Sylvia Kania Gallery

We Got Ink!

2011-03-08T12:50:00.013-05:00

After over two years, we have our first art review by the Portland Phoenix. Now, we're not ones to bite the hand that feeds us, but we feel some things were overstated and many were understated.
Here's the link to the article:

http://portland.the phoenix.com/arts/116455-catching-up-with-time-at-sylvia-kania-gallery/

Check out some of the images and decide for yourself:

Blake Hitunan: Attrition
Blake Hitunan: Under Her Majesty's Summer Gown
Bridget McAlonan: Lunar Tango (details)

Seth Mullendore: Six Years (with detail)

Jess Lauren: Sommes Nous let Jouets du Destin (installation view) and yes, she is aware of the misspelling. This is why she needs an assistant sometimes.

2011-02-28T15:28:00.002-05:00

Cheap Art Show

call for entries!

Show runs: March 23 – May 7^th

^{Sylvia Kania Gallery 566 Congress St}

Submissions: due March 15^th

$50 to participate

All works must be priced under $50

Gallery keeps 10% of sales

Bring as much work as you want!

The gallery prefers original works of art but prints are acceptable. Artists may only show their own work.

Art does not have to be expensive!

Art is not only for the wealthy!

Art feeds our souls!

Send submission inquiries to: SKGmanager@gmail.com

or come into the gallery

Wed – Friday 12 – 5 Sat 12 – 3

find the event on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=174466055932945

February Show: It's a Matter of Time

2011-02-14T16:29:00.002-05:00

For Immediate Release:

Portland, Maine – February 2011

It's A Matter of Time

February 9^th – March 19^th

“It is my feeling that Time ripens all things; with Time all things are revealed; Time is the father of truth.” Francois Rabelais Sylvia Kania Gallery's February show explores experiences of time through multiple angles documenting it's passage. We welcome guest artist Blake Hiltunan who's work utilizes natural materials that have been re-contextualized to question man's relationship between self imposed social hierarchies and the natural forces occurring in the world. The large beeswax relief “The Aesthetic Beauty of Labor II” (pictured left) is a relic of of the artistic process and the time it takes to create a single work. Hiltunan also explores the decaying nature of time with sulfuric acid and marble leading to the creation of calcium carbonate. Gallery artists Seth Mullendor and Bridget McAlonan each present new works as well. Mullendor's piece “Six Years” is a time-delayed self-portrait. Six pictures were taken, one from each year for the past six years and cut into a grid of squares. The fragments were then blindly reassembled into new grids to form the six pieces that comprise the series. McAlonan gives us the “Lunar Tango”, a study of phases of the moon with respect to image and the imperfect math that was developed by older men in power centuries ago that has lead to the creation of leap years and other recalibrations to create validity.

Jess Lauren's Obsessive Tendencies series presses on with the third installation “Somme Nous les Jouets du Destin” (we are the puppets of destiny) . This piece consists of multiple teacups existing in time and place together. Each will have it's own life cycle in the company of others, much like our own experiences.

New new new

2010-07-03T14:45:00.002-04:00

So If you haven't heard yet, SKG has moved to 566 Congress St! We have a crisp, clean, new space. . .lots of new art work and soon to have a new website. Come check out our new digs and follow us on facebook to stay up to date on what we have planned!

last show on High St.

2010-05-19T22:16:00.002-04:00

SKG is in the process of hanging our last show at 148 High St. Yep, that's right. . . .we are moving to Congress St! Starting July 1st you will find us at 562 Congress St, right next to Two Points Gallery (if you haven't been there yet then GO, Two Points is one of our favorite new galleries in Portland)! Until then, come check out our last show in a space that has helped us grow in so many ways! June 4th (1st Friday Art Walk) we will have Beat Box perform for us along with our usual wine, treats, and titillating conversations with the artists of SKG!

