"My work is inspired by the grace, strength and beauty of the natural world. I search for a sense of balance and harmony that brings order to natural elements. I am interested in expressing an inner energy that leans toward symbolism and abstraction.
"My process begins with a search for wood that has creative potential. I find it in many places, from the walls of a 200 year old farmhouse, to a boat builder's scrap pile. I have pulled burning logs out of a bonfire and turned them into art. Wood that has washed ashore that shows the passage of time and exposure to the elements can be inspiring. I begin a piece by studying it for awhile, sometimes days! I usually have to carve and manipulate the shape of the wood to enhance the form. I am attracted to rich color and achieve that through layers of wax oil crayon or acrylic paint. I often put a resin coating on the finished piece to protect the surface. The design process happens organically for me, and I usually don’t know exactly what the finished piece will look like. I just keep searching until I feel it has soul and presence. It often ends up being a combination of the natural forms in the wood and my own design insight."
Mary Jane is currently the Art Department Chairperson at Bay View Academy in Riverside Rhode Island, as well as a practicing artist. She received a Masters of Art degree in Teaching at Rhode Island School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rhode Island College. Her work has been exhibited in venues throughout New England and is in several corporate and private collections. Her work is currently on display at the ArtPov Gallery in Providence, RI, the Charlestown Gallery in Charltestown, RI, and Art3 in Manchester New Hampshire.
To view more of Mary Jane's work, visit mjandreozzi.com. If you are interested in purchasing her work, contact her at mjandreozzi@comcast.net.
"My work is inspired by a desire to capture elusive, in-between states of being. I believe each moment is a transition to the next moment and nothing is final.
"My figurative sculpture begins when I come across a real or imagined facial expression or gesture that suggests a concealed or pent-up feeling. The work highlights the emotions we are taught to hold back from others; it is in sharing these feelings that we connect more deeply. The natural world, for it’s unapologetic approach, is a constant inspiration. Trees do not question which way to grow; they simply grow toward the light. Plants and vines push their way up through cracks in pavement and bloom in areas that others deem unfit.
"Psychologist Carl Jung’s idea that we all “carry a shadow,” serves as a reminder that our perceived vulnerability might actually be our greatest source of strength. Fascinated by what was and what will be, who we are now and who we might become, my work is an attempt to slow down, to notice the small details and reflect on fleeting experiences."
To see more of Deborah's work, go to http://www.deborahbaldizar.com/.
Norman is a life-long Seekonk resident. He realized his artistic talent while working as a pattern cutter for jewelry companies in the area. He helped design many high school, college, and professional championship rings for 54 years.
“I was watching Bob Ross on television, back in the 90’s and told my wife, ‘I think I can do that,’ and that’s how my oil painting career began. My wife bought me a starter oil painting set in 2000. I used Ross’ different techniques, and then began experimenting on my own. Painting relaxes me and allows me to escape into the different landscapes and seascapes that I create, though I love painting animals as well. Ideas for my paintings come from various sources; calendars, post cards, greeting cards, photos people send me, scenery from places I have visited and of course, my imagination.”
Norman has done commissioned paintings of folks’ childhood homes, their favorite landmarks, or just things they love to look at every day. He has participated in the juried Scituate Art Festival for the past many years and enjoys talking to people that just love art. Norm paints in oil, but on different surfaces, such as slate, wood, birch tree limbs and canvas.
"When you look out through a window on a rainy day — what do you see? When I look through a window during a rain storm, I study how the sheets of rain pouring down the panes causes distortion of the view outside. The rain flow abstracts the lens through which an observer sees the outside world in that moment. Colors blend together, articulated lines and shapes become blurred, and the motion of the continuing rain makes the scene even more dynamic. In these moments, I’m reminded of a poem by Abraham Sutzkever, that these colors, these moments, “…all this illuminated by the rain.”
Through these oil paintings on canvas, I seek to capture a single abstracted moment between a rainy day and its observer; between a moment in reality and its abstract experience. In the process of creating these images, I chose to use oil paint because of its slow drying time, incorporating a hefty mass of stand oil, allowing gravity to continue its work on the paintings long after I’ve stepped away from the easel — pulling the colors and paint with it as it continued its slow descent down the surface of the canvas. Even after the paint has dried, the evidence of these viscous drips have become suspended in motion, frozen in the gradual downward crawl. The viscous texture of this drip beckons the viewer in to experience the texture of this rainy moment, making tactile the tangible." -- Rachel Brask
Rachel currently works on colorful contemporary abstract expressionist oil paintings inspired by rainy days. Her creative endeavors also include graphic design, photography and teaching art classes and workshops. She welcomes painting commissions and looks forward to opportunities to work with others to discover their inner creativity.
