“Marginal Way,” watercolor, by Maria Hernandez.
Maria Hernandez deferred her dream to paint full-time. She had to work long hours to raise her two daughters. She took painting classes for 20 years when she found time. The other day, she showed her work in public for the first time.
That happy moment occurred at “Unfold,” the tenth annual members show at the Arts Council’s second floor gallery on Audubon Street, and it was a red-letter moment for Hernandez.
“Magic Mountain,” encaustic, by Gray Jacobik.
The opportunity to show work that is un-juried, non-judgmentally accepted, and then professionally hung comes for you once a year at the council if you are a member artist.
Plus they give you an attractive reception to boot!
At this past Thursday’s night’s opening, Hernandez sat proudly in a chair near her watercolor as visitors sipped white wine, munched on mini-carrots, and chatted about the 27 works in all media that hung on the walls.
“This was my opportunity to bring it out of the closet. My [painting] teacher said to do it,” said the legal secretary.
“Seasick,” oil painting by Rose Bernabucci.
“I’m getting ready to retire, an empty-nester, so now’s the time [to invest more time] to paint,” she added as her daughter Lisa Beauchamp and grandson Matthew Estrada looked on with pride.
Of the council’s approximately 1200 members, 400 self-identify as artists, according to Director of Programs and Services Debbie Hesse, who also curated the show.
This year 27 of those artist-members sent in works and 27 were hung. Hesse characterized the show as wide ranging in media and also wide-ranging in terms of quality, which was also the point.
Several of the exhibitors met Hesse last year during the “art chat” programs she has conducted in schools, community groups. The point of those meetings is to offer art advice to folks ready to take baby steps or big steps in their creative lives.
“I’m not there to critique your art. I’m here to help you with your next step. I try to be accepting and open,” Hesse characterized those sessions with six to ten people she communicates with per week.
One of those people is Marcella Staudenmaier (pictured), an Argentinian-trained architect who has now decided to transition into children’s book illustration. She met with Hesse, Hesse suggested one of her works for “Unfold.” The two are also at the beginning stages of a collaboration on a show of children’s book illustrations in November at the council.
“I find a lot of people going back to their first passions,” said Hesse.
Maria Hernandez, for instance. As she talked with a reporter about her work, she said the image of a beach scene in Ogunquit, Maine, pleased her for a couple of reasons.
Randi Rubin Rodriquez checks out “Passing Through,” an ink drawing by her friend Anne Doris-Eisner.
She liked what she called the transparency of the water color. She was not quite sure of the other reason; she surmised it’s because the rip rap, the stones by the beach, came out softer and more comfortable than they are in real life. The artist’s feeling for the place was being conveyed; that was more important than achieving realism.
“I’m not afraid any more,” Hernandez said. “I feel good, I’m proud.”
Hernandez and her daughter planned to go to Modern Apizza after the reception to celebrate.
“Unfold” runs through Sept. 13.
