LBGE welcomes Catherine Raynes

LBGE is happy to announce that New Hampshire based oil painter, Catherine Raynes, has just the gallery. Her work is excecuted to a superior quality and she brilliantly captures light and clean, bright colors. For more information, please click here. Stop in to view her entire collection.



Catherine Raynes - Evening's Arrival - Oil on Canvas - 9 x 12 in.



Trunk Show

Meet Jewelry designers Susan Roberts, Heather Wang, and Linda Sherman

Sunday, May 1st from 12 – 4pm

Left Bank Gallery Essex, LLC is hosting a trunk show on Sunday, May 1st from 12 – 4pm featuring jewelry designers Susan Roberts, Heather Wang, and Linda Sherman. Meet the designers and view an extensive collection of their newest creations.

*Find the perfect Mother’s Day gift or the latest styles to accessorize your spring wardrobe*

Susan Roberts is a jeweller who draws on the many inspiring qualities of nature’s evolving beauty; and handcrafts her jewelry using a style that is both bohemian and sophisticated. Susan’s multi-layered, color-rich pieces are made with the finest semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls, sterling silver and vermeil; and will compliment the palettes of all jewelry collectors. Susan Roberts resides in Branford, CT.

 

Heather Wang is a designer inspired by natural forms and floral elements. Her latest collection features colorful enamel cherry blossoms and branches in sterling silver or copper. Combining vibrant color with delicate designs, Heather’s jewelry is fun and easy-to-wear from day into night. Heather Wang has a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in Goldsmithing, Silversmithing and Metalwork from the Royal College of Art, London. She is currently based in Lowell, MA.

 

Linda Sherman is a watercolorist and jewelry maker, who creates bright light-weight artisan jewelry from her original watercolor paintings. Using clusters of watercolor beads and handmade lampwork beads, each piece of Linda Sherman jewelry is a unique work of art. Linda is currently based in New London, CT.

Open Swim : Samantha French



Samantha French - Three Feet Below - Oil on Canvas - 36 x 48 in



Open Swim : Samantha French

May 4th - June 13th 2011

Meet the artist : Thursday, May 5th from 5 - 8 pm

Left Bank Gallery Essex, LLC presents a solo exhibition by young contemporary oil painter, Samantha French. “Open Swim” will feature French’s latest paintings, depicting bathing beauties and submerged swimmers, and the water and refractive light surrounding them. French’s paintings elucidate the tranquillity and serenity of water, and the intrinsic value of a dip in the pool or a day at the beach.

Based on the artist’s childhood memories of summers spent at the lakes in northern Minnesota, her newest paintings capture pool-side conversations or tanned women surfacing for sunlight and air. French’s most intriguing canvases portray swimming figures from below or from the side, and capture light and reflections on top of or entering the water. She uses gestural brush strokes and fresh color choices, and thoughtfully crops her compositions to emphasize the space beyond the picture plane. As her figures float or glide through lakes and swimming pools, each swimmer is immersed in the moment and caught in solitude, liberated from the constraints of gravity. With figures dressed in retro swimwear, often in red, orange or black, contrasted against cool greys or aqua blues; French’s paintings blur the line between vintage and modern, creating a nostalgic place or time that seems familiar yet current. Of her work, French explains, “I am drawn to an idealistic time before my own, where swim caps and wool swimsuits were commonplace. This combination of memory, observation and photography (old and new) has allowed me to preserve the transitory qualities of water and remembrance.” French’s paintings will breathe new life into any interior, and invite one to pause for a moment of calm and clarity even on the cloudiest of days.

Samantha French was born and raised in north central Minnesota and graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a BA in Fine Arts in 2005. She currently resides in New York City. Her work can be found in private collections throughout the country. “Open Swim” is French’s first solo exhibition in Connecticut.

Spring Arrivals at LBGE

To rekindle your memories of Spring, Left Bank Gallery Essex has installed an exhibition celebrating the hot colors and fresh feelings of the season. The show includes new work by Janis Sanders, Larry Horowitz, Whitney Heavey, Chris Karpinski, Janine Evers, Samantha Listorti, and Lois Weingarten.

