The Academy Art Museum’s Annual Members’ Exhibition has opened with the theme, “The Small Originals Holiday Exhibition.” The exhibition is free to the public and will be open through December 4, 2019, in the Easton Armory (the Waterfowl Building) at 40 S. Harrison Street in Easton, MD. The new location, across the street from the Academy Art Museum, is due to the   Museum’s current renovation project.

According to Anke Van Wagenberg, the Museum’s Chief Curator, museum members were invited to get creative, imaginative and experimental around a “Small Original” theme in any medium. Participation in the Members’ Exhibition is not juried. Anyone with a current membership, valid through the end of the exhibition, was eligible to submit one piece of artwork.

Photo: Winners of awards for the 2019 AAM Members’ Exhibition. L-R: Anke Van Wagenberg, Chief Curator at AAM; Bernard Dellario, Best in Show; Meg Walsh, Best Landscape Award (Sponsored by the St. Michaels Art League); Judge David Hawkins, Head of Education at The Kreeger Museum; Nanny Trippe, Excellence in Photography; Matthew Wills, Honorable Mention; Carol Gordean, M. Susan Stewart Award for Best Collage; Mary Ann Schindler, Nancy South Reybold Award for Contemporary Art (Sponsored by Main Street Gallery, Cambridge, and Nancy’s Artist Friends); Rhonda Ford, Samuel Sands Sporting Art Award; David Plum, Honorable Mention; Georgia Goldberg, Honorable Mention; John Ericson, Honorable Mention; and Ben Simons, Director at AAM. Absent from the photo are Stephen Walker, The Jane Shannahan Hill Offutt Memorial Award for Painting; Carol Wetovich, Arielle Marks Award for Best Print; Susan Stewart, Trippe Gallery Award for Best Work on Paper; Carol Chandler, Academy Clay Award; and Kevan Full, Honorable Mention.

Van Wagenberg comments, “We have a very talented art community and our annual Members’ Exhibition really captures the depth of talent of our local artists. We are especially happy to be able to offer this show over the holidays so that artists can share their works with families and friends who might be visiting over the holidays.”

David Hawkins, Head of Education at The Kreeger Museum, served as judge for the 2019 exhibition. The winners of awards given for this year’s Members’ Exhibition include: Bernard Dellario, Best in Show; Meg Walsh, Best Landscape Award (Sponsored by the St. Michaels Art League); Nanny Trippe, Excellence in Photography; Carol Gordean, M. Susan Stewart Award for Best Collage; Mary Ann Schindler, Nancy South Reybold Award for Contemporary Art (Sponsored by Main Street Gallery, Cambridge, and Nancy’s Artist Friends); Rhonda Ford,  Samuel Sands Sporting Art Award; Stephen Walker, The Jane Shannahan Hill Offutt Memorial Award for Painting; Carol Wetovich, Arielle Marks Award for Best Print; Susan Stewart, Trippe Gallery Award for Best Work on Paper; Carol Chandler, Academy Clay Award; and David Plum, Georgia Goldberg, John Ericson, Kevan Full, and Matthew Wills, Honorable Mentions.

The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entrance to the Members’ Exhibition is free. The Museum’s exhibitions are sponsored by the Talbot County Arts Council, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the Star Democrat. For further information, visit academyartmuseum.org or call 410-822-2787.

Participant at the 2018 AAM Members’ Exhibition.

EXHIBITIONS
The following Academy Art Museum exhibitions are sponsored by the Talbot County Arts Council, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the Star Democrat. Free and open daily, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Annual Members’ Exhibition
The Small Originals Holiday Exhibition
Through December 4, 2019
FREE and Open daily from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Easton Armory (aka Waterfowl Building), 40 S. Harrison St., Easton, MD, across the street from the Academy Art Museum (during the Museum’s renovations)
Museum members are invited to get creative, imaginative and experimental around a Small Original theme in any medium. Participation in the Members’ Exhibition is not juried. Anyone with a current membership, valid through the end of the exhibition, may enter one artwork. 2D artwork may not exceed 13 x 13 inches (maximum dimensions, including frame), or 13 x 13 x 13 inches for 3D artwork. David Hawkins, Head of Education at The Kreeger Museum, will serve as judge for the 2019 exhibition.

GAMELATRON @ AAM: Bodyphones
Through April 2020
FREE & Open daily from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Museum Front Yard
Bodyphones is an immersive installation by Aaron Taylor Kuffner (1975), an American-born conceptual artist, based in New York. The artwork’s mission is to expand the legacy and creative cultural power of the traditional Indonesian instrument called the gamelan. Kuffner exhibits his Gamelatrons to create sanctuaries both in public and private spaces.

Photo below: Aaron Taylor Kuffner, Visionary Artist for the 2019 AAM Craft Show, with his Gamelatron project. From L-R: Conner Dorbin, Curatorial Assistant, Constance Del Nero, Director of Children’s Education and Community Programs, Kuffner (center in box), Ben Simons, Director, and Anke Van Wagenberg, Chief Curator.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Portfolio Night
Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 6 – 8 p.m.
FREE
Area high school students are encouraged to bring their artwork to receive expert tips on what makes a winning portfolio from a panel of art school representatives and professional artists. This evening is ideal for high school seniors who are considering applying to art school and underclassmen who would like to get a leg up on preparing a strong portfolio. Parents, teachers, and guidance counselors are welcome as well.

