Creatures from Imaginary Worlds, Artists with Intellectual Disabilities and Celebrating the Work of Young Artists
(Earlville, NY – Jan. 2016) East Gallery: In “Nestlings,” Hamilton artist Allison Amann Grim creates hybrid creatures that are combinations of two or more animals. She tries to capture them in a moment in time, like something out of a museum…where would they live, what would they eat, what sorts of plants and animals would coexist with them?
The creatures come into being with polymer clay, glass, taxidermy elements, natural and manmade objects. Grim says that her “work revolves around the fragility of life, a glimpse of a moment caught in time, catching it and putting it under glass…I like the idea of being able to peek into a mini world. The ideas that have been rattling around in my brain are set free to transform as others interpret them in their own minds. I am inspired by Darwin’s theory of evolution, how species can change and evolve to meet the needs of their changing environment.”
Arts Café Gallery: Oneonta’s Main View Gallery exhibits a traveling group show exploring the work of artists with intellectual disabilities. They ask: How do we define ourselves? Do we accept someone else’s categorization of who we are, or do we strive to determine our own designations based on who we love, how we live, and what we create?
For artists with intellectual disabilities, these questions can be especially confounding. They may spend most of their lives dealing with the label of “disabled” placed on them by the outer world, feeling the stigma of being different. At Oneonta’s Main View Gallery, these artists are given the freedom to define themselves by their abilities. A program of the Arc Otsego, the gallery has provided these artists with an opportunity to show and sell the works they create through the Arc’s rich creative arts programming that features painting, sculpture, writing, drumming, acting, movement, and singing. Come enjoy the beautiful, compelling works these artists have created in a special artist group exhibit at the Earlville Galleries.
West Gallery: The 23rd Annual KidsART Exhibit features the amazing work of students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Collaborating with art teachers from several elementary schools in Central New York, the exhibit celebrates the freedom of expression and incomparable joy that comes so readily from young children. The exhibit typically draws more than 600 people over the course of the show and is a unique opportunity for children throughout the region to display their work in a professional gallery, and for the community at large to see the fine quality art these young people are capable of. An opening party for the artists and their teachers, friends, and family will be held from 12-3pm on Saturday, Jan. 30.
Opening receptions for all the artists will be held on Jan. 30 from noon to 3 p.m. with light refreshments. All three exhibits will run through March 12.
Gallery hours are 10-5 Tuesday-Friday and 12-3 on Saturdays.
Admission is free, and the EOH is wheelchair-accessible with a ramp and a lift.
For more information, call 315-691-3550 or visit www.earlvilleoperahouse.com.
The Opera House is located at 18 East Main St. in Earlville.