news

September’s Art Exhibit Presents the Artwork by Cynthia Murray

| Skip Gosnell

September’s Art Exhibit “Exploration”, brought to you by Swarthmore Friends of the Arts, presents the original artwork by artist Cynthia Murray. The exhibition will be displayed from September 5th through September 30th at Swarthmore Borough Hall, 121 Park Avenue.

The public is invited to the artist’s opening reception on Friday, September 6th, from 6 to 8 pm. Both the exhibit and the reception are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Design has always been an integral part of Cynthia Murray’s life. Studying landscape architecture at both Rutgers University and University of Illinois led to a career as a landscape architect, working over two decades on a wide variety of both public and private projects throughout the country as well as international locations. Painting became a creative outlet, with landscapes being a common theme. In addition to painting, Ms. Murray’s works include encaustic with her original photographs, botanical monoprinting, acrylic ink contact printing, cyanotype, jewelry design and fabrication and sewing. The exhibit, ‘Exploration’, highlights a selection of mediums that Ms. Murray is constantly exploring, searching for new ways to interpret the surrounding world in ways that she hopes viewers might find captivating and thought provoking. When not creating original works, Ms. Murray works as Administrative Coordinator at Community Arts Center in Wallingford.

Follow Cynthia Murray’s creative Journey:

The exhibit is free and open to the public. Exhibit hours are M-Th 9am – 8pm, Fri 10am – 7pm, Sat 10am – 3pm, Sun 1 – 5pm.

For information about Swarthmore Friends of the Arts or to submit a request for your own show, visit www.swarthmorearts.org or contact Martha Perkins, martha.perkins@gmail.com.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for exhibition schedules, check out past show listings, and view images of wonderful local art.

August’s Art Exhibit Presents the Artwork by Ivy Egger

| Skip Gosnell

August’s Art Exhibit “Nature’s Bounty”, brought to you by Swarthmore Friends of the Arts, presents the original artwork by artist Ivy Egger. The exhibition will be displayed from August 1st through September 2nd at Swarthmore Borough Hall, 121 Park Avenue.

The public is invited to the artist’s opening reception on Friday, August 2nd, from 6 to 8 pm. Both the exhibit and the reception are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Ivy Egger grew up and lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania where she took an early interest in art. She studied at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia before graduating with a B.A. in art from Millersville University. After graduating she took additional design courses at the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

Ms. Egger’s current medium is mixed media mosaic: utilizing pieces of cut glass, beads, mica, glitter, and whatever else adds a sparkle to this art form. “Beginning my mosaics with a simple acrylic or gouache painting provides me with a foundation. Working with mosaics allows me to take broken pieces of glass and make them into a new creation. Since mosaics require a sturdy surface, I create them on canvas panels or cradled wood panels.” Contrary to traditional mosaic artwork, she uses glue to adhere the beads, pieces of glass, mica, and other materials to the panels, which allows the materials to lend extra sparkle to her mosaics. “My art practice is in direct contrast with my rigid day job. The dreamlike quality of my art represents freedom; I can make and do what I want and therefore bring a sense of hope and beauty to my audience.”

Ms. Egger continues to show in many art exhibitions and galleries in the Greater Philadelphia region. Some recent exhibitions include the Chester County Studio Tour, her solo show at the art gallery at St. David’s Church in Wayne, and the international Art Ability at Bryn Mawr Rehab show where she received an honorable mention.

Follow Ivy’s creative Journey:

The exhibit is free and open to the public. Exhibit hours are M-Th 9am – 8pm, Fri 10am – 7pm, Sat 10am – 3pm, Sun 1 – 5pm.

For information about Swarthmore Friends of the Arts or to submit a request for your own show, visit www.swarthmorearts.org or contact Martha Perkins, martha.perkins@gmail.com.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for exhibition schedules, check out past show listings, and view images of wonderful local art.

July’s Art Exhibit Presents the Artwork of Brit Ray

| Skip Gosnell

July’s Art Exhibit “Whimsy Whamsy“, brought to you by Swarthmore Friends of the Arts, presents the original artwork including paintings and drawings by local artist Brit Ray. The exhibition will be displayed from July 3rd through July 31st at Swarthmore Borough Hall, 121 Park Avenue.

The public is invited to the artist’s opening reception on Friday, July 12th, from 5 to 7 pm. Both the exhibit and the reception are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

On relishing a memory, Brit thoughtfully recalls, “A pastel I made in my teens, a scene of Riverside Drive in Washington Heights where I grew up, brings back a thought I had at the time. I was asking myself why I was moved to make images. This demonstrates that the art we make connects us to our former selves in a way different from photographs. And in answer to that long-ago question, art is a way to better know myself and the world–and to bring something uniquely my own into the world. For me, the creative life is challenging, stimulating, and most of all, fun.”

Ms. Ray’s drawings, paintings, photographs, and sculptures generally include people, usually in urban settings. In recent years she has been injecting fantasy images into otherwise normal scenes; this during a time while writing a series of world-building fantasy novels. Ms. Ray attended New York’s Music & Art High School (now called LaGuardia) and Columbia University. She exhibits and takes classes at the Wallingford Community Art Center. “This is my second solo show through the wonderful organization Swarthmore Friends of the Arts, whose volunteers I heartily thank on behalf of us all.”

Follow her journey here:  https://www.instagram.com/hibray2

Brit Ray’s novel is available on Amazon: Revamped!: A Misadventure of Cosmic Proportions (A Planet Heart Screwball Fantasy Book 1)

The exhibit is free and open to the public. Exhibit hours are M-Th 9am – 8pm, Fri 10am – 7pm, Sat 10am – 3pm, Sun 1 – 5pm.

For information about Swarthmore Friends of the Arts or to submit a request for your own show, visit www.swarthmorearts.org or contact Martha Perkins, martha.perkins@gmail.com.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for exhibition schedules, check out past show listings, and view images of wonderful local art.