Juried Show
Our 74th annual juried show was a huge success! We are very grateful to our juror Jeanne Ciravolo for selecting a show that was praised as beautifully designed and colorful by everyone who came to see it. The staff of the Guilford Art Center was, as always, wonderfully helpful in bringing the show together and making it a success. The opening reception was very well attended, and we want to thank Gritli Rabin, Ava Orphanoudakis, and their helpers — as well as all of you who brought delectables! — for the tables laden with food and drinks, and to Mike whose guitar playing was amazing.
Congratulations to those who won awards: Ralph Acosta (first prize), Melody Knight Leary (second prize), Ava Orphanoudakis (third prize), Sheila Kaczmarek (sculpture prize), Charles Lagana (photography prize), Julie Salles Schaffer (landscape prize), Linda Thomas (still life prize), Denise Casey (abstract prize), Kelly Clark (figurative prize), and honorable mentions Karen Wiesner, Nancy Chapman, Chris Penry, and Eileen Eder. The award in memory of Patricia Seekamp was presented by her husband Bill to Gritli Rabin.
The viewers’ choice award — announced here for the first time! — went to Stuart Alan Lerner for his clever and comical metal table dog sculpture, Boomer with Bone, pictured above.
Congrats too to the seven artists who sold their work — Raphael DiLauro, Rosemary Serfilippi, Nancy Chapman, Anthony Scala, Juliet Sharrock, Karen Wiesner, and Julie Schaffer.
Guilford Community Center Show
Members of the art league have been exhibiting in the Guilford Community Center for many years. But with the current show, which opened in September, we have expanded—at the invitation of the community center staff—beyond the Menunkatuck Room to the stairwell and the downstairs hallway, with a total of 46 pieces. We are exploring the possibility of holding opening receptions for these shows, which will change every January, April, July, and October.
We invite you to have a look and consider joining us in exhibiting (and possibly selling) your work in this widely used community space. The community center is at 32 Church Street in Guilford.
Richard Cretella
It is with great sadness that we inform our members of the death of long-standing GAL member Richard Cretella on October 10th at the age of 95. He exhibited a painting in our last juried show in September as did his daughter Steffen. His late wife Sunni was also a long-time member and exhibitor. Steffen and the family want to memorialize Richard by presenting a scholarship to a Guilford High School senior who would be going on to study visual art. Several people have sent donations to the art league in his memory, and his family will present the scholarship check in the spring to a graduating senior. Combined with the art league’s annual donation, the scholarship will be around $2,000.
Member Shows
We will be holding our two annual member shows in March at the Guilford Free Library and in July at the Scranton Memorial Library in Madison. Details will be posted nearer the time.
Carry-in Supper
We hope to hold a potluck dinner sometime this winter or spring—our first since the beginning of the pandemic. Details to follow.
Printmaking Demonstration
We’ve asked new member, printmaker Jan Vanderburg, to give a demo of her reduction lino cuts. We hope to schedule this in the spring; again, details to follow.
Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sheila Kaczmarek & Denise Casey
Guilford Art League 