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Welcome to the February issue of the Geary Gallery Guide.
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This month, warm your heart with a visit to the gallery and view "Lussier: Poetry en Plein Air" featuring the exquisite outdoor landscapes of New England painter and Connecticut resident, Barbara Lussier. If you can't make it in person, enjoy taking a virtual tour on our website.
If you and your Valentine have made wonderful memories together, capture some of those moments forever with a custom frame by Accent Picture Framing. Whether you're searching for the perfect picture frame or 3D frame to memorialize your treasured photos or mementos, we'll handcraft one with care and create a gift that truly expresses your love.And finally, Mark Gutkin is a dear friend of ours and we want to share his amazing work, Canvas for a Cause. We hope that you consider supporting him and his efforts.
Have a very Happy Valentine's Day!
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 Canvas for a Cause While visiting one of his teachers on a recent trip to Kerala, India, Mark Gutkin was taken to an orphanage where he visited with 22 children who call the orphanage their home. It was nothing more than a shack with four rooms consisting of an office, a classroom, sleep/study quarters and a small kitchen cramped into an area of approximately 80 by 60 square feet. After speaking with the principal of the orphanage, he learned that it takes approximately $800 a month to cover basic expenses such as food, rent, electricity and salaries for the three people running the orphanage. Moved by what he saw, Gutkin donated funds to cover a month's worth of operating expenses. In return, Mark received not only the usual "Namaste" by the principal (a man in his 60s), but was humbled when the man leaned down on his knees and touched his feet.
According to the Chinese Medicine that Gutkin practices, shock is an emotion that initially affects the heart, and that's exactly what it did. Mark committed to contributing $500 towards the operating budget of this small community on a monthly basis, and two years later the orphanage continues to thrive and flourish. "Canvas for a Cause" is a fundraising initiative that donates 100 percent of the proceeds of all sales of Gutkin's photography directly to "his children" so many miles away. In addition to his charity work, Mark maintains a private acupuncture practice in Stamford and Norwalk, CT. Click here to learn more about Canvas for a Cause.
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Featured Artist: Barbara LussierBarbara Lussier is a philosophically direct descendant of the Old Lyme and the Hudson River School of painters, and approaches her subjects in a way that embraces these traditions -- honoring nature and working from direct observation. Her landscapes explore the romance of color and light and have been described as "poetry." The daughter of a consummate fisherman and boater, Lussier experienced the mysteries and wonders of the sea while roaming the coastline of Nahant, Massachusetts as a child. She followed her father to the warmer waters of Florida, where he fished and boated. While there, she attended the Ringling School of Art, and later, she explored the South Pacific coastline, where she was sometimes dropped by helicopter on uninhabited islands to paint pink rocks and turquoise waters. Currently, Lussier lives in Pomfret, Connecticut. She is a signature member of the New England Plein Air Painters group, and was elected to the Hudson Valley Art Association and the Rockport Art Association. She is also an elected by jury member of the Academic Artists Association and the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts. Her work was chosen for the Springfield Art Museum Academic Art Association Invitational Exhibition in September 2010. She has served as curator for The New England Landscape Invitational Show at the Lyme Art Association for several years, as well as the Rockport Art Association membership jury. Her work is published in Great Day Trips to Connecticut's Critical Habitats.She has also taught plein air painting privately and through various educational institutions, including the Lyme Art Association, where she is an elected member and served as President of the Board of Directors. Lussier holds a B.F.A. degree with high honors from the University of Hartford where she studied with Rudolph Zallinger and Paul Zimmerman. She has also studied at Ringling School of Art, Hartford College for Women, and the Lyme Academy. Lussier's work has been exhibited throughout New England and internationally. She was selected by the U.S. Department of State to represent the United States in Taipei, China at the American Embassy, and is represented in a number of corporate and private collections. Lussier has amassed numerous awards, including the Painting Award from the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, the Award for Excellence in Painting from the Rockport Art Association, and the Painting Award from the Academic Artists Association and the Sylvan Gallery. Lussier received the Isabella W. Steinschneider Award at the Hudson Valley Art Association's 2009 Annual Show. Her painting, Chasing the Light, was awarded Top 15 percent distinction by the Jury for the August and September 2009 Fine Art Views painting competition. Other notable distinctions include: Snow Light in Vermont was awarded first place at the 2011 Tolland Art Center Exhibition; Morning Fog received second place at the Monson Art Association; Storm Passing won Best in Show and Harbor Lights received a Director's Award in 2013. Her work is shown in galleries and is in private collections in the U.S. and abroad. To view Lussier's work, visit our online gallery. The Barbara Lussier exhibit runs February 2 - 27, and her paintings are available for acquisition. All are welcome, and admission is free. Geary Gallery is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and is located at 576 Boston Post Road, Darien, CT 06820. For more information, call (203) 655-6633.
