March 4, 2024 (WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.) – This spring, the Armory Art Center will celebrate artworks by its two 2023-2024 artists in residence, John Lark and Ali Saunders. The exhibition will run from March 11 through April 30, 2024 at the Armory Art Center’s historic West Palm Beach campus.
The Armory Art Center’s highly competitive Artists-in-Residence program attracts a diverse group of emerging artists in varied disciplines who have at least a bachelor’s in fine arts degree. The Armory provides the artists with studio space and the freedom to develop their work, and all artists teach at least one class at the center during their residency.
“We can’t wait to celebrate these exceptionally talented working artists at the Armory Art Center this spring,” said Lianna Slater, exhibition and events coordinator. “Not only do they exemplify excellence, but they also have the ability and passion it takes to share their knowledge with our students—making them true master artists.”
The Armory will celebrate the exhibition’s opening with a free reception on Thursday, March 14 from 5-7 p.m. The public is invited to join the celebration and meet John Lark and Ali Saunders during the reception.
If You Go (Calendar Item)
Artists-in-Residence Exhibition
March 11 through April 30, 2024
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 14, 5-7 p.m.
East Gallery and Greenfield Gallery, Armory Art Center
811 Park Place, West Palm Beach, 33401
For more information about the exhibition or to learn more about the classes that Lark and Saunders teach at the Armory, visit armoryart.org.
About the Artists
John Lark
Show Title: Measurements and Attachments
John Lark is an Artist-in-Residence in Painting, Drawing and 2D Media. He is a representational painter who creates oil paintings that depict interactions between figures and environments. In 2012 Lark received an MFA from the New York Academy of Art. His interest in art dates back to his childhood years in Michigan, where he frequently visited the Detroit Institute of Art and the Cranbrook Art Museum. There, he developed a connection with, and enthusiasm for, abstract expressionism, minimalism and pop art.
Lark graduated with a BFA, cum laude, in 2005 from the University of Michigan School of Art and Design, where his concentration was in figure painting and printmaking. He later studied abroad in Florence, Italy where his appreciation for Renaissance and Baroque periods blossomed. After graduation, Lark moved to New York City and took a post-baccalaureate semester at Columbia University. He realized his primary interests lay in representational painting and began graduate studies at the New York Academy of Art. There, he developed the style for which he is known today. Lark has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions in New York, including the Ethan Cohen Gallery, Untitled Space Gallery and Van Der Plas Gallery.
Ali Saunders
Show Title: Space Dots
Ali Saunders is an Artist-in-Residence in Ceramics. She is from Boerne, Texas, and makes functional pottery using repeated patterns and color. She received her BA from the University of St. Thomas (UST) and her MFA from Louisiana State University. After graduating from UST, she was a resident at Flower City Arts Center in Rochester, New York. Most recently, she has been the Salad Days Resident at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, where she made 450 plates to be a part of the Salad Days event in July 2023.
Saunders is inspired by the growth and abundance in nature and makes work that connects to the legacy of female makers in her family, as well as the handmade, floral-decorated objects she made as a young girl. Lately, she has sought to locate and define her position on the spectrum of utility. She approaches the creation of ceramic vessels with a duality—making them functional and visually appealing in a way that celebrates connectivity with others, the dynamic simplicity of life, and embracing moments in the present.
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About the Armory Art Center:
Having served the community for over 30 years, the Armory Art Center’s art school and galleries provide creative opportunities to enhance your life. 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 twelve state-of-the-art studios. Twelve exhibitions are hosted annually in three galleries. The Armory’s exhibitions, lectures and special events are open to the public.
The Armory is proud to have been the recipient of several awards in recent years, including The Palm Beach Post’s Best of Palm Beach County (2022 Best Art Gallery), Chamber of Commerce of The Palm Beaches (2021 Nonprofit of the Year), The Flamingos: Florida Weekly’s Best Awards (2021 Best Place to Create Art), the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Muse Awards (2020 Legacy Award) and more.
For information, visit www.armoryart.org or call (561) 832-1776. The Armory Art Center is located at 811 Park Place, West Palm Beach, Fla., 33401.
