Thursday, July 22, 2010

Monday, May 24, 2010

May 24, 3:14 PMPlainfield ExaminerAnn Ilibasic

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The Plainfield Art League formed in 2003 to promote interest, knowledge, support and participation in the cultural and fine arts for the greater Plainfield area. So when they were told they were cut-off from Village funding in November of 2009, the organization was unsure of its future. Without these funds, they could no longer afford the space costs of their fairly new location on Chicago Street. Ready to close the gallery all together, Theresa Schulz of Schulz Properties and Michael Guinta stepped in and donated space in the Vintage Harvest Plaza strip mall at 16108 S Route 59, Suite 104.

Since their Grand Opening event in January of 2010, the Plainfield Art League's new space is home to a spacious Members' Art Gallery and also houses room for classes, workshops and monthly artist demonstrations. The members' gallery has themed exhibits, rotating on a bi-monthly basis.

The remaining 2010 Exhibit Calendar is:

"Local Images" Now through July 14th
"Reflections" July 17th – September 9th
"Summers End" September 11th – November 10th
"Best of the Best" Through Year End

Currently there are 26 pieces of various mediums hanging in the gallery. Stop in to purchase or simply admire the various works of art. Gallery hours are Friday, 12pm – 4 pm and Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm.

Additionally, the Plainfield Art League hosts several public art exhibits. Join them for:

"Art in the Garden" at the Fields on Caton Farm on July 11th,
"Ida's Garden Art Show" at Ida's Garden Paradise on June 12th, and
"Plainfield River Days Art Fair" In conjunction with Plainfield River Days
on September 11th

Stuff to know: Annual membership fees are: Individual Membership $40; Family Membership $50; Student Membership $20; and Lifetime Membership $350. You can also become a sponsor at the following levels and tiered benefits: Picasso ($50); Rembrandt ($100) plus business card add in newsletter; Da Vinci ($250) plus promotion for your business at one art show; Monet ($500) plus business card add in newsletter; Van Gogh ($1,000) plus event/project recognition; Yeats ($2,500) plus logo on website, event/project sponsor, and included in mass media; Rockwell ($5,000) plus major event recognition; Corporate ($12,000).

Monday, March 15, 2010

Mega Art Supplies

Hello One and All,

Had a chance to check this out on Sunday. She has a ton of stuff she is clearing out. If you are looking for a studio easel she has a beautiful one. If you are a oil painter you will be in heaven. I am just helping her out by spreading the word. If you need more information let me know.

Take Care
Joe Hadamik

PAX

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My name is Jane Lagerstrom. My grandmother was Katrina Boothe. She was the president of the art league in Joliet for many years. She passed away Christmas morning. I am in charge of her physical estate, part of which is a very extensive art studio. She has just about every medium imaginable, including oils, pastels, pencils, chalks, textures and more. There are loads of stretched canvases and rolls of canvas, water, drawing and tracing paper, countless brushes, pallet knives, grumbacher, oils, acrylics and more. She has a hand crafted working easel, as well as travelling and display easels. There is an extensive library of books, lighting and props, projectors and screens, reference and more. There are also 85 frames, ranging in size from small to very large and ornate. There are paintings and sketches as well.

I would like to see these things go to folks who might appreciate it as much as she did. I am having an estate sale this coming weekend (the 19th, 20th and 21st).

Thanks for your time and consideration.

~ Jane

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Plainfield Art League
815-556-9278
info@plainfieldartleague.org
www.plainfieldartleague.org
16108 Route 59, Suite 104
Plainfield, IL 60586

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Junius Allen (1898 – 1962)

Known for his realistic and moody paintings depicting coastal landscapes and harbors of New Jersey, New York and New England, Junius Allen was one of New Jersey's most promising artists of the twentieth century.

Junius Allen was born in Summit, New Jersey, in 1898. While a student at Kingsley Preparatory School, he was mentored by national academician, Arthur Woelfle, who encouraged him to hone his artistic skills. After many close calls in the First World War, Allen returned and took a job with a lithography firm in New York. While there, he studied at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art. At Woelfle's urging, he decided to enroll at the National Academy of Design. He also studied under Charles Hawthorne, Francis Jones, George Maynard, Ivan Olinsky and George Elmer Browne. Woelf1e also encouraged Allen to become active in the Salmagundi Club where he eventually played a distinguished role.

He was an academician of the National Academy of Design (vice president and chairman of the School Committee), and a member of the Salmagundi Club (vice president, corresponding secretary and chairman of the Art Committee).

He exhibited at the New York World's Fair (1939), the Audubon Artists, the New Rochelle Art Association (1952 prize), the American Artists Professional League, the Plainfield Art Association (1951 prize), the Montclair Art Association (1951 medal), the National Academy of Design (1933 prize, 1955 purchase award), the New Jersey Gallery in Newark (1934 prize), Allied Artists of America (1943,1949 prize) and the Salmagundi Club (1939, 1941, 1944), among others.

His work is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Montclair Art Museum, the Art Museum of the New Britain Institute, the State Teachers College of Trenton, New Jersey and in many private and institutional collections.

From article: http://dart.fine-art.com/aqd-asp-im_124547-buy-m.htm

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

1966 - MILDRED PONZIO...SERIGRAPHER

20...SCOTCH PLAINS TIMES, January 6, 1966

MILDRED PONZIO...SERIGRAPHER

A God Given Talent And A Love Of Art

Mildred Ponzio at work in her studio, (Photo by James E, Brooks)

By RUTH B. GILBERT - Staff Writer

Today, many of us are apt to"ground-hog it" when we see our own shadow,...somehow refusing to see ourselves or the day we live in. How often an artist stirs us out of ourselves and through his eyes we find laughter In what we thought dull and joy in what we thought gloomy.

In a makeshift garage studio,Scotch Plains resident Mildred Ponzio, produces artistic gems in oil, water colors, casein, etchings,black and white sketches and silk screening. It is with the latter medium that this story primarily concerns itself, and with Mrs, Ponzio1 s ability to bring pleasure to the eyes of the beholder through her God given talents.

Her love of art was evident even as a child, though it was then financially Impossible fop her to receive any instruction.After marriage to Scotch Plains native, Carl Ponzio, she took lessons in color and design from the famous muralist, Joachim Loeber, and these lessons were actually inspired when she received a first prize award for an oil painting at the Plainfield Art Association Show.

The next year, another oil,"New York Night", took first place again, followed by a series of awards at both plainfield and Westfield shows. She was in a three women show at the "Silo"in Morris Plains several year sago, and In 1961, had her own one woman show at Swain's In Plainfield,This past September, an exhibit of Mrs. Ponzio's works enhanced the interior of ScotchPlains' First National Bank.Curious as to how she became involved in the process of silkscreening, I was told her lessons with Seymour Lansman commenced soon after she saw, and became fascinated by, an exhibition at the Newark Library.

Silk Screen, or "Serigraph",is a perfection of the early type of stencil printing used by the ancients. It is based on the fundamental principle of the stencil that if paint or any other colored fluid is rubbed over a stencil,it will readily penetrate the unprotected portions and will be unable to pass through the masked portions. The stencil is place don a silk screen which acts as its support (made from stretching a piece of stencil silk across a wooden frame), A squeegee, simulator the kind used for cleaning windows, is used to force the ink or paint through the open areas of the stencil. Because of the versatility of the process, silkscreen printing may be used on almost any surface including cloth, metal, wood, glass, plastic and paper,

A semi-abstract design entitled"Ivy Castle" was Mrs.Ponzio's first attempt at silkscreening. While many artists use a different stencil for each color, she uses a different stencil to emphasize the design. "I like to work with the whole colorscale in one operation", she noted, "and my paintings reflect what I feel not necessarily what I see," In some instances, the picture is completed before she decides what it looks like and names it,

A series of three scenes depicting the "Story of Christ"hangs in the Sycamore Street living room. In free form black and white, the story of the Annunciation,the Birth of Christand St. John foretelling the coming of the Messiah, testifies tothe depth of feeling created in Mrs. Ponzio's religious works.Her "The Cathedral" took a Plainfield Art Show award and"The Madonna" hanging nearby,is a remarkable example of an abstract form, for you can see something different in it each time you look at it.

Her oil paintings, all of which are encased in frames made byher husband, include "The Lord's Supper" (magnificent!), "The Scourging of Christ" and "Madonna".My favorite is entitled"Flowerpiece",.,.done in polntilistic style in which every stroke is applied separately with a knife to o b t a i n a tapestry effect,"Flowerplece" was exhibited several years ago at the Library of Congress in Washington, D,C,Daughter, Linda, a Senior atScotch Plains - Fanwood High School, is following closely in her mother's footsteps and has already won awards at Girl Scout exhibitions and in St. Bartholomew Christmas card design contests.Some of her works were shown with Mrs, Ponzio's in the Swain Art Store exhibition in Plainfield, Aspiring to become a caricaturist, Linda is active in high school art activities and won first prize for her car decorations for the pre-football game motorcade before the Hillside game,

Mildred Ponzio devotes every spare moment to her hobby and has taught classes of Girl Scouts,C.Y.O, groups and offered some private Instruction as well. She firmly believes that anyone with enough drive and ambition can achieve a degree of success in art work.

She particularly enjoys silkscreening because one step can be done' at a time, and for a busy homemaker and mother of four children, this is a definite advantage.Exhibiting at the Montclair Art Museum, the Hunterton County Art Show, the Art Show of the Oranges, The American Artists*Professional League andBambergers' Show of the Year,has resulted in awards which fill several scrapbooks.

The lives of countless friend shave been enriched by her generous gifts of art. Even this lucky writer is now the proud possessor of a lovely silk screen abstract.My crystal ball predicts Mildred Ponzio's name will appear high on the list of New Jersey's foremost artists!

Plainfield Art League