February 2025 Newsletter

WE LOVE ART!!! As a community arts center, we love discussing art, looking at art and of course, creating art. Our goal is to make our classes and workshops accessible to all. If you or someone you know could use assistance with tuition, contact Suzy Aubrey, RAC’s Education Director

education@rowaytonarts.orgor call 203-866-2744 (x-2)

Photo from “Alla Prima Portrait Painting Oil Painting” class with Felicia Feldman

RAC Happenings

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Rowayton Arts Center (RAC) is planning a Pop Up Jewelry Sale on Saturday, February 8 from 10 am to 5 pm with Studio Minerale and 3P Designs. Studio Minerale’s love of the natural world inspires one of kind gemstone jewelry focusing on pairing gems, minerals and pearls in wearable works of art (necklace image at left). studiominerale.com

And 3P Designs (image at right) is created by Pamela Park Proctor, a product designer who developed this collection over the past 25 years. These Sterling Silver, semi-precious beads and pearls are pieces from a recent close out of a NYC gallery at wholesale prices. Learn more about Pamela in this month’s RAC 5 feature at the end of the newsletter. pamelaparkproctor.com

Find the perfect gift or gift yourself! The gallery will also be open with a preview of the new In the Garden exhibition. This all media exhibition features artwork by RAC Exhibiting Members with a floral or garden theme. More info below…

From the RAC Studio Opening

Sunday, January 12

From the RAC Studio Instructors and Students show featured 120 pieces of artwork by RAC Instructors and students created in the past year. Instructors in attendance (left to right): Open Sketch Coordinator Tracey Dinkins, Susan Fehlinger, Evelyn Harvey, John Grieco, Becky Holden and Dana Goodfellow.

Exhibiting Member Betty Schneier (left) points to her watercolor “Diana’s Garden” with her teacher Christy Gallagher – Christy’s “Eggplant and Red Onion” piece is top right.

RAC Education Director Suzy Aubrey welcomes the crowd – in 2024 there were 1500 student “seats” filled, 25 weekly instructors and another 10 workshop instructors!

Students in the online photography class with Thom Williams (left to right): RAC Board President Jay Wilson with his “I Love You” at top, Catherine Prins next to her photograph “Around the Bend” and Jane Ferreira with her “Beach People” photograph at bottom.

RAC Instructor Frank Bruckmann with his students by their artwork – he teaches “Painting from Photographs” in the RAC studio on Tuesday evenings.

RAC Classes and Workshops

Registration is Open for the March/April class session

Weekly Classes available for all ages in the studio and online in a variety of mediums and for all experience levels.

Image by Lenny Moskowitz who will be teaching a weekly class on Wednesdays and a one day large format “Paint Along” on Saturday, February 22.  

Click here for full listing of weekly classes

There’s also a variety of Short Term Workshops available in the evening and on weekends

RAC’s short term workshops are a great way to sample a new medium, a new instructor or class format. Most workshops are “all inclusive” where we provide all the art supplies and you just show up. 

Artwork by Evelyn Harvey who will be teaching “Painting in Acrylics: Color, Form and Composition” on Monday evenings and a Block Printmaking workshop on Wednesday evening, February 19. 

  • “Block Printmaking” with Evelyn Harvey. Wednesday, February 19 (6-9pm)
  • “Paint Along” with Lenny Moskowitz. Saturday, February 22 (10:30am-3:30pm)
  • “Encaustic Exploration” with Carolyn Childs. Wednesday, February 26 (6:30pm-8pm)

Click here for a full listing of short term workshops!

Online Photography classes with Thom Williams are back!

Information about Thom’s classes for 2025 is now posted on the RAC website. These classes are a good choice if you’re looking to upgrade, perfect or challenge your photographic skills.

  • “Advanced Photography” – Thursdays, February 27 – April 3 (6-7:30pm)
  • “Beginner 1” – Wednesdays, March 5 – March 26 (6-7:30pm)

Click here for a full listing of Photography classes

Upcoming Exhibitions

February 9 through March 8, 2025

All Media Exhibiting Member Show

Receiving: Monday, February 3 (5-7pm) and Tuesday, February 4 (12-2pm)

Opening Reception: Sunday, February 9 (4-6pm)

March 16 through April 5, 2025

All Media Exhibiting Member Show

How Many Works: One work per artist

Deadline for online submission form is Friday, March 7 at Midnight!!!

Prospectus

Cash Award: The Hu Lindsay Memorial Award – $250 for the highest prize in Mixed Media.

Receiving: Monday, March 10 (5-7pm) and Tuesday, March 11 (12-2pm)

Opening Reception: Sunday, March 16 (4-6pm)

Other News

RAC will review artwork by local artists interested in becoming exhibiting members on Friday, February 14, 2025. Artists should bring items for consideration to the gallery on Thursday, February 13 from 12 to 5 pm. The artist selection will take place on Friday, February 14 with notifications sent to accepted artists the following week. Artists should plan on picking up their artwork on Friday, February 14 from 12 to 5 pm or Saturday, February 15 from 10 am to 1 pm.

 

There is a form online to complete before bringing in artwork to RAC at this link and see the full Exhibiting Member Prospectus here for more information!

THE RAC 5 – Pamela Park Proctor

Pamela has been an exhibiting member of RAC since 2002 and is currently a Board Member, serving as Co-Chair of the Holiday Gift Show and on the Exhibitions Committee. She has been a resident of Rowayton since 1988. Graduating from Syracuse University with a BFA majoring in painting and metalsmithing, Pamela’s career began in NYC with design and manufacturing in the Fine Jewelry and Tabletop industries. The one constant passion in her life has been the art of gardening, not only her own garden but also a few around Rowayton as a member of the Rowayton Gardeners. Photo of Pamela here in the RAC gallery last summer with her mixed media piece “High Tide” (3rd Place, Marine and Coastal Art).

What started you on your creative path?

Growing up nurtured by an artistic grandmother and artistic mother whom

both had solid studies for their own pursuit to become artists. They taught me

the importance and power in observing and that has played true in my own artistic endeavors.

 

Describe your artwork in 5 words.

Experimental, foraged, organic, textural and constructed.

 

 What book are you reading?

The Light EatersHow the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence

Offers a new Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoe Schlanger

 

If you could ask a piece of artwork, come to life, what would it be?

Auguste Rodin’s “The Thinker.” Once having come to life, I would ask, “What have you been thinking about these last 121 years?”

 

How do dreams play a role in your creativity?

The reinforcement of ideas.

 

Follow Pamela on Instagram: 3pdesigns

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