We have a private room reserved for our group. This year we will have round tables, which should help with mingling and conversation. Also, we will be assigned 2-3 experienced servers so the process moves smoothly.
Each person can order whatever they want and will get their own bill, so it is wholly up to you what you want to eat or drink from that menu. If you want to save money, it’s fine to come, have some soda, and just hang out with us. There’s no up-front payments.
Please let us know if you are thinking about coming, so we have a rough headcount for the restaurant. You’re welcome to bring someone with you.
We would love to see you on May 16th.
There will not be any event in the Uxbridge gallery on Tue May 16th. We will only be at the Grill 122.
Ask if you have any questions, and have a great weekend!
Monochrome beauty is being celebrated for our May-June 2023 Show! Monochrome doesn’t have to be black and white. It can be an image done in shades of pink. In lush green. The featured color you choose is up to you!
This date is also the take-down for the existing “Spring Joy” show. If you’re not able to make it for this pickup date, please wait until after the reception to stop by and retrieve your art. That way the show is up for its full publicized period. I.e. don’t swing in before April 27th.
Note that we want ALL FORMS OF ART!! Sketches can be monochrome. Paintings can be monochrome! And of course photography can be monochrome. Just focus on one hue! This is a monochrome painting by Whistler.
All BVAA members are encouraged to participate!
Drop-Off (and previous show pick-up) Thursday, April 27th, 2023 6-8pm The public is warmly welcome and encouraged to attend the drop-off, to chat with the artists. Many artists hang out to chat during this period. Artists – please bring food or drink to share!
Show Details for the Artists The Milford TV Station employees create the labels and perform the hanging for us. There is no need to use the BVAA online submission form to indicate what you’re bringing. Simply be sure to label the back of each piece with its title, your name, contact info, and the price. This show is for BVAA members only and is free to participate in.
The Milford TV station does not take any commission on sales. Neither does the BVAA. This is an ideal sales venue, and we do see sales regularly at this venue.
Most artists bring in three to four items but if you have more which match the current theme that’s great! The items can be any size or shape – Milford has a great hanging system which can accommodate pretty much anything.
Sue Dion is an amazingly talented artist with a studio in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. Sue has sold her artwork around the world. She is known for her loose style with abstracts, florals, and landscapes. She primarily works in acrylics and watercolors.
Here are just a few samples of Sue’s works. Click on one to see it at its full proportions.
Sue teaches classes both in person at her Uxbridge studio and also on line. Here are links to explore Sue’s offerings.
For our 2023 BVAA Art & Poetry Show pairing, one pairing was with poet Sue Lovejoy and artist Frank Robertson.
Here are the works they created!
Frank Robertson provided this artwork to Sue Lovejoy.
In response, Sue Lovejoy wrote the following poem:
Rocky Landing (response)
By Susan B. Lovejoy
Sitting across from you, my dearest friend on earth, we talk about the years we’ve shared and what we’ve seen. Your laughter makes me smile as sunshine lights your face. It always feels like we’ve gone back to being teens.
Our pond has dried up; exposed rocks now line the shore. Time slipped by unnoticed, and we still yearn for more.
Our lives felt mighty when the water touched the grass. Landing boats was simple when we had strength and mass.
The sun is setting low, and dark’ning skies give birth to newborn shadows that protect our weary eyes. But oars can’t hold back time, and we’re at steady pace to reach the rocky landing of our last goodbye.
…
The second half of this pairing involved Sue Lovejoy giving Frank Robertson a poem as a starting point. Sue Lovejoy provided this poem:
The Baby (source)
By Susan B. Lovejoy
A tiny child all full of smiles escaped one early morn. His sagging diaper was the only nightwear he had worn. Such early dawn, the birds were just awakening from rest. The human child at play disturbed the silence in their nests.
His large blue eyes looked everywhere, as early fog grew dim. A brand new world to such young eyes: the daybreak, life, and him. A high-pitched giggle rose above the sleepy, yawning birds. A nearby mother sparrow sang to him in lilting words.