Open MIC
Second Wednesday Each Month
December 11 – Frozen
FREE. Contact Ray Remesch at RayRemesch@gmail.com for additional information.

ADULT CLASSES

Handmade Coastal Holiday Ornaments
Instructor: Maggii Sarfaty
2-day workshop: December 5 and 6
Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. – 12 noon
Cost: $65 Members, $80 Non-members, plus $10 materials fee paid to instructor at first class

Maggii Sarfaty

Edible Art: Decorative Gingerbread
Instructor: Maggii Sarfaty
1 evening Workshop: Thursday, December 12, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Cost: $65 Members, $80 Non-members, plus fee for cookies ($12) or house ($20) paid to instructor

CHILDREN’S CLASSES
Family Ornament Day
Instructor: Museum Staff
Saturday, December 14, 2019, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
FREE

PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES

Piano & Guitar Lessons
Instructor: Raymond Remesch
Contact Instructor for further information at (410) 829-0335 or rayremesch@gmail.com.

Voice Lessons
Instructor: Georgiann Gibson
Contact instructor for Information at (410) 829-2525 or georgiann@atlanticbb.net.

Ballroom and Latin Dance
Instructor: Amanda Showell
Contact instructor for information at (302) 377-3088 or visit dancingontheshore.com.

For additional information, visit academyartmuseum.org or call the Museum at 410-822-2787.

Jim Harris, new member of the Academy Art Museum’s Board of Trustees.

The Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD, has announced James P. (Jim) Harris of Royal Oak has been appointed to its Board of Trustees. During his career with ExxonMobil, Jim held domestic and international positions in the Chemical Company and with Exxon Corporation, retiring as Senior Vice President of the Chemical Company. Since then he has devoted his time to trying to make a difference in Talbot County. Academy Art Museum Director Ben Simons says, “We are so pleased to welcome Jim to the Museum’s Board. His remarkable business experience combined with his passionate interest in arts education make him a perfect addition.” Cathy McCoy, AAM Board Chair, adds, “With his outstanding track record of service and support of key institutions in Talbot County, Jim is truly dedicated to making a difference in our community. We are thrilled to welcome him on board.”

Jim was a board member of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum for seven years, serving as Treasurer and Chairman of the Board. He is currently a Board Member Emeritus at CBMM, a member of the Academy Art Museum, Talbot Country Club, the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club, the Poplar Island Yacht Club and the Miles River Yacht Club. Jim and his wife Pam actively support cancer research at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins, education at CBMM, and the St. Michaels YMCA. While in Europe, Jim, an Eagle Scout, was a member of the Executive Board of the Transatlantic Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

He has a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He was named to Georgia Tech’s Engineering Hall of Fame in 2011.

Participant at the 2018 AAM Members’ Exhibition.

EXHIBITIONS
The following Academy Art Museum exhibitions are sponsored by the Talbot County Arts Council, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the Star Democrat. Open daily, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Annual Members’ Exhibition
The Small Originals Holiday Exhibition
November 15–December 4, 2019
Open daily from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Easton Armory (aka Waterfowl Building), 40 S. Harrison St., Easton, MD, across the street from the Academy Art Museum (during the Museum’s renovations)
Museum members are invited to get creative, imaginative and experimental around a Small Original theme in any medium. Participation in the Members’ Exhibition is not juried. Anyone with a current membership, valid through the end of the exhibition, may enter one artwork. 2D artwork may not exceed 13 x 13 inches (maximum dimensions, including frame), or 13 x 13 x 13 inches for 3D artwork. David Hawkins, Head of Education at The Kreeger Museum, will serve as judge for the 2019 exhibition.

GAMELATRON @ AAM: Bodyphones
Through April 2020
Open daily from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Museum Front Yard
Bodyphones is an immersive installation by Aaron Taylor Kuffner (1975), an American-born conceptual artist, based in New York. The artwork’s mission is to expand the legacy and creative cultural power of the traditional Indonesian instrument called the gamelan. Kuffner exhibits his Gamelatrons to create sanctuaries both in public and private spaces.

Aaron Taylor Kuffner with his Gamelatron project.

LECTURES

Kittredge-Wilson Speaker Series
Lecture: Patience and Process
Simon Jacobsen, Founding Partner Jacobsen Architecture, LLC
Saturday, November 16, 2019, 4 p.m.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Open MIC
Second Wednesday Each Month
November 13 – Thanks A Lot!

FREE. Contact Ray Remesch at RayRemesch@gmail.com for additional information.

