Jerry Schwabe and Kirsten Benfield Present “DUO” at Ashawagh Hall
Sept 26th – 28th, 2014
Opening Reception:
Saturday, September 27, from 4 to 8 p.m.
Ashawagh Hall, 780 Springs Fireplace Road, East Hampton NY
Jerry Schwabe and Kirsten Benfield present “DUO”, a two-person show presenting diverse artworks that include seascapes, landscapes, abstraction, figurative sculpture and artworks depicting wildlife. Expect to find watercolors, paintings in oil and acrylic, photography, sculpture which demonstrate the creative range of this duo of artists.
“DUO” has a Reception – Saturday, September 27th, from 4 to 8 p.m. The show hours are Friday 3 – 7 p.m., Sat 12 – 8 p.m., Sunday 12 – 4 p.m. For more info., please contact Jerry Schwabe at [email protected] or Kirsten Benfield at [email protected]
Jerry Schwabe
“Through my art I try to let the viewer open their eyes to see more or feel more, emphasizing the beauty or view something in a different manner,” states Jerry Schwabe. “Much of my original work focuses on landscapes and horses. I am, as are of the most artists living on the East End, affected by the light and our beautiful surroundings, including the water, the woods and open fields and all that nature offers the viewer.”
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Artwork by Jerry Schwabe.
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“My new work moves from the serene to the dramatic with variations in mood and abstractions of form and color. I paint and sculpt for “the eyes and the soul” and the soft muted colors in many of my beach scenes reflect a sense of calmness and serenity. Contrastingly, some of my new paintings are full of vibrant bursts of unexpected color pairings.”
“I try to see things in a new way all the time. I feel that a grounding in fundamentals is very important and that variation stems from that. I am always trying new things and assume that all is possible.”
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Artwork by Jerry Schwabe.
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Until 2006, Schwabe was involved in the worldwide manufacturing, marketing of Die Cutting Machinery for a myriad of industries. His art career began with pottery and now focuses on sculpture, watercolor, oil painting and photography.
Schwabe has studied at the National Academy School of Fine Arts, New School University, Art Student’s League, School of Visual Arts, Victor D’Amico Institute, Amagansett Applied Arts and the Golden Eagle. For a full list of exhibitions and artist information, visit jerryschwabe.com.
In “DUO”, Schwabe will exhibit watercolor paintings of the Sea in various moods and tones. Also presented will be photography, sculpture and painting other than seascapes.
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Artwork by Jerry Schwabe.
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Kirsten Benfield
Kirsten Benfield was born in 1965 in Auckland, New Zealand. At the age of four, her parents embarked on an extensive global overland journey that ended when she was seven. From her travels, Kirsten retains a clear recollection of the colors of each country.
Benfield is self-taught in the way she observes the world and communicates through art. Photography was an early passion that was used to practice focus and composition. At the age of 26, Kirsten moved to New York from New Zealand and came straight to the Hamptons. Benfield finds the Northeast seasons very inspiring, especially around the ocean and bays.
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"Fall Flowers" by Kirsten Benfield.
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She got a job in a local restaurant and settled into working. In her spare time, Benfield focused on observing the regional woods and waterways. She also enrolled in watercolor classes at the Guild Hall with Miriam Dougenis and took her camera everywhere. This was enough to get her started on the path of her own creativity.
Benfield works primarily in oil and watercolor, and with various forms of printmaking. Since 2000, Benfield’s has held several solo shows. Her work is exhibited primarily at Ashawagh Hall. She now lives in Springs in East Hampton, NY.
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"Maidstone Sunset" by Kirsten Benfield.
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In 2012, at the suggestion of a local artist, Benfield started taking classes at the Golden Eagle, a local art supplies store that hosted art classes. She attended weekly art classes in oil and watercolor. Benfield has studied painting with Janet Jennings and Barbara Thomas and en plein air painting with Barbara Thomas through the Parish Art Museum.
Working with color charts during oil painting classes impacted how she approached both her watercolor and oil paintings. The study of color pushed Benfield into a sense of clear signature of her work.
In “DUO”, Benfield will exhibit landscapes, abstraction, figuration, wild life, sea life, transfer and the odd still life.
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"Back of Fresh Pond Rocks" by Kirsten Benfield.
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BASIC INFO: "DUO" is on view on from September 26 to 28, 2014. An Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, September 27, from 4 to 8 p.m. The show hours are Friday 3 - 7 p.m., Saturday 12 - 8 p.m. and Sunday 12 - 4 p.m. Ashawagh Hall is located at 780 Springs-Fireplace Road, East Hampton, NY 11937. www.ashwagh-hall.org.
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