10/18/2012-11/16/2012
From October 18 through November 16, the Allegany Arts Council's Saville Gallery will feature paintings and mixed-media artwork by Ed Coffey and ceramics by Deana Cohen. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held in the Saville Gallery on Saturday, October 20 from 6-8PM. The opening reception is free and open to the public.
Ed Coffey was born and raised in Chicago, receiving a BA in design from the University of Illinois in '74. In the late 1970's, Ed moved to Los Angeles and labored in the animation industry (Disney, Dreamworks) for more than 20 years. In 2006, Ed relocated to Western Maryland, where he started painting. His memberships include the Western Maryland Watercolor Society and the Allegany Arts Council. Locally, his work has been shown at the Frostburg Museum, Windsor Hall, the Cumberland Theater, and various area shops.
Ed’s major subject matter is landscapes - usually non-idealized views. By focusing on the details of the mundane, he attempts to provide a more intimate experience for the viewer. Working from photos, then sketches, his images are actually a translation of a translation, as opposed to a reproduction of nature. Being a life-long fan of museums, Ed has expanded his subject range to an examination of museum display. This is a purely visual, non- scholarly response to the "eye candy" experience of walking through a natural history, science, or religious museum. Most of the mixed-media pieces in this exhibition are small, emphasizing the "precious object" intention of those institutions. This work is a detour from nature's landscapes to a museum of not-quite-natural history.
Deana Cohen is originally from the DC Metro area and recently graduated from Frostburg State University with degrees and Art, Theater and Arts Education. Currently she is working as an artist and art educator, living in the Frostburg area.
Deana's work follows two avenues of expression, the first is a more traditional approach with work thrown on the wheel and then glazed in an experimental fashion. The second is more abstract in form. Deana's hand built creations are made with an organically geometric eye. These opposing concepts work in conjunction with each other to create a flowing body of work.
For additional information about exhibitions in the Allegany Arts Council's Saville Gallery, please email arts@allconet.org, or call 301-777-ARTS (2787).
