‘The Bar at Rracis’ by Wende Caporale in pastel is one of the featured works in the Hudson Valley Art Association’s 89th Annual National Exhibition.

OLD LYME — Two new shows are on view at the Lyme Art Association (LAA) through June 2, 2022 at the LAA building located at 90 Lyme St. in Old Lyme.

‘Murmuration’ by Michael Lynch in watercolor is one of the signature works in the ‘Expanding Visions’ show.

Expanding Visions is the LAA’s annual member show that showcases the varied artistic visions of the association’s membership. All types of artwork will be celebrated: hyper-realism, impressionism, abstraction, and non-representational styles.

The exhibit will be juried by Robert Pillsbury, former president of the Salmagundi Club of New York. The show runs from April 15 .

Concurrent with Expanding Visions, the Hudson Valley Art Association (HVAA) will present its 89th Annual National Juried Exhibition. This exhibition includes the finest representational paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture from HVAA’s member artists.

“We are looking forward to these two strong and exciting shows,” says Lyme Art Association’s Executive Director, Laurie Pavlos, adding, “We are very pleased to welcome back HVAA and display what is sure to be a very impressive show.”

She explains, “The HVAA has been coming back for years: they love our beautiful gallery space and our visitors love their impressive and varied works. They always have a great deal of beautiful sculpture which looks fabulous in the gallery.”

She added, “Our Expanding Visions show continues the excitement into the rest of the gallery. The wide range of styles shown side by side in this exhibit makes this a very energetic show and provides something for every art lover.”

The LAA was founded in 1914 by the American Impressionists and continues the tradition of exhibiting and selling representational artwork by its members and invited artists, as well as offering art instruction and lectures to the community.

The Association is located at 90 Lyme Street in Old Lyme, CT, in a building designed by Charles Adams Platt and located within the national historic district.

Admission is free with contributions appreciated.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on exhibits, purchase of art, art classes, or becoming a member, visit  www.lymeartassociation.org or call (860) 434-7802.

This summer, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts will offer a wide range of art programs for students aged 11 and older. Photo by Kayla Lilli.

OLD LYME — This summer, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts will offer a full schedule of summer art programs for students ages 11 and up. Storied landscapes coupled with in-studio instruction by acclaimed, professional artists will provide an exceptional opportunity for students to improve their artistic skills.

The three distinctive youth programs include a Pre-College and Middle School Academy, beginning in June, and Academic Summer Intensives beginning in July. Each program has been developed in alignment with the nationally recognized, specialized arts instruction offered at the Academy.

Registration is open now.

“We are offering a unique opportunity to acquire and hone the foundational skills that form the bedrock of artistic study for a lifetime”, says Jordan Sokol, Co-Artistic Director at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. “The curriculum has been designed so that new and budding artists can participate on an entry level.”

He continued, “At the same time, experienced young artists, who may be looking towards a long-term academic study of art, can grow their skills and confidence to participate in future serious and rigorous programs such as the CORE program offered at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts.”

The Pre-College Academy for students ages 14-18 offers beginner- to advanced-level art instruction through a series of workshops designed to foster creativity, build artistic skills, and develop a clear personal point of view.

Each one-week session includes learning the fundamental principles of drawing, painting, and sculpture, while introducing contemporary perspectives and dialogues.

For students wishing to explore the diverse world of illustration, workshop offerings include Illustration Essentials and World-Building.

All Pre-College programs are taught by college faculty in the Academy’s state-of-the-art facilities. These courses are ideal for young artists developing their portfolios.

The Middle School Academy, or “Apprentice Program,” offers students ages 11-13 week-long workshops concentrating on a significant artist in history.

During the summer program, students look to Edgar Degas, Sandro Botticelli and Georgia O’Keeffe for inspiration, creating original works that reflect the qualities specific to each master. The Apprentice program is a fun, hands- on opportunity to work in a professional artist’s studio, while learning about iconic artists and art movements.

The weekly classes for the Pre-College and Middle School Academy will run June 20 through Aug. 17, and range in price from $325 to $650 per session.

The Academic Summer Intensive Program is available for students ages 14 and up, offering the option of Drawing from July 11th-29th and/or Painting from August 1st-17th.

The intensive program offers students an immersive studio experience focused on the foundations of drawing and painting in the academic tradition.

Students will utilize custom north-lit studios, where they will draw daily from direct observation of live models and plaster casts, utilizing a sequential, systematic progression designed to strengthen visual acuity and develop a strategic approach to interpreting the visual experience.

The first three-week session of the two-part workshop will focus on drawing as an introduction to both perceptual and conceptual modes of observation. Students will explore the fundamental properties of light, form, structure, proportion, and gesture.

In the optional, second three-week session, these methodologies are applied to oil painting.

Students will learn to employ a direct-painting method, with focused discussions about paint-handling and color-mixing. Students are encouraged to attend the drawing session as a foundation for the painting session.

Tuition is $2250 per workshop and $4000 if both workshops are attended.

In addition to summer programming, the Academy offers ongoing workshops and classes throughout the year designed to provide a solid, skills-based visual education to develop one’s portfolio and abilities under the leadership of professional artists.

To learn more and to register for any of the programs, visit www.lymeacademy.edu.

Learn more at www.lymeacademy.edu.