Meeting Past

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Meeting Past 2012

49 artists find resonance between their work

and the artifacts on view at the

Akin Library & Museums

in Pawling NY.

Second Annual Art Exhibition at the
Akin Library and Museums

Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
through October 21 from 1 PM - 4 PM

OPENING RECEPTION

September 14, 2012, 6 PM - 9 PM
378 Old Quaker Hill Road
Pawling NY 12564
845-855-5099

In 2011, the first “Meeting Past” exhibition featured sixteen artists at the Akin Library and Museums. The event drew an unprecedented 700 visitors to the Akin, making it one of the biggest fine-art exhibits in Pawling’s history. This year again, the Akin Library and Museums will host 49 contemporary artists to find resonance between their work and the historic artifacts and natural history objects. Participating artists from around the region, and the nation, will establish a connection with the important Pawling landmark and cultural site.

Curated by Bibiana Huang Matheis, a Pawling resident, the exhibit is focused directly on the special historical environment and content of the Akin Library and Museums. With the thematic “Meeting Past” the artists set out to either create artwork specifically to fit the place and subject, or they selected fitting artwork to harmonize with the environment, juxtaposing “new” to “old”. The effort was to combine art with the 19^th Century natural history objects, furnishings and books of the Akin building.

The artwork includes all types of fine-art media including: paintings, photography, sculpture, drawings, and mixed media construction – encompassing many styles and directions, from traditional to modern, from realistic to conceptual. Visitors will be encouraged to discover the artists' creations interspersed throughout the permanent museum collection.

The exhibit is dedicated to Amanda Akin Stearns, sister of Albert J. Akin and Civil War nurse at the Armory Square Hospital, Washington, DC, from April 1863 to July 1864.

The Akin Library & Museum on Quaker Hill is a historic late Victorian stone building in the hamlet of Quaker Hill, listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. The Akin Library was a gift from the Quaker Albert J. Akin (1803–1903), founder of the Bank of Pawling and the Mizzentop Hotel on Quaker Hill. The building was designed by the architect John A. Wood. The library is located on the first floor of the building. The Historical Society Museum occupies the second floor. Its collections include objects pertaining to the local history. The lower floor of the building houses the Olive Gunnison Natural History Museum, which displays birds, rocks and minerals.

Website links:
Lisa Brody
Joy Brown
Justin Buto
Marty Friedman
Mimi Czajka Graminski
Matthew Horner
Tanya Kukucka
Joan Blazis Levitt
Leslie Pelino

Elisa Pritzker
Linda Puiatti
Bibiana Matheis

Johanne Renbeck
Marlene Vidibor
Lilana Washburn

Sneak Peeks:


Leslie Pellino unloads a piece for installtion

Nestor Madalengoitia paintings

Judith Wyer works

"Cottages" by Linda Puiatti, 2012, oil on canvas

Mimi Czajka Graminski with Silver Cones and Balls

Joan Blasiz Levitt creating her installation

Friday, August 19, 2011

last year's exhibit

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

Sixteen artists will display their work inspired by the historic artifacts and natural history displays at the Akin Library and Museum, ranging from traditional watercolors to digital photography, plus installations of honey jars, pink rocks, flower path, woven, bronze and fiber sculptures, artist books and ceramic forms in this remarkable exhibit entitled Meeting Past. Meeting Past will open on Friday September 9th and run every Friday, Saturday, Sunday through October 23rd. Visitors will be encouraged to discover the artists' creations interspersed throughout the permanent museum collection.

The artists are dedicating the show to the memory of Olive Mason Gunnison who donated to the Akin her life work and a comprehensive collection covering all phases of natural history. It is housed in the lower floor of the library. The second floor houses the Historical Society Museum featuring Quaker Hill memorabilia, farm and kitchen implements, period costume displays, among others.

Participating artists are:
Amy R. Farrell - monotype / mixed media
Mimi Czajka Graminski - sculpture
George-Ann Gowan - drawing / mixed media
Victoria S. Hayes - collage / pastel
Susan Hennelly - watercolor painting
Anne Huibregtse - bronze sculpture
Tanya Kukucka - painting / sculpture
Joan Blazis Levitt - etching / painting
Eric Lima - sculpture
Jenna Lynch - sculpture / drawing
Amy Manso - relief collage
Bibiana Huang Matheis - photograph / sculpture
Randy Orzano- installation / mixed media
Leslie Pelino- fiber sculpture / bricolage
Johanne Renbeck- artist books / installation
Karen Roff- mixed media

The Akin Free Library, located at 378 Old Quaker Hill Road in Pawling, is an architectural treasure designed by renowned architect J. A. Wood in 1898. The Library was a gift from Albert J. Akin in his 95th year. It has been in use as a free library since it opened in 1908, especially useful as a reference library for the period around 1900. It also contains rare and fine collection of historical and literary books.

One historian has said of Albert J. Akin, “He did not endow a church, library, or educational centre--he endowed a community.” The artists in this show celebrate Mr. Akin’s vision by honoring the past as it relates to our present world.