Marion Art Center opens annual Winter Members Exhibition
For the past 50 years the Marion Art Center has invited its members to participate in a Winter Members Art Show—And each year, as the number of paintings has grown, so has the talent of the artists, says Executive Director Deborah Bokelkamp.
The latest Members Show opened last Friday.
Here is a short Q-and-A with Bokelkamp about the exhibit, which is open to the public until March 6.
What makes the Members Show different from other gallery exhibits?
The nature of the show is that the work that is featured cannot be older than 3 years or have been featured in the gallery before. We have about 54 paintings this year and it's all new work. That’s always fun.
What sort of feedback did you receive during the opening reception Jan. 13?
We’ve gotten some really good feedback this year. It was extremely well received. More people told me this year that this was the best show yet. We have a good representation of work. We have oils, acrylics, pastels, watercolors, etc…
How was the show received by the artists who were featured?
What is great about the show is it gives every artist a chance to feature their work for exhibition and sale. The more people see their work, the more chance the artist has to sell it and to get feedback.
How has the members’ art featured in the winter show changed over the years?
We have members who have been members for years and years and they continue to evolve in style. It’s wonderful to see. With any discipline in life, whether it’s dance or art or something else, the longer you practice, the better it gets.
What do a majority of the artists seek to capture in their work?
Art is such an incredibly subjective thing. What we have here is a beautiful cross-section of art. Most artists are looking to express something. Some are technical and focus solely on their technical abilities, but most use the medium to express their feelings. Each person who views a painting brings their own expressions to life in that painting. It’s a two-way street between the viewer and the artist. It’s a wonderful feeling.
