The Woodstock Artists Association & Museum (WAAM) held an opening reception on May 9 for its new exhibit, “FOCUS: In Flux,” a juried show curated by Kathy Greenwood. The event drew a couple of hundred visitors who flowed in and out throughout the evening. The exhibit will remain on view through June 22 in the museum’s Main Gallery.
Selected from an open call to artists living within 50 miles of Woodstock, the ten participants work in a wide range of mediums—including painting, photography, collage, textiles, print, ceramics, and mixed media. Greenwood, an artist and educator, chose works that reflect themes of change, fluctuation, unrest, and transformation.
Greenwood holds a bachelor’s degree in studio art from the College of Saint Rose in Albany and an MFA in textiles from the University of Michigan. Her work has been widely exhibited, including at the Samuel Dorsky Museum in New Paltz and The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls.
“Working in a variety of media and subject matter, the diverse works on view come together through this common theme,” Greenwood said in a statement.
Laura Cannamela’s layered collages evoke geological formations that morph over time. Ryan Kraus’s photographs mark pivotal moments of change or transition, depicting both the stark inevitability of death and the persistence of life. Christopher Arabadjis’ swirling, colorful geometries illustrate a lively but structured unpredictability.
John W. Ebbert, who works with a graphite stick and eraser, said, “I think the reason Kathy included my pieces is because there’s a lot of movement and flux is usually about change. You see a change in one drawing to the next.”
Robin Arnold described her 2022 oil painting “Facts and Theories” as layered in both concept and form: “Visually it’s in flux but conceptually it’s much more than that. It’s about space. It’s about ideas. There are a lot of layers underneath.”
Founded in 1919, WAAM is a nonprofit membership organization that showcases artists from the Woodstock region. The building includes four galleries.
The main space, which hosts special exhibitions, will next feature “Far and Wide,” opening June 28. For the first time, submissions will be accepted from artists nationwide.
The second space highlights solo artists. Currently on view is ceramicist Paola Bari, a porcelain painter.
“I make my own porcelain. I started making little things that grew into installation style,” Bari said. “My work is minimalist rather than realistic. I wanted to represent the elements of nature. Everything is repetitive.”
The third space, the Towbin Wing, is reserved for WAAM’s permanent collection, which rotates every three months. The current selection is titled “Recent Acquisitions.”
WAAM is located at 28 Tinker St. in Woodstock, New York. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on major holidays. For more information, call 845-679-2940 or visit woodstockart.org.
Jane Davis is a contributing reporter. Send correspondence to reporting@theoverlooknews.com.