Construction by Design by Rhoda Sapers Opening Reception Thursday, December 4, 7:00 pm

Pequod by R. Sapers

As a self proclaimed crafts junkie, Rhoda Sapers’ Construction Art is a natural outgrowth of her experience and passion working with arts and crafts. Her art makes use of a variety of unusual materials and processes such as copper enameling, silversmithing, plexiglass and stained glass, painting and sandblasting glass, glass bead making and acrylic painting. Her Construction by Design exhibit will be on view in the Gallery from December 2-30 with an opening reception on Thursday, December 4 at 7:00 pm.

Construction Art grew out of a class project initiated by her passionate and energetic teacher, John Murray, who came into class carrying pieces of cardboard and challenged his students to create art with it. Always willing to experiment, Sapers became enamored with the task and never went back to strictly painting on canvas. Adding three–dimensionality to her painting captivated her and, driven by her ardor for crafts, she continues to transform simple materials and paint into works of art.

Rhoda Sapers was a stay-at-home mom who went on to work professionally for more than twenty years as a nursing educator and administrator at Beth Israel Hospital. Her passion for crafts led her to attend every craft show possible where she was constantly inspired by the dramatic and creative work of other artists. The work in this exhibit owes much to these artists, and to the teachers and talented students at the New Art Center where she has taken classes and found inspiration for more than fifteen years.

Avian Vision by Michael Milicia Opening Reception, Tuesday, December 2 at 7:00 pm

Piping Plover by M. Milicia

Drawing inspiration from the writings and photographs of Arthur Morris, photographer Michael Milicia’s Avian Visions exhibit focuses on birds as his primary subject. Motivated by a love of nature, a fascination with wildlife, and the never-ending challenge of finding the perfect combination of light, subject, setting, and background, he strives to create artistically pleasing images. With an eye that expresses his ongoing amazement at the diversity and complexity of the avian world, the natural grace and beauty of these wonderful creatures enables his photographs to go beyond the documentation of natural history and become artistic images in their own right. Avian Visions will be on view in the Main Hall from December 2-30 with an opening reception on Tuesday, December 2
at 7:00 pm.

Milicia’s passion for nature and wildlife is rooted in the many hours he spent roaming the woods of rural Western Pennsylvania during his childhood. After graduating Carnegie-Mellon University he embarked on a career as a Software Engineer. In 2005 he left the software industry to pursue photography full-time. Primarily trained through self-study, he has also taken seminars and workshops led by John Shaw, Arthur Morris, Charles Glatzer, Rod Planck, John and Barbara Gerlach and the Rocky Mountain School of Photography.

Anatolia is one of the most important crossroads of civilizations, cultures and religions in history. For the month of December the glass display cases on the first and second floors will house Colors of Anatolia. The exhibit will feature examples of folk clothing and accessories, hand-woven kilims, culinary tools, copper ware, Kütahya ceramics and fine jewelry. The display is part of the 13th Annual Boston Turkish Arts and Culture Festival. For more information visit www.bostonturkishfestival.org.

The Atrium cases will be filled with an array of library materials relative to winter holidays.