Imagining Spaces

2010-04-28T19:11:00.004-04:00

Please join us for "Imagining Spaces," the work of MECA seniors Elise Bothel, Ashley Curry, Melissa DiPaola, Jacquelyn Eftink, Angela Haven, David Long, Jenny Maas, Brittany Marcoux, Jason Turgeon, Katie Uffelman, Stefani Wirth, and Diane Wren. This wonderful show featuring photography and sculpture will host an opening event at SKG on April 29th from 5:30 to 7:30 and of course on First Friday and will close on May 15th. This is a short show so make sure you swing by and see some fabulous work by Portland art scene "up and comers"!

UGLY/Beautiful: the show

2010-03-30T20:53:00.003-04:00

For this Friday's "1st Friday Art Walk" we will be opening our UGLY/Beautiful show. This is a culmination of our 1st cycle of studio time where we spent the past 6 weeks producing work in the gallery space for anyone to come in and see/discuss/participate, all based on the theme of UGLY/Beautiful. This exhibit shows the works created by gallery artists based on this topic. Each artist took the theme in a completely different direction with everything from boobies to viruses as the subjects used to define our ideas surrounding the concept of beauty.

Pictures

2010-02-17T12:11:00.006-05:00

We are putting up lots of pictures of our Ugly/Beautiful process on our Facebook page as well as a few pictures of our public art space. Make sure to check them out and become a fan of our page if you aren't already!

Also, there is still time to write us in for the 2010 Best Of Portland Awards! (what other gallery lets you come in and participate in the artistic process?)

Ugly/Beautiful: chapter 1 of our Manifesto Project

2010-02-12T09:07:00.006-05:00

We are officially in open studio mode!

Our purpose – to create a more interactive, lively artist space in the Portland area that explores the process and philosophy of contemporary art. To allow the public to see the artistic process as an act of labor to better understand art as a business and how artists arrive at the pieces that they create. A place for our artists to create, inform, and challenge each other and to encourage the public to participate in the process; to give the art audience a place to voice their opinions about current art movements and the state of the world.

Ugly/Beautiful
As simple as it sounds – purposely broad – from people and organisms to situations and architecture. It is the ultimate in personal taste and opinion. What is beauty and what is the absence of it?

All of this will culminate with a formal show of works at the end of the studio experiment.

Come create in our world.

Manifesto

2010-02-03T13:27:00.000-05:00

We, the artists of SKG, are the artists of a new generation.

We believe that art should be accessible to all, regardless of economic status or level of education. We are redefining the gallery space; inviting outsiders to interact with us and to create with us.
We are in full view of the public. Our sketches, ideas and models are tacked up on the walls,
our supplies scattered on the floor, our processes open to critique and comment.

We believe that galleries should be lively places, full of artistic experimentation and two-way
conversations between artists and viewers; not displays of sterile didactic theory.
We know art theory can be daunting and alienating. We are creating an environment that will rectify that.

We do not believe in art as commodity only.
We are not in it for the glory, the fame, or the money. Otherwise we would have become pop stars.
Rather, we believe art should enlighten, challenge and console the senses.
We are creating an experience unhindered by curators, dealers and gallerists.

We believe in the process of art and the value of artistic labor.

We invite you to get to know us as artists and people.

Come create in our world.

Time for the Best of Portland nominations!

2010-01-30T09:47:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year!

2010-01-08T11:30:00.002-05:00

After taking a short holiday break SKG is preparing for some big changes starting in February.

More details soon, so stay tuned!

December Events

2009-12-02T19:38:00.004-05:00

December 4: 1st Friday Art Walk, 5-8pm. Art, wine, and homemade goodies.

December 5: Shop for a Cause Day (Shop at participating downtown stores Saturday, December 5th and a portion of the sales will be donated to Florence House, a comprehensive housing and resource center for homeless women in Portland opening in January by the Preble Street organization. Florence House will provide safe, supported permanent housing to chronically homeless women in Portland. )

SKG will be donating 10% of all sales to the Florence House.

