Now on display: Kuljon Pierre

The library is showing the work of Kuljon Pierre, a student from nearby William T. Dwyer High School. Come by and see it in person!

The Peace Cylinder Project with Raheleh Filsoofi and Linda Behar

The library will be hosting an interactive performance art piece by Raheleh Filsoofi and Linda Behar

April 13, 10am-3pm (all-day event)

From the artist's website:

The Peace Cylinder is a project that brings together two important stories from antiquity that have great relevance today – the Declaration of King Cyrus of Persia and the Book of Esther from the Bible. The Cyrus Cylinder is a clay cylinder that was discovered in the ancient city of Babylon in Mesopotamia, and it dates to the sixth century B.C. On it is a text in Akkadian cuneiform script issued by the King of Persia, which is regarded as the first declaration of human rights for the way in which it promotes religious tolerance and freedom. The Book of Esther is a section of The Hebrew Bible that relates the story of a Jewish girl named Esther, who became the queen of Persia and used her position to intercede with the king in order to prevent a genocidal plan against her people. The Biblical text teaches that individuals should act with the knowledge of God’s love according to the situations in which they find themselves and with respect for God’s sovereignty in all circumstances.

In this project, a ceramic replica of the cylinder with the original declaration engraved on the surface and a wooden roller covered by a polymer plate that holds the last chapter of the Book of Esther in Hebrew are used in performance to create prints on clay and paper. The ritual rolling of each device underscores the importance of the message that each text bears, and the similarity of each act of printing reflects the common themes and the universal significance that each text tells in its own way. At the end of the performance the clay and paper prints are given as gifts to members of the audience.

At all times peace is a fragile idea, but especially now as the potential for conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies. The artists, Linda Behar, a Jewish immigrant, and Raheleh T. Filsoofi, an Iranian immigrant, intend to bring diverse communities together for conversation and to send a message of tolerance and acceptance throughout the world.

You can see a video of the performance by going to this link: http://www.rahelehfilsoofi.com/#!the-peace-cylinder-/cisy

Please join us. Mark your calendar

Essay about recent Library exhibition project

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5NKbarWDliuUTJ1YVltQ2N2cWc/view?usp=sharing

Artist talk at Cornell Museum

The Cornell Art Museum presents another engaging Art Talk! This month the Museum welcomes Carin Wagner (painter) and Karla Walter (sculptor), who currently have works on display in the WILD exhibit, which runs through April 17th.

The Art Talk is Thursday, March 31st at 6 p.m. Admission is $15 and includes wine, tea, light bites and a chance to see the WILD exhibit

Carin Wagner is an award-winning South Florida artist, born in Norfolk, Virginia.  As the daughter of a Navy man, she lived in multiple states, including California and New Jersey.  Wagner works predominately in oil on canvas, with a message of environmental protection at its core.  She has exhibited throughout the U.S., including shows at the Sherry French Gallery, the Silvia Wald, Po Kim Gallery in New York, the Lawrence Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Cultural Council of Palm Beach, and the Lighthouse Center for the Arts.  Her work has been included in multiple museum shows, including the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Art, the Coral Springs Museum of Art, and the Boca Raton Museum of Art.  Her awards include the Peoples’ Choice from the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County (two consecutive times), Peoples’ Choice from Lighthouse Art Center, first place in Continuum Palm Beach, Mahlon Cline Award of Excellence, Dorothy L. Irish Memorial Award, and two time winner of the DiVincenzo Award for Life Drawing.  Her work has been featured in a chapter of the book Grand Ambition, by G. Bruce Knecht, and written about extensively in publications such as: Sun Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Gallery and Studio, International Art Journal, Architectural Digest, Florida Design Magazine, On View Magazine, Showboats International, and others.  She is currently represented by The Lawrence Gallery AZ, and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.

Karla Walter – Artist Statement:  As an artist, it is important to recognize a message and seize that moment.  Crows are messengers, omens for change. Several personal encounters with crows have compelled me to express my personal creativity through this messenger. This body of work explores the similarities between the social interactions among crows and that of humans. To know the crow is to know ourselves. This is the journey I have taken with this body of work.  The common crow maintains a unique place in our ecosystem thanks to their intelligence and strong family values. They are social, opportunistic, vocal, visual, shrewd, and reliant on memory and individual recognition. Crows are tricksters and the wise guys of the bird world. We all know someone who has these traits. I believe that this is why we relate to them and maybe see ourselves in this intelligent black bird. My personal connection with crows has moved me to interact, grow and change.

