The Medford Arts Center is ringing in the new year with two upcoming events, the Gallery at Medford Arts selected works of artist Sarkis Mazaniam and the 2022 Works on Paper Juried Exhibition showcasing works by artists in a variety of mediums.
The center will hold a featured art exhibit that showcases the selected works of a former instructor there, as well as Mazmanian’s work from Jan 21 to 23. The artist’s paintings depict aspects of his paternal Armenian ancestry, including the famous Mt. Ararat and Armenian dancers and churches. Mazmanian’s family chose to support the arts by donating a portion of the proceeds to the arts center, according to Arts Director Lesha Moore.
Through February 10, the center will host the juried exhibition organized by its own Diane Emerson and Susan Barnes. The event happens annually at the center to focus on creative expression through paper materials such as pencil, pastel, ink, acrylic, oil, collage, charcoal and watercolor. The exhibition will be juried by Betsy Naumchik, who studied at the Rochester Institute of Technology/School of design, The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. She is an artist with the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society and spent 20 years teaching art to home-schooled children.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the exhibition’s usual in person event on Feb. 10 to honor artists will instead showcase the submitted artwork periodically in the gallery of the center.
Moore cited what makes the Works on Paper exhibition so special to the arts center.
“I think it provides another opportunity just yet again to showcase the amazing artists that we have locally … and it gives them a chance to share with everyone the outstanding work they create time and time again,” she said
Moore addressed opportunities that lie ahead for the community to see the importance of every piece on display, noting the inspiration guests can take away regarding their own creative expression.
“It also gives the opportunity for people, for the public, to come in and see the works and realize what they could potentially do,” Moore explained.
For more information about the center’s upcoming events, visit https://www.medfordarts.com/
