Member Exhibitions Featuring Heidi Sussman and Lesya Hanenko Dovbenko Open at the Art Center

MEMBER EXHIBITION SERIES

WHEN: Opening on Friday, February 2, through April 2, 2018
WHERE: Visual Arts Center, 68 Elm St., Summit

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey presents two new shows in our member exhibition series, which highlights the work of members and students selected by the Art Center’s Membership Committee. These two shows will feature work by Heidi Sussman and Lesya Hanenko Dovbenko.

Heidi Sussman, from West Orange, New Jersey, will present her mixed media work in a show titled Dawn or Dusk. The works on display were created by combining traditional and digital media. “I experiment with various techniques to create mood and texture that is not often apparent in a flat, two-dimensional photograph,” said Sussman. “For this series I have taken image transfers of stark, black tree branches and transferred them to painted wooden panels using the gel transfer process. The panel backgrounds are painted with oil and cold wax or acrylic. This seeds of this series were planted when I discovered that the color of the sky at sunrise and sunset is so similar that they seem interchangeable. I am fascinated by the fleeting variations of shifting shades of pinks and blues of the early morning and evening sky, and with these pieces I illustrate how time cannot be defined according to the color of the light. Time has always been an intriguing concept to me and by working on this series I’ve attempted to comprehend this abstract and elusive concept—its ambiguity continuously intrigues and inspires me.” (Above: Sunrise or Sunset, Heidi Sussman, mixed media, 24 x 24.)

Lesya Hanenko Dovbenko, from Roselle Park, New Jersey, is presenting her work in a show titled Colors in Nature and Artistic Design. While the subject matter on display is varied, the artist uses color in all of her work to relay intricate and complicated feelings and emotions. “My works demonstrate my love of flowers, rolling hills, peaceful oceans, and even destructive storms. They also offer an avenue for me to convey dramatic, personal emotions for the fate of my homeland, in paintings like Ukraine in my Heart, which features an immigrant girl embracing the flag of her home country.” (Left: Ukraine in My Heart, Lesya Hanenko Dovbenko, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 24.)

About the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
For 85 years, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey has been exclusively dedicated to viewing, making, and learning about contemporary art. Recognized as a leading non-profit arts organization, the Art Center’s renowned studio school, acclaimed exhibitions, and educational outreach initiatives serve thousands of youth, families, seniors, and people with special needs every year.

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is located at 68 Elm Street in Summit, New Jersey. Adult and children’s group tours are available throughout the year. Gallery Hours: Monday to Wednesday and Friday 10 AM–5 PM; Thursday 10 AM–8 PM; and Saturday & Sunday 11 AM–4 PM. Please call 908-273-9121 to confirm holiday hours. Visit artcenternj.org for more information.

Support
Major support for the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is provided in part by the Walter V. & Judith L. Shipley Family Foundation, the Wilf Family Foundations, and Art Center members and donors.