Never Too Late

Life journeys can go in unexpected directions. Perhaps this holds even truer for those who are artists at heart. For GRETCHEN RAICHLE, creativity was one of her earliest callings. “As a younger person, I immersed myself in drawing and attempted paintings and pastels,” she recalls. “Illustration, like images in childhood books, and later discovering Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, and Sargent were huge attractions, and that of the ‘Red Rose Girls’ fascinated me to no end.” These memories were tucked away. Some acquired the sheen of nostalgic luster. Others seemingly vanished into the folds of time. Gretchen, who had pursued other passions in life including being a professional chef, was determined to excavate what once moved her most deeply. “Some 45 years later, when I dug out all the books, magazines and materials I had collected, I discovered I was drawn to watercolor.” But making art is not riding a bicycle. “I was paralyzed looking at a white sheet of paper until I found ALICE MEYER-WALLACE at Community Arts Center, Wallingford,” the artist continues, referencing an esteemed member of the OFF THE WALL community and a past Mary Liz Fellow. “Alice has been my mentor, teacher and friend over the last five years,” adds Gretchen, “and her free-spirited enthusiasm and encouragement have made all the difference.” These are the stories we love to hear. We are honored to have Gretchen as part of NEW FACES OF ‘23, where she represents her medium in all its subtleties and sublimeness. Perhaps watercolor is just as much a hero of this story as are Gretchen and Alice. “Watercolor is a truly magical medium. It is luminous and always full of surprises if you just let it in.”

GRETCHEN RAICHLE
“Red Cup”
23 x 19.5
watercolor on 140 lb. cold press Arches paper
250.

A Voice for the Many

We are proud to say our NEW FACES OF ‘23 artists have found not only new fans but collectors, too—with 16 sales and counting. GLORIA KLAIMAN can lay claim to four of the red dots (but the assemblage shown here is still available!). She has perhaps connected so readily with our audiences because her art aims to convey a complex world view. “In my mixed-media art, I always strive to explore the beauty of the natural world,” says Gloria, “as well as the songs, dreams, ideas, fears and aspirations of the people around us. In the current political climate, this also entails a conscious effort to counter the initiatives that promote hateful separations between the self and the other; the self and nature; and the self and the spiritual, idiosyncratic and different in the world.”

GLORIA KLAIMAN
“The cages are broken and all the children dance”
20 x 16 x 1.5
mixed-media assemblage
275.

Final Week

Our first show off the year has flown right by! NEW FACES OF ’23 feels fresh and continues to find fans, but the march of time means this coming Friday, March 3 is the final full day of this eye-opening exhibition. Among our 10 artists—all members of our sister organization, THE PLASTIC CLUB, and all making their respective Off the Wall debuts (hence our title)—ROBIN BROWNFIELD stands apart in her medium: mosaic tiles. Her story is equally unique. “I used to be a sociology professor. After becoming disabled, I turned to mosaic art,” she tells us. Robin’s work has received widespread exposure, including shows in New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco; locally, media attention has sometimes shone a special spotlight. “Following a FOX-29 story about my award-winning series of Black Lives Matter portraits,” continues the artist, “Tamika Palmer commissioned me to do a portrait of her daughter, Breonna Taylor, whose death, in part, launched a rebirth of the BLM movement. This portrait can be seen in the documentary ‘Bree Way: Promise Witness Remembrance.’” It’s a fitting reminder that Black History Month is also drawing to a close.

ROBIN BROWNFIELD
“Blowing Bubbles”
mosaic art
750.

Tada!

TADA!: It was another magical HANGING DAY this past Saturday, as curator JODY SWEITZER applied the first brushstrokes of fresh white paint for the New Year (image 1)...and then, soon after, assembled the work of our 10 Winter Show artists (image 2) — all new to OFF THE WALL — hence, the show’s name: NEW FACES OF ‘23. All notably are also members of our sister organization THE PLASTIC CLUB, and their abundant talents across an array of media are already riveting audiences and garnering accolades. In alpha order, we are most excited to welcome ROBIN BROWNFIELD, ROBERT COX, DAVID HORWITZ, GLORIA KLAIMAN, GRETCHEN RAICHLE, MICK RICERETO, BILL SKWERSKY, JOHN STRIZINGER, PAMELA TUDOR and NINA YOCOM. Please join us for our OPENING RECEPTION this Thursday, January 19, 7-10 PM!