Read more about this and other events by going to this link: Cornell Museum

Artist spotlight-Allison Kotzig

Allison Kotzig is an international conceptual, installation, mixed-media and video artist. Her challenging and often amusing 3-d pieces highlight misogynistic undercurrents in culture. Her video work addresses the dreamy interface between reality and trance and our individual connection to Infinity and the Universe. She is involved with the nomadic Public Art projects NestGen and Giants in the City, which brings monumental inflatable sculpture to cities around the world. As well, she is a co-founder of the collective Artists for Black Lives Matter. She currently splits her time between Miami and a small village in the foothills of the Slovak Carpathian Mountains, where she helps to run an Inn and organic slow food restaurant dedicated to local produce, ethical practices and DIY products

Link to artist page here

Photo by Leo di Tomaso for Irreversible Magazine

Follow this link for an in depth feature article of Allison in Art Habens Contemporary Art Review

Much more to discover here: Simons Gallery info here and Miami NewTimes Article  and Masterminds

Artist interview with Agata Ren

We recently sat down with Agata Ren, a local painter focusing on the environment and endangered species. You can learn more about her and her work by visiting her website agata-ren-art.com.

Here is what she had to say...

1. When did you begin to define yourself as an artist?

I think the first time I called myself an artist was in 1999 after I got commissioned for a big painting by a German doctor. Since I was a kid I wanted to be an artist but my parents response was not encouraging. I always loved painting and creating and my class mates asked me to paint for them in art class. It took me many years, many inner struggles, determination and a supportive husband to become a full time artist.

2. Is there one specific piece or series of work that altered or defined what type of work you would make?

I think my work is an unconscious outcome of inspiration from hundreds of artworks I've seen in museums, galleries and shows. My own Dodo definitely initiated my series depicting endangered species that I'm working on ever since. In 2013 after, what I call, a vision I had one night I brought my idea into reality and created the Dodo.


3. Are there any artists in particular that have influenced you and your work?

Up to my early 20s I was a big Dali fan. Then I got into graffiti/street art as well as into serious art like Gerhard Richter, Joseph Beuys and Andreas Gursky form the Arts Academy of the city of Düsseldorf, Germany, since I started studying in Düsseldorf. The interest in all those different artist could explain my artistic vary and range prior to 2013.

4. Do you find that your geographical location helps or hinders your ability to show the type of work you want to? Why?

I find my current work was shown in key places in Palm Beach County and in South Florida and won some awards even in those 2 years I started with this series. I assume it's a proof for acceptance and recognition of my artwork.


5. How do you pick your subject matter for your work?

My artwork is currently dedicated to endangered species. I care a lot about our environment because I have children and I want them and their children to grow up in a healthy and beautiful world. I love people, animals and the nature and I understand that we need a functioning Eco system for all of us to thrive! I feel even though I'm a small part of a large arrangement it can make a difference what I do and I want to give positive! Giving positive would mean to me that my artwork would inspire somebody to feel deeply enough to face the realities of our time! That we are creating our future and when we transform we change our future! My motivation is my love for life and I want to donate spirit.

6. What draws you to painting more than any other medium?

I am drawn to painting because I love to create with my hands. The more hands on I am the more liberating it feels to me. That explains why I'm drawn to large scale artwork and why I often use my own hands and fingers as a brush! Sometimes the act of creating an artwork feels like a dance where I use my whole body movement for the ceremony. It feels as if I have a primitive desire to create that runs through my body anticipating to be exposed.

7. What do you want to accomplish as an artist?

I want to inspire people! I want to show that people are important! I want to show the lure of our nature! I want to show the beauty of living and extinct creatures. I want for my artwork to give an emotional imprint that stimulates all senses.


8. Where else can we see your work- galleries, online, etc.?

My work was shown at the PBI airport, the Cultural Council of Palm Beach, Coral Springs Museum of Art, the Lighthouse ArtCenter Museum to name a few. Some of my work can be seen in public places, for example in Pompano I have a Painted fish sculpture, a mural at Pine Grove Elementary School and street art in Delray.

I have a studio in the heart of Boca where I have people come see my work by appointment and my work is constantly in different exhibitions as well.
Stay tuned on Facebook and agata-ren-art.com

Artist Statement

“Everything seems to be connected on our planet earth. I'm interested in the consequences of human behavior. How much responsibility do we have and what do we owe to the planet if we are to be the most intelligent species? I’m passionate about creating delightful artwork consisting of and featuring endangered and recently extinct species while using old social publications documenting peoples interests and having those temptations fade into the background! My artwork reflects on our society. My mission is to bring about awareness through my artwork.”

OnView magazine and the Cornell Wild show

Click image to enlarge