Every two months, Juni Van Dyke, Director of the Rose Baker Art Program selects two artists from the program to have their works exhibited in the lobby of the Rose Baker Senior Center. For the first exhibit of 2017, Juni has selected a mother and daughter for this honor: Helen Burgess and her daughter Valerie Sadler.

At first when Valerie Sadler would ask her mother, Helen Burgess, join her at the Rose Baker art room Helen would reply: “I have no artistic talent at all.” But Valerie kept asking and eventually Helen gave it a try. Juni and the participants in the program are glad she did as they have found her participation inspiring.

Helen’s individual artistic style confirms Juni’s belief that “whether or not we have a history of formal art training — all of us have something truly unique and wonderful to share by way of the art process.” The works in the exhibit are Helen’s gifts: watercolors with all the energy, tenderness and humor that are the essence of Helen. Her signature repetitive marks are a confirmation that individuality uninterrupted will both flourish and delight.

When Juni asked Valerie Sadler to prepare a statement about her experiences as a visual artist, she began with a quote from Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Valerie’s devotion to the mysteries of creation are the bedrock on which her arttic expression exists. Through the exploration of collage and watercolor, Valerie has found her own unique path toward a harmonious and graceful celebration of the natural world.

Valerie says “Like most people, I love walking on the beaches and through the woods of our beautiful seaside city. What a gift it is to experience, with the rolling seasons, the glorious wonders of earth, sea, and sky so unique to New England! And then to try and recreate a small part of it with pen, pencil, bush, scissors, and paint. I thank God for the Rose Baker Senior Center enabling us with a place to sit, observe, imagine, share ideas and encourage one another in the creative process. It’s like a weekly mini vacation for me!”

The works of Helen and Valerie will be on display on display from now until the end of March in the main lobby of the Rose Baker Senior Center at 6 Manuel F. Lewis Street in Gloucester. The show can be viewed weekdays from 9am to 4pm.

 

Every two months, Juni VanDyke, Director of the Rose Baker Senior Center Art Program selects one or two artist to be honored with a show of their works. The two artists being honored for the fall are Kay Carpenter and Pippy Giuliano. Their work will be on display from now until the end of November in the main lobby of the Senior Center, located at 6 Manuel F. Lewis St. in Gloucester, from 9 am to 4pm Monday through Friday.

Kay Carpenter and Pippy Giuliano pictured  in front of their works.

Many of you will remember Kay Carpenter as one of the 2015 November artists of the month. She has created a number of new works and is being honored again. During her twenty-eight years working at the Usen O’Donnell fish packing plant, she was grateful to be able to look out at the surrounding views of the sky, sand, and ocean. In retirement, she finally has time to do what she has always wanted to do — paint the natural world.

Two years ago, Kay began working in watercolor. She found the medium surprising and was delighted with the results she was able to achieve. In her graceful watercolors, you will see her love of the natural world, color, and especially her love of the surroundings of her woodland home.

When asked to talk about her work, Pippy Giuliano said “The Icons of Gloucester inspire me to look closely, be absorbed and to record what results from the interaction.  Strength, endurance, perseverance is City Hall.  Perpetual protection and watchfulness is Our Lady.  The painter and painted sustain each other — breathe life into each other establishing a connectedness that is rooted here in this beloved place — this port of Gloucester — my home.” When you see her work in this exhibit, you will feel her love of the city and the buildings that reflect its spirit.

 

 

 

Juni Van Dyke has selected Bob Quinn and Barbara Maddix as the Rose Baker Summer Artists and they are being honored with an exhibit of their work in the lobby of the Rose Baker Senior Center. Juni is the instructor and Director of the Rose Baker Art Program and every two months she selects one or two artists from the Program for this honor.

Bob Quinn (l) and Barbara Maddix (c) with Art Director Juni Van Dyke standing in front of the summer exhibit.

Even before Bob Quinn enrolled in his favorite high school class, mechanical drawing, he knew art would always be an important part of his life. Over the years, Bob has developed enviable skills in leather carving, metal work, stained glass, and computer graphics and video. His professional career was in marketing and advertising which allowed him to put his creativity and artistic eye to work in the business world.

Bob admires the many notable Cape Ann’s artists, and has used their work to inspire his own personal style of drawing, sketching, and watercolor.  Bob’s style is straight forward, unencumbered, and charming.  On exhibit at Rose Baker are works that delight the eye and reflect the subjects he loves most:  Gloucester and all that is of the sea.

After retiring from a long career assisting one of Boston’s most prominent judges, Barbara Maddix has followed her lifelong interest in art.  Barbara joined the Senior Art Program over 24 years ago. Now in her nineties, Barbara is still an active member of the Art Program.  Some of her most recent contributions to the Program include creating ceramic bowls for Gloucester’s Empty Bowl Dinner and creating numerous iconic scenes for Art Program’s Neighborhood Quilt Project.

Barbara’s paintings are joyful and childlike.  They are rendered with exuberance and a unique sense of color that reflects Barbara’s happy outgoing love of life and the world around her.

The summer show is on display from now until the end of August in the main lobby of the Rose Baker Senior Center at 6 Manuel F. Lewis St in Gloucester. The show can be viewed weekdays from 9am to 4pm.

 

 

 

 

Juni Van Dyke has named Mary Rhinelander McCarl and Ed Leavitt the Rose Baker Artists of the Month for May and June. Juni is the instructor and coordinator of the Rose Baker Art Program and every two months she selects one or two artists from the program to be honored with a show of their work in the lobby of the Senior Center. The May/June show opened the first week in May and can be viewed weekdays from 9am to 4pm until the end of June.

 

During the summer, Mary Rhinelander McCarl paints the beaches, marshes, and rocks of Cape Ann. During the long Cape Ann winter she concentrates on painting flower arrangements and collages inspired by her study of Medieval Art.   Over the years, Mary has studied printmaking, batik, embroidery, and quilt making.

 

In this exhibit, she has chosen to display her watercolor and acrylic work.

Mary strives to capture the essential gesture of light on flowers, trees, and rocks. To accomplish this, she uses watercolor and acrylic paint, and often enhances these with water-soluble crayon.

 

This is the second time Ed Leavitt has been honored as the artist of the month; he was one of the first artists to receive this honor in October of last year. In the first exhibit, he showed his watercolor work. in this show he is exhibiting his work in acrylics.

 

As you may recall, Ed’s life profession was in the building trades. In 2013, after a stroke, Ed decided to spend time following his love of art.  Now, by way of what Ed terms as “fantastic therapy”, he is bringing his understanding of fine detail and serious craftsmanship to the medium of watercolor and acrylic.  Ed’s inspiration is infused by Gloucester’s history particularly its waterfront and as Ed says, “most anything that tickles my fancy”.

 

Watercolor artists Ed Leavitt (pictured with some of his works) and Doreen Ross are the October artists of the month at the Rose Baker Senior Center. Each month Juni Van Dyke, Director of the Art Program at the Senior Center selects one or two artists to honor with a show of their works. The works are displayed in the main lobby of the Senior Center and can be viewed weekdays from 9am to 4pm. On Thursdays, the artists will be available to answer questions and talk about their works.