December 17th: 5-10pm, Merry Madness – Wine, goodies, and a chance to shop ‘til you drop. Who doesn’t love the holidays?

Holiday Art Stroll

2009-11-24T23:43:00.001-05:00

The State Theater Neighborhood Galleries' (of which SKG is a member) first annual Holiday Art Stroll is this Friday, November 27th from noon to nine. We will be featuring 34 local artists. Visit all 6 participating galleries for a chance to win free art!
Holiday Art Stroll Punch Cards are now available at all 6 galleries as well as various locations around the area. During the the Holiday Art Stroll visit all 6 participating galleries and have your card punched. Drop off your card at your last stop and you are entered. The drawings will take place and be announced the next day. Good Luck!

November @SKG

2009-10-22T22:58:00.003-04:00

The press release says it all:

2009-10-04T20:56:00.004-04:00

Down the Rabbit Hole:
The Artists of SKG Go Through the Looking Glass
October 1- October 31, 2009

Down the Rabbit Hole draws its inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass in works ranging from the traditional to the nonsensical. SKG has been turned into a virtual Wonderland with large-scale installations, a few white rabbits, and teapots that would make the Mad Hatter blush.

October 8 - Artist Reception – 5-7pm- A chance to meet with the artists of SKG and find out just what they were thinking when creating work for this off the wall show.

October 11 - Second Sunday Brunch – 11-3pm- In honor of our Down the Rabbit Hole show we are having our own Mad Tea Party. We don’t quite know what this means yet, but be prepared for great food, coffee, and tea.

Naked Gallery Art Party ver 3.0

2009-09-22T11:14:00.003-04:00

The latest incarnation of our Naked Gallery Art Party is this Saturday the 26th from noon-6pm, yep this one is a daytime event with live music, bare walls, art supplies, and it's completely free!

FMI: check out our facebook listing

Oh My September

2009-09-10T16:40:00.003-04:00

September? Already? Really? Well I guess it's true, fall is almost official and the weather agrees with the calendar (still have our fingers crossed for a good "indian summer"). . . .after a jam packed anniversary month we are taking the 1st part of this month to just breath and prepare for our next show "Down the Rabbit Hole" a show comprised of works inspired by "Alice in Wonderland" scheduled to go up on Sept. 26th(ish), stay tuned for a sneak preview of works from that show!

Septembers 2nd Sunday brunch is this weekend (the 13th) from 11-3pm, come in and chat with the artists and enjoy seasonal fruits and yummy coffee :)

We are also planning our next Naked Gallery Art Party scheduled for Saturday Sept 26th. This is going to be a little different than our past NGAP's, this one will be a daytime event (11-6:30pm) with a variety of live music throughout the day. More info on that will come.

Updates

2009-08-26T09:15:00.003-04:00

Our anniversary month is coming to a close and we would like to thank everyone who came to our celebrations and to all who have supported us in the past year. . .it has been a great one! We've tried many new things, learned a lot and laughed a lot.
Our anniversary show will remain up until Sept. 18th (with a few changes) . On Sept 19th we will host the Naked Gallery Art Party ver. 3.0. . .stay tuned for updates as this one will be a bit different.
After that we will begin installing our next curatorial "Down the Rabbit Hole" which is a can't miss opportunity to see the fantastically fantastical work we come up with inspired by the classic children's story "Alice in Wonderland". . . .

Anniversary Events

2009-08-09T23:45:00.004-04:00

This past weekend was full of anniversary events @ SKG starting with Friday's Art walk complete with Birthday cake and a surprise performance by Mark Tipton. Saturday we held our first ever "clean out your studio Art Sale" and Sunday we held our 2nd Sunday Brunch. Here are a couple of images from this weekend:

tons more pics on our facebook page :)

Thanks to all who made it a fabulous weekend and stayed tuned for more pictures and future event listings!

