VISUAL ARTS

The Splendor of Nature celebrates color and beauty. Artists Jean Curley and Paula Mingolelli use watercolor to explore landscapes and its inhabitants. Their paintings reveal moments we might otherwise pass by.

Jean points to her childhood, where she lived in a rural farming community and vacationed in the mountains of New Hampshire, as the source for her connection to The Splendor of Nature. “I enjoy capturing the beauty of nature,” she says, “the drama of light, the intensity of colors.” Jean travels with her camera, always on the lookout for interesting or unusual subjects. These images are often the sources for her paintings Nature amazes her: “We should be humbled by it, yet in our busy lives we often overlook the art that nature gives us every day. I can only hope that I have successfully captured and preserved these gifts.”

Paula began her formal training with a correspondence course at the age of eight. “I always have a brush or pencil in my hand,” she explains. “Painting is my vehicle for self-expression.” Paula’s preferred medium is watercolor. In addition, she enjoys creating art in oils, acrylic, and pastel. Like Jean, she begins with a series of photographs. She extracts her images, makes detailed drawings, and then moves to painting. Her paintings illustrate The Splendor of Nature through rich florals, tranquil gardens, and vibrant still lifes. Heartfelt warmth infuses her gentle realism.

Jean has been working primarily in watercolors for ten years, and previously worked extensively in fiber arts. She has studied with several local artists and has taken classes at the Decordova Museum School.

Paula has worked as an instructor, marketing consultant, and commercial artist. She has a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art.

Both artists live in Tyngsboro and have studios at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell, where they currently offer art classes.


The Splendor of Nature shows in the Loading Dock Gallery at Western Avenue Studios, 122 Western Avenue, second floor of the A-Mill, from February 2 through February 27, 2011. The artists wish to invite you to the opening reception on Friday, February 4, 6:00-9:00 pm. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00am to 4:30pm. For information about the exhibit, visit theloadingdockgallery.com or call Maxine Farkas at 978-349-8069.