THE PORT CHESTER COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS PRESENTS
THE 11TH ANNUAL
ART10573
OCTOBER 23, CRAWFORD MANSION COMMUNITY CENTER, RYE BROOK, N.Y.
The Port Chester Council for the Arts, Inc. (PCCFA) presents the 11th annual ART10573, a fine art exhibition and sale featuring the work of local visual artists. The art show takes place Sunday, October 23 at Crawford Mansion Community Center, 122 N Ridge St., Rye Brook, N.Y., from 11 AM-5 PM. Admission is free and open to the public.
The participating artists will present work in a variety of media, including: watercolor, acrylic, gold foil, pencil and ink, colored pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, oil, jewelry, mixed media, digital composition and fabric.
This year’s displaying artists include Port Chester residents April Dessereau, Kathy Dreves, Nora Freeman, Donna Greto, Brigitte Loritz, Gregory Maggi, Pam Mickatavage, Alison Nicholls, Patrice Pelissier, Paul M. Rively, Jr., Ann M. Vyskocil and Susan Scher; Rye Brook residents Olivia Perrone and Joani Krasne; Greenwich resident Carole Nelson; Harrison resident Eric Zoback; New Rochelle resident Mona Balgobin; Ossining resident Joseph de Matteo; Peekskill resident Bella Gray; and Yonkers resident Steven L. Rossi.
Donna Cribari will provide musical accompaniment throughout the day.
An hourly raffle will feature small pieces donated by each artist, with proceeds benefiting the PCCFA’s Summer ArtsCamp scholarship fund.
The Artists:
Mona Balgobin is a Guyanese American, born and raised in the Bronx, who now resides in New Rochelle. A self-taught artist, dancer, actor and entrepreneur, she developed her art to be shared with others by painting on stretched canvas, wooden panels, furniture, glass bottles, outdoor restaurant seating, walls and more. Her specialty includes working with molding paste, gold/silver leaf and acrylic paint to create dynamic, textured abstract pieces. She has appeared in commercial ads for Google, Lay’s, Walmart, and could be seen on a Times Square billboard.
April Dessereau, a lifelong Port Chester resident, works primarily in watercolor, fabric, art pieces, printmaking and drawing media with subjects of glass, flowers, landscapes, architecture and zoo animals. She was an art teacher at Port Chester High School for 38 years and taught a variety of courses including AP Art and IB Visual Arts which familiarized her with extensive handling of various media. She received her BA in Art from SUNY Oswego, a MS in Art Education from the University of Bridgeport and a MA in Humanities from Manhattanville College with a concentration in Art History and Literature.
Kathy Dreves watched the ladies on the beach in Cabo San Lucas making beautiful jewelry and decided she could and would follow in their footsteps. She enjoys beading the most, but also creates flower arrangements and seasonal wreaths. Recently she’s begun decorating the inside of wooden lanterns with small Christmas trees for the holidays.
Nora Freeman began making jewelry in 2014 as a way to honor her late mother who had an eye for distinctive and striking jewelry. Nora’s necklaces, bracelets and earrings are handmade and one of a kind. Using a variety of beads—semi-precious gemstones, freshwater and faux pearls, crystals, shells, ceramic, glass, metal, wood, seeds, bone and horn, she strives for harmony of colors, sizes, shapes, textures and lusters. It’s her ongoing goal to maximize the amount of recycled and repurposed beads in her creations.
Bella Gray of Peekskill dabbles in various forms of art including pottery, decoupage and hat making. Her current passion is jewelry—necklaces, bracelets and pins. The pieces are handmade, wire wrapped and one of a kind using an assortment of beads and glass she’s found strolling on beaches. This medium allows her to express her passion for piecing together natural elements that evoke whimsy and romance.
Donna Greto started making jewelry during the pandemic. She’s always loved using her creative side. She came up with the name for her jewelry business, The Bead Garden, hoping that maybe someday she would incorporate her beads with her love for plants and flowers. All her jewelry is one of a kind (unless someone is interested in purchasing more than one of the same piece). She uses all types of beads such as heishi, glass, wooden and also lava diffusers. She enjoys putting together special pieces making them unique to each person.
Joani Krasne of J K Creative Designs creates one of a kind, unique, handmade bracelets and earrings. Each piece is created using gemstone beads.
Brigitte Loritz was born and educated in Switzerland and studied at the Kunstgewerbe Schule in Zurich. In the United States she has studied under such prominent watercolorists as Ed Whitney, Jane Carlson, Mel Stabin, Diane Faxon and Shannon Kelly. She also attended Parsons School of Design. Brigitte calls her style semi-impressionistic. “Watercolor pens the door to endless possibilities. The so-called lucky accidents combine with planned compositions are always challenging me,” she says. She has exhibited at galleries, museums and other venues throughout Westchester County and Fairfield County, Conn. and won numerous awards.
Gregory Maggi is a cartoonist. From the time he was in elementary school, he would draw his favorite characters from popular TV shows and video games. His love for these characters led him to further pursue his interest in drawing comics. A graduate of The School of Visual Arts in New York City, he continues to study and learn about art and storytelling. He is an art instructor in the Port Chester School District’s ASPIRES/ASPIRA After School Program administered by the PCCFA, where he teaches children how to draw and shows them how cool Godzilla is.
