REHOBOTH BEACH, DE – A series of exciting new exhibitions debut at the Rehoboth Art League during an opening reception from 5-7pm on Friday, May 7. These spring shows, on display from May 7 through June 6, 2021 represent both recent works from contemporary artists as well as historic pieces from the league’s Permanent Collection.
“We are thrilled to be able to welcome the community back to campus for a safe and socially distanced opening reception to celebrate the artists’ work,” says Sara Ganter, Executive Director of the Rehoboth Art League. “This series of exhibitions in particular represents a wide range of work, including mediums such as bookmaking, encaustic wax work, wood sculpture, ceramics, and even a greenhouse installation in our gallery.”
Mentors and Makers will open in the Corkran Gallery, which pairs the fine arts faculty of Salisbury University with a current or former student of theirs. This exhibition demonstrates the process of mentorship and influence through arts education, and artwork created by faculty and student is meant to depict a dialogue in medium or theme. This show includes both 2D and 3D artwork, from glass to paintings and from woodwork to an organic ‘living’ sculpture.
Opening in the Tubbs Gallery is Meltdown, by Washington Wax Works, a collective of six encaustic artists working in the Washington, D.C. area. The transformative process of working in wax involves encasing, painting, baking, embedding, and collaging elements with this ancient medium. Members of the group will be onsite at 10am on Saturday, May 8, to lead a free Gallery Talk about their exhibition and discuss their use of wax in artwork. The Gallery Talk will also be livestreamed on RAL’s social media.
In the Ventures Gallery, Claiming Grace, works by Terry Schupbach-Gordon, addresses concepts of identity, fragility, and strength in an artistic narrative about who we are and how we claim grace for our voice and body. The Kentucky native, who now lives and works in North Carolina, uses printmaking and letterpress to work with images and language seen through the lens of disability and difference.
Preservation Month, celebrated during the month of May, is recognized in RAL’s annual Preservation Matters exhibition, opening in the Marcia and Henry DeWitt Gallery. This year, the league’s theme is portraiture, and the organization has selected several historic pieces from its collection, each in need of professional conservation. Patrons are encouraged to ‘adopt’ a piece of artwork by sponsoring the cost of its preservation.
Finally, the Peter Marsh Homestead opens for the 2021 season with Springtime at the Homestead, selected works from the Permanent Collection that convey the league’s historic property as a source of inspiration for artists through the years.
The galleries are free and open to the public seven days a week, and RAL follows local and CDC health and safety guidelines. The Rehoboth Art League is located at 12 Dodds Lane, in Henlopen Acres. Gallery hours are 10:00am – 4:00pm Monday through Saturday and Sunday noon – 4:00pm. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.
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~ Rehoboth Art League