A few years after completing her art degree at Houghton College, she married her husband, Pete Hutchinson, and moved from Seekonk to East Providence, where her studio is located. She is involved in several area organizations, including: Art League Rhode Island, Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, East Providence Arts Council, and the Graphic Artists Guild.
To see more of Rachel's work, visit www.rachelbraskart.com
Dianne Wilkins Burns grew up in Taunton, MA. She knew from an early age that she loved to draw and paint. As a young girl, she took art lessons with Donald Isaac and subsequently attended the New England School of Art in Boston. Although Dianne worked with many mediums in her early days, in time she came to favor oil painting.
One of the earliest art clubs that formed in our area was the Taunton Art Association, which brought in many artists of different mediums through their monthly demonstration meetings. One of these artists was the nationally known oil painter, Helen Van Wyk. Dianne spent many summer vacations in Rockport, MA attending the workshops offered by Ms. Van Wyk.
Dianne often paints en plein air with fellow TAA artists as well as with members of the Westport Art Group. In 2014, Dianne became a member of the Seekonk Artist Network. Most recently, Dianne became a member of ArtNight Bristol/Warren and attending many of the workshops they have offered.
In addition to showing her work at events sponsored by the SAN, Dianne has participated in the Thayer Street Festival in Providence. In 2016, she had a solo exhibit at the gallery at the River’s Edge Remax office in Bristol, RI. Her work has been exhibited in the Rogers Free Library, also in Bristol. She will again participate in this year’s SAN Open Studio event. She has won awards for her paintings in both oil and watercolor, and her photography has been published. Her work is in private collections in the USA and abroad. She lives in Seekonk, Massachusetts with her husband Kevin.
"My passion for photography centers around the outdoors. I started my photographic journey in 2007, focusing on seascapes and landscapes. Most of my body of work has been made in Southeastern New England. My approach to photography is to not simply document a moment, but to stir an emotion. I create images of actual scenes in a way that combines what I feel with what I see, through photographic techniques in the field and in the digital darkroom.
“My other creative pursuit is making electronic music. I have been fascinated with electronic, synthesized sounds from an early age. I can remember as a child programming my Vic-20 PC to create a variety of sounds. After struggling with learning guitar, I purchased some used synths in the mid 1990’s and went on from there. I took a 10 year break when I started a family. The pandemic motivated me to begin making music again. I currently use a combination of software with a Eurorack modular synthesizer, several desktop synthesizers and drum machines. I create mostly improvised techno and ambient under the name brÿanߎ.”
To view or purchase Bryan’s work, visit www.bryanbzdulaphotography.com
To hear Bryan’s music, visit soundcloud.com/bryan-bzdula
“My first exposure to clay was as a young child when my grandmother took me to the Baltimore YMCA to create hand-built ‘works of art.’ This experience stayed with me; so in 2001 I started my first serious exploration into pottery at classes at the Attleboro Art Museum. Shortly thereafter, I began private lessons at Sally Cobb’s studio in Attleboro. I now create my pieces at Mudstone Studios in Pawtucket.
When I started out, I thought pottery would be relaxing. I soon found out otherwise. It requires upper body strength, concentration and precision to get the clay to move as desired. Throwing on the wheel, however, is basically a form of therapy since it is both meditative and creative. Making pots brings me a great deal of satisfaction and pride.”
Dawn enjoys using clay to create pieces that are both functional and artistic. Some products, such as plates, flower dishes, mugs, vases and bowls are created on a potter’s wheel. Others, such as bird baths and more free-flowing pieces, are crafted via the slab method. Dawn often incorporates her love of nature into her work by pressing organic material into the clay to create beautiful, unique pieces.
Dawn specializes in uniquely designed pottery ready-to-order, as well as custom work. She accepts commissions and uses a variety of glazes. All of her stoneware is dishwasher, oven and microwave safe.
Dawn sells her work from her home in Seekonk and at shows in the area. She can be reached by email at nutri_service@yahoo.com or by phone at 508-761-4314.
"After a career of working with designers locally and internationally, I have turned to my life long love of creating stimulating photographs and graceful calligraphy.
"My fine art photographic technique incorporates the traditional tools of light, color, and composition, but I also use the passage of time as a powerful influence in creating haunting, abstract images. The results are mysterious and poetic landscapes that posses the gentle whisper of delicate detail and the bold eruption of emotion, while opening the door to mystery and introspection.
