smallWORKS International Biennial Juried Exhibition | 60 Years & 60 Works November 2 – 24, 2024 Opening Reception: Saturday, November 2, 5 – 7 pm
OCTOBER 25, 2024, GARRISON, NY – Garrison Art Center (GAC) is pleased to announce smallWORKS, an
International Biennial Juried Exhibition of 60 works in celebration of Garrison Art Center’s 60th Anniversary. The
exhibition titled 60 Years & 60 Works will be on display in GAC’s Gillette Gallery from November 2 - 24, 2024 with
an opening reception on Saturday, November 2, from 5 - 7 pm, and will be on view during the ARTY MARTINI
PARTY, an Annual Fall Fundraiser, on Saturday, November 9, 5 - 7 pm.
smallWORKS showcases a diverse collection of 2D and 3D artwork from the public, centered around three key
themes: music, politics, and people. To celebrate our 60th anniversary, GAC alumnus Carinda Swann, a former
Executive Director, and Bill Burback, former Board President curated a collection of works from an open call for
artists. Several hundred works were submitted and 60 works were chosen. The collection includes a variety of
mediums such as paintings, drawings, photography, and sculptures, all with a maximum size of 12 inches.
Juror Carinda Swann remarked, “What a pleasure to see so many strong submissions to the Small Works
exhibition! Of course, that made our job quite difficult. But after considerable deliberation, we reached an
agreement on the works we felt would create a beautiful exhibition. Thank you, artists, for sharing your talent.”
Juror Bill Burback added, “I’d like to thank whoever thought of pairing Carinda and me to jury this exhibition—it felt
like old times. Most enjoyable hard work! The submissions were impressive and of very high quality. Please ask us
back for the Art Center’s 75th Anniversary! Including fifteen more artists would have made things just a little easier.
Congratulations to all.”
Awards for best 2D and best 3D will be announced at the opening reception on Saturday, November 2, 5-7 pm.
The selected artists include: Robin Adler, Jim Allen, Joseph Ayers, Amy Baglione, Linda Barboni, Sandra
Belitza-Vazquez, Peter Best, Stacy Bogdonoff, Ilsa Bouyoucos, Andree Brown, Keith Buswell, Heather Caufield,
Karen Diamond, Ellen Elchlepp, Amanda Epstein, Maxine Feldma, Angela Fremont, Ruth Geneslaw, Cali Gorevic
Protection, Claudia Gorman, Bill Graziano, Philippe Halaburda, Kelley Hedin, Carol Herd-Rodriguez, Brian Higbee,
Yoko Izu, Nikki Katsikas, Lisa Knaus, Kevin Kuenster, Carole Kundstadt, Stacy Leeman, Glenn Lieberman, David
Link, Jodie Manasevit, Monique Michaels, Robert Mirek, Arezoo Moseni, Kenneth Nelson, Chantelle Norton, Carol
Paik, Jordan Pambi, Suzanne Parker, Marianne Petit, Howard Pohl, Steve Rappaport, Pamela Rice, Sarah
Sczepanski, Ellen Shea, Melissa Small, Susan Stillman, Steven Strauss, Dennis Turney, Aya Uekawa, Allison
Walker, Xiyao Wang, Richard Weber, Jennifer Zwarich.
smallWORKS will be on view in the Gillette Gallery, concurrent with Brian Dickerson’s exhibition Constructed
Paintings & Drawings, in the Balter Gallery, November 2 - 24, 2024. The Galleries at Garrison Art Center are open
Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm.
PRESS CONTACT: Kate Cahill, Exhibitions Coordinator, gallery@garrisonartcenter.org
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: To learn more about smallWORKS and for information about exhibitions, classes,
and other programs at the Garrison Art Center, please visit garrisonartcenter.org or call 845.424.3960. Join the
conversation via Instagram @GarrisonArtCenter.
ABOUT GARRISON ART CENTER: Garrison Art Center (GAC), located in Garrison, NY, is a 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit arts and education organization founded in 1964. GAC is committed to making a difference by
providing access to the visual arts to a diverse audience of learners, professional artists, community members,
collectors, families, and friends from varied ethnic, cultural, geographic and economic backgrounds
23 Garrison’s Landing, Garrison, NY 10524
845-424-3960, garrisonartcenter.org
About Monique Michaels
Embarking on a creative odyssey spanning over 15 years, my artistic exploration traverses the realms of photography, painting, mixed media collage, and black-and-white drawings. My works, spanning paper, canvases, and installation weave a narrative that seeks to articulate the nuanced complexities of the human condition amidst the tumult of a world, saturated with choices that can obscure our innate humanity.
In the realm of photography, my lens captures moments frozen in time, exploring the interplay of light, water, movement, insight and vision. These themes become threads in the tapestry of our shared experience, and I use unaltered film photography as a medium to reflect on the quiet disorder of nature, finding beauty and lessons in its chaos. The captured images serve as visual meditations on the resilience of the human spirit amidst challenging times, inviting viewers to contemplate the profound interconnectedness of all living things.
In the interplay of colors and textures, my paintings transcend conventional boundaries of representation, offering glimpses into unseen realms of emotion and introspection. The canvas becomes a mirror reflecting inner struggles and triumphs, inviting viewers to contemplate their own journey through the prism of abstraction. I aim to ignite contemplation and self-inquiry, prompting viewers to question the many disconnects in today’s world.
Collage, with its juxtaposition of disparate elements, becomes a metaphor for the cacophony of choices that surround us. The fragmented nature of the medium serves as visual representations of the world we inhabit, where the noise of an overwhelming array of choices often drowns out the quieter, more profound aspects of our common humanity. Through collage, I manipulate and shape the surface, creating visual puzzles reminiscent of the body’s architectural geometry and navigate the tension between chaos and order, seeking to find moments of vibrancy and clarity amidst the visual discord.
Drawing inspiration from 17 years as a yoga teacher, I see the body as a puzzle waiting to be restored to its center, much like the intricate process of creating art. My work draws a parallel between the physical and the artistic, emphasizing the importance of balance, measure, and reference in both realms.
In these troubled times, my artistic expression becomes a sanctuary—a space to grapple with the existential questions that define our existence. Ultimately, my art seeks to spark contemplation and connection. Drawing from the wisdom of nature, landscape, and the human body, I invite viewers to question the avoidance of connection—to each other, to nature, and to the landscape. Through the diverse mediums and forms I employ, I aim to inspire a renewed awareness of our shared humanity and to rekindle a sense of empathy, encouraging a journey back to the center, both within ourselves and in relation to the world around us.