Sister MamaCita with MamaCita, Current interests of Today’s Mother Artists at Gates Gallery in Colora, MD

On August 29, Varied and Overlapped, Current Interests of Today’s Mother Artists opens at Gates Gallery, West Nottingham Academy in Colora, MD. This Sister MamaCita/MamaCita exhibition was organized by Karoline Wilezcek and curated by Patricia Kuhlman. An Artists’ Recption will be held on September 11.

A Whole Lotta Art, MamaCita at the Abington Art Center, Philadelphia, PA

On Saturday, December 11, 2010, a group exhibition entitled (W)holon, presented by MamaCita, a mothers’ cooperative in the arts, opened at the Abington Art Center in Philadelphia, PA. Twenty artist/mothers came together to create a collaborative work made up of forty nine 4” x 4” pieces installed as a grid. In addition to the collaborative piece, each artist created a stand alone 20” x 20” piece for the exhibition. The collaborative process represents the idea of (W)holon;  strong, independent systems or parts coming together to form a larger, cohesive system.

Upon entering the exhibition, the viewer initially finds the collaborative piece. Made up of forty nine 4” x 4” paintings, mixed media, and collage on canvas and panel, this piece shimmers. Each 4” x 4” work of art, executed with rigor and tenderness, presents an individual point of view. As a whole, the grid presents an exciting diversity of energy and approach. The 20” x 20” pieces are installed in the adjoining gallery. Since all of the works are the same dimensions, a satisfying rhythm is created by the installation. A variety of mediums is employed including photography, acrylic and oil painting, assemblage and collage. Clearly, a dynamic variety of spirits is at work here as lyrical meets surreal; abstraction meets landscape and three dimensional meets photography’s slick surface.

Founded in 2005 by Melissa Borko Tevere, MamaCita is growing and thriving as it encourages mother/artists to reach their potential. To see the (W)holon exhibition, visit the Abington Art Center during the month of December.  http://abingtonartcenter.org. To learn more about each artist visit http://www.mamacitaarts.com and http://sistermamacita.com.

Sister MamaCita Welcomes New Members

Wedding by Elizabeth Corkery, 2" x 4", acrylic on paper

     Sister MamaCita is pleased to welcome four new members to the mothers’ cooperative in the arts. Elizabeth Corkery, Rosemary Markowski, Shana Orbach and Kelly Phebus are Sister MamaCita’s new mother/artists.

     Elizabeth Corkery is a painter from Virginia who focuses on interiors and the figure. Her beautifully composed oil paintings contain an intriguing narrative and psychological component as well as vibrantly specific color.

     Rosemary Markowski  also lives in Virginia. She is a painter and sculptor who comes to Sister MamaCita as a veteran of MamaCita in Philadelphia founded by Melissa Tevere in 2005. Rosemary’s work is a moving and painterly expression as well as a document of what she sees and experiences. Rosemary is currently accepting portrait commissions.

    

      Shana Orbach is a mixed media artist from Maryland. Shana explores and interprets the figure as she assembles richly patterned collage elements to define and express light, form and feeling in her large, dynamic works on canvas and paper.

 

     Kelly Phebus from Virginia is a conceptual artist who explores her ideas in a variety of mediums. Kelly uses clay, earthworks, soft sculpture and paint to explore themes such as relationship, identity, ritual and shadow. Her work expresses both a joyful sense of humor as well as a keen sense of observation and beauty.

     See work by each artist at www.sistermamacita.com

Sister MamaCita and MamaCita Present (W)holons

(W)holons, Walker Fine Arts Center Gallery, Patrick Henry Community College

(W)holons

Sister MamaCita & MamaCita at Patrick Henry Community College

Sister MamaCita Plays a Part in Group Exhibition at Walker Fine Arts Center Gallery, Patrick Henry Community College

"Where Are You Now?" by Kate Bazis

 Members of Sister MamaCita and MamaCita mothers’ arts cooperative are helping Patrick Henry Community College students celebrate the opening of school year 2010-2011 with a group exhibition entitled Wholons. During the month of September, artwork by artist, mother members is on view at the college’s Walker Fine Arts Center Gallery curated by Gerry Bannan, Professor of Art.

The theme of the exhibition, developed by MamaCita founder, Melissa Tevere and member Karen McLaughlin, represents the art cooperative’s intention to nurture the individual artist thereby creating a stronger whole. Karen McLaughlin writes, “As our members strive to develop as independent artists, they benefit from the strength and collaborative spirit of the group and fulfill their mission to offer constructive critique and encouragement, and ultimately, to inspire and motivate.” Representing both the cooperative’s mission and the Wholons concept, the exhibition is comprised of three, 4” x 4” pieces by each artist. These small works are hung together as parts of a larger installation. In addition, each artist is represented as an individual by a  20” x 20” piece.

To see more, visit the Walker Fine Arts Center Gallery, Patrick Henry Community College, Martinsville, Virginia. For more information, contact Lisa Reed at sister@mamacitaarts.com.

"Almond" by Deborah Hitz

"Hybrid" by Lisa Tarkett Reed

“We’re part of the matrix that creates and maintains the living world. Wherever we are, air and water move through us like a river of life. What we do to it, we do to ourselves.” - David Suzuki 

untitled by Christine Kenney

 

(W)holons Exhibition Artwork in Progress

Sister MamaCita members Kate Bazis, Deborah Hitz, Christine Kenney and Lisa Tarkett Reed are currently making work for an upcoming exhibition with MamaCita entitled (W)holons. Each artist will contribute four 4″ x 4″ paintings and one 20″ x 20″ painting. The work will explore ideas about what it means to be simultaneously a whole and a part of something and will be installed at the Walker Fine Arts Center Gallery at Patrick Henry Community College in Roanoke, Virginia in September. The (W)holons exhibition will travel in December to the Abington Art Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Lisa T. Reed

Deborah Hitz

Christine Kenney

Duquesne University News

Exhibit by Mothers’ Arts Cooperative Recognizes Women’s History Month

Lisa Tarkett Reed, Founder of Sister MamaCita, installs artwork by MamaCita member artist, Judy Callas.

Mar. 1, 2010

In recognition of Women’s History Month, an exhibit by 12 regional artists—members of MamaCita and Sister MamaCita mothers’ arts cooperative—are exhibiting works inspired by nature throughout March at Duquesne University.Organics, Art Informed and Inspired by Nature, is on display through March 31 in the Les Idees Gallery on the third floor of the Duquesne Union.

In 2005, Melissa Tevere founded MamaCita Arts in Philadelphia as a mothers’ arts cooperative designed to inspire, motivate and encourage female artists. The group grew into a regional arts cooperative when, in 2009, Lisa Tarkett Reed formed a new chapter, Sister MamaCita. As mother artists from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Maryland began to share ideas and images, Reed saw a connection to and expression of natural forms as a common denominator within their work, and the idea for the Organics exhibit was born.

Organics, Art Informed and Inspired by Nature is free and open to the public.

Sister MamaCita Exhibits with MamaCita at Duquesne University

Artwork by Melissa Tevere, Rebecca Brame, Karen McLaughlin, and Jeanna Lane at Les Idees Gallery, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, March 2010.