Regarding calligraphy: "Letterforms offer endless possibilities for design and communication. Hand lettering is a way to convey a sense of the human touch to a correspondence, a certificate, a quote, or a product label. Calligraphy can help to express emotion to a message while displaying a unique beauty in a way that traditional type can not. To provide this synergy of grace and communication is my ultimate goal as a lettering artist.
To view more of Bill's work, go to www.BillClarkArt.com and www.InkAndaperture.com, or see Bill’s work on Instagram @inkandaperture.
"The subjects of my paintings are found on the New England shoreline, primarily the sky, water, rocks, and marshes. I grew up by the water in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and spend as much time as I can along the shore studying the colors, light, textures, and life where water and land meet.
Light and sky reflected on the water's surface. The textures and colors of tumbled beach stones. The resilient cedar trees that thrive in this windy place.
And I've always loved fishing lures. Finding them when beach combing is like finding spectacular colorful creatures.
I’m represented at Maine Art Hill, in Kennebunk, ME, and my work is in private collections around the country and abroad. I received a BFA from UMass Amherst, and an MFA from University at Albany, SUNY. I also studied at the Academie Brugge, Belgium.
Please visit alexdunwoodie.com to see more work, follow me on FB: Alex Dunwoodie Paintings, and Instagram: alex.dunwoodie
Julia Emlen has been drawing and painting for five years. Her preferred medium is soft pastels. She paints landscapes and still lifes and her inspiration comes from assemblages of fruits, flowers and vegetables, as well as cityscapes and scenes of barns and trees. She also paints from photographs taken on trips to Europe and within the United States.
“I'm a Seekonk resident, with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design. My passion for making art goes way back to when I was first old enough to hold a crayon. I'm a wife and mother to two young daughters. I devote time to art (most) evenings, once my household is sound asleep.
“Creating and making art is as natural and vital as breathing is to me. With my art, it's my intention to evoke a warm, feeling of nostalgia. It's similar to when you smell an apple pie baking in the oven; it's a comforting feeling that also manifests as joy and contentment — all simultaneously.”
Monique’s work can be viewed at http://moniquefaelladesigns.com/. To access her full on-line presence, go to https://linktr.ee/monique.faella.designs.
“A flower is relatively small. Everyone has many associations with a flower—the idea of flowers…….Still—in a way nobody sees a flower—really—it is so small—we haven’t time—and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.
“…. So I said to myself—I’ll paint what I see…..I’ll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking the time to look at it. I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers.”
---Georgia O’Keeffe 1927 excerpted from Georgia O’Keeffe, Viking Press
I read that statement many years ago and it has been a constant refrain that takes on even more meaning as time passes. To take the time to see, to observe closely, is an act that is becoming more compromised by the increasing allure of screens in our lives. I am certainly not immune to the charms of the visual gratification they can bring, but ultimately the need to pause and closely observe my surroundings is always the stronger instinct that informs my work.
I like to look closely at a subject to reveal its secrets and mysteries. This more intimate examination of the world is where my eye is drawn. I see vast expanses within small views. While sometimes an image seems fairly literal in its depiction, my attempt is to not only describe the rich profusion of textures and linear elements I see, but to honor the energy these growing things inhabit. Entangled with vines, ravaged by storms, assaulted by environmental insults, I find the way growing things often cling to life in the face of difficult challenges both heroic and moving. Nature is truly my muse.
After a long and rewarding career teaching art Ann-Marie has returned to her studio practice winning awards and exhibiting her work in both solo and group exhibitions in numerous galleries and small museums throughout New England and New York. She is a mixed-media artist who uses an innovative hand-painted tape technique along with more traditional drawing, painting and printmaking forms. Recent work with enhanced cyanotypes shows new ways of exploring this print process. She is represented by Francesca Anderson Fine Arts, True Grit Gallery, Studio Hop and belongs to numerous art groups including 19 on Paper, Seekonk Artist Network, Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, Warwick Center for the Arts and the Bristol Art Museum. Recently her work was included in Juniper Rag Vol. 2 and will be included in the upcoming Juniper Rag Vol. 4 arts publication. She is also a member of the Seekonk Arts Cultural Council because of her life-long involvement in the arts.
Instagram @ambogillett
nineteenonpaper.com
"Art has always been an outlet for me, a form of meditation and a place of peace and joy. I have gravitated to painting for most of my life, I love the color and texture of painting. I spent about 5-6 years creating mosaic art and while I loved it, I feel like it was a stepping stone for my current medium of soft pastels.
