“Our Towns” Juried Fine Art Exhibition Opening

“Our Towns” Juried Fine Art Exhibition – Opening Saturday, May 21st
Focusing on the Cities and Towns of the Hudson Valley

Mill Street Loft Arts located at 45 Pershing Avenue in Poughkeepsie is pleased to present “Our Towns” a fine art exhibition focusing on the unique and historic cities and towns of the Hudson Valley.  The show will be on view in Mill Street Loft’s newly renovated exhibition space, Gallery 45, from May 21st – July 15th.   An Opening Reception for the artists and public will take place in the gallery on Saturday May 21st from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. A special awards ceremony featuring cash prizes and other recognition awards will be held during the opening reception.  M. Stephen Doherty, Editor of Plein Air Magazine and former Editor of American Artist Magazine served as juror for this prestigious exhibition and will also select the awards and prizes.

The Our Towns exhibition showcases truly outstanding work by professional painters, photographers and mixed media artists not only from the Hudson Valley region, but also from throughout the United States.  Fifty-eight brilliant works of both traditional and contemporary Hudson Valley street scenes, architecture and picturesque landscape will be featured.  Visitors to the show will enjoy identifying both familiar and hidden Hudson Valley locations and scenes – some quaint, some bold and ground-breaking.

“Our Towns” features some of our countries best known artists working “en plein-air” (outside in the open air) today, as well as other artists working in less traditional methods.  Artists selected for inclusion in the exhibition by Mr. Doherty include: Garin Baker of New Windsor, NY,   Robert Bowden of Pittsburgh, PA, Clayton Buchanan of Newburgh, NY,  Paul Chapman of Hudson Falls, NY,  Alix Ciferri of Poughkeepsie, NY,  Ann Gatto Cimmelli of Pearl River, NY,  Ronnie Cramer of Denver, CO,  Margaret Crenson of Pleasant Valley, NY, Amanda Epstein of Putnam Valley, NY,  Carrie Anne Gonzalez of East Northport, NY, Keith Gunderson of Kerhonkson, NY, James Gurney of Rhinebeck, NY,  Peter A. Kopher of Seaford, NY, Sally Lyon of Rhinebeck, NY, David Luchak of Old Greenwich, CT,  Nestor Madalengoitia of Poughkeepsie, NY, Chris Morris of Wappingers Falls, NY,  Seth Nadel of Highland, NY,  William Noonan of Newburgh, NY,  Michelle Rivas of Beacon, NY,  Jay Sarker of Washington Twp., NJ,  Barukh Shoham of Paramus, NJ,  Michael Sibilia of Hopewell Junction, NY,  Valerie Sokolava of Brooklyn, NY,  Mary Smoot-Souter of Pawling, NY,  Katherine Statsenko of Hyde Park, NY, Lucas Terranova of Rhinebeck, NY,  Charles Van Horn of Glen Head, NY and Mary E. Whitehill of Newburgh, NY.

In conjunction with this exhibition, one of the featured artists, James Gurney, world famous for his fantastic Dinotopia books, his outstanding work as both a National Geographic Illustrator and freelance illustrator of over 70 science fiction books, and author of several artist guide books, will present “Plein Air Pioneers” a special lecture and digital presentation that is open to the public on Thursday, June 9th from 5:30 -7:00 pm (RSVP suggested).  For more information on the “Our Towns” exhibition, the James Gurney Lecture and other Mill Street Loft programs please visit www.millstreetloft.org or call 845.471.7477.