ARTS EXPRESS BUS TRIPS

National Museum of Women in the Arts
Judy Chicago The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction
November 13, 2019
Cost: $58 Members $69 Non-members

Simon Jacobsen

ADULT CLASSES

Drawing: Perspective for the Artist
Instructor: Katie Cassidy wkmcgarry@verizon.net
5 weeks: November 12 – December 10 Tuesdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Cost: $185 Members, $220 Non-members

Painting the Still Life in Pastels
Instructor: Nick Serratore serratoreart.com
2 Day Workshop: November 16 and 17 Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Cost: $175 Members, $210 Non-members

Pastel: Creating Strong and Vibrant Compositions in Still Life and Landscape
Instructor: Katie Cassidy wkmcgarry@verizon.net
2 sessions of 5 weeks: Session 1: October 2 – 30 Session 2: November 6–December 11
(no class November 27)
Wednesdays: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Cost per Session: $195 Members, $234 Non-members

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Watercolor Workshop: Fabulous Fall Landscapes on the Eastern Shore
Instructor: Steve Bleinberger bleinberger.com
2-Day Workshop: November 2 and 3 Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Cost: $120 Members, $150 Non-members

Painting for Giving
Instructor: Diane DuBois Mullaly
2-Day Workshop: November 16 and 17 Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Cost: $95 Members, $114 Non-members

CHILDREN’S CLASSES

Mini Masters
An Early Enrichment Program for Children Ages 2 to 4
MSDE Childcare Development License # 255007, Exp. 11/30/20
Mini Masters is a fully licensed flexible program based on The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center’s approach. Contact Anne Hansen at AHansen@academyartmuseum.org
for program details.

PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES
Piano & Guitar Lessons
Instructor: Raymond Remesch
Contact Instructor for further information at (410) 829-0335 or rayremesch@gmail.com.

Voice Lessons
Instructor: Georgiann Gibson
Contact instructor for Information at (410) 829-2525 or georgiann@atlanticbb.net.

Ballroom and Latin Dance
Instructor: Amanda Showell
Contact instructor for information at (302) 377-3088 or visit dancingontheshore.com.

For additional information, visit academyartmuseum.org or call the Museum at 410-822-2787.

Local woodworker Matt Gorin of Trappe.

The 22^nd Academy Art Museum Craft Show, Celebrating the Makers, will be held October 11 through 13, 2019, at the Academy Art Museum and the Waterfowl Building in Easton, MD.

The indoor, juried craft show features 70 artists from across the United States whose work encompasses all craft media: basketry, ceramics, glass, fiber, jewelry, metal, mixed media, sculpture, and wood.  This year, four emerging artists will be showcased at the Craft Show, including Ashley Chiang, paper; Andrew Sartorius, ceramics; Catherine Satterlee, ceramics; and Matt Gorin, wood.

Craig Fuller, Craft Show Chairman, comments, “We are proud to present emerging artists to the community during the Craft Show, and we find ways to help make their participation easier. As a Museum with a very strong education program, part of our responsibility with the Craft Show is to help educate people about craft.”

Matt Gorin, age 31 of Trappe, has been working with wood for 4 ½ years. He got interested in wood while being stationed in the Coast Guard. He met people who were in a gun flint-lock club who built rifles using hand tools. After getting out of the Coast Guard he decided to make woodworking a hobby and made his own goosecall. While at Salisbury University getting a physical therapy degree, he took a sculpting class where he made a bronze sculpture. This enhanced his knowledge of welding – another interest he has developed.

He recalls, “I have excessive curiosity and am always trying something new to challenge me.”

Gorin creates pens, goosecalls, bracelets and earrings, bowls, and wall pieces. He currently is working with “live-edge” burl caps to create some of his most unique work. He fills the edges of this ornate wood with acrylic in order to showcase the dots and swirls of the wood better. He states, “I try not to manipulate the woods too much, letting the natural wood show and speak for itself.”

Lamp crafted by emerging artist and woodworker Matt Gorin of Trappe.

“I am stretching myself by trying things I have never done before,” he adds.

Gorin uses exotic woods from outside the U.S. to make his pieces unique. Australian red mallee and Indonesian amboyna burl are among his favorites. Because the wood is expensive, he saves all of the scraps to be used in smaller projects like his jewelry. He comments, “The exotic woods are really pretty. I enjoy talking with the people where the wood comes from to see how different cultures see the wood.  We may see these woods as exotic and beautiful, but in some of the countries, they are seen as scrap wood.”

He adds, “I get to travel the world through the wood.”

Gorin, who is a popular local bartender, doesn’t want to make woodworking his full-time profession as he likes picking and choosing the projects he makes.  This is his second year in the Academy Craft Show. This year, he will introduce wall pieces to the show and a coffee table.

Alison Cooley, Craft Show Operations Director, adds, “The emerging artists give people a better understanding of the path into the world of art and craft. There is no better way than to learn through examples, and our emerging artists provide exceptional examples of what is possible with focus and hard work.”

All proceeds from the Craft Show go to the Academy Art Museum to support the many community-based programs for all ages.The Craft Show hours will be held three days, Friday and Saturday, October 11 and 12, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, October 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a Preview Event on Thursday, October 10 beginning at 5:30 p.m.Craft Show admission is $10 for Museum members and $12 for non-members. Sunday will be Family Day with free admission for all attendees. A number of makers will be participating in forums/panels during the Craft Show. Tickets are available online. For more information about this event, visit academycraftshow.com or call 410-822-2787.