Arc Otsego’s 10th Annual Art Exhibit Opens 7/18

ONEONTA – Voice! 10, the 10th annual juried art exhibition of work by artists with intellectual and other developmental disabilities from across New York State, opens with a free, public reception 5-7 p.m. Friday, July 18, at the Martin-Mullen Art Gallery, Fine Arts Building, SUNY Oneonta.

During the reception, which includes music, refreshments, and art for sale, over $1,400 in prize money will be awarded and visitors will have the opportunity to cast a vote for the winner of the People’s Choice Award.

Presented by The Arc Otsego, Voice! demonstrates the power of art to transcend disability and stereotypes to reveal common ground and celebrate unique abilities. This year’s exhibit features fifty-three individual and collaborative works by over sixty artists representing sixteen New York State counties. The eclectic exhibition addresses a variety of subjects expressed through drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, collage and mixed media.

The 2014 exhibit poster image, “Diva” was painted by Joy Pendlebury who studies at Creative Expressions, Lexington Center, Fulton County Arc. According to Lynne Sessions, Director of Community Relations for The Arc Otsego, Pendlebury’s work was chosen as the 2014 cover image for Voice! because “the figure’s direct and compelling gaze and the free expression of color and movement challenge stereotypical views of people with developmental disabilities. For the past ten years, Voice! has been raising awareness of what people with developmental disabilities can achieve when given the opportunity. Pendlebury’s “Diva” captures that spirit.”

Jurors are Yolanda Sharpe, Professor of Art and Acting Chair of the SUNY Oneonta Art Department and Phil Young, Professor of Art, Emeritus, Hartwick College.

Sharpe, a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence, has exhibited paintings and drawings internationally in various galleries. She holds a BFA in Painting and Printmaking and a BA in Art History from Michigan State University and an MFA from Wayne State University.

Young is a recipient of a Millay Colony Residency, a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant in Painting and Sculpture, and a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Sculpture. His writing has been published in numerous anthologies and journals. Young holds a BA in Art from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University; an MDiv from Wesley Theological Seminary; and an MFA in Painting from American University.

Voice! 10 is made possible with the generous support of Gilroy, Kernan and Gilroy Insurance; Gordon B. Roberts Agency, Inc.; Excellus BCBS; NYSID, Inc.; and the Corning Incorporated Foundation. Gallery hours for Voice! are M-F, 9-3, Sat. 11-2. The exhibit closes August 1 at 12:00 PM.

The Arc Otsego is a private, not-for-profit organization offering comprehensive, community-based services, support and programs to individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities and their families throughout Otsego County. The Arc Otsego is a chapter of NYSARC, Inc., and a member of The Arc of The United States. For more information please call 607-432-8595 or visit the website at www.arcotsego.org