SCROLL DOWN FOR CALENDAR OF EXHIBITIONS IN THE 2010 ARTISTS IN THE GARDENS SERIES

Are You A Local Artist Interested in Showing at the Museum? 

Since opening in March 2008, Masterworks has hosted 38 solo and duo exhibits to date by contemporary artists in the new museum. 

Please call Kate Waters at 236-2950 or email artmworks@logic.bm for more information.

The Masterworks Artists in the Gardens Programme highlights local artistic talent in solo, duo, or group shows running for two or three weeks each.  Artworks featured in these exhibits are usually for sale.  The programme's emphasis is to introduce emerging artists to the exhibition world, and in many cases artists are able to debut their artwork and launch successful careers from the Artists in the Gardens Series.  Over the years, the opening receptions have seen an enormous cross section of the community come together to enjoy the diverse artistic talents on display. 

Local artists who were featured in their first solo shows in Bermuda through the Artists in the Gardens Programme (AIG) or the Artists Up-Front Street Programme (Later to become the AIG Programme) include the folowing: Graham Foster, Chesley Trott, Trevor Todd, Chris Dawson, Nahshon Hollis, Jackie Stephenson, Dunavin Nesbitt, Andrea Carter, Valerie Brown, and many more. 

The Artists in the Gardens shows are displayed in The Rick Faries Gallery. The Masterworks Foundation may request artists to donate one piece from their show to be included in the Masterworks Bermudiana Collection.  

The Masterworks staff work together with the artist to partner in the experience of the ‘art business’ first-hand. Artists are involved with curating, hanging, and pricing their exhibition. The Masterworks staff assists with labeling, producing the invitations, promotion in the media, and organising the opening reception. The artist and staff partnership has been crucial to the programme’s goals and subsequent success.

The artist is asked to share their knowledge with the community as part of the Masterworks art education programme. Artists may serve as guest instructors for workshops, lectures, schools visits, presentations, or demonstrations related to their show.

CALENDAR OF EXHIBITIONS

Chris Dawson – May 7 – May 26

“Commodity and Desire” - Peter Lapsley – May 28 – June 9

“Art by Silvo” - Michael De Silva and Students – June 11 – June 23

“Scenes from the Seafloor” - Steven McPhee  – June 25 – July 7

“Works by Masters Bloom” - Ali Bardgett  – July 9 – 21

"All That Glitters" Jewelry Show by Local Artists- July 23 - August 4

Christina Hutchings - August 6 - September 14

Bermuda Professional Photographers Biennial - September 30 - October 30

"Flora Arts and Fine Arts" - Betsy Mulderig, JudiAnn Smith, and Suzan Sickling - November 12 - 24

Sabrina Alexandria Powell: Charman Prize 2010 Winner - November 26 - December 8
                                                                            


The 2010 Artists in the Gardens Series at Masterworks begins on May 7 with Chris Dawson opening his first solo show in tandem with the opening of the museum’s new Bermudiana Collection Show “Our House…A Welcome Home”.  Chris' skillfully done classical oil paintings are mounted on his hand-crafted frames.  The artworks feature portraiture, seascape, figurative, and landscape scenes of life in Bermuda that included farming, roof-painting, onion – planting, and even bill-paying at the height of the recession.

Following Chris Dawson’s exhibit is a show of 24 karat gold leaf on glass works by Bermudian artist Peter Lapsley.  Mr. Lapsley is a 2008 graduate of Parson’s School of Design in New York City, where he currently lives and works.  Peter exhibits artworks featuring new images of both New York City and Bermudian architecture in his elegant 24 karat gold on glass technique in a continuation of the series he began a year ago.  The exhibit is on display until June 9.

Opening up on June 11 is an exhibit of printer’s ink artwork by Michael De Silva and his students.  Since April, Michael has been leading adult art education classes focusing on printer’s ink, at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art.  Students from his first class as well as his second session of classes will be sharing the gallery with Michael in a fascinating exposition of this accessible and beautiful printing process.  Using tools such as putty knives, scrapers and drawing tools, the artist and his students craft abstract and figurative images using printer’s ink on paper.  Masterworks will continue to offer printer’s ink classes due to popular demand, and this exhibition will be an excellent introduction to the artwork that can be produced from this process.  Michael and students will be on hand to answer questions at the opening reception.  Exhibition opening reception on June 11 and show on display until June 23.

Steven McPhee introduces his artwork for the first time a debut solo exhibition opening on June 25.  The author of the book “A Guide to Collecting Old Bermuda Bottles” will exhibit his artwork inspired by his life and love of collecting these glass relics from the sea floor.  Initially inspired by his underwater explorations around Bermuda, Steven eventually established a career of commercial diving based on his growing fascination with the undersea world and active hobby of exhuming sunken glass bottles.  His artwork is an outgrowth from this unique interest, and artworks feature original bottles and items gleaned from his undersea explorations.  Steven’s book will be available in the gallery and the artist will be on hand to discuss topics surrounding his book and artwork.  Exhibit is from opening reception on June 25 until July 7.

Local florist Ali Bardgett from East End Flower Alley in St. George’s will join the Artists in the Gardens Series with both paintings and floral arrangements in an exhibition opening on July 9.  Her first solo exhibit of work will showcase this talented florist and painter in her dialogue between these two forms of artistic expression using design inspiration from world-famous art masters.  Ali will create floral and painterly interpretations of works by famous artists, and will display her works together with a representation of the famous artworks.  East End Flower Alley specializes in fair-trade, organically grown flowers with lasting color and form.  Masterworks members benefit from 10% discount on flower orders from East End Flower Alley, (www.eastendfloweralley.com).  Exhibition runs from opening reception July 9 until July 21. 

Opening on July 23 will be a group exhibition of “All That Glitters” from local artists and crafters.  Focusing on artistic pieces that think outside of the ‘jewelry-box’, this group exhibit will display works that expand the definitions of wearable-art.  Exhibition runs from opening reception July 23 until August 4.

 Artist Christina Hutchings opens up her exhibit of extraordinary multi-media works at an opening reception on August 6.  Christina, who works in New York and Bermuda, makes multi-media works on a larger-than-life scale that are thematically linked to mapping spaces using nautical signs and symbols.  Christina entered the Charman Prize 2010, and an example of her work can be seen in the PDF downloadable catalogue under "Charman Prize" on this website.  Exhibition runs from August 6 until September 14.

Bermuda Professional Photographers Biennial - September 30 - October 30.  Curated by Masterworks Artist in Residence Mari Harpur Hill, the BPPA Biennial exhibit will be featured in the Rick Faries Gallery representing works from the Bermuda Professional Photographers Association.

"Flora Arts and Fine Arts" featuring Betsy Mulderig, JudiAnn Smith, and Suzan Sickling will open a show of flower arrangements, multi-media hats, and paintings in dialogue on November 12.  The miniature paintings of Elizabeth Mulderig will be featured with Suzan Sickling’s botanical sculptures and JudiAnn Smith’s hat designs.

The grand prize winner of the Charman Prize 2010, Sabrina Alexandria Powell, will finish the Fall calendar of the Artists in the Gardens Series with the first ever solo exhibition of her 2-D and 3-D artworks.  Do not miss this exciting show by the winner of the Charman Prize 2010!  Exhibit opens on November 26 and runs through December 8.