Liberty's Blues

Next year is shaping up to be a very exciting year for me, starting with a multi-media art exhibit of  Liberty's Blues at Westfield University, Arno Maris Gallery in the Ely Campus Center, March 5 - April 19.  The Statue of Liberty has been my muse for over 20 years, This series is a reflection of the challenges that America faces presently. The monoprint drawing to the left, will be part of this exhibit is entitled Ferguson. 

In April, I'll be moving further west to Berkshire Community College exhibiting some recent work and working with students.

This June, I'll be putting on my curator's hat and producing a new edition of Pioneer Women to be shown at the MAP space in Eastworks  highlighting the trail blazing talent from the Pioneer Valley.This traveling exhibit started in New York City ('09)
 http://www.tablarasagallery.com/html/pioneer_women.html  than travelled the following year to Paper City Studios, Holyoke http://papercitystudios.wordpress.com/pioneer-women/  The last time I crated this exhibit was in Westfield in 2011 at the Jasper Rand Museum in Westfield, along with a storefront exhibition all over downtown.

This will be an updated version of  the talented woman artists that make this Pioneer Valley such a creative and vital art destination.

Reaching the Masses

Ring of Fire,  Mixed Media on Wood, 3D construct

My exhibition Home Away From Home at Berkshire Community college Gallery, 1 Columbus Ave., Pittsfield features my 3D constructions on wood of houses (as an extension of the woman's body.) This gallery, which is in the transportation center in Pittsfield has a long glass wall in front of the bus stop. The following day after the installation a group of bus drivers were waiting outside the gallery, asked the staff to let them into the gallery before it opened, the bus drivers wanted a closer look at the artwork to see how I constructed them. They declared after getting a closer look at these pieces, that they were "Paintings". I was so tickled to hear this story, as one of my goals in creating this work, is to reach they everyday man, woman, child; to make the artwork accessible to someone who may not have an arts education, to enjoy this work. This story warms my heart.

Home Away From Home is on view until August 30 and can be seen from the street. Gallery Hours by chance.

Home Away From Home

Chip Off the Old Block, Mixed Media on 3D Wood Construction

One of the formative experiences in my life was renovating a "Handyman Special" with my husband in the Berkshires. Through this process, I realized, how affected I was by renovations around me and my connection to our house/home. When it was in disarray, so was I: when it came together so did I. It made me reflect how women through the ages are connected to house and home - raising families, cooking, cleaning.  A wonderful Yankee carpenter who patiently renovated our Berkshire home, built these 3D constructions of houses, which I designed with the leftover wood from renovations.(thus bringing it closer to home for me). In promoting my vision, I superimpose the shapes of woman's (breasts, pregnant bellies) on these iconic houses so these houses become an extension of a woman's body.

A Piece of Heaven, Oil on wood construction

Of late, I've revisited a "body" of work that I had set aside for the last few years while I focused my attention to printmaking and producing art exhibitions.As I was reworking this piece, an old friend re-entered my life briefly, polishing tarnished memories and helping me name this piece, Moon & Sun.  All these experiences,
building a home, revisiting past experiences enrich my life and my work. Art imitating life.

This Summer I will be exhibiting this "body" of work at the Berkshire Community College Intermodal Gallery, One Columbus Ave, (Corner on North St.) Pittsfield. The artist reception will be Friday, August 1 during the Pittfield Arts Walk

http://www.berkshirecc.edu/IntermodalCenter

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Portal Dedication in Kendrick Park, Amherst, MA

Terry Rooney, forme & sculptor Matt Evald Johson with Portal Sculpture in Kendrick Park -
 Photo credit Rene Theberge

When I first moved to Amherst, MA in the early 90's, I was disappointed that in this rich artistic community there was no permanent contemporary sculpture in any of the parks in town. When I become Chair of the Amherst Public Arts Commission it was one of my goals to make sculpture part of the landscape in this town. Yesterday, this dream became a reality with the dedication of Matt Evald Johnson's sculpture the Portal in Kendrick Park. We (the Amherst Public Arts Commission) raised the funds to make this a permanent installation in this town park. Many people contributed time, money and energy to make this a reality including the Business Improvement District which gave us a challenge grant of $3500 to get us started. Many thanks also goes to my former committee members, especially Rene Theberge now chair of the Public Arts Commission for finishing the work I started ,Bonnie Isman who helped writing grants, Rachel Hankinson, who did helped with logistics! Thanks to all the community members, too numerous to list here for making this dream a reality.

