Relationships In Southern Vermont

Relationships In Southern Vermont

The Southern Vermont Arts Center, located in Manchester, Vermont, will be exhibiting the work of members from the New England Wax (N.E.W.) organization in an exhibition titled Relationships: hot/cold/intricate from June 18 through August 14, 2022.
SVAC Curator Alison Crites has selected art for this exhibit from the work of 30 N.E.W. members who reside throughout New England and work in encaustic and other wax mediums. “The Southern Vermont Arts Center is pleased to partner with New England Wax to showcase a medium that’s both ancient and contemporary. N.E.W.’s artists have done an incredible job responding to the exhibition’s multidimensional theme of relationships, and their diverse creations will undoubtedly engage, delight, and inspire SVAC’s visitors. The relationship an artist has with her materials is unique, highly personal, and ultimately foundational—without it, there would be no art. I see this as the meta-relationship underpinning Relationships: hot/cold/intricate, in which 30 artists offer their individual take on the concept. Their responses range from the personal to the aesthetic to the metaphysical. Seen together, they provide viewers with a thought-provoking exploration of both the theme’s and the medium’s multidimensionality. In wax, layers, texture, and color combine to create an irresistible effect that invites viewers to step into their own relationship with each work of art.”
Encaustic in Greek, means “to burn in”. It is an exciting art medium with a rich history that offers many creative options. Composed of beeswax, tree resin, and pigment applied with a brush or tool while molten, each layer is fused to the previous one using heat. Cold wax is a more contemporary medium, typically combined with oil paint or other pigments. Wax as a 2D or 3D art material is fluid, translucent, malleable, and tactilequalities that can be used effectively to represent the many possible meanings of the exhibit’s theme. As interpreted by the exhibiting N.E.W. artists, Relationships will be explored from multiple individual perspectives and tackle important themes relevant to our times, from the microscopic and interpersonal to the global.
Installation view of 84 monotypes by N.E.W. members (photo by Dave Barnum)
Boston Art Review included our exhibition at SCVA as one of ten “day-trip-worthy exhibitions to see this summer”. You can see the article HERE. A video walking tour of Relationships has been created by Steven Schlussel that you can view HERE. The Southern Vermont Arts Center is dedicated to promoting and nurturing the arts. Their 103-acre campus at the foot of the Taconic Mountains hosts exhibitions, classes, and events year-round. The Center is located on SVAC Drive off of the – West Road; in Manchester, Vermont and the exhibit will be open Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm (closed Mondays). Check the website for current information about visiting the Center at www.svac.org or call 802.362.1405. For additional information about New England Wax, an active professional organization, visit their website, www.newenglandwax.com or follow them on Instagram @new_england_wax.
Three oil, cold wax, foil pieces by Dona Mara Friedman (photo by Dave Barnum)