Annual, celebrated “Armory Artist Show” and “Armory Instructor Show”
on display at the Armory Art Center in two vibrant exhibitions through April 17th
By Laura Louise Tingo
March 30, 2021 – West Palm Beach, Fla. – The Armory Art Center is proud to present its largest and best-attended exhibition of the year with its exciting, anticipated 2021 “Armory Artist” and “Armory Instructor” shows. These widely celebrated and looked forward to annual exhibitions are a stunning showcase and sale of art by artists attending and instructing studio classes in all departments at the Armory. The exhibition is free and open to the public through April 17, in the Armory Art Center’s exquisite Montgomery Hall and East Gallery, 811 Park Place, in West Palm Beach. Gallery Hours for all exhibitions are Tuesday – Friday 10:00am-4:00pm, Saturday 10:00am – Noon; Closed Sunday and Monday. Temperature checks and facial coverings required for entry.
Both the “Armory Artist” and “Armory Instructor” shows promise a fine demonstration of the creativity and talent available in the educational programs and shines a light on the Armory’s expert and talented instructors from each of its departments. Painting, photography, and jewelry creations are some of the mediums that will be on shining display in this beautiful, anticipated annual array of original artists’ works, by Armory artists.
“We invite the community to discover this exemplary sampling of diversity and skill-set available for everyone to experience and enjoy at the Armory with this outstanding show of works by our professional artist educators, and the talented works of our dedicated studio artists,” said Dr. Tom Pearson, CEO, Armory Art Center.
Armory artists exhibiting in this year’s spectacular “Armory Artist Show” to-date, include Jackie Reed and Hilary Pulitzer; Armory artist instructors exhibiting in the “Armory Instructor Show” include: Mary Tidy Coyle, Barry Schein, Jerry Ginsberg, Sara Bookspan, Alicia Jane Boswell.
To learn more about the Armory Art Center’s programs, or to make a donation, call 561.832.1776 or visit armoryart.org.
Exhibiting Artist Instructor BIOs provided:
Mary Tidy-Coyle In my work I am interested in how an environment can influence who we are, and how personal experiences shift perception. By sifting an experience through the creative process – I can record, document and reflect. My process is based on working in a series, in which I explore an idea, or subject, through multiples. My use of materials is based off of my subject matter, allowing me to work in a wide variety of media and techniques; from utilizing technology through filmmaking to something as traditional as painting. When working in more traditional materials (painting & drawing), I often rely on Art History and the formal elements to guide me – in my collection of landscape paintings – which are based on my travels and living experiences in different regions of the United States. I look to such artists as Richard Diebenkorn, Georgia O’Keeffe, Mark Rothko and Helen Frankenthaler. While experiencing such diverse landscapes and environments I become inspired creatively, particularly as I ponder our current environmental climate crisis. The idea of a contemporary artist approaching the landscape – a historically traditional subject matter – may seem irrelevant, but I disagree. The landscape has never been more significant as it is today.
Barry Schein is an award-winning commercial photographer and educator. During his career he has created photography for many nationally branded Fortune 500 companies and their advertising agencies. He’s a recipient of an EMMY award for his work at NBC TV in New York as well as an Eastman Kodak Professional Photographers award. Both Nikon and the international journal Graphis have recognized his work. Mr. Schein’s work is in a number of private collections.
Jerry Ginsberg is a freelance photographer whose Nature, landscape and travel images have graced the pages and covers of hundreds of books, magazines and travel catalogs. He is the only person to have photographed each and every one of America’s National Parks with medium format cameras. His works have been exhibited from coast to coast and have received numerous awards in competition. Jerry’s photographic archive spans virtually all of both North and South America.
Sara Bookspan a Bay Area native, and recent west coast transplant, discovered her love of clay at a very young age. Her love of art led her to pursue a Bachelor of Art Education with emphasis in ceramics from Humboldt State University. Working with her mentor, Joel Magen of Dark Horse Pottery, she honed her skills in wheel thrown and hand-built production pottery. It was there that she developed a deeper understanding of the meditative process of working with clay. Looking to pair her passion for education and ceramics, Sara went on to receive a Master of Special Education and two teaching credentials from Portland State University with the goal of becoming an art therapist. Knowing that art truly has the power to change the human experience, Sara brought this same passion to her work in the Peace Corps where she started several small income-generating projects in her host country, Kenya. Her projects were focused on expansion of local arts within the Deaf community which included beadwork, textiles, and of course ceramics. Taking art and education to the next level, Sara became a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, and uses art as part of her method to teach life skills to individuals with special needs. She founded a ceramics program at Victory Academy, a school for children with autism located right outside of Portland, Oregon. Through this program students learned the foundations of working with clay and its relation to accomplishing daily living skills while simultaneously exploring their creativity. Now in Florida, she is actively working as a behavior analyst with the special needs community. In her free time, she continues to pursue her love of ceramics by creating primary altered wheel thrown forms that resemble components of the natural environment. She is extremely excited to be working with The Armory and cannot wait to explore the wild world of clay with her new learners. What’s to be expected in a class with Sara? Learner’s will enhance mindfulness and artistic independence through learning the basics of handbuilding techniques, glazing, fundamentals of wheel throwing, while of course learning to become artistic clay rebels!
Alicia Jane Boswell received her MFA in Metalsmithing/Jewelry from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She has attained positions of visiting professor, Jewelry & Metalsmithing artist-in-residence, Studio technician, Museum Exhibitions Assistant, and visiting workshop instructor at arts & crafts education centers around the United States & Internationally including The Center for Enamel Art, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, the Society of Florida Goldsmiths, and The Textile Support Group Pavia Italy & Wollongong Australia. In 2013 she was honored to be invited to assist and display work in a small workshop at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ratti Textile Center which coincided with the exhibition “Gems of European Lace” 1600- 1920. In April of the same year, she was invited by the Textile Support Organization in Pavia Italy to exhibit work, lecture and teach a small textile/lace jewelry workshop. Alicia also has had the pleasure of exhibiting at SIERAAD the International Jewelry Fair in Amsterdam. Her work can be found in public & private collections, including the Enamel Arts Foundation & The Lace Museum in Sunnyvale California. Alicia resides in West Palm Beach Florida, where she is the Jewelry & Metalsmithing Department Manager at the Armory Art Center & presently teaches enameling & advanced metalsmithing workshops & classes. She also continues to pursue her studio practice with commissions and limited production work. Alicia currently resides in West Palm Beach, Florida where she is the Jewelry & Metalsmithing Department Manager at the Armory Art Center.
About the Armory Art Center:
The Armory Art Center’s art school and galleries provide creative opportunities to enhance your life. The Armory has served the community for over 30 years. The mission of the Armory Art Center is to inspire the creation and experience of art and the Armory’s vision is to be the leading community resource for arts education. Serving over 3,000 students annually, the Armory Art Center offers 160 courses per term in six terms throughout the year to students ranging in age from pre-school to retiree. Classes in drawing, painting, photography, jewelry, fiber & textiles, ceramics, and sculpture are held in 12 state-of–the-art studios. Twelve exhibitions are hosted annually in three galleries. Exhibitions, lectures, and special events are open to the public. For information, visit www.armoryart.org or call (561) 832.1776. The Armory Art Center is located at 811 Park Place, West Palm Beach, FL 33401