PHOTOSYNTHESIS

A SYNERGISTIC BLEND IN PTOWN

Laura Shabott

In concert with the International Encaustic Conference hosted annually by the Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, artists/curators Lia Rothstein and Sherrie Posternak are bringing their weeklong “Photosynthesis” exhibition to Julie Heller Gallery East.

“Encaustic is a translucent material that can be used in many ways, from direct painting to embedding, to working sculpturally, to transferring an image, or to collaging different materials together,” said Cherie Mittenthal, executive director of Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, artist and co-producer of the conference with Joanne Mattera. She continued, “” brings all of that together with six interesting artists taking their work in very different directions but all sharing the mediums of photography and encaustic.”

While attending last year’s conference, Rothstein and Posternak discovered that their work used photography in widely different ways. A dialogue led to the idea of producing a show with artists who created works incorporating the two mediums. Mittenthal accepted their proposal for an invitational satellite show at Julie Heller East, located across from the Provincetown Art Association and Museum and next to Angel Foods in Provincetown’s East End. The show’s participating artists include Posternak, Rothstein, Fran Foreman, Wayne Montecalvo, Patricia Russotti and Janise Yntema.

The co-curators’ aim with “Photosynthesis” is to show how “a combination of mediums can have a profound result that could not have been accomplished in any other way. Synergy, when one plus one equals more than two, can happen.” A catalog is being published to keep this lovely exhibit alive past its closing. It is 35 pages and will be available for sale and for signing at the gallery and at the Book Fair of the International Encaustic Festival on Saturday, June 3 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Provincetown Inn, One Commercial Street.

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