Joseph de Matteo was born and raised in the Bronx, and currently resides in Ossining. He has been making art since he could first hold a pencil. In the past, Joseph carved and sculpted but he now focuses exclusively on painting. He loves every minute of the process, sometimes feeling like he has no control over it. At times the finished project turns out nothing like the original idea, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Joseph has a unique approach, and always works on three or four pieces at once.
Pam Mickatavage combines her artistic talents with her love for animals in her custom pet portraits. She enjoys bringing joy to others by honoring their furry friends. Pam also works as an art teacher at Corpus Christi School and is an art instructor in the ASPIRES/ASPIRA After School Program run by the PCCFA, teaching art, art history, crafts, puppetry and stage craft. She is the self-published author of “Mom’s Time Out,” “Mom’s Dream Vacation” and the “Creative Source—Famous Artist Coloring Book” for the cognitive and motor-skilled challenged.
Carole Nelson is a local artist and private watercolor teacher from Greenwich, Conn. Her personal focus is that of transparent watercolors. She fell in love with the spontaneity and surprises of this medium and her emphasis is on color. Her style is impressionistic and loose. She has participated in the Armonk, White Plains and Lyon Park outdoor art shows, Rye Arts Center’s annual Plein Art Paint Out Loud and Auction and ART10573. She has joined fellow artists for group shows at the Chalfonte Hotel in Cape May, N.J., the Arrowood Hotel, Pelham Manor Club and the Larchmont Library, and had one woman showings at local venues. Her paintings can be found in homes all over the country.
Alison Nicholls is a longtime Port Chester resident who prefers to paint from life, in watercolor. Every week for a year she painted scenes within the 10573 zip code, sitting outside, or in her car when the weather was cold. The paintings are for sale with 50 percent of the purchase prices donated to Meals on Main Street (MOMS, formerly Caritas of Port Chester). Prints are also available with a donation to MOMS. Alison is a member of the Salmagundi Club and Explorers Club in NYC, as well as a signature member of Artists for Conservation and the Society of Animal Artists. She is a longtime member and former president of the Mamaroneck Artists Guild.
Patrice Pelissier was born in Haiti where he demonstrated a natural talent for art. He attended the National School of the Arts in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and taught art at the School for Young Women in Port-au-Prince for many years. A surreal artist, his inspiration comes from everyday life. He uses art as an expression of his emotions. His artwork has been described as diverse, stimulating and evocative. His art gravitates toward oil paintings where he focuses on beautiful scenes from the ocean. He won first prize at the White Plains Beaux Arts Regional Competition and has exhibited throughout Westchester County.
Olivia Rose Perrone, the owner of Rose Beads Boutiques, is an artist, performer, writer and full-time college student at Purchase College, SUNY. Growing up in the area, she learned much of her artistry from other locals in this very community. She has always created art in one form or another, most recently picking up beading and clay making during the Covid-19 pandemic. With encouragement from her family and friends, she began her handmade jewelry and art business in 2020 and has been going ever since. Someday, she hopes to give back to the same community that has given her so much.
Paul M. Rively, Jr. graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco with a BFA in Traditional Illustration. Originally from Orange County, Paul has been an art instructor for several years with the PCCFA and is now the Site Administrator at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School for the ASPIRES/ASPIRA After School Program administered by the PCCFA. When he is not teaching, Paul can be found hard at work painting, drawing and making stuffed animals in his studio at his home in Port Chester.
Steven Rossi is a self-taught artist who works with pen and ink and uses the stippling method. He occasionally uses colored pencils and pens in some of his drawings, but most of his work is in black-and-white. His artwork consists of a variety of subjects including sports figures, musicians, singers, celebrities, flowers and more. A native of Port Chester, his artwork was displayed at Port Chester Village Hall to commemorate the 150th birthday of the village in 2018. He enjoys the time and patience it takes to complete one of his drawings. He also finds joy in the look on people’s faces when they see his artwork.
Susan Scher received a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and has been creating art for over 48 years. For her, a moment reveals what’s happening in an instant, hence images unfold from this experience. The creative process evokes a deeper understanding of oneself and tells a story about life. There are over 2,000 digital compositions in her repertoire of moments. Her artwork is presented for viewers’ curiosity, interest and affect.
Ann M. Vyskocil owns Perfect Petals LLC, a floral design business, and specializes in all types of events from small, intimate parties to lavish weddings. She provides weekly created designs for businesses. She has completed extensive floral design training through the Floral Design Institute (FDI) and has also studied with the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) and is officially dual designated as a Certified Floral Designer. In addition to designing with fresh flowers, Ann also creates silk arrangements and will be displaying silk wreaths at ART10573.
Eric Zoback has been painting since an early age due to the impact of his father, a well-known abstract artist. Through the years he developed a unique style of art, combining the influences of artists such as Salvador Dalí, Victor Vasarely and Yaacov Agam, among others. Subtle color gradations and geometric images with a touch of surrealism best describes Eric’s paintings. He fills the canvas with a gentle, pleasing blend of color, form and design. He has exhibited his work and won numerous awards over the years. His paintings grace the walls of many private and public spaces. Visit his website at ezdesignsart.com.
For more information about ART10573, please visit www.portchestercfa.org/art10573 or email [email protected].