“My experiences with oil and acrylic painting taught me about color while working in stone and glass in mosaics taught me to look at the flow of both the animate and inanimate world.
“My pastels are a culmination of my artistic endeavors over my lifetime. I specialize in pet portraits and landscapes, however I am always trying new subjects that catch my eye.”
If you are interested in purchasing Beth's work, contact her at bethgouletart@gmail.com
"I was a country kid born in the big city of New York.
"Regular outings to the Brooklyn Aquarium, the Bronx Zoo and the American Museum of Natural History kickstarted a lifelong interest in all aspects of the natural world. Like many people who have walked through those halls, I was ever after afflicted with an insatiable obsession for the living things that share our planet now or moved across it's surface long ago. This interest quickly expanded to include things that never lived...but...if things had happened just a little differently...might.
"I went to the School of Visual Arts in New York and graduated to pursue a freelance illustration career. When the opportunity came up, I couldn't resist the lure of a job in the Zoo field, where I worked designing and building exhibits. This work often left me too tired (and covered in concrete) to do freelance work when I got home, so I got a graphics department started at the Zoo and became the Art Director. I still enjoyed exhibit design, but ditched the concrete in favor of photography, casting and moldmaking, and designing interpretive graphics.
"During this time, with the support of my very patient wife, I worked on freelance illustration after hours. In early 2006, after 12 years, I finally left the Zoo business and have worked since as a full time freelance illustrator."
Lars continues to work as an illustrator. He teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design. His free time is often spent walking the beaches at low tide to see what the sea has decided to heave up on land. Lars enjoys life with his wife, various pets, itinerant wildlife, and an ever-hungry colony of flesh eating beetles.
Seekonk Woodworking is a one-person shop run by Phil Gruppuso.
"Woodworking has been a serious, life-long avocation for me. In 2013, I semi-retired from my day job and founded Seekonk Woodworking as a way to share my work with others. I work alone in my home shop. All of my pieces are one-of-a-kind, and most are of my own design.
"I work in many styles, from Queen Anne to Craftsman to Shaker to Mid-Century Modern. All of my work (except the occasional painted piece) is finished with a combination of shellac, varnish and wax depending on the need for durability. Most pieces are made from domestic hardwoods or farmed mahogany, though I sometimes incorporate exotics and highly figured veneers."
For more information, go to SeekonkWoodworking.com, or visit Seekonk Woodworking on Facebook or Instagram.
A native New Englander, and graduate of Southeastern Massachusetts University with a BFA in Visual Design, Mark has over 25 years' experience as a professional in the visual arts field. An award winning designer, Mark has also pursued the fine art of oil painting as well as the use of other mediums in his work.
Mark captures the essence and motion of the wildlife he depicts in his WildWire series. Bending 16 gauge industrial wire into a 3D drawings of animals, the core of Mark's work reflects his love of the outdoors and its creatures.
"Wildlife and its environment has been a consistent theme in my work over the years. My artwork has traditionally consisted of wildlife and landscapes in oil, acrylic, and pen and ink.
Over the last two years I have been intrigued with depicting the motion and anatomy of wildlife in wire sculptures. In my Wild Wire series, I can draw an animal in 3D, sometimes using only one piece of wire.
"My goal is to use the wire to create the elements that speak to the essence of the animal. I begin by breaking down the animal to its unique motion, key anatomical features and personality. I enjoy telling a story in my pieces – whether it’s a group of deer that was startled and bound away, or a cheetah in hot pursuit of its prey. The subject matter offers endless possibilities. In creating each sculpture, I learn something about the animal and how best to represent it in its form."
Mark’s work can be seen at Charlestown Gallery, ArtProv Gallery and Made in Warren Artist Co-op. To view his work, go to www.MarkHolme.com or Artbymarkholme at instagram.
"From 1993-2008 I created some twenty-five short-form 16 and 35mm films, many of which included my own hand-drawn animations of comic personae rendered in India ink and gouache on paper, others which presented investigations into the religious imagination and labors of love and money.
