The public is invited to a free, opening reception for a new show, “Abstractions in Glass,” on First Friday, Feb. 5 from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Arts Center on 94th St. bayside. To celebrate FeBREWary on the Coast, Evolution Craft Brewing Co. will host a beer tasting, and DiFebo’s Restaurant will provide hors d’oeuvres during the reception.
Abstractions in Glass features the work of two artists who also teach art at Salisbury University, Catherine Hellsten and Jon Rees. Although they both work in glass, their visions are completely unique.
Hellsten’s work explores the perspectives of memory and connectedness through photographic imagery. Her work has been displayed and collected nationally and internationally, and she currently teaches fine art at Salisbury University.
Rees’s contemporary and structural use of glass reflects his degrees in architectural engineering and fine arts. Currently an artist in residence and adjunct professor in the Glass Department at Salisbury University, he is an active member of the Glass Art Society.
Also hanging in the galleries of the Ocean City Center for the Arts during February is an all-media show by members of the Art League featuring Eastern Shore wildlife.
In conjunction with the wildlife show, the Lower Shore Land Trust will be on hand to raise awareness about their conservation efforts and to celebrate the connections between art and conservation.
Painter Marcus Pettit occupies Studio E in February. Pettit works in a simple, bold style, and many of his paintings echo with faint details underneath, producing the effect of two paintings in one.
Captain Debbie Ritter, charter boat captain, wildlife photojournalist and environmental advocate, is the Spotlight Artist. A pioneer in the Delmarva ecotourism industry, she owns Chincoteague Nature Encounters, a charter boat service offering photography workshops and nature travel.
The Artisan in Residence is Nicole Maskell, whose jewelry making has evolved into custom accessories. She uses her graphic design and crafting experience to blend a multitude of materials into one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces.
The Ocean City Center for the Arts at 502 94th Street is the home of the Art League of Ocean City, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the visual arts in the Ocean City area through education, exhibits, scholarships, programs and community art events. The arts center is supported by memberships, corporate and civic funding, donations and sales of art.
More information is available at 410-524-9433 or www.artleagueofoceancity.org.
