United We Stand: New Brunswick Art Salon, Fall 2012 - Open Studio - Meet the Artists - Second Opening Reception

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ, November 09, 2012 (Press-News.org) "United We Stand" is a juried group exhibition, inspired by the historical salons of the 18th and 19th centuries. The Alfa Art Gallery provides an opportunity for upcoming and established artists to exhibit their works side by side in a show celebrating the diversity of art. From traditional painting to abstract installations, the works of these ten unique artists utilize a broad spectrum of media to showcase the capabilities of the visual arts to express each person's individual thoughts and philosophies. The artists, Phil Carroll, Bruce Garrity, and Leah K. Tomaino, each provide abstracted, yet realistic, views of the world with their compositions of outdoor scenes. Then, Joanie Gagnon San Chirico, Dion Hitchings, Marie Sturken, and Ethan Sherman demonstrate an abstract approach to viewing their environment, in which they utilize bright colors and geometric shapes. The remaining artists, Colleen Gahrman, Nanci Hersh, and Agop Gemdjian, all work in two and three-dimensional media to create works that tell a narrative or comment on the world around them. Exhibited together, these works create a microcosm of the diverse art world, showing that the most different people and works come together to create the culture and world in which we reside.

Agop Gemdjian works in both two- and three-dimensional media. Highly abstracted figures are thought provoking and stimulate the viewer in a unique way. His work offers a look into his life and opinions on many different subjects and issues.

Bruce Garrity currently focuses on the woodland interior and captures realistic moments with a slightly abstracted style. Bright colors and sharp contrasts accentuate the scenes he creates with his skilled hand.

Colleen Gahrman works in photography and college, but she specializes in sculpture. She uses ceramic sculpture to depict narrative scenes from her personal life, experiences, and environment.

Dion Hitchings utilizes geometric shapes and bright colors in his paintings to create figures. The abstracted works lead the viewer into Hitching's mind and imagination.

Ethan Sherman uses geometric patterns and blocks of colors in his 2-D and 3-D works. He pushes the boundaries by adding texture to his composition with different materials, and also by expanding his work into the space of the viewer.

Joanie Gagnon San Chirico creates abstract paintings with both the beauty of the world and the impermanence of beauty in mind.

Leah K. Tomaino's paintings invite the viewer to contemplate the beauty of nature in an increasingly urban society. Landscapes, trees, and flowers slightly flattened and abstracted in her own personal style are used as metaphors for spiritual subjects.

Marie Sturken's finds her inspiration in Japanese culture. Her works include lines, patterns, and geometry that create balanced abstract compositions.

Nanci Hersh's abstract paintings and installations are created from various materials. Her works chronicle her personal life in an ongoing visual narrative.

Phil Carroll is a well-established artist who works in oil, and recently video. His paintings offer a realistic view of the world around us and capture its natural beauty.