Singing Pink by Whitney Heavey

Essex go Bragh Parade and Festival

Essex Park and Rec has been busy planning events for this Saturday's St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Visit Essex on Saturday, March 19th for an afternoon of fun family activities, including a parade that kicks off at Noon followed by a town festival with face-painting, live music, and an Irish Stew Cook-Off. In the spirit of the day, Left Bank Gallery Essex will host a performance by local Irish Dancers between 1-2pm.



So You Think You Can Paint? Yes, You Can!

Acrylic Painting Workshop with Donna Zieky

Saturday, April 16th 2011 : 2-4pm

For beginning artists or creative individuals looking to learn more about art, artist Donna Zieky will lead a fun and informative no-pressure painting workshop at Left Bank Gallery Essex on Saturday, April 16th from 2-4pm. This creative workshop will cover basic acrylic painting techniques and applications, and will offer insight into the medium that will open your eyes to a broad range of possibilities. Learn tips and pointers about painting, including form, composition and color in order to express your creativity. Guided by the artist, attendees will explore the potential of acrylic painting and create their own masterpieces to take home and show-off to friends and family.

Donna Zieky is a resident of East Hampton, CT. Her artwork ranges from exciting landscapes to brilliantly colored abstracts done in oils or acrylics. Her florals and landscapes originate from her love of nature, gardening and the outdoors. She is inspired by Connecticut’s varied geography, stating that, “It is so wonderful to have such beauty in your own backyard.” Imagination, innovation, and creativity are the driving forces behind her fun and vibrant work. Donna is excited by color, movement and texture, and strives to imbue in her paintings, a feeling of overall happiness and joyous emotion. Donna Zieky’s artwork has been exhibited in many juried shows in Essex, Lyme, West Hartford and Glastonbury. She is an elected member of Essex Art Association; and won an award from EAA for Best Technique in 2009. In 2007, she won First Place for a painting at the Glastonbury on the Green Art Show. Zieky is a member of many artist leagues and associations throughout the state and exhibits her work at Left Bank Gallery Essex.

“So You Think You Can Paint? Yes, You Can!” Acrylic Painting Workshop with Donna Zeiky is a free public event suitable for adults and teens. No experience is necessary. Painting supplies and material will be donated by Jerry’s Artarama of West Hartford, CT. To register, please contact the gallery no later than April 14th at info@leftbankgalleryessex.com or by calling 860.767.0449.

Color Theory Workshop!

Color Theory Workshop with Aleta Gudelski

Sunday, March 6th from 2-4pm

Explore the physical properties of color with artist and teacher Aleta Gudelski at a Color Theory Workshop at Left Bank Gallery Essex on Sunday, March 6th from 2-4pm. For beginners and advanced artists, this crash course will cover a broad spectrum of basic color mixing techniques and tricks of the trade. Aleta will demonstrate a variety of color mixing methods in watercolor and acrylic. Attendees will mix paint to explore hue, value, intensity and temperature. Whether you paint landscapes, still lifes, or portraits, this informative lesson will teach you how to master warm and cool primaries, neutral and chromatic greys, and flesh tones in order to create sophisticated and rich palettes. The workshop will cover color relativity and optical color mixing. Learn how the Impressionists juxtaposed color to create stunning optical effects. Utilize the color wheel to maximize the visual impact of your paintings by selecting the perfect color scheme to suit your compositions. Uncover strategies to brighten up your canvas and avoid mixing “mud”.



Aleta Gudelski is a resident of Durham, CT. She holds a BS in Art Education from Southern Connecticut State University, a MALS from Wesleyan University, and a Post-Baccalaureate degree from Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. She has taught painting, drawing, and design at secondary and college levels for several years. Her artwork has been included in juried group shows and gallery exhibitions throughout Connecticut. View her latest paintings at Left Bank Gallery Essex.


Update....
THIS CLASS IS COMPLETELY FULL. Please sign-up to receive notifications about other events and exhibitions by sending your name and email address to info@leftbankgalleryessex.com.