End-of-summer Silvermine exhibits at 'full tilt'

Opening Aug. 5, the new exhibits at the Silvermine Arts Center will feature an all-guild juried show, an historical exhibit of prints, and the first look at recent works by Robert Gregson.

The new exhibits will run through Sept. 16 and an opening reception will take place on Aug. 5 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Gregson's new show, entitled "Full Tilt," is a display of plywood constructions -- all or parts of which are tilted -- along the gallery walls. While Gregson's pieces are thoughtfully planned and solidly geometric, he includes panels that can be rotated and mirrors that extend the edge of the picture plane. He teases the viewer into actively playing with the work by attracting them with color to turn panels or play hide and seek through the holes in his sculpture.

Gregson started his career in the 1960s by creating art experiences that involved sound and projections. It evolved into games and events integrated into cities and communities. For the last 15 years, he has been refining his work, making wall constructions and models for sculpture projects that challenge the boundaries between artist and viewer.

A resident of Orange, Gregson received a bachelor's degree from the Hartford Art School and a master's degree from the Art Institute of Chicago.

The new guild show, "Collective Vision," juried by Cynthia Roznoy, curator at the Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center in Waterbury, incorporates three different themes. The first theme, "Double Vision," focuses on the collaboration between pairs of artists. The pieces submitted by the artists function as a diptych (works that join together), as well as functioning as separate works of art.

"Symbol and Reality" explores how we use symbols as language to communicate today, acknowledging that from Egyptian hieroglyphs to computer emoticons, we are surrounded by symbols.

The third theme, "Impermanent Markings," explores mark-making as the chosen means of artistic expression. Perhaps the most basic of artistic acts is drawing. From simple sketching to intensely labored works, drawing takes advantage of a variety of materials, including ink, pencil, charcoal and pastel.

In the ongoing celebration of Silvermine's 90th anniversary, the historical exhibition "Silvermine, Milestone Graphics and the American Print Renaissance, 1979-1989" consists of a selection of prints made by guild members from Fairfield County during this time period. Prints exhibited by a selection of guild artist members, both past and present, include Ann Chernow, Alberta Cifolelli, Margaret McKinnick, Jack O'Hara, Bernard Riley, Barbara Rothenberg, Lucy Sallick and Harvey Weiss. All of these artists are connected through Milestone Graphics, the oldest fine art printmaking workshop in Connecticut, owned by Jim Reed, who at the time had the only local printmaking studio available. Reed, a guild artist member, is serving as adviser.

Silvermine Galleries, 1037 Silvermine Road, are open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

For information, call 203-966-9700, ext. 20; or visit www.silvermineart.org.