For the fall art exhibit at the Rose Baker Senior Center, Juni Van Dyke, Director of the Art Program at the Center, is honoring a group of artists: Mary Rhineland McCarl, Ed Leavitt, Marion Linden, Helen Burgess and Gen McNamara. The artists and Juni are pictured below in front of the exhibit. The public is encouraged to stop by the Center between 9am and 4pm any weekday to see the work of these accomplished artists.

From left to right, the artist being honored are Mary Rhineland McCarl, Ed Leavitt, Valerie Sandler and her mother Helen Burgess, Susan Harrington, Juni Van Dyke (Art Director) and Marion Linden. Gen McNamara was not at the photo session.

Many of you may know Mary Rhinelander McCarl’s work as she has been honored as artist of the month before.  Mary studied medieval art at Radcliff College.  Many years later, the influence of her studies are evident in her intelligent abstract interpretations rendered through a bold use of color and unique collage application. For this exhibit Mary selected several of her brightly colored paintings. One of the featured paintings is shown below.

Ed Leavitt’s is another familiar artist. He like Mary has been honored before as artist of the month. Ed’s profession was in the building trades and now in retirement he spends his time following his love of art.  He brings his understanding of fine detail and serious craftsmanship to the medium of watercolor and acrylic. This piece from the exhibit show his attention to fine detail and sense of color.

Helen Burgess came to the Art Program six years ago without any prior instruction in the visual arts.  She has come a long way since then and has been honored as artist of the month a number of times. Helen’s delightful “Bird Series” bears witness to the promise that creativity is a unique gift that dwells within us all. Her bird paintings are unique and this piece from the bird series show her playful style.

Susan Harrington is one of three artists in this exhibit who are being honored for the first time.  Her recent floral arrangements are examples of watercolor’s potential for fluid, graceful, and immediate renderings. For this exhibit she has selected a number of her watercolors that help to define unlimited forms of expression. One of her pieces from the exhibit is shown below.

Marion Linden is another of the first-time artists being honored in this exhibit. Marion brings an insatiable curiosity to her investigation of the formal techniques of established artists.  Antecedents of the work of Fairfield Porter are impressively evident in works on display. As you can see in the piece below, her work is both detailed and whimsical.

The final new artist in the exhibit is McNamara. Gen approaches the art process with a curious embrace of new possibilities and brave exploration. Her watercolors and acrylics help define her most recent discoveries. Her work advances in directions that both surprise and delight as you can see in this piece from the exhibit.