The 33rd annual Fine Arts @ Oxford, a juried exhibition and sale, kicks off with a gala celebration on Friday, May 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. and continues on Saturday, May 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, Mary 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oxford resident and well-known artist Howard Lapp is the 2017 featured artist; his striking and distinctive “Morning Shadows” will grace the event poster and other promotional pieces. New local artists include Constance Del Nero of Easton, MD, Kevin Garber of St. Michaels, MD, Kathy Kopec of Bozman, MD, Carol Meers of Denton, MD, Sheryl Southwick of Trappe, MD, Carol Wetovich of Annapolis, MD, and Paul Winters of McDaniel, MD.
Del Nero has been enchanted by the visual arts since childhood, and has enjoyed a long and varied career in the field. She serves as Director of ArtReach and Community Programs at the Academy Art Museum and displays her work at the Green Phoenix Gallery, both in Easton. Garber has been in the art business since the mid-1970s. Following nine years of teaching and collaborating with artists, he began painting in watercolors upon his return to the East coast in 2008. With birds as his favorite subject, Kevin is able to address environmental issues and to continue his love of drawing and painting. Kopec has experienced a lifelong love of art. She has studied locally with Nancy Tankersley, Ed Cooper and Sara Linda Poly; has memberships in the Academy Art Museum, Working Artists Forum and the St. Michaels Art League; and is a SMAL board member. She has also participated in the Arts in Easton banner program for several years.
Meers grew up in Chicago and had the great good fortune to attend classes at the famed Art Institute from elementary through her high school years. She earned a B. F. A. from Bradley University, and went on to teach art at elementary and middle school levels in Iowa, Missouri and California. She is now able to pursue her own endeavors in art. Southwick, a native of the Baton Rouge, LA area; grew up within an artistic, creative and musical family which provided much opportunity for exploratory discovery both indoors and out. She has taught and/or facilitated numerous classes and community programs locally (Academy Art Museum, Pickering Creek, Arts by the Park, etc.); and has been on the MD State Arts Council approved-instructor/program list. Following many successful years as a camera operator in the television and film industry (“The Wire,” “Spin City,” the Academy Awards, etc.), Wetovich switched it up to pursue her true passion: creating art. She is a member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society, the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, the Annapolis Watercolor Club and the Plein Air Painters of the Eastern Shore. Winters’ love affair with glass began in 1974 when he discovered the scrap heap at a stained glass studio in North Carolina, and he has been working in the medium ever since. He opened The Caledon Glass Works, his studio in St. Michaels, in 2000; church windows, public installations, and numerous doors, sidelights and transoms for area private homes resulted.
Additional artists completing the full roster of exhibitors include David Aiken (Weems, VA), Norm and Paula Bell (Oxford, MD), Carole Boggemann-Peirson (Townsend, VA), Katie Cassidy (Easton, MD), Fred Craig (Ruxton, MD), Gerry Czajkowski (Grasonville, MD), Lois Engberg (Salisbury, MD), Beverly Ford Evans (Franklin, TN), Ned Ewell (Cockeysville, MD), Rae Hamilton (Parkton, MD), Mary Ellen Mabe (Bozman, MD), Diane DuBois Mullaly (Easton, MD), Stephanie Nadolski (Shady Side, MD), Steve Rogers (Lewes, DE), Bradford Ross (Easton, MD), John Schisler (Georgetown, DE), Douglas Sefton (St. Michaels, MD), Nick Serratore (Lewes, DE), Sharon Stockley (Easton, MD), Nancy R. Thomas (Ridgely, MD), W. Robert Tolley (Cambridge, MD), Nick Vincent (Westminster, MD), Betsey Von Dreele (Harbeson, DE), Sean Wells (Philadelphia, PA), C. Keith Whitelock (Salisbury, MD), M. Joyce Zeigler (Denton, MD) and Barbara Zuehlke (Easton, MD).
The Oxford Community Center is especially pleased to announce Mercedes-Benz of Salisbury as the Fine Arts @ Oxford Presenting Sponsor.
Advance purchase of Fine Arts @ Oxford Preview Gala tickets ($80 per person) is recommended. In addition to that first glimpse of quality art; an evening of savories, sweets and full bar offerings; each ticket includes event entrance for the whole weekend. All are welcome at the gala; visit www.oxfordcc.org to buy directly or call/e-mail the Oxford Community Center (410-226-5904/oxfordcc@ verizon.net) to receive a mailed invitation. Otherwise, the cost of admission is $7 per person/per day on both Saturday and Sunday; raffle tickets ($10/book of 6) may be purchased throughout the weekend. The OCC is located at 200 Oxford Rd. in Oxford, MD; it is a 501c3 organization and 30% of all art sales directly benefit the Center and its programs.
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