photo courtesy: Marion Art Center
Reporter Tim Seeberger submitted “Bedroom pop” a photo about the loneliness of being stuck in his bedroom at home during coronavirus. Photo courtesy: Tim Seeberger
Mattapoisett artist John Magnan’s “Stephenson’s Revenge” is a commentary on how AT&T’s former CEO Randall Stephenson “$64,000,000 golden parachute” when he retired in March, while a majority of the country was surviving on stimulus checks. Photo courtesy: John Magnan
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While the Marion Art Center shut its doors due to the pandemic, it was still sharing a wide variety of art that reflected the prevalent emotions of the time through its first virtual gallery.
The Art Center issued a call for entries in April, inviting artists and non-artists alike to submit ideas as to how they were living through uncertainty for an art exhibit of the same name.
The group’s Executive Director, Jodi Stevens, said she got notes from many submittors saying that they didn’t consider themselves artists and had never submitted to a gallery before. She said the virtual exhibit was a “good opportunity for new artists.”
The art they produced in the 66 submissions ranged from poems and paintings to photos and sculptures. There was also a wide range of emotional reactions to the trying circumstances of the pandemic.
“Some people are more optimistic than others,” Stevens said. “We don’t want to censor anyone for talking about their feelings.”
She said the feelings evoked by art pieces range from hard reminders of a deadly pandemic to something beautiful.
Stevens said she particularly loves the small rocks that are painted with positive sayings that appear both around Marion and as part of the exhibit
Though the exhibit isn’t social in the same way that a gallery opening is, Stevens says that she feels the exhibit has brought members and fans together somewhat, as she has gotten some messages from them saying “thanks for sharing.”
In some cases, the act of creating art became social as well. Paula Stebbins Becker started making mini collages from items and fabrics that she had around the house and challenged herself to post them online for 30 days.
“Some days I don’t feel genuine inspiration, I feel sad and concerned for the suffering that people all over the world are experiencing. I almost stopped my daily posts several times,” Becker said. “It was the feedback and comments from friends that encouraged me. I realized that many people look forward to seeing the daily 'still lives' and they help to brighten their spirits!"
Felt crafter Anna Kristina Goransson also wanted to interact with others through her art, though more through nature than social media.
As she explains:
“I installed little felted sculptures in my local woods and created an art scavenger hunt for people to discover. I have always wanted to install in nature and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to help stave off boredom for the neighborhood. People seemed to really appreciate it."
The youngest participant was 8 years old, the son of the Art Center’s bookkeeper, who submitted a school project.
Some art pieces reflected on life events pushed back by the pandemic. Designed Diane Kelley showcased the sculptures she made for her daughter’s wedding, originally planned for March, but then rescheduled.
Others showed a greater connection with mundane objects encountered at home.
Kyle Riseley acknowledged that she was privileged to be able to shelter in place at home, but also said “sheltering in place was not a sentence, it was an opportunity to pause and closely examine some of the things I had accumulated in a lifetime.”
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