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eARTh ....without ART... would just be eh!
by Cate Murway
Artists have found the most creative ways to offer hope amid the COVID-19 crisis; ingenious ways to keep people connected during a pandemic that is keeping us apart.
With audiences isolating at home, the freelancers’ venues shuttered, and a myriad of canceled events, the arts industry that effectively operates almost exclusively in public spaces is scrambling to reinvent itself online, sharing their visually diverse, thought provoking works that are a pleasure to see.
Arts have always helped people to cope in dark times with a visceral flood to the senses.
Countless artists throughout history have channeled their feelings into their work.
Collaborate with local artists and capture a little of their magic!
Author William Michael “Bill” Pezza has spent his quarantine time teaching on line and writing his next book. The new read is a prequel to his significant Vietnam era tale, "Anna's Boys" titled, "Till the Boys Come Home". This book’s setting is the WWII 1940's in Bristol, PA and “the book should be off the presses early to mid summer”, according to Bill Pezza. “It's a story of love and separation, sacrifice and reward, a celebration of the human spirit, and small town pride. We're living in the most challenging time since World War II. That generation overcame enormous hardship, and we will too.”
Artist Jean-Marc Dubus was personally selected to skillfully design the montage cover to grace Bill’s newest book. This is the second Pezza cover for this artist. The first book is titled, “How Bristol Won”. Jean-Marc has also fashioned covers for his author sister, Nicole Vaillant Dubus who lives in France.
His daughter Alexa is a graphic artist, a prints and fabrics designer.
Bill Pezza highly recommends this French visual artist, computer software designer and architect who came to America in 1988. “Jean-Marc is a highly talented, gifted artist. What I really like about his works from a commercial standpoint, is that he is very accommodating. We’re very fortunate to have him.”
He studied Art at the Beaux Arts in Valenciennes, France before obtaining his MFA in Studio Art from the Ecole Nationale des Arts Decoratifs in Nice, France. France has been home to many world-famous artists.
A piece of his artwork was exhibited at the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ.
Jean-Marc’s works are displayed in the Centre for the Arts on Mill Street where he maintains his studio. His invitingly attractive 500 square-foot fluid and confident mural creates a portrait of the immigrants who helped build this small town along the Delaware into a vibrant community. His “Bristol Borough, Settled by the World’s People” painting commands a wall on the PKB Contractors’ firm building.
The artist/muralist also painted a corridor wall by the Snyder- Girotti Bristol Borough Elementary School library, using images from books chosen by students in the gifted/enrichment classes. They and their parents also helped design the 8ft x 33ft “Reading, dreaming with your eyes open Literacy Mural”, a pictorial story line project.
“I painted the mural but the 87 students involved in the different grades had the opportunity to participate to the painting to some level.”
His newest endeavors include creating murals to salute the essential front-line workers.
“People are interested in having something to celebrate them now and for the future,” he confirmed.
Essential workers will be celebrated for a life time and longer. An inspirational mural will remind everyone of their support in hard times and carry the message of the game changers’ sacrifices to future generations; an impressive backdrop to pause and reflect upon in these unprecedented times.
His clients will be involved in the design and concept, and then Jean-Marc creates the artwork.
“I wish to create something and explore new worlds that don’t necessarily exist but that are attractive to me.” He is also working on a series of oil paintings from Victorian era mug shots.
“There is a lifetime and history in their faces. It intrigues me!” Process for him is a life time discovery.
Contact the artist at 215.514.3039 or through www.jeanmarcdubus.com
Are you stifled by the sounds of life interrupted and looking to enliven your wall space?
Dot [Dorothy Petrillo] Bunn, OPA [*Oil Painters of America] is a traditional Bucks County full time studio oil painter. *There are only 100 some OPA signature members in the USA.
Her Dot Bunn Fine Art is thoughtfully developed by design, and she maintains a passionate commitment to working with and teaching traditional methods of painting. Her common thread of pure joy translates with every brushstroke to her masterpiece paintings of objects that have personal elements with personal connections and meaning to her.
Dot recently completed a masterful on-site mural entitled “The Portage Trail to Strawberry Mansion” at the Historic Strawberry Mansion House in Philadelphia on the 500 sq. foot wall of the Banquet Room.
