Women’s Voices Gala Arts Opening - “This Time It’s Personal”

Featuring the creative arts of over 80 women Opening: Date: June 5th Time: 6 to 10pm Location: Hygienic Art Galleries 79 Bank Street New London, CT

Hygienic Art Galleries presents, Women’s Voices: This Time It’s Personal, a community based program that continues to offer art workshops for women to explore their own diverse, ethnic, cultural & generational backgrounds, through the creation of contemporary art forms. This year the theme for Women’s Voices (WV) focused on more expressive, emotional, and personal art, hence the 2004 program title. Now in its fourth year, WV has encouraged and enriched the lives of over 280 women throughout New London, CT. WV art and education programming has created a venue for skill development, provided access to the tools and materials of the trade, and offered the rich community support so vital to emerging artists. With the support of The Community Foundation of SE CT., Bowdenwein Foundation, Citizen Bank, Garde Art Center and Kente Cultural Center, WV has expanded its successful art programming.

Women’s Voices (WV) had just finished it’s fourth year of providing art workshops promote artistic development and cultural enrichment. Join the women of WV as they debut their latest artistic creations in a collective show, encompassing artwork from eleven workshops. Participants ranged in age from from High school to Senior citizen and equipped with professional tools from acrylics to watercolors, barrens to rasps, dremels, hammers and chisels, they engaged in workshops varying from two dimensional images to three dimensional sculptures. With professional instruction, women were able to create new works in soapstone sculpture, mixed media assemblage and decorative gourd art. In addition there will be a wide variety of watercolors, abstract paintings and hand built pottery on display. Mothers and daughters collaborated to create pottery at Kente Cultural Center, instructed by Native American artist, Brenda Hill of six nations, Tuscarora Tribe. There will be something for everyone to enjoy, from Mono type prints, one of a kind images, to beeswax collages, handmade papers and illuminated stories. Don’t miss the Hygienic Arts second largest show of the year!

Why a Women’s art program?
Throughout its 25 year history, Hygienic Art, Inc. has striven to support a philosophy of freedom of self-expression, and more recently, a commitment to offer creative opportunities to individuals and groups that are seeking a voice for their collective artistic expression. The Women’s Voices program is an important part of this philosophy. The program has grown from twenty-five women in 2000 to sixty women in 2003, with an attendance of over 500 people per annual show opening, held at the Hygienic Art Galleries every spring. WV is one of the highest attended exhibitions that Hygienic hosts yearly, making it only second to the Hygienic Annual show. The Hygienic implemented its first arts program in September 2000, through a grant provided by the Community Foundation for Southeastern Connecticut's Women and Girls Fund, to provide a stimulating arts experience for racially and culturally diverse adult women of all ages, and perspectives. As a result of the programs success, the Hygienic’s Board of Directors agreed to make diversity programming a top priority of the organization. Women's Voices II and III followed in 2001 and 2002 with an increased number of women participating in the program.

In 2004, Women’s Voices continued to expand creative arts opportunities for adult women, regardless of ethnicity, race or economic status, and was overseen by program director and Hygienic resident artist, Navada Swan. WV offered a variety of art workshops that varied in length from one day to four week sessions. This type of programming allowed women to sign up for workshops that fit their busy schedules, as well as allowed them to try several different workshops during the programs two month period. To increase the accessibility of the program and diversify age groups, WV decreased the cost of all workshops for Senior Citizens and High School students. Professional Instructors like Tekla Zweir, Kerry Callaghan, Jenn Collins, and Julie DelPrado, just to name a few, offered creative exploration in such studies as 3D Assemblage, Design, Painting, and Sculpture. Through a supportive art forum, women explored and developed their own unique artistic dialogue.

One reason for the success of WV is due to the artistic talents and dedication of each instructor, who are active participants in local arts education and professional artistic development.

