Contemporary Ancients, A FUSEDChicago Exhibition, August 2019
Exhibition Dates: August 24 – September 21, 2019
Location: South Haven Center for the Arts, 600 Phoenix St, South Haven, MI
Curated by Carol Myers
The opening reception for Contemporary Ancients, A FUSEDChicago Exhibition was held on August 24, 2019 at South Haven Center for the Arts, 600 Phoenix Street in South Haven Michigan. The show, which featured work by 24 members of FUSEDChicago, was curated and installed by member Carol Meyers.
Meyers, a resident of nearby Watervliet, Michigan, serves as the volunteer curator for South Haven Center for the Arts and was instrumental in proposing the show to the Center’s exhibition committee. She also provided transportation of the work to South Haven. Artists with work in Contemporary Ancients are Carrie Baxter, Maja Bosen, Martha Brownscombe, Kathie Collinson, Cat Crotchett, Helen Dannelly, VA de Pintor, Bob Fesser, Alicia Forestall-Boehm, Shelley Gilchrist, Carol Hamilton, Brad Hook, Nikkole Huss, Clare Jorgensen, Catherine Keebler, Donna Kuo, Pat Lagger, Laura La Rue, Cindy Lesperence, Cheryl Marshall, Kelly Matthews, Carol L. Meyers, Jane Michalski, Kathy Blankley Roman, and Michele Thrane.
The reception occurred on a beautiful summer Saturday afternoon and was attended by members of the South Haven community, as well as many of the participating artists. FUSEDChicago President Cindy Lesperence introduced an artists’ talk during the reception with comments by Cat Crotchett, Helen Dannelly, Carol Meyers, Jane Michalski, and Kathy Blankly Roman. Each of them spoke regarding their use of the encaustic medium as it related to their art practice.
Comments by Cat Crotchett are featured in an article by Nancy Albright in the South Haven Tribune, found here: http://southhaventribune.net/entertainment
The South Haven Center for the Arts is housed in an historic building at 600 Phoenix Street near downtown South Haven. The building was previously the clubhouse for the Grand Old Army of the Republic. A local arts group took over the building and made it into a gallery in 1980.
Kerry Hagy is the current executive director and serves under a volunteer board. You can learn more about the South Haven Center for the Arts here:https://www.southhavenarts.org/about
Contemporary Ancients, A FUSEDChicago Exhibition furthers the organization’s mission of providing opportunities for its members, while maintaining standards of artistic excellence and educating the community of art lovers about the medium of encaustic. The exhibition runs August 24 to September 21, 2019.
-Jane Michalski
Photo credits: Helen Dannelly, Jane Michalski