A Piece of Heaven - Amherst, MA

Riding bareback on my horse Tumbleweed on the beach, mixed media monoprint

What is your heaven on earth? This is the question I asked everyone I met over a period of two years and the results of this search is an exhibition which is presently at Amherst Town Hall Gallery. The Amherst Public Arts Commission will be hosting an artist's reception for me on May 1, 5 - 8 PM. It seems appropriate that this opening is happening on May Day. A day to honor workers labor, including artists.

Wonderful article written by writer extraordinaire, Bonnie Wells the former Art Director for the Amherst Bulletin (She came out of retirement to write this piece!)

http://www.gazettenet.com/artsentertainment/hampshirelife/11940377-95/art-people-terry-rooney-painter-printmaker-curator?ID=abcde&CSAuthResp=63329%3A24583790%3A28678%3A15%3A24%3Asuccess%3AC138E67051169CC045D77E8F342E52BD

Art Salon @ Deerfield Arts Bank

Samuel Rowlett

There's a wonderful piece on the history of the Art Salon starting at the Chancellor's House at UMASS and it's newest incarnation traveling the Valley. It's next event is at the new Deerfield Arts Bank tonight starting @ 7 PM. Seating is limited so come early. There are two Amherst Biennial artists Samuel Rowlett and Tim deChristopher are just a few of the dynamic artists that will be featured in tonights Art Salon.

http://www.gazettenet.com/news/townbytown/southdeerfield/11533185-95/dont-blink-artists-have-20-seconds-to-explain-their-work-at-artsalon-in-south

Deerfield Arts Bank - Close to Home - Grand Opening

Bryan Higgins

South Deerfield, MA. There's a lot of creativity brewing CLOSE TO HOME, the first exhibition for the newest art center in the Pioneer Valley, the Deerfield Arts Bank. This is the creation of artist Jane Trigere who has transformed the former BOA building into a center which will offer exhibitions, art classes and musical entertainment. This first exhibition (curated by me) will feature mostly Deerfield artists including: Candace Bradbury-Carlin, Bryan Higgins, Alicia Renadette, Kerry St. Laurent, Jane Trigere & Marcia Rossi Wise. This "Close to Home" exhibition will take us on a textural and spiritual journeys through various media including impressionistic painting of water (Marcia R. Wise), reuse of fiber history (Alicia Renadette & Jane Trigere), recycled materials (Candace Bradbury-Carlin) and multi-media constructions (Bryan Higgins).

Artists Reception & Grand Opening will be: Sunday, April 6, 2:00 - 4:00 PM

There will be several special events, music and art classes in the coming months. Check our website for further details. 

www.deerfieldartsbank.com

Our first special event after the opening will be the traveling Art Salon on April 17 @ 6:30 PM highlighting various talent in the Pioneer Valley. 








Trigere and Rooney launch The Deerfield Arts Bank in South Deerfield so "Close to Home" with the hopes of engaging all of the talented artists and members of our extended community. Come join us in this exciting new adventure and be part of what happens next.

Gallery Hours, Wed, Thurs, Fri. & Sunday 1 - 4 PM.

Heaven & Enlightenment

In my hour of darkness

I've been honored to be offered two solo exhibits early this year, one in the Incubator Project Space at UMASS which will be featuring Beneath the Surface. This body of work documents a visitation from a turtle on a beautiful mountain lake during a meditation retreat. This experience during a time of family illness helped me get past the darkness & sadness of this time and inspired me to think beyond myself and create for the greater good.

That's why I started the Amherst Biennial, to help the artists in the Pioneer Valley receive the attention they deserve. This is documentation of this experience that enlightened me.

Beneath the Surface
Incubator Project Space, Hampden Gallery, UMASS -
Artist's Reception - Sunday, Feb. 13, 2 - 4 PM
Feb. 23 - March 13

xhttps://www.umass.edu/events/exhibition-terry-rooney-beneath-surface

The second exhibition, A Piece of Heaven, is the result of interviewing people over a two year period, to capture their "heaven on earth."

Both exhibitions will feature my monoprints from over a 15 year period, from conventional printmaking to non-toxic. Beneath the Surface were created at Zea Mays studio, (a non-toxic print studio in Florence, MA) '10 - '12 and A Piece of Heaven capturing heaven on earth, printed at Top Press Studio at Arts & Industry Building in the late nineties.

A Piece of Heaven
Amherst Town Hall
4 Boltwood Walk
Amherst, MA
March 3 - May 30
Reception, May 1th, 5 - 8 PM
Thursday Evening