REHOBOTH BEACH, DE – The Rehoboth Art League (RAL) is pleased to announce that it has received sponsorship funding from the Village Improvement Association (VIA) and The Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary Group for Preservation Matters, which supports our mission of preserving the history of the Rehoboth Art League, along with the cultural history of the State of Delaware. Each year, RAL celebrates Preservation Month by having a Preservation Matters exhibit, which displays an assortment of artwork from our Permanent Collection, while offering a new selection of Collection pieces that are in need of conservation and ‘up for adoption.’ An adoption, or sponsorship, will cover the costs for the work’s treatment, which is detailed by conservators. Among this year’s priority pieces are paintings and drawings by Ethel P.B. Leach and a pencil piece by Jack Lewis, both artists that were central to RAL’s development. The exhibition and related conservation work gained sponsorship from the Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary Group and the Village Improvement Association, along with generous contributions from individuals.
The Rehoboth Art League is one of only a few actively collecting art institutions in the State of Delaware. The Permanent Collection contains more than 700 items, which include hundreds of works of art in various media; colonial furniture; artifacts and decorative art collected by Louise and Col. Wilbur S. Corkran when they resided at the Homestead, as well as an array of RAL organizational archives. The Permanent Collection maintains a focus on early to mid-20th century works of art created by twenty-two Rehoboth Art League Heritage Artists. These artists were instrumental in the development of the Rehoboth Art League and include notable artists as Ethel P.B. Leach, William Leach, Orville Peets, Jack Lewis, Howard Pyle, Edward Grant, and Howard Schroeder, to name a few.
Currently in the Corkran Gallery and the Marcia and Henry DeWitt Gallery, visitors will have a chance to see The Doors of Fame, which are an example of the collection’s significance. Emblazoned with the signatures and artistic renderings of hundreds of artists and patrons, the doors provide a snapshot of the “who’s who” in Rehoboth from the 1930’s through today. Along with The Doors of Fame book, you can find historical booklets, notecards, postcards, and Rehoboth Art League ornaments for purchase.
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The Rehoboth Art League is a membership-based nonprofit arts organization dedicated to teaching, preserving and inspiring the arts in the region. For additional information on the Art League, its classes, events and exhibitions, visit the website at rehobothartleague.org or call 302.227.8408. Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.
The Rehoboth Art League 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.
