Dear Mother Nature Hudson Valley Artists 2012 opens with reception at the Dorsky on June 23

NEW PALTZ – The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art will hold an opening reception for a new exhibition, Dear Mother Nature, Hudson Valley Artists 2012, on Saturday, June 23, from 5-7 p.m. The exhibition, curated by Linda Weintraub, will be on display in the Alice and Horace Chandler Gallery and North Gallery through November 4.

Exhibition curator Linda Weintraub explains, “Visitors to Dear Mother Nature will encounter many offerings to Mother Nature, a compelling metaphor that visualizes the critical condition of the environment today. This metaphor inspired 42 accomplished Hudson Valley artists to create artworks expressing heartfelt apologies, gratitude, prayers, sympathy, consolation, honor, and assistance to Mother Nature, who even receives a reprimand from one artist for being so willful. These diverse sentiments are conveyed in the form of paintings, drawings, photographs, performances, videos, installations, and sculptures made of ceramics, paper, wood, stone, fabric, and plastic,” said Weintraub.

She added, “The urgency of the artists’ environmental messages inspired many of the artists to add ‘audience participation’ to their creative practices. These artists invite the public to interact with their pieces by creating origami wishes to Mother Nature, or composing their own messages to Mother Nature, or contributing their own offerings to Mother Nature. Some artists encourage visitors to take home drawings. This welcoming spirit infuses the extensive programming scheduled throughout the duration of the exhibition. I hope visitors will return often to enjoy the interactive performances, gallery talks, workshops, and participatory ceremonies that are planned from June to November. Such richly diversified artistic offerings provide opportunities to smile and to weep. In all these ways the exhibition hopes to serve as a reminder of the current plight of Mother Nature and of the miracle she performs each day by creating life on Earth.”

Participating artists, selected from more than 200 artists who submitted their work for consideration, and the counties from which they hail include: Paul Stewart and Mary Anne Davis from Columbia County; Angela Basile, Donise English, Susan Osberg, Gina Palmer, Susan Quasha, Raquel Rabinovich, Karl Volk and Riva Weinstein from Dutchess County; Jim Holl, Claudia McNulty and Portia Munson from Greene County; Joan Bankemper, Leila Goldthwaite, Daniel Mack, Meadow and Laura Soles from Orange County; Jaanika Peerna from Putnam County; Kathleen Anderson and Polly Giragosian from Sullivan County; Barbara Bash, María Cristina Brusca, Khem Caigan, Trina Greene, Jan Harrison, Tatana Kellner, Claire Lambe, Allison Leach, Barbara Leon, Ellen Levy, Laura Moriarty, Leslie Pelino, Elisa Pritzker, Michael X. Rose, Christy Rupp, Suzy Sureck, Diane Teramana and Sherry Williams from Ulster County; and Lisa Breznak, Leslie Miller and Ilse Schreiber-Noll from Westchester County.

EXHIBITION RELATED PROGRAMMING

For a full schedule of events go to: Dorsky Museum Programs and Events

ABOUT THE HUDSON VALLEY ARTISTS EXHIBITION SERIES

The Hudson Valley Artists exhibition series is open to artists from Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester Counties. This is the fourth year that a Hudson Valley Artists Annual Purchase Award of $3,000 will be used to acquire one or more artworks from the exhibition for the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art’s permanent collection. This Purchase Award is made possible through the Alice and Horace Chandler Art Acquisition Fund.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM

The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, located at SUNY New Paltz, is fast gaining wide recognition as the premier public showplace for exhibition, education, and cultural scholarship about the Hudson Valley region’s art and artists from yesterday and today. With more than 9,000 square feet of exhibition space distributed over six galleries, the Dorsky Museum is one of the largest museums within the SUNY system. Dear Mother Nature highlights The Dorsky’s focus on the art and artists of the Hudson Valley, a unique region that has served as a source of inspiration and nourished artistic creation and innovation since the time of the Hudson River School painters.

For more information about The Dorsky Museum and its programs, visit http://www.newpaltz.edu/museum, or call (845) 257-3844.