Tekla Zweir taught two workshops, one in watercolor and the second in soapstone carving techniques. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture from the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. Tekla has won numerous awards for her sculpture and has been an active member of the local arts community. She was one of the original resident artists of the Hygienic Artist Co-op in downtown New London. Tekla also serves on the Hygienic programming committee and has participated in Women's Voices as an instructor, organizer and a participant. Tekla has taught in art programs at the Lyme Academy, the Garde arts Center and various schools in the area. She is currently the art teacher at the Williams School, where she teaches students from seventh through twelfth grade.

Kerry Callaghan holds a BFA in Painting from Rhode Island School of Design. She was a participant in the Women's Voices I program in 2001 before becoming an instructor for the Women's Voices III Abstract Painting class in 2003. Awarded a three-year residency for Urban Artists Initiative, Kerry has received two grants to support her creative explorations in Abstract Painting and Collage. This year Kerry taught a one day session in Abstract Painting.

Jenn Collins, a mixed media assemblage sculptor, has lived at the Hygienic Arts Co-op for the last four years. She graduated from the Connecticut College Art and Art History departments in 1998, also spending two terms at Oxford University, England studying medieval stone carving and medieval history achieving a minor in Medieval Studies. Currently working in New London as an artist and full time restoration carpenter, Jenn was also involved in the art restoration at the Garde Arts Center for three years after graduating college. She has been an art teacher for children and adults at the Garde Institute for Creativity and shows her work regularly at many local galleries including three solo shows in the last five years. Collins' assemblages focus on narrative told through the redefined symbolism of objects which often include bone, wood, and antique materials. Some of her work can be viewed at www.hygienic.org.

Julie DelPrado was introduced to Women's Voices during it's second year through her involvement in the Urban Artists Initiative. Having taken WV workshops for two years, Julie is now an instructor and is helping to guide the future of the organization. She earned a B.A. in art and psychology from College of the Holy Cross and a M.Ed. in Creative Arts in Learning with a specialization in multicultural education from Lesley University. In addition to teaching art to 9th graders and working in alumni affairs at Pine Point, she is on the programming committee at Hygienic Art Galleries. Julie creates illuminating designs from natural and recycled fibers and materials, which she designs to be integrated into daily life and function. She also integrates printmaking techniques into her designs, which she learned during Women's Voices III, mono print and woodcut class.

Navada Swan, is the 2004 director of the Women’s Voices program and is supported by the WV committee members, Kerry Callaghan, Julie DelPrado and Tekla Zweir. She has attended a variety of undergraduate art programs at Otis Parsons School of Design, CA, Whittier College, CA, Howard University, DC and graduated from the State University of New York at Purchase with a BFA in Drawing and Painting, cum laude. Navada is a full-time educator at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and comes from a multi cultural background of Native American (Paiute Tribe) and African American Heritage. She owns and operates Onyxswan, a company specializing in sterling silver, semiprecious and beaded jewelry designs. Co-owner of Empress of Art gallery & Boutique in New London, CT., a commission based gallery featuring 2D and 3D art work, of over 30 local and international artists. Navada has been a resident artist at the Hygienic Co-op for three years, and is currently the Programming Director for the Hygienic Art Galleries. To view some of her work, please visit www.hygienic.org

Kente Cultural Center of New London, is an avid supporter of arts programming opportunities and once again collaborated with Hygienic’s, WV program by sponsoring a four week, Mother and Daughter pottery workshop. The instructional class will guide participants through techniques in coiling and hand building, taught by Native American artist, Brenda Hill. She is of the Six Nations, Tuscarora tribe and has won numerous awards for her Native American pottery. In addition, Hill taught a four week pottery workshop for women at the Golden Street Gallery.

Workshops offered were:
Illuminating Stories, Mixed Media Assemblage, Pottery, Mother & Daughter Pottery, Mono type printing, Soapstone Carving, Watercolor, Abstract Painting, Beeswax Appliqué , Paper making, Gourd Art

Check out website for future workshop schedules and fees at: WWW.WOMENS-VOICES.ORG

For additional information or questions, contact Navada Swan at Hygienic Art Galleries, 860.443.8001 or email: gallery@hygienic.org