Council prez paints portrait at Valley Celebration of the Arts

Valley Arts Council President Rich DiCarlo of Derby demonstrates portrait painting Thursday in the Ansonia High School atrium.


ANSONIA -The first-ever Valley Celebration of the Arts showcasing the work of students from six area high schools was a great success!
Kudos to all the students and teachers involved in coordinating the event. 

I'm looking forward to next year's celebration. 

Council prez to teach charcoal technique

DERBY - The Derby Public Library invites young adults ages 12 to 17 to a four-session Drawing in Charcoal Series, from 4-5:30 p.m. Thursdays, May 1, 8, 15, and 22 at the library, 313 Elizabeth St.

Valley Arts Council President Richard DiCarlo will guide participants in developing their inner artist.  

Registration is requested. 

For information stop by the Library,call 203-736-1482, or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org.

Rich DiCarlo teaches use of watercolors during a recent class at Derby Public Library. 

 
         

Sharing a thought from Van Gogh

Lively colors, movement jump off canvas

"There is no must in art because art is free."  

~ Wassily Kandinsky

 Blue Mountain, 1908-09 ~ Oil on canvas

Russian-born painter Kandinsky (1866-1944) has been called the father of modern art.

I was fortunate enough to see this painting of his on a high school field trip to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York decades ago. 

I never forgot how it spoke to me.
I love the sense of movement and of course the vibrant colors. 

What does Kandinsky's artwork mean to you?

Teaching the art of water color painting

Aspiring artist Alicia Tillotson, 12, of Ansonia, is getting some pointers in painting with water colors from Valley Arts Council President Rich DiCarlo of Derby. 
DiCarlo is teaching a four-session workshop on painting at Derby Public Library, 313 Elizabeth St., Derby. The class meets at 4 p.m. Thursdays. 

Sharing a thought from an American realist

From Wikipedia: Edward Hopper (July 22, 1882 – May 15, 1967) was a prominent American realist painter and printmaker. While he was most popularly known for his oil paintings, he was equally proficient as a watercolorist and printmaker in etching.

Ah, Degas

From Wikipedia: Edgar Degas was born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas; (19 July 1834 – 27 September 1917).
He was a French artist famous for his paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings. He is especially identified with the subject of dance; more than half of his works depict dancers. 
He is regarded as one of the founders of Impressionism, although he rejected the term, and preferred to be called a realist.


Question: Who is your favorite Impressionist? Please leave your answer in the comments!

Arts council prez to teach at library

DERBY - The Derby Public Library invites young adults ages 12 to 17 to a four-session Freestyle Painting Workshop from 4-5:30 p.m. Thursdays in March.

 
Valley Arts Council President Richard DiCarlo guides participants in nurturing their inner artist.
Registration is requested.

For more information, stop by the Library at
313 Elizabeth St., call 203-736-1482, or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org.

'Owl' be looking for this at the Gallery@37 ~ coming soon

This is Valley Arts Council President Rich DiCarlo's acrylic on wood panel snow owl painting, "Night Wing."

It is sporting an out of the ordinary, multi-level frame, and will be arriving soon at the Gallery@37, 37 Elizabeth St, Derby, Ct. 

Price is $135.

Art competition/exhibit on the horizon in Derby

Sharing a note from council president Rich DiCarlo: 
 

Painting, illustration classes on tap at Valley Center for the Arts

Have fun, try something new this summer

Amazing 1-2-3 Acrylic Painting

Instructor: Deneen Datcher

Adult class begins: Monday July 1, 2013
Mondays: 6pm to 8pm
Sundays: 10am to 12noon
8 week course
at the Valley Center for the Arts
119 Caroline Street, Derby CT 06418

Kids classes (ages 8 to 15) begin Monday July 1, 2013
Mondays: 10am to 12noon

A fun and popular workshop! Students will complete a painting in each session! A total of 8 paintings. Learn color mixing, composition and various acrylic painting techniques. If you never painted before but always wanted to try, this is the place to start and if you do paint this class will teach you some new and exciting techniques. Anyone can learn to paint in this class! Come give it a try.

Cost is $85 for 8 Weeks.
 

SPACE IS LIMITED! CALL TO REGISTER AND FOR SUPPLY LIST at:
203-781-6555

••••••••

Beginner's Illustration Workshop

Instructor: Steve DiRienzo

6-week course
at the Valley Center for the Arts
119 Caroline Street, Derby CT 06418

Learn basic illustration techniques and how they apply across several mediums. 1-1/2 or 2 hour sessions meet once a week and materials will be required as the course progresses. A fun and interesting workshop for budding young artists who are just discovering their talents, as well as those serious about honing their skills for a career in the arts.

