MassArt Students’ Artwork Shines At NEAFA Gallery Opening

By Tonia Evans

The New England Arts For Animals kicked off another art exhibition in Weymouth on Sunday, this time to reveal the selected artwork for the 2010 Calendar -which will go to print this summer. The gallery opening was held at the New England Wildlife Center in the Catbird Cafe, from 4-7pm, and consisted of a casual mingling of supporters and artists alike.

The artwork for the calendar and the exhibit was submitted through a partnership with Irena Roman and MassArt students completing their final semester. Each student created a piece that reflected the relationship between animals and people, and after speaking with some of the artists about their work, each piece came alive with more meaning.

Abraham Tena, a long time animal lover, is originally from Mexico. He created “Fish Tank” made of mixed media, digital transfer, & acrylic. His colorful artwork shows a man reading Moby Dick, while the fish in the background read along as well. “I like to do characters,” Tena said, “So I wanted to bring the animals alive as characters too.”

While snacking on refreshments, I met Tanya Fedan, an artist from Belmont. We discussed her watercolor called “Dolphins” that contains relaxing blue tones and water bubbles.

It shows a woman floating in the water with the dolphins. When asked what inspired her to submit his piece to the project she said “Dolphins are very therapeutic to me.”

Another painting of notice is “Fuzzyman & Ani”, by Sarah Kim from Framingham. Kim was inspired by a photograph of her two dogs, both depicted in the painting.

The piece is a combination of watercolor, ink, & gouache. The painting of the two white dogs on a blue oriental rug, with the dogs owner, positioned in the top right corner, sitting with them, is not only beautiful, but reveals the intimate relationship between the pet and owner. When Kim heard about the opportunity to submit her work to NEAFA, she said “I thought it was a unique organization, I had never heard of an organization that helped fund therapy animals.”

The final artist I was introduced to was Emily Wayne from western MA. She ran up quickly, shared that she submitted two pieces, “Santa Came!” and “Hide and Seek”, both made from colored pencils, both of her dog Oliver who was a rescued dog.

The 2010 Calendar Art Exhibit will be available for viewing now until May 17th, at the New England Wildlife Center, 500 Columbia Street, South Weymouth, MA. To purchase one of the pieces to support the organization, speak with the staff at the Wildlife Center. Learn more

For more information in NEAFA go to www.neartsforanimals.org

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