1st Anniversary weekend

2009-08-02T09:02:00.005-04:00

Next weekend SKG turns 1!! To celebrate we are having an extra festive 1st Friday opening featuring our new show: 12 by 12. We will also have live music and an artfully decorated birthday cake, be sure to join us August 7th from 5-8pm.
Then on Saturday the 8th, from 11-6:30pm, we will be having our first ever
"clean out the studio Art Sale" where the artists of SKG will be selling original artworks, prints, sketches, proofs, doodles, crafts, and who knows what else?

Then on Sunday we will be having our 2nd Sunday Brunch. A chance to come and munch on fruits and cookies and join in some quirky and unpredictable conversations with the artists of SKG.

sneak peek

2009-07-27T20:02:00.010-04:00

Here's a little preview at our next show 12x12 which marks our 1 year anniversary:

Bridget & Jess in action.

Detail shot of Colleen Murphy's newest piece "12 Balls"

Bridget McAlonan's mixed media pieces.

These are (of course) much better seen in person! Be sure to stop by and check it out and definitely don't miss the 1st Friday Art Walk this month (Aug 7th, 5-8pm) where we will be celebrating SKG's 1st birthday with wine, cake, live music, and great art!

garden update

2009-07-22T09:41:00.005-04:00

So the garden is doing well so far, a small battle with aphids on the nasturtiums but we're winning that battle (organically of course). . . the swiss chard is lovely and the basil smells fabulous. Stop in any time to check it out :)

Highlights from July

2009-07-19T11:24:00.013-04:00

Click Here for images from our current show (only 1 more week to see it in person!)

almost 1 year old!

2009-07-14T09:21:00.003-04:00

We are also busily making plans for our 1st Anniversary next month!! We will have a wall of "12 by 12", works that are 12"x12" and priced in multiples of 12 to commemorate out 12th month.

Our other plans so far are to have a big artfully decorated birthday cake and champagne on First Friday followed by a day long Art Sale on Saturday August 8th, and on Sunday the 9th we will have our 2nd Sunday Brunch (hopefully with a wine tasting) ;)

Stay tuned for details as we finalize our plans!!

Sunday Brunch

2009-07-10T16:41:00.000-04:00

SKG is starting a new tradition with our 2nd Sunday Brunch series! Join us in the gallery for savory treats and dynamic art. Sunday Best attire is requested. This is a free event.
When:

Sunday July 12th
11am-2pm

Where:
Sylvia Kania Gallery
148 High St.
Portland, ME

Contact:
skgmanager@gmail.com
207-615-6019
Map

Garden!

2009-07-06T16:49:00.001-04:00

Hey Folks- So we planted "Cassie's Garden" today @ SKG. This is an attempt on our part to grow food in our windows, hopefully to teach and inspire others to do the same in their apartments, offices, or anywhere you have adequate space and light. Here are a few pics of our baby garden. . .(all plants purchased from local farmers at the Monument Sq Farmers Market)

July 3rd Artwalk

2009-07-04T09:49:00.000-04:00

A few images from last nights Artwalk. It was good fun all around with music provided by Kevin Sipes, new artwork by the gallery artists, and lots and lots of happy art-walkers. (we were all thankful for the gorgeous weather yesterday afternoon)

Almost There!

2009-07-02T13:32:00.000-04:00

We are putting the finishing touches on our newest show at SKG featuring new work by gallery members as well as some old favorites. Come check out our fresh look during the First Friday Art Walk, July 3rd from 5-8pm.
(also featuring live music by singer/guitarist Kevin Sipes and homemade treats by Lindsay.)

Also in the works for this month is "Cassie's Garden" an attempt to grow food in the windows of SKG, hopefully inspiring others to grow food in whatever space they have.

Stay tuned for pictures and updates on this endeavor!

2009-06-30T09:20:00.000-04:00

This June, the Artists of SKG flexed their literary muscles creating pieces that celebrate art and the written word. Some have paired the works of the masters with their own. And others have written their own work specifically for this show. SKG also featured works from kids at the after school program at Learning Works on the West End. For images of this show please visit our facebook page!