Date: Fri 29-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

SCAN-Reilley-artwork-Booth

Full Text:

SCAN'S SPRING SHOW A "WHOPPING" SUCCESS

(with cuts)

BY SHANNON HICKS

The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown presented its 28th Annual Spring

Juried Art Show earlier this month. On view May 9-17, the show moved this year

from its usual location of the Newtown Meeting House into the recently

renovated and reopened Cyrenius H. Booth Library on Newtown's Main Street.

The show's duration was also expanded this year, from the traditional one

weekend length to two full weekends and the weekdays in between. This year's

show chairman, Carol Reilley, was the one who decided to give the spring show

a bit of a face-lift this year.

"Moving into this new space [gives] us better publicity," Mrs Reilley said

earlier this month. "Just as the town of Newtown is expanding, SCAN is also

expanding in parallel to the town and we are attracting more artists. This

move affords us the opportunity for a longer show."

With an additional 22,000 square feet now available in Newtown's library, the

building and its staff offered SCAN a larger area with which to present its

show. The exhibition was set up in the library's community room, with public

access into the show allowed during the library's working hours.

The move into the library proved to be a successful decision for Mrs Reilley

and the artists' club. Numbers were up this year, both in the amount of

artworks which were submitted, and accepted, into the show, as well as in the

amount of visitors the show saw during its nine-day presentation.

"This was a whopping show for us," Mrs Reilley said. "Our usual shows, maybe

we log in 60 visitors. We had over 300 this time." Last year's spring show

guestbook had signatures from 56 visitors.

SCAN was able to hang 150 pieces of art this year, and was also able to

present a new category of work: sculpture. Four pieces of sculpture were

accepted into the show, each by a different artist. In all, art was accepted

from 92 artists this year, compared to 50 in 1997.

"It was just incredible," Mrs Reilley continued. "The library was wonderful as

hosts, especially [library director] Janet Woycik. They've invited us back

next year, so we're real happy about that."

Having the show at the library not only extended the run of the show, Mrs

Reilley felt, it also "resulted in a higher quality show."

Spring Show Awards

On Saturday, May 9, the day SCAN's 28th Annual Spring Juried Art Show opened,

the club held an awards ceremony that was open to the public. The Jury of

Selection for inclusion in the show this year was Betty Christensen (AWS),

Anita Gregorski, Ruth Newquist (NWS) and Mrs Reilley. The accepted art was

then judged by the Jury of Awards - Ann Gibb, PSA; Joan Heston; and Rainie

Crawford, PSA - who made the following award decisions:

The Larry Newquist Award for Excellence/Best-In-Show: "Fruits and Flowers," an

acrylic by Louis M. Yavetz. The honor was accompanied by a $300 cash prize.

SCAN Award For First in Oil/Acrylic: "Yellow House," an acrylic by Betty

Christensen ($150 cash prize).

SCAN Award For First in Watercolor: "Hollywood, USA," by Frank Federico

($150).

SCAN Award For First in Pastel: "Potted Flowers," by Chrina May ($150).

SCAN Award For First in Graphics: "The Beach Pitcher," by Bob Boroski ($150).

The Bee Publishing Company Award ($100): "Earthenware & Copper," a watercolor

by Franklin Jones.

The Taunton Press Award ($100): "Lobster Crates & Outboards," a watercolor by

Jim Minnicks.

The People's Bank Award ($100 savings bond): "I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Unto

The Hills," a watercolor by Betty Christensen.

Dresser Industries, Heise Instrument Division Award ($50): "Cherries," an oil

by Susan Asbury.

The Amaral Motors Award ($50): "Joie de Vivre 1," an acrylic by Don Elmer.

Dick Blick Awards (each with a $50 gift certificate): "US," an oil by Kevin

Conklin; "Triptych," a graphics piece by Leslie Hudson-Tolles; "City

Fragments," a watercolor by Ruth Newquist; and "In A Different Light," a

pastel by Tracey Sayles.

The Grey Horse Gallery Award ($50 gift certificate): "Early Light," a

watercolor by Patricia H. Dunham.

The Koenig Art Emporium Award ($50 gift certificate): "Bittersweet," an oil by

Kita Macon.

The Barn Gallery Award ($50 gift certificate): "Yellow & Green Study," an oil

by Ruth Leon.

The Art Tenders Award ($50 gift certificate): "Squash & Peppers," a pastel by

Leslie Lillien Levy.

The Framing Studio & Gallery Award ($50 gift certificate): "Still Life," an

oil by Bela Mandl.