“Unwrapped” at THE GALLERY AT FIREHOUSE SQUARE

THE GALLERY AT FIREHOUSE SQUARE is unwrapping the splendor of the holiday season with a unique collection of unframed works by an eclectic group of talented local artists.  This special holiday art exhibit called “Unwrapped” features creative, one-of-a-kind treasures in a multitude of media from paintings and sculptures, to photography, jewelry and mixed media artworks from November 14th to December 24th.  Participating artists include: Adam Matano, Jonathan Nickerson, Nathan Molina, Daniel Price, George White, George Haling, Nan Runde, Laura Maiolo, Haily Cryan, Peter Devine, Robert Rich, Jane White, Kirk Larsen, Randie Kahrl, Sylvina Rollins, Claudia Van Nes, Doug Zider, Steve Drainville, Beth Drainville, Emily Ross, and Suzanne Simpson.

“Unwrapped” starts Thursday, November 14th and runs through Tuesday, December 24th at THE GALLERY AT FIREHOUSE SQUARE.  Guests will have an opportunity to meet and greet the artists during a special opening reception on Thursday, December 5th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm. Visiting guests will be entered to win a selection of unique artwork with the donation of canned foods, clothes, hygiene and feminine products, socks, or underwear to support The Homeless Hospitality Center of New London during the holidays.

Original artwork includes a series of unique, never-before-seen “scrapes” by renowned Hartford artist Henry Cooke White, who painted Connecticut landscapes and seascapes from locations throughout Waterford and Old Lyme. His family recently released several of these scrapes to THE GALLERY for the “Unwrapped” holiday exhibit.

According to Henry White, the art of making “scrapes” was developed by the artist George Alfred Williams (1875-1932). One day as he was cleaning his palette, he was amazed to find a complete miniature landscape and suggested figures in the scrapings spread across the surface. It was so handsome that he decided that the picture was worth more than the palette. So he let the paint dry, cut out the little “scrape”’ as he called it, framed it and sold it.

In 1925, Williams showed White the process of making scrapes, which was simply to take palette scrapings or unmixed bits of color from the tube and spread them on paper of different colors and then scrape them partly off, leaving the apparent smears to dry. Then, he would begin to study the parts of the covered papers and would inevitably find suggested designs, which were usually small, but very stimulating to the imagination.  He sometimes touched them up and coaxed them into unity, but usually left them alone.

These selections of colorful “scrapes” by Henry Cooke White are now available for viewing and purchase at THE GALLERY AT FIREHOUSE SQUARE as part of the “Unwrapped” holiday art exhibit along with other masterworks, including “Early Spring at the Water Hole” by Old Lyme’s Randie Kahrl, “Kayakers on Chester Creek” by Southington’s Jane White, and “Lilies and Koi” by Rhode Island’s Beth Drainville.

For more information about “Unwrapped” as well as other exhibits at THE GALLERY AT FIREHOUSE SQUARE, please visit www.firehousesquare.com.