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Date: 8/18/2022
AGAWAM – At a sprawling private golf course, dozens gathered on a balmy summer evening for a first glimpse of 144 small works of the New England Mosaic Project, all created by local artists and donated to the Agawam Community of Artists and Artisans (ACAA).
Each mosaic square is being sold to raise money for scholarships. The 6-by-6-inch canvases, primarily paintings or mixed media assemblages, are $20 each, which will allow the ACAA to raise enough funds for three $1,000 scholarships to students pursuing a post-secondary degree in fine arts.
Works are available from working artists and amateurs alike, who participated in the event through a collaboration between the ACAA and local libraries in towns such as Agawam, Southwick, West Springfield, Westfield and Enfield, CT.
Blank canvases were made available at local libraries for community members, who were encouraged fill them using whatever media they prefer, answering the question, “What do I love about New England?”
“Aside from the scholarships, we’re trying to get appreciation of art, and just [encourage people to] become a part of the arts in the community,” said Ceil Rossi, president of the ACAA, at the unveiling event Aug. 11 at Crestview Country Club.
It was an inclusive event, with contributions from both young and old, pros and beginners. All skill levels were represented.
“Good is in the eye of the beholder,” Rossi said. “So, you know, what one person thinks is good, another person thinks is not so good. But the point is, creative expression is really important for humans.”
One artist, Diane Boglisch, submitted a mixed media piece involving a sculpture of a tree made from solid core copper wire. She described her process for creating a style of sculpting she developed with her husband.
“Once I have the tree formulated, then I choose whether I want to put it on a wooden piece or stone. And then once I look at it, and I say, ‘Yeah, this is what I like.’ And then after that, then I decide that I want the roots to form along it. And so then I glue it on, and then it’s a finished product,” she said.
Another artist, Terry Dintzner, spoke about her painting of a sunflower.
“This is one of my favorite flowers,” said Dintzner, who also works as a hairdresser, a vocation she says is also artistic in nature.
Those who missed out on the Crestview unveiling will have a chance to see the complete mosaic and purchase a canvas for themselves later this month, at the ACAA’s third annual Arts and Crafts Festival at the Polish American Club, 139 Southwick St., Feeding Hills. The festival is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Aug. 27 and 28. For more information, visit agawamarts.com.
Edited Aug. 23 to correct the opening time of the Arts and Crafts Festival.