One-On-One or Group Instruction Available for
both Youth & Adult Levels

Contact us to inquire about new session dates and times. The workshop can be tailored to any age group, any size or any schedule!

Cost is $70 for 6 Weeks.
call: 203-516-0822 (203.516.0VAC) or email: info@valleyartscouncil.org for scheduling and to register or for additional information!

Download the class flyer here

••••••••

COMIC ART WORKSHOP

Instructor: Frank McLaughlin

Back in the 1970s, the late Dick Giordano and Artist Frank McLaughlin established “The Comic Art Workshop”... a place where budding cartoonists and comic freaks could go once a week to learn the techniques of comic art from working pros. The response was immediate and overwhelming!

Well, our first sessions were a rousing success, so classes for are forming now! Saturday afternoon session at:

The Valley Center for the Arts
119 Caroline Street, Derby, CT 06418
3PM to 5PM

Class size is limited and is on a first come, first serve basis. Cost is $90.00 for TEN WEEKS! To register call us at: 203-516-0822 (203.516.0VAC) or email us at: info@valleyartscouncil.org

Put half payment down and pay the remaining half at 5 weeks!
Hurry space is limited!

Download the class flyer here

Art exhibit to open Saturday

Colorful circles abound 

These vibrant colors jumped out at me today at the Gallery@37.

Betsy's Brain

The 24 x 36-inch acrylic painting is the creation of artist Elizabeth DeLucia and is one of many interesting pieces that arts council members are sharing for the Celebration of the Circle show.

The exhibit will open with a public reception at 6 p.m. Saturday at the gallery, 37 Elizabeth St., in downtown Derby.

Be there or be square.

Going in circles for art's sake

By Rich DiCarlo
President
Valley Arts Council


I'd like to congratulate George Pudimat of Derby and Patti Villers of Ansonia on their recent sales of artwork. The work was on display at the Gallery@37.


It marked the first time either one of them has sold a piece of art, and I'm proud of both of them.


George sold a wall-mounted sculpture called "Iron Daisy," and Patti sold an impressionistic photo printed on canvas.


Both have some pretty interesting pieces for the Celebration of the Circle exhibit, which is just around the corner. The show opens with a reception at 6 p.m. Aug. 11. 


Attention artists: There is still time to submit work for the circle show.


For information or to make an appointment to meet at the gallery, call me at 203-906-4343.

Spoiler alert: 'Circles' entry below

Barnstorming

Valley Arts Council President Rich DiCarlo has put his entry for the upcoming "Celebration of the Circle" show on the wall in the Gallery@37, 37 Elizabeth St., Derby. 

An opening reception will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 11.

Come see how the arts council members have interpreted the circles theme.

A different perspective on art

Welcome to the inaugural post of Brush Strokes, featuring the work and the members of the Valley Arts Council in Derby, Ct.

Or as I like to call it, "The Little Arts Council That Could," with apologies to Watty Piper, author of the classic children's book, "The Little Engine That Could."

Valley Arts Council President Rich DiCarlo and Vice President Steve DiRienzo work on a mural depicting the first bicycle ride in the United States. The council was asked to paint a mural at the second annual Pierre Lallement Festival of Bikes in Ansonia, Ct. Sunday. Lallement lived in Ansonia when he invented the pedal bicycle in 1865.

Although based in Derby, the arts council's reach goes far and wide throughout the Lower Naugatuck Valley towns of Ansonia, Seymour, Shelton, Oxford, Beacon Falls, and Naugatuck.

Here Rich chats with artist Floatin' Fred of New Haven, a Valley Arts Council member, as Joel De Scheen of Derby, left, helps Steve with some detail work on the mural.  

Rich says the arts council's goal is to recognize and promote artistic expression in all its traditional and sometimes not-so traditional forms.

Painters, sculptors, illustrators, stained-glass artists, jewelry makers, fiber artists, poets, and creative folks of every stripe are all invited to join the group and share their art.

Their work is exhibited at the Gallery@37, 37 Elizabeth St., in downtown Derby.

The council also operates the Valley Center of the Arts, 119 Caroline St., Derby, two blocks away. The center is located inside a former firehouse that dates back to the 1920s, and features a meeting room, lounge and offices on the first floor, and studio space rented to artists on the second floor.

Many of the artists will be on hand at the 15th annual Derby Day, a festival featuring food, crafts, children's activities, live music and more, that will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 16 in downtown Derby.

The festival is run by the city's Cultural Commission, and I've seen firsthand how hard they are working to make the event a success.



Stay tuned to this site for more info about our upcoming events and the artists who make them happen.

And thanks for visiting!