Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/807444
APRIL 5-11, 2017 UCW 19 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM The world of ar t can be a complex system w ith layers and layers of meaning — some much more challenging than others. Depending on how much you're interested in what 's happening in ar t nat ionally and internat ionally, one may of ten f ind oneself ask ing contemporar y quest ions like " W hat is ar t for? " and " W hy is that ar t? " Not so w ith the mixed media work s by Daw n Marie Rozzo, a resident of Raleigh, Nor th Carolina. You don't need to theorize about unset t ling post modern themes, examine underly ing const ruct s about ident it y or any of the other approaches to underst anding concept ual work s of ar t — Rozzo's work is simply joy f ul! There are many reasons to enjoy ar t; joy and beaut y are st ill highly relevant because of the ef fect on the v iewer. W hen v iew ing Rozzo's work, v isitors may f ind themselves feeling delighted in sunshine and nat ure: spring fever magnif ied! So it seems the month of April is a perfect t ime for Galler y 208 to open w ith the exhibit t it led Dawn Marie Rozzo: Variations on a Theme. The opening recept ion for Dawn Marie Rozzo: Variations on a Theme is April 11, 2017, f rom 5:30-7 p.m. at Galler y 208, and the public is inv ited to prev iew the exhibit and meet the ar t ist . Due to her subject mat ter, colors and approach to image mak ing , I feel conf ident ever yone who at tends the opening or v isit s the exhibit later w ill leave feeling a lit t le happier. Rozzo's work is decept ively simple. The galler y is f illed w ith birds, birds and more birds (and some other f urr y "crit ters"), all hav ing personalit ies. Rozzo has created characters we can relate to in some archet y pal way. Her choice of colors evoke meaning , as well as the tex t she interfaces w ith her subject s in a collage format . Her work appears ef for t less, yet it is that ef for t lessness which f ur ther suppor t s why the work evokes a f reshness. Do not be fooled; her "ef for t less" st yle is the result of being an accomplished ar t ist who chooses a loose approach, an ar t ist w ith a disciplined and t rained hand and eye. Upon close inspect ion, v isitors to the galler y w ill f ind her work has layers of meaning. Rozzo refers to meaning in her work by say ing , "The paint ings and collages allude to moment s of obser ved beaut y, a light ning f lash or bird st rut . I choose to document these obser vat ions w ith loose t ransparent washes and gest ural brushst rokes to express the surprise experiences in Nat ure. The collages tell a stor y of intersect ions; birds or animals weave bet ween words and images of human endeavors." Rozzo w ill t alk about her work and technique at the opening recept ion, but for those who are not able to at tend the opening , the ar t ist 's st atement sums up her creat ive approach: "I love the t ransparenc y of watercolor and it s f luidit y, it inf luences my work . Loose t ransparent washes and gest ural brushst rokes are employed on canvas, as well as re-purposed papers and cradled board to create densely colored pieces. Watercolor, acr ylic, charcoal, colored pencil and oil paint are layered over one another bet ween clear gesso and acr ylic mediums." She cont inued, "My recent collages are a play f ul intersect ion bet ween obser ved nat ural behav iors of birds, garden creat ures and the recording of human endeavors in repurposed pages of old book s. I have been at t racted to f ragment s of beaut y discovered in the nat ural world since I was ver y young and I am for t unate to have early memories of discoveries while exploring the nearby woods, and seeing wonders in my Dad's garden." A t rained ar t ist, Rozzo at tended A lf red Universit y and Empire St ate College, graduat ing in 1992 w ith a degree in paint ing and graphic design. She has painted, t aught and created ar t programming ever since. In the past 12 years, in addit ion to her st udio pract ice, she has t aught senior adult s w ith disabilit ies ar t and enrichment programming. Her philosophy for teaching can be summed up in one of her st atement s: "I k now that oppor t unit ies for creat ive expression can act ivate hope." Rozzo's st atement about hope is ref lected in her creat ive teaching programming , but also as an act iv ist in her st ated mission as "giv ing back ." As a suppor ter of the Internat ional Just ice Mission (IJM is an organizat ion whose purpose is to f ight enslavement and v iolence against the poor worldw ide), for this exhibit, the ar t ist has created the Wall of Posit ives. The Wall of Posit ives is an ef for t to make some of her work ver y af fordable for those who appreciate it and to cont inue to suppor t IJM. In the Wall of Posit ives series, the ar t ist has created a group of small 6"x6" collages on a cradled hardboard priced at only $75 each, w ith $10 f rom each sale going to the Internat ional Just ice Mission. Those at tending the opening or v isit ing the exhibit, if you purchase a work of f the Wall of Posit ives you don't have to wait for the exhibit to end — just pay for the small work and you can t ake it w ith you as you leave. Galler y 208 on Rowan St reet in historical dow ntow n Fayet tev ille is excited to present a regional ar t ist and inv ites ever yone to at tend the opening recept ion and meet Rozzo — an ar t ist whose paint ings are exhibited and sold regionally in Nor th Carolina and are in private collect ions across the United St ates. Dawn Marie Rozzo: Variations on a Theme w ill remain at Galler y 208 unt il late June, so there is plent y of t ime to v isit the exhibit . Galler y 208 is located at Up & Coming Weekly, 208 Rowan St reet . The hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. For more informat ion, call Up & Coming Week ly at (910) 484-6200 or v isit the ar t ist 's website at w w w.daw nrozzo.com. All that Glitters Is Not Gold (from the Wall of Positives) by SONI MARTIN The galler y is f illed with birds, birds and more birds (and some other furr y "critters"), all having personalities. SONI MARTIN, Gallery 208 Curator. Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200. COVER STORY