"While making films I also served as a cartoonist for a newspaper, and also as a visiting lecturer, which brought me to New England from the West Coast. I began to paint. I funneled all the creative energy I had previously channeled into moving images into a single pictorial space. Painting did not require sound engineers, lab processing, protracted distribution. I painted in private; one image might span the course of an entire year, maybe two. Then, in 2013, as an experiment for a friend, I reproduced one painting as a 1000pc jigsaw puzzle. I have a complicated relationship with commodity culture and mass reproduction but, at the same time, felt the populist project of puzzling to favor the economics of our decade – a big recession leaving many people deeply disenfranchised. So, I began offering puzzle assembly at open studios and found myself mesmerized by the communal efforts. I began placing puzzles in public spaces, in particular those that centered upon healing…oncology units, etc. I also started setting up puzzles on the streets of New York and Providence. In Rhode Island I began partnering with a cafe to offer Pie and Puzzle Happy Hour every Sunday. Public puzzling, like the cinema of my earlier life, offers an opportunity to spawn an instant community that seeks to cooperate, collaborate, and connect. World peace, piece by piece?"
Portals:
I have been interested in woodworking going back to my childhood. Junior high and high school woodworking classes made attending school enjoyable. Photography has also been a decades-long interest. Spending time in the school darkroom was enjoyable and relaxing.
Eventually, the enjoyment with photography led to studying portrait and commercial photography, and eventually attaining a BFA in Art.
Unfortunately, life has many twists and turns. It is difficult to predict where one’s life will take him. Early interests are put on the shelf. Working as a carpenter eventually led to my becoming a vocational carpentry instructor and to obtaining a Master’s in Technology Education.
I developed an interest in turning wood bowls. The magic is not knowing what the final result will be . The defects of the material determine the outcome, sometimes to great surprise. I also dedicate my spare time with photography of various subject matter. Shooting B&W film of various formats, developing film, and printing. The most enjoyable part of photography is in planning the exposure and composition.
Photography has been a part of my life since I was born. My father had been a professional photographer. Cameras, tripods, lights and portrait sittings were a constant. My first camera was my father’s Kodak Compur Retina, a small folding camera made in Germany, without a built-in light meter. By the time I was in high school I was developing and enlarging black and white photos in the basement of our house.
Now I take pictures on my walks in Seekonk and nearby Rhode Island with an Apple iPhone because it’s the only camera that is always in my pocket. My walk is never the same because the day's weather and season means the light is always changing.
In 2023, I added assemblage to my art work. A longtime fan of the artist Joseph Cornell, I began creating assemblages out of wood and cast-off pieces I had been accumulating for years.
Also in 2023, I entered art shows with both photography and assemblages and won three awards.
On Instagram I am Martha 701.
“Working in oils, pastels, and watercolor, my inspiration is expressed in landscapes, seascapes, and scenes of rural life in New England. Memories of a simpler time, surrounded by the vibrant colors and light found in nature... this is what feeds my soul. Feelings of hearth and home, long walks in the woods, quiet moment, lost in contemplation... these are the things I want to evoke with my work. Art allows me to relive special moments and places and share that experience.”
Debbie’s work can be viewed at https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofartandcoffee/?hl=en.
"I enjoy painting landscapes and seascapes of New England. I paint primarily with acrylics. I paint on paper, canvas or hardboard. I work both in my studio and on location (plein air). My style would be described as representational. I have expertise in utilizing layering techniques that produce a depth and quality in what I paint."
Ken accepts commissions. To purchase or view Ken's art, visit www.kenmoorefineart.com. Ken can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kenmoorefineart and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/kenmoorefineart
Joan Mullen, a children's book writer, is the author of "Coal in My Christmas Stocking." The story is based on her own experience as a child. She used the knowledge gained from working as a speech-language pathologist and elementary school principal to write the book. Working with children for more than twenty-five years sensitized her to the empowerment that emotional expression brings to youngsters. Additionally, Joan recognizes the elements important to children’s stories and incorporates them into her writing.
"My love for glass goes back a long way. I have been collecting sea glass and other beach treasures for many years. My best friend, Deb Marquis, and I decided to take a jewelry class in the Attleboro area. We learned the basic techniques of wire wrapping and then the rest was up to us. It took us months of practice to get it right! We chose the name Nature’s Jewels and now have a large collection of beautiful one-of-a-kind bracelets, earrings, pendants and other items. I went on to take several mosaic classes and now have incorporated sea glass mirrors, mosaic tiles, old china, stained glass and local wampum shells, mosaic gazing balls, mosaic sun catchers and a decorated shells. All of my materials are found in the Narraganset Bay area. My studio is located in my home in Seekonk."
Elaine can be reached by email ebpet@msn.com or by phone at 508-399-6267.
To visit Elaine’s on-line store, go to https://natures-jewels-new-england.myshopify.com/