An earthworm tunneled, exiting the earth by his small feet. His chubby fingers reached and missed the object he would eat. Excitedly he ran about, the wind racing his toes. He whirled and danced beneath the sun, which gently warmed his nose.
So full of joy, he had no bounds. His diaper fell to earth. His tribal dance was primitive, a legacy from birth. Alas, the celebration was cut short to say the least. Chastised, he was returned inside without his primal feast.
…
In response, Frank created this artwork:
To hear a reading of the poetry, and a discussion of the art:
The Blackstone Valley Art Association is sponsoring its fifth annual Series Show! This is a fun, creative art show which celebrates the magic of creating artwork in a series.
This show is for all BVAA members to participate in. You can submit two or three artwork items as your series. They can be related to each other in any way that you wish. It’s wholly up to you to define the theme of your series.
Maybe they are all shades of blue. Maybe they’re all landscapes. Do they all involve triangles? Cows? You can mix your artwork styles. Do one photo, one sculpture, and one watercolor painting. Explore your creativity!
When: June 10 to July 8, 2023
Where: BVAA / Open Sky Uxbridge Community Art Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Each BVAA member may exhibit up to three art items. These will be judged *as a series* (i.e. one prize for a whole group) for cash prizes. Note that you CAN submit items which you’ve submitted separately for judging before. This time they’ll be judged as an entire series. Also, when you submit items to this show as part of a series you CAN then submit them separately for a future show as individual items. This here is a fairly unique show in that we’re judging the art items as one coherent “group”.
Entering the Show The entry fee for this show is $20 for up to three pieces. Note that you can’t submit just one item :). It needs to be 2 or 3 items which relate to each other. They can be presented together if you wish, as in a triptych frame.
Artwork can be any size. That being said, please contact us first if you plan on bringing anything over 20″ x 30″ in size. We need to arrange for space for those separately.
All art must be family friendly and properly wired for hanging. Our hanging system does not work with saw-tooth or triangle hangers. If you are new to preparing art for shows, read our page on How to Mat and Frame a Photo. Please also check out our Show Terms and Conditions. This includes all details including the 25% commission for any sales of exhibit artwork in the gallery. You may also choose to have your artwork listed as not for sale.
All art items which are entered are hung. There is no “pre-selection” process where some are accepted and others are rejected. If you submit artwork, and it is family-friendly and wired properly, it will be part of our show.
Submissions To submit your entries use our BVAA Online Submission Form. The deadline to submit your online details is midnight on Saturday, June 10, 2023. Work must be dropped off either on Saturday, June 3, 2023 or Saturday June 10, 2023 between 10am and 3pm. Please do not bring in art to the gallery at other times. All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).
We plan on hanging the show on Tuesday, June 13th from 5-7pm. We’d love to have you join us! Please contact us in case we change the date or time.
Judging Judge to be announced
Opening Reception The opening reception for the show is Friday, June 16th from 5-7pm. Invite family and friends – all are welcome!
Pick Up Saturday, July 8, 2022, from 10am to 3pm. If you aren’t able to make that, please contact us for other arrangements.
Congratulations to the winners of our 2023 Blackstone Valley Art Association Spring Show!
First Place / “Summer” oil painting by Young Farwell –
Judge’s notes: Great values / composition, movement throughout, aerial perspective very evident.
Young’s comments: This is only her third oil painting – she primarily works with watercolor. Young redid this painting at least ten different times, working on its composition, before she felt happy with it.
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Second Place / “Dum Spiro, Spero – While I Breathe, I Hope” colored pencil by Alexandra Spano –
Judge’s Notes – Excellent handling of colored pencils, textures “right on”, use of mixed media nicely handled.
Artist’s Notes – Alexandra used PrismaColor colored pencils along with gold and copper leaf. She created at least 10 to 20 layers in the painting, burnishing the colored pencil between each layer.
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Third Place / “Blueberry Breakfast” oil painting by Pam Gover –
Judge’s Notes – Great value and contrasts, can “feel” the blueberries, like the magnification of subject matter.
