SPONSORED: We’re halfway through the A&H’s Maitland Art Center’s Art31 marathon of exhibits and art happenings with plenty more activities left to enjoy.
The centerpiece of Art31, Material World: Glass, Rubber and Paper – Chihuly, Hackenwerth, Fredette and Smith, which explores organic forms in a diverse media, is still on exhibit inside the A&H’s Maitland Art Center’s galleries and throughout the National Historic Landmark campus. The exhibition, presented by Dorman Financial Management, will be displayed until May 1, 2016 and feature works by celebrated artists, Dale Chihuly, Jason Hackenwerth, Lorrie Fredette and Paige Smith. The Chihuly pieces are on loan from the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art at St. Petersburg College in Florida.
Participating artists include:
- Dale Chihuly – Known internationally as a preeminent glass artist, Dale Chihuly’s work captures the imagination with their inspired, organic forms. Some Chihuly pieces are on loan from the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art at St. Petersburg College in Florida.
- Jason Hackenwerth – Hackenwerth’s latex balloon sculptures provide a vivid juxtaposition with Chihuly’s glass works. He is a past recipient of a Pollack-Krasner grant and has received acclaim throughout the international art world for his work at Art Basel and museums from New York to Edinburgh.
- Lorrie Fredette – Hudson Valley-based artist Lorrie Fredette’s site-specific installations made from beeswax and muslin are inspired by current medical and environmental news stories, but the elegance and lightness of the installations belie the serious subject matter. Fredette has shown work throughout the country, including an installation last December at Art Basel Miami.
- Paige Smith – Los Angeles artist Paige Smith is noted for her “Urban Geodes” made of paper and resin, which she installs in nooks of buildings and abandoned spaces across the U.S. Art31 will be Smith’s first installation in the Southeastern U.S.
- Boy Kong – Orlando native Boy Kong is a self-taught painter, illustrator, muralist and collage artist. His artwork is immediately identifiable with bold lines and bright colors, drawing inspiration from a mixture of Ukiyo-e Surrealism, graffiti and animal folklore. He has been featured in solo exhibitions at art galleries in both Orlando and New York City and received press accolades from The New York Times, artnet news, Street Art NYC and WUCF(PBS) Artisodes.
- Dan L. Hess – Originally from Long Island, Dan L. Hess received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts in NYC and a Master of Fine Arts from Stony Brook University in New York. His elaborate video installations, drawings and photographs have been exhibited from New York to Shanghai, and can be found in private collections across the globe. Hess worked as both the Visual Coordinator for Christie’s Auction House and an Adjunct Professor of Art at Stony Brook University.
- Marla E – A long-time supporter of the Art & History Museums – Maitland, Marla E studied fine art at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL, and graduated from the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale. Her unique sculptural paintings often incorporate unlikely objects, providing an element of surprise, and can be seen in shows, galleries and private collections around the world. Marla E was selected to participate in American Art Collector Juried Competition of New York for the past nine years, as well as an international artist exhibition by Art Park Gallery in Rhodes, Greece. Two of her pieces can now be seen covering four stories of the One Eleven Building, owned by Lincoln Properties in Downtown Orlando.
Remaining Art31 events to mark into your calendar include:
March 17: Art31 & FACTUR Residency Artists Boy Kong and Marla E reveal their installations during Third Thursday Gallery Hop in Downtown Orlando
Downtown Arts District welcomes Art31 to the Third Thursday Gallery Hop. See the installations by Art31 artists, Boy Kong and Marla E created during their residency at Orlando’s first maker space, FACTUR. The artists engaged in an experimental collaboration using FACTUR’s resources over a six-month period to create these works to be installed in Downtown Orlando. The installations will be unveiled outside the Orange County Regional History Center during 3rd Thursday Gallery Hop from 6:00 – 9:00 pm, Thursday, March 17, 2016 and will remain on display in downtown Orlando through the end of Art31.
March 22: Art31 features Daniel Stetson for Artists’ Critique and Conversation
Nationally museum director, Daniel Stetson serves as guest panelist for the A&H’s popular artist development program. Every year, Art31 welcomes a national art professional to review works by up to nine local artists during Artists’ Critique & Conversation. Currently the Executive Director at the LSU Museum of Art, Daniel Stetson served as Executive Director for both the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga and the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland. A&H’s Artists’ Critique & Conversation is a free quarterly event the public is invited to attend and enjoy learning how a well-established museum professional evaluates artistic skill, process and content. A cash bar is available with wine and beer.
March 24 and 31: Art31 Senior Days at Material World: Glass, Rubber and Paper
Every Thursday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. throughout March 2016, Seniors age 55+ can visit the Art31’s Material World: Glass, Rubber & Paper, featuring works by Dale Chihuly, Lorrie Fredette, Jason Hackenwerth and Paige Smith. Free admission is valid only for admission to the A&H’s Maitland Art Center and for seniors age 55 and above.
March 27: Art31 Hackenwerth’s Wearables on Main Streets
Jason Hackenwerth’s sophisticated use of latex balloons to create massive installations is known internationally. Hackenwerth translates this work into mobile sculptures with his Wearables. The Wearables will pop up in guerilla style mini-exhibitions across Orange County during Art31. Individuals will experience Hackenwerth’s Wearables on some of Orlando’s Main Streets in Audubon Park, Thornton Park, and College Park on March 27th. These areas are already known for their unique shops, sense of community, and extensive food and drink experiences. The Main Street Districts will provide the perfect backdrop for the lovely absurdity and inherent grace of Hackenwerth’s Wearables.
March 29: Art31 Hackenwerth’s Wearables in Downtown Orlando
High art will mix with business during morning and lunchtime pop-up mini-exhibitions throughout Downtown Orlando on March 29th. Art31 artist Jason Hackenwerth’s sophisticated use of latex balloons to create massive installations is known internationally. Hackenwerth translates this work into mobile sculptures with his Wearables. The Wearables will pop up in guerilla style mini-exhibitions across Orange County during Art31.
March 31: Art31 & FACTUR Residency Artist Dan L. Hess opens his installation at Canvs
Canvs welcomes Art31 for the unveiling of a multimedia installation by Dan L. Hess in its atrium. Hess developed the installation during his six-month residency at Orlando’s first maker space, FACTUR. He engaged in an experimental collaboration using FACTUR’s resources over a six-month period to create these works. Canvs is a non-profit co-working space for tech entrepreneurs. The opening night celebration will last from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and is free to attend.
April 2: Art31 Hackenwerth’s Wearables’ Swan Song
Due to the ephemeral nature of the material the sculptures are made of, Art31 artist Jason Hackenwerth’s Wearables visit A&H’s Maitland Art Center galleries for a final, tear-filled farewell. Join us one last time to say goodbye to the mobile sculptures and take part in a one day only Curator’s tour of Material World: Glass, Rubber and Paper exhibition featuring more works by Hackenwerth, sculptures by Dale Chihuly, and installations by Lorrie Fredette and Paige Smith. The event runs between 6:30-8:30 p.m. and is free to attend.
Art & History Museums – Maitland recently became the first National Historic Landmark in Central Florida’s four counties. It engages the public by educating, collecting, preserving, interpreting, exhibiting and promoting art and history reflective of the American experience inspired by Maitland’s heritage and the legacy of André Smith’s Research Studio.
For more information, visit www.art31.org or contact 407.539.2181.