Dot Bunn was elected a member of Allied Artists of America in 2011 and was elected a member of the American Artists Professional League in 2015. Her exquisite paintings, and landscapes that capture the wonders of air and light as they change shape and color, are the result of intelligent planning and the endless study of technique and process.
She has sold countless pieces through and is represented by Patricia Hutton Galleries located in the charming Kolbe House in historic Doylestown that features renowned, highly acclaimed, award winning American Impressionism and Realism paintings from Bucks County and New England.
Dot is currently accepting commissions to do custom and personal painting, available upon request. She is experienced and will work with first time clients as well as seasoned collectors.
To inquire about works available for sale or to be included in a group exhibition, please contact Dot Bunn at 215.630.1698, or email dotbunnart@gmail.com.
Dot also works with an interior designer through Greystone Interiors in Haddonfield, NJ, supplying paintings or murals. Clients often see something on Dot’s site and can request a piece, and then Dot sends it to the Galleries. Her talent comes from hard work and discipline, producing meaningful works through learning the skills and lessons of the masters. She realizes how much more there is to achieve and how exhilarating it is to understand color and composition the way the great masters of art applied them. She has followed in the masters' footsteps and regularly exhibits her works in local and national juried exhibitions, receiving many awards. One of her figurative works has won the Juried Phillip's Mill Highest Award for Painting in 2004 and again in 2007.
Dot’s great love of the Bucks County countryside has given her endless landscape inspiration, but she also enjoys painting flowers from her own gardens with untethered exuberance. Her property is literally pulsing with bright zinnias and colorful lilacs, source material for her work.
In this crowded world of images, Dot recognizes touchstones and has developed her own aesthetic, supporting the vision that life is truly extraordinarily beautiful and uplifting.
Her works become conversation pieces and heirlooms. “The very act of painting is a joy for me."
She just may feel somewhat less isolated than some due to the coronavirus restrictions. Artists tend to be more loners and appreciate this time with more focus without interruptions, but she truly misses the people and her students who came to her studio when she hosted workshops and networking events.
She had been teaching Monday and Tuesday mornings along with a Wednesday evening class. While she was teaching her 3 classes a week, she could actually explore and create and work on the student’s piece along with the artist student. “But you just can’t do that online.”
Dot has swapped physical performance spaces with virtual ones and she recently responded to the current challenges by posting a BLOG to keep in touch with her students.
She thinks expertly outside of the box and uses innovation to keep her connections and make it work.
Everyone is invited to log on and participate with her professional expertise!
Ready for the best news yet? She plans to resume teaching workshops in her fully equipped painting studio. Contact Dot with your interest in future classes. After you get in touch, Dot will keep in touch with you as soon as classes and workshops resume.
See some of the artist’s impressive compositions on https://www.dotbunn.com.
Needing some fresh air and out for a stroll?
Susan I. Rachlin's Canal’s End Antiques on Mill Street is a place where the PAST is always PRESENT!
Art can set you free, reaching out beyond isolation.
Whether we realize it or not, the role of art may become more central to our lives.
Susan’s skillfully captured beautiful nature and architectural photography is available, along with postcards and photographs of historic Bristol icon locations.
Many other pieces portray engaging ties to local Bucks County history.
Feeling nostalgic? Susan has acquired quite a unique collection of retro vintage images peppered with Hollywood stars, legends, and celebrities, movie stills, oil paintings, some of which are elaborately framed, and prints, and even various classic Beatles premium posters. Her larger art prints include popular powerful scenes, with even some for bull fighting aficionados.
There are also some calmer, more conventional selections amid her gallery, with colorful flower arrangements and the most enticing landscapes with which to brighten your walls.
Art in general is truly special and something that brings character and charm to any room.
Find your treasure amongst incredible finds. There are great deals for every taste and budget!
Check out her window displays on 327 Mill Street. Give a call 215.874.9100 or e-mail CanalsEndAntiques@gmail.com with questions and pricing.
Arts and their momentary joy contributions to our well-being are most evident.
It connects us to a world where anything is possible.
When you are moved inward, to the vast inner space of your thoughts and imagination, a place that may have perhaps been neglected for quite some time, THINK ART!
Be safe. Be well! Have heART!
Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