Artist’s Notes – Pam has been working on learning new techniques.
Judge’s Notes – Great handling of pigments and saving of the white paper, great composition, shadows are right on.
Artist’s Notes – Bev wanted to tackle a project involving ‘negative painting’ – where you paint the shadows around the light areas of the image.
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Honorable Mention / “Resting” film photography by Bob Evans –
Judge’s Notes – Good composition, says something to the observer, contrast and textures nicely portrayed.
Artist’s Notes – This image was shot with a Hasselblad 503Cx film camera on Kodak Portra 400 film. Bob developed it himself in a Cinestill kit and then scanned it with a Nikon Z9 into his computer.
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Honorable Mention / “A Breath In Between” photography by Lisa Shea –
Judge’s Notes – Choice of subject matter and objects nicely composed, the observer wants to read the notepaper – makes one curious.
Artist’s Notes – Lisa has wanted to do this image since the War in Ukraine began. Lisa is half Ukrainian. The photo and photo album is her mom’s; the image is of her mom. The traditional hat is Lisa’s, that she bought because it’s the style her godfather Paul likes to wear. Here is a straight-on view of the scene.
For our 2023 BVAA Art & Poetry Show pairing, one pairing was with poet Ibi Obomanu and artist Ellen Gould.
Here are the works they created!
Ellen Gould provided this artwork to Ibi Obomanu.
In response, Ibi Obomanu wrote the following poem.
The Beauty of Calabash
(response)
By Ibi Obomanu
Oh, the shapes and colors that trawls one. They care not what anyone else thinks. Take a glimpse at the invisible gourds. Calabash is the intrinsic nature of ‘Ahh.’ Using the natural drinking cups, Becomes ineffable. Can they be described? There are more to them. Dig for amazing perks. As long as water flows consistently, Grace will flow and blow out fresh air. Dash to capture the beauty of calabash.
…
The second half of this pairing involved Ibi Obomanu giving Ellen Gould a poem as a starting point. Ibi Obomanu provided this poem:
Comity (source)
By Ibi Obomanu
Inner dialogue creeps in on All shades’ door step. All shades have more similarities than differences. Their echo is chummy with a companion of ease. Stand tall against differences frights. Triumphant and Turmoil can capture All shades inevitably. Tossing life capabilities to all shades Can rescue or limit undesirable differences. Distorted images and inadequacy can be chased away by All shades. All shades’ efforts require intentionality and concerted effort to oneness. Different mechanisms set the stage for an organic comity. All shade can represent, connect and deliver at some level. All shades can shape, share and soar together.
…
In response, Ellen created this artwork:
To hear a reading of the poetry, and a discussion of the art:
For our 2023 BVAA Art & Poetry Show pairing, one pairing was with poet Robert Silveri and artist Louise Pigott.
Here are the works they created!
Louise Pigott provided this artwork to Robert Silveri.
In response, Robert Silveri wrote the following poem.
The second half of this pairing involved Robert Silveri giving Louise Pigott a poem as a starting point. Robert Silveri provided this poem:
Our Garden (source)
By Robert Silveri
Mother, our garden has grown. Since you first knelt there on your cushion furiously working the earth cultivating and nurturing our roots so that we might shoot up colorful and strong. Some of use grew big and wide as orange day lilies, and we in turn have multiplied. Some of us are tall and thin, blue bachelor buttons. Still others bright and happy marigolds. Short and stalky, orange and yellow. And others have been transplanted to add brilliance and texture to our display. We even have purple petunias, white snapdragons, and slim scarlet salvias. Our garden has flourished, proud and vibrant, in the rich black earth, with you always plucking the weeds from around our stems. Some amongst us are just budding, some wilting, all of us in different stages of bloom. What I want to tell you mother, is, since you first plunged your hands into the soil, such a long time ago, everything has come up flowers. 11/10/98
…
In response, Louise created this artwork:
To hear a reading of the poetry, and a discussion of the art:
