Shifting Perspectives: Two New Art Exhibits Opening
Art enthusiasts will be pleased to learn the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center will be showing two new exhibits, both of which are officially opening March 4.
The two featured artists, Barbara Masterson and Rachel Arielle Kleinman, are both regional artists whose works have been influenced by their experiences in the Hudson Valley. They were selected by the Center’s Board of Directors for both the quality of their art and the wealth of perspective they bring to the table.
Community members visiting the Cunneen-Hackett Center for dance lessons, therapy, or another of the many community resources available at 9 Vassar St., will be met with Kleinman’s “Color Your World” solo exhibit decorating the walls. Colorful impressions of old shoes, pet dogs, and muddy rain boots illuminate scenes of a Hudson Valley childhood and leave the viewer with an unshakeable — but pleasant — sense of nostalgia.
The Italianate building itself is a relic from the 19th century, with long narrow hallways and the kind of elevator that makes you think: maybe I’ll take the stairs. But the bright splashes of yellows, blues, and oranges that Kleinman uses in her art breathes new life into the Victorian-era walls, inviting any and every visitor to take a pause and reflect on the beauty that surrounds them.
Though Kleinman has been featured in various other exhibits like Queen City 15 Gallery, Catskill Arts Society, and the J. Mane Virtual Gallery, this one is rather outside her comfort zone. A departure from her usual specialty of watercolors and landscapes, this exhibit utilizes acrylics to give sharp pops of color to the diverse subjects. This exploration of new muses and materials is just one facet of Kleinman’s ongoing endeavor to become a “more versatile artist,” she tells the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center.
When a visitor has had their fill of Kleinman’s heartfelt art, they need only cross the street for a change of pace. There they will be greeted by another stunning Victorian building that towers above the surrounding property, equal parts intimidating and inviting. Inside, two large rooms sit opposite each other, both filled with the many masterpieces that Barbara Masterson has created over the course of the past 6 years.
In May 2015 while painting the landscape of a local farm, Materson took note of the many migrant workers that made their living there. Once she started speaking to them and learning who they are as people, her intrigue only grew. She began including them in her work, and now numerous large-scale portraits of these men and women — some smiling and others stoic — adorn the white walls.
Through art, Masterson tells the story of individuals that the rest of the community treats as invisible despite their living in the Hudson Valley for many months of the year.
“As I paint, the play of light has taken my breath away,” reads her artist statement.
“Migrant workers came into view. They have transformed my vision… Hard at work, they summon our attention and invite us to come closer, to see their labor and their humanity. Who are they? Can you see them?”
Masterson hopes that the illustrations of these men and women will serve as a reminder of their humanity — especially for members of our community that would rather overlook the uncomfortable truth of how migrant workers are treated not only across the country, but right here in the Hudson Valley.
Both Masterson’s and Kleinman’s exhibits are free for the public to enjoy, which is representative of what the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center set out to do when they were first founded 40 years ago: meet the cultural needs of the community.
“It feeds the soul,” Executive Director Andrew Burgreen says of community art centers. “It just inspires people and it really helps them keep going, especially during these times.”
“That’s what we’re going to be remembered by,” he adds. “It’s going to be the art that we leave behind. It’s going to define us as a civilization.”
Anyone interested in attending the opening of the exhibit can head over to 12 Vassar St. from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Participants can view the gorgeous works of art, speak to Masterson herself, and maybe even walk away with a shift in perspective.