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Looking for a One-of-a-Kind Gift for Your Valentine?
Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and if you're searching for a unique gift that will be treasured for a lifetime, visit the Geary Gallery. An original portrait, whether from a live sitting or photograph is a gift that will be appreciated for generations to come. Our portrait service makes it easy and affordable! Tell your loved one that they're yours forever, with the gift of a portrait of you as a couple, or your whole family! If you'd like a portrait of your children, your pet, home or even your favorite vacation spot, we can match you with the perfect artist, chosen for the mastery of their particular subject and medium. We invite you to view the portfolios of our portrait artists. For more information about our portrait service, contact us today at (203) 655-6633.
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Preserve the Memories of You and Your Valentine Forever
If you've collected mementos that are especially meaningful, preserve them for a lifetime in a beautifully made custom frame. Made by hand in our Darien gallery, Accent Picture Framing & Restoration are the area experts when it comes to framing everything from important certificates, photos and paintings, to 3D objects. Items from special life milestones such as weddings, graduations, first holy communions, or important items that hold special memories such as sports jerseys, preserved corsages, baby clothes, toys - just about anything that holds special meaning to you - can be framed. Bring your treasured pieces to us for framing and learn why our custom handmade frames stand the test of time. Click here to see more custom framing. |
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Make Time to Repair Those Paintings and Frames
If you have a painting that needs to be cleaned or repaired, or a frame that is chipped or broken, bring it to Accent Restoration and give it new life! We'll bring your treasured paintings and frames back to their original beauty. Our projects hang in leading galleries, museums, historical societies and private residences throughout Fairfield County. Click here to learn more.
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We Deliver Your Art to Your Car
To help parents with babies and small children who are unable to easily leave their car, we have Curbside Pick-up service. Just call from your car when you're in the gallery parking lot to pick up your work, and a gallery employee will bring it to you. Call (203) 655-6633.
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Gift Certificates for Artwork Make Great Gifts Year-Round
Take the guesswork out of choosing a gift for your loved one with a gift certificate in the denomination of your choosing. Deciding on an art piece can be a very personal choice. Our gift certificates can be used towards any of our original artwork, consignment pieces, custom frames, 3D custom framing, frame or oil painting repair, or a custom original portrait.
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Geary Gallery and Accent Picture Framing were founded in 1984, and today are Fairfield County's preeminent art gallery and frame shop, featuring an extensive collection of original artwork, and custom framing services. With four elaborate display rooms, Geary Gallery maintains an ambitious exhibition schedule to showcase both Connecticut-based artists with national reputations as well as well-known artists from along the Eastern seaboard. The public can enjoy a new show virtually every five weeks. The Gallery also offers a Custom Original Portrait Service, which matches their favorite artists with customers wishing to commission an original portrait of their family, an individual, pet or home. With an extensive inventory of over 2,000 corner samples, Accent Picture Framing and Restoration is a service that is highly regarded for its master framing techniques as well as precision art restoration services for leading museums, auction houses, and historical societies.
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For more information about Geary Gallery and Accent Picture Framing, call (203) 655-6633 or visit our website. Store hours:
Tuesday - Saturday
9:30am to 5:00pm
Visit